My first post

This is my very first entry to a blog and I'm doing this so I can introduce the world to my writing. About ten years ago I had a moving experience that led me to start writing my first book. The 80,217 word novel won a literary award locally which ultimately led me to think I might be able to write seriously.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have enjoyed putting pen to paper. It began when I wrote to my grandmother who lived in Sydney (I lived in the country NSW town of young) and continued with short stories while I was in high school at another country town (Wagga Wagga). I have kept some of those short stories for over thirty years now as I find them very hard to throw away.

I finished my novel in 2008 and have set it aside now to snooze for a few months before I attack it with a final and thorough edit before sending it to an agent. In the meantime, I have completed two short stories (2,500 words) for the Jane Austen competition in the UK and a 3,000 word story for the Bristol writing competion. I also completed a story (3,000 words) for the Commonwealth writing competition. All are due mid-2009. I had not considered another novel at this time but I will write my second novel one day when I am not quite so busy.

I live near Brisbane, Australia at Wellington Point. It's a pretty suburb overlooking Moreton Bay and Stradbroke Island. I am 59 years old and work as a TAFE lecturer in the Business Faculty. My children are all grown up now - I have four, the youngest of whom is eighteen years old and at university. They have their own blogs, so they informed me, when I announced that I was about to create a blog for myself. It seems everyone has a blog and I may be the last person on this planet to start one. Oh well.