After reading what I have decided is my touchstone, The Thorn Birds, again I am amazed at how many new aspects of the story I have discovered and continue to do, in each reading. To be even a small fraction as good writer as Colleen McCullough I would feel humbled. Her insight into the complexities of family and ability to glide through the quagmire of emotions and experiences is definitely a skill and a talent.

Colleen’s comments at the end of the book are certainly something to take to heart, with one that I have found more and more heartening, especially as I speak to more people who are published, she said;

“First, you have to enjoy writing and, after that, at least in the case of writing novels, I think most people write to supplement their incomes. I certainly started writing professionally to earn some extra money.”

Another quote, which I tend to agree with is “Never show what you write to the people who are closest to you.” Hmmm.

I tried to find a link to either a website for Colleen or to the interview which was from A Current Affair, November 5, 1998 but with no success, so you will have to take my word for it!