Rodney’s Blogs
11th January 2011
What a terrible thing this is! My Australian readers are very special to me.
From the publication of the first book you have been writing to support and encourage me. You have told me stories of your connections with the UK, and especially the west country, and some of you have sent me calendars and even books describing your glorious country. I've heard about your libraries who also support me and I've met some of you when your visits to this country have coincided with an event or a book-signing: most recently the Porlock Arts Festival where I met the lovely Margaret Gilbert who came armed - with usual Australian generosity - with gifts.
My first editor, the young woman who gave me my chance, was an Australian - and when she moved back to Sydney I was very sad. We stay in touch of course, but it's another special link, and my very dear godson has now moved to Sydney to marry his delightful Australian girlfriend.
The scale of this disaster makes it very difficult to think of anything helpful to say except that you are so much in my thoughts.
With my love, Marcia
From the publication of the first book you have been writing to support and encourage me. You have told me stories of your connections with the UK, and especially the west country, and some of you have sent me calendars and even books describing your glorious country. I've heard about your libraries who also support me and I've met some of you when your visits to this country have coincided with an event or a book-
My first editor, the young woman who gave me my chance, was an Australian -
The scale of this disaster makes it very difficult to think of anything helpful to say except that you are so much in my thoughts.
With my love, Marcia
FLOODS IN AUSTRALIA
Our kitchen, which is luckily quite big, is central to our lives. At this time of the year when the sun decides not to shine and the world outside the big sliding doors is just dreary and gloomy, the first one down (I would like to say it is always me but that would not be true) makes it as cheerful as possible by switching on some lights and the radio. Because I am pretty deaf, I can’t hear it but Marcia can.
When she appeared I started to say something and was promptly ‘shushed’ and then she explained that people living in Brisbane were being asked to leave. We never, ever, watch television at that time but this morning we made an exception. Marcia watched with horror and asked me if I could identify all the readers who live in Australia from their e-mail addresses. I explained that I couldn’t but that if she wanted to send them a message it could be on a blog. So, here is a message from Marcia to all of you ‘down under’.