Michelle tells young people that poetry is like "making magic with words" and her sessions typically involve audience participation, enacting of poems and a lot of interaction.

She is passionate about poetry and its potential to bring some magic into our lives. She believes that poetry can allow both young and old to express themselves more fully, and to appreciate themselves and the world around them with new wonder. "I want those I work with to go away feeling two things - firstly energised, and secondly, empowered by words and their endless possibilities in our lives".

Michelle's books include:

• 100 Ways to Fly (Children's Poetry) UQP, 2019.  To see fun resources and teachers notes click here:   100 Ways to Fly - Resources
• If The World Belonged To Dogs (Children's poetry) UQP, 2007
• If Bees Rode Shiny Bicycles (Children's poetry) UQP, 2003
• Renovating (Poetry) Picaro Press, 2002
• The Angel Of Barbican High (YA Verse novel) UQP, 2001
• Bloom (Poetry), Vagabond Press, 2001
• Word For Word (An inspirational workbook for writers and teachers of writing), Queensland Writers Centre, 2000
• First Language (Poetry), Five Islands Press, 1999

Awards Received Include:

• If Bees Rode Shiny Bicycles voted one of the Top Titles for 2003 by The Australian Centre for Youth Literature
• Australian Family Therapists Award for The Angel Of Barbican High as a book useful for therapists
• Harri Jones Memorial Prize (for an Australian poet 35 years or under whose work in the field of poetry is judged to be outstanding)

Michelle was born in Brisbane in 1968, and grew up in Darwin and Brisbane. She has lived in Suffolk, Glasgow, London and the island of Madeira in Portugal. She has been writing and publishing for over twenty years.  Michelle particularly enjoys taking poetry to young audiences and is a popular choice as a performer and workshop leader in schools and at literary festivals. Michelle has a degree in occupational therapy with many years experience working with those with mental and emotional health problems. She also has a Master of Arts in which she  researched the role of monsters in stories to empower children and manage fears.