Shel Calopa is our first author from Australia. Whilst set squarely within the Sci-Fantasy genre, her stories only use science as a colourful backdrop against which her characters struggle with the contemporary issues of class, gender, discrimination and power.

My family often laugh about the MGM style dreams I would retell every morning upon waking. My friends like to remind me of all the times I forced them to read obscure scifi novels or discuss possible re-writes to classic movies. Apparently I had been a story teller all my life without realising it.

But it took a lightbulb moment in a business writing course to give me the courage to tackle a novel. The course facilitator said, ‘It sometimes takes a lifetime of experience to really have something to say.’ As a forty-ish working mum with decades of adversity behind me, I had a lot to say. In that moment knew I had to give it a shot. I’m very excited to be launching my debut novel with Inspired Quill.

Living and working in Melbourne, the UNESCO City of Literature, Shel is surrounded by writing inspiration. She is a big fan of festivals. If you see her at The Emerging Writers Festival or Speculate please say hello or connect with her at Australian Speculative Fiction group where she is a regular contributor.

Shel has completed a number of short courses and workshops with The Writer’s Studio, Masterclass, Inspired Quill and the Melbourne Writer’s Festival.

When not working at her day job as a philanthropy marketer or writing Sci-Fi, Shel is busy being pulled along local streets by her husky dog, or racing her daughter on Mario Superkart.