Cottesloe mentorship logo header

A Mentorship from Cathie

In conjunction with the CBCA NSW Branch

Each year, one recipient of the Cottesloe Mentorship will be selected from works submitted to the CBCA NSW Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program. Cathie’s Mentorships are personally designed to give emerging writers the kind of development they most need. Entry details here.

– 2024 –

Kaitlin Okely

Kips Chips 

– 2023 –

 Tracey Sloan
(joint 2023 winner)

The Lost Boy of Divine

– 2023 –

Kelli Bradicich
(joint 2023 winner)

The Great Big Aussie Bus Trip

– 2022 –

Lisa Le Faucheur

Prince Skunk

– 2021 –

Bryoni Trezise

Theodora Itch

Previous recipients of the Cottesloe Mentorship 

NAT AMOORE

Published author —mentoring for picture books and middle grade. Four middle grade novels published with Penguin Random House.

CORAL VASS

Published author — mentoring for developing a middle grade novel and four picture books with Indigenous themes.

NETTE HILTON

Published author — mentoring for middle grade and adult fiction.

ZEWLAN MOOR

Mentoring for creating a middle grade novel, several picture books and a series of middle grade non-fiction. Her first picture book manuscript has been accepted by Windy Hollow.

SAL DE FREITAS

Mentoring for adult fiction. Her domestic noir novel is on the cusp of publication. Cathie has introduced her to an agent.

JESSICA DARKE (pseud)

A novelist now turned to a prestigious writing position for a government organisation.

COLLEEN GOTH

Mentoring for adult fiction, historical and contemporary. Longlisted for the 2020 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers. 

FIONA LLOYD

Published author – mentoring for a middle grade novel published by Penguin Random House in 2023. Fiona is a rising star. 

JUNE YU

Once a journalist, June Yu is now a charity copywriter and YA novelist. She caught Cathie’s eye in a class she was teaching. Her first novel Miscreation? is available in print and ebook with more to come.

In conjunction with Magabala Books

CHARMAINE LEDDEN-LEWIS

Mentoring for children’s book illustration and writing — illustrator of Found by Bruce Pascoe.

DUB LEFFLER

Mentoring of this published illustrator turned writer for Once There Was A Girl, a sequel to his award-winning Once There Was A Boy. 

LAURA LA ROSA

Mentorship focussing on general aspects of current publishing, editorial and design.

How the Cottesloe Mentorship name came about

I loved judging the CBCA awards, and joined a great panel of people. The face-to-face discussions were a highlight of my year. When we went to Perth I wanted to follow a long-held dream. I knew that Cottesloe Beach was famous, and planned to spend time there watching the sun set into the sea. A special moment for Alan and me? 

When we got there, on our way to the judging, the beach was tiny … and it was raining — torrential rain. It made us feel at home, coming from the Central Coast of NSW, but that wasn’t the point. We missed our special moment on the famous beach, but named the Mentorship for that elusive moment. 

 Perhaps the Mentorship will be special for an aspiring writer.”

– Cathie Tasker