Candida Baker

Candida Baker's latest and third novel, Light and Shadow, published by Bonita Mersiades at Fair Play Publishing in November 2025, traverses both physical and emotional landscapes with searing intensity as it wrestles with questions of identity and belonging, women’s power and how the past impinges on the present. Author Sue Woolfe has described Light and Shadow as: 'The most intimate of novels, a book to be kept on your bedside table. Baker’s power and truth as a describer of women’s longing, desire and sexual love is second to none. She is truly a literary descendant of Marguerite Duras.'

Candida’s other books include two novels, Women and Horses and The Hidden, a book of short stories, The Powerful Owl, the seminal non-fiction series, Yacker, Australian Writers Talk About Their Work, three children's books, and numerous anthologies. Her memoir, The Heart of a Horse was published in 2021.

Candida has worked as a feature writer and regular reviewer on The Age for seven years, was arts editor on the Sydney Morning Herald and editor of The Weekend Australian Magazine for six years. She has always had a keen interest in the visual arts and has an MA in Art History from the University of Adelaide. She also project-manages corporate books for companies wanting a specialised publication and runs an equine charity, Equus Alliance.

Candida lives on Anaiwan country, near Armidale with her husband, her herd of horses and the family's French Bulldog, Willow.