It wasn’t until I was surrounded by bananas seven years ago that I decided to break from my chosen career in the entertainment industry and dive into writing.

After tooling short stories from a young age and growing up in a house heaving with books and conversation, yet without a television set, I believed I knew where my future lay. At age eleven I was sent to an extra-curricular camp on the Hawkesbury River, organized to cater for the young people all over the Hunter Region who had a flair for creative writing and drama. I went to the camp thinking myself a budding author, but succumbed to the lure of the dramatic offerings instead. From that moment on it was all about drama. Writing was sidelined by a more demanding muse.

After performing for many years on the big and small screens and on the stage, I finally reached an impasse. I’d had a shocking year and I discovered my solace was once again in writing. I felt ready for a big change, time to be author of my own work rather than a bit player in someone else’s. So there I was, one day, standing amongst the bananas in a green grocer’s store when I remarked out loud “I’m going to change my life!” I applied for the Creative Writing Course at UTS. I was accepted and there was no turning back.

Studying creative writing at UTS was an unforgettable experience. During my time there I hungrily absorbed everything on offer, developing confidence in my technique. I’ll never forget the elation I experienced on completing my crucial first short story, and the pride and satisfaction in knowing that it was all mine, properly structured and executed with a beginning, a middle and an end. I resolved then that I would continue to write.

To date I’ve released three published works and as some of you may remember, I worked for a weekend newspaper for many years as a columnist. To those of you who have tapped me on the shoulder as I’ve stood in the green grocer surrounded by bananas, kindly telling me that you miss my column… well, here, finally is my blog. Happy reading!