Michelle Cavanagh

I’m an Australian author who, having been a ‘scribbler’ of sorts all my life, came to professional writing later in life. My first published book didn’t hit the bookshops until 2006.

But, as all writers must read, I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. According to my mother – who taught me to read before I started school – as a four year old I could read the newspapers of the time. How much of that is maternal pride I don’t know since my mother is no longer here to confirm that claim.

And I’ve kept diaries for many years; one of which got me into trouble when, as a teenager, my mother read some of what I’d written. As I’m now in the process of writing my memoirs these diaries have proved very helpful by jogging my memory.

Letter writing is also something that I’ve always been keen to pursue and, being a hoarder, I’ve also kept most of the letters written to me over the years by family and friends. Now of course such letter writing is usually done via email which will no doubt prove to be rather a sad tale when future historians are trying to piece together a life. One of my letter writing ventures – which is now done via email as well as old fashioned snail mail – is to a group of friends in a correspondence magazine Personal Post. I’ve belonged to PP since 1965, writing letters to the magazine each month.

So reading, writing and  literary pursuits are in my blood. I hope you will enjoy reading some of what I write and I look forward to connecting with you. I’d like to finish with one of my favourite sayings from the author and feminist Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986);
“One’s life has value so long as one attributes value to the life of others, by means of love, friendship, indignation and compassion”

Cheers!