Sally Collings

Sally Collings is the author of Sophie's Journey, the story of Sophie Delezio. Released in April 2007, it was an immediate bestseller, staying on the national non-fiction bestseller lists for 3 months.

Most people know a little of Sophie Delezio's story. In 2003, a car drove into the Roundhouse Child Care Centre in Sydney and burst into flames. Incredibly, no children were killed. But Sophie was trapped under the car - she sustained third-degree burns to 85 per cent of her body, and lost both feet, some fingers and her right ear. Unbelievably, two years later she was hit by a car on a pedestrian crossing. Again, she had near-fatal injuries. Again, she survived. Sophie's Journey tells Sophie's story through the words of the people around her: friends, family, doctors, nurses, emergency workers.

When it comes to insider knowledge about writing and publishing non-fiction, Sally Collings has it all. Currently a writer, editor and publishing consultant, she has more than 20 years experience in trade publishing. She is a former associate publisher (non-fiction) with HarperCollins Australia and editorial director of Amber Books in the UK. Sally has had responsibility for running publishing programs of over 80 titles a year, as well as editing individual titles.

In her time in publishing, Sally Collings has had to become an instant expert on topics ranging from origami dinosaurs to psychic detectives. Subject areas that are closest to her heart, though, include biography, memoirs, motivation, parenting and spirituality.

Sally is now working on her second book. Positive is a collection of interviews about the good things that can come through (or in spite of) cancer, to be published by HarperCollins, Australia in 2009. She lives in Brisbane with her husband Robert, one black cat and two young daughters.

Sally is available to speak about writing and publishing non-fiction in general, and Sophie's Journey in particular - topics include:

• Writing Sophie - meeting Sophie and the people who have cared for and supported her; learning about resilience, life and death decisions; what Sophie can teach us all.
• 'Team Sophie' - how a group of people saved a little girl's life. Ambulance drivers, doctors, passers-by and friends as well as Sophie's family - all played a crucial role in Sophie's survival. The lessons we can learn for working as a team.
• Resilience - how to overcome obstacles in your life, drawing on the example of Sophie Delezio.
• 'The Sophie Effect' - why Sophie touches us so strongly. Is Sophie unique, or can we all be like her?
• Interviewing - especially in emotional and post-trauma situations. How to draw out reluctant interviewees and ask the difficult questions.

Her latest project is working with Sophie Delezio's parents on a new book based on their diaries and due to be released by Random House in early 2009. Sally has described this as an incredibly challenging and moving project.