Incoming Writers Festival director

New director Candida Baker.

THE appointment of The Northern Star’s Weekender editor, Candida Baker, as the incoming director of the Byron Bay Writers Festival and the Northern Rivers Writers Centre was announced this week.

Brooklet-based Ms Baker is a prolific writer, having produced 11 books in the past 20 years. An experienced journalist, she has edited the Weekend Australian Magazine, been deputy editor of the Good Weekend magazine and has participated in numerous Australian writers’ festivals.

Ms Baker will be working with outgoing director Jeni Caffin until October 1, when, as she states, the training wheels will come off and planning for the 2011 festival begins.

Jeni Caffin says she is delighted with the appointment: “Candy has an extraordinary knowledge of all aspects of publishing which will obviously translate to the ongoing success of the writers’ festival and centre. And above all, she has an amazing sense of humour – which she’s going to need,” Ms Caffin said.

Colleagues at the newspaper will miss her inspirational editing. Ms Baker said she was looking forward to continuing as a columnist for the newspaper and building the relationship between The Northern Star and the festival.