Lots of people ask me “When did you know you wanted to be a writer?” and my answer is generally very vague and something along the lines of “I’ve always known.”
Some of my earliest memories involve books, but when I try to figure out exactly when I “knew”, there’s one recurring theme – it all started with the opening of a library in my home town in 1977, when I was nine. My memories of Deception Bay Library were a bit scattered – I remember the librarian giving us our cards and showing us where we could find the children’s books, I remember standing in front of towering shelves full of books and funnily enough, I remember the brickwork. It was probably the first building I’d been into with exposed brick walls and a soaring ceiling and I thought it was so modern and cutting edge. But what I remember best was the sanctuary – the cool, the quiet, the never-ending supply of books. The library allowed my sister and I to escape the chaos unfolding in our middle childhood and be kids. It was a time when you could ride your bike across to the library, leave it outside on the rack and it would still be there when you got back. So, nearly forty years later, here I am visiting the library that started me on this journey. Does it live up to my memory? Well, it’s smaller than I remember, and nowhere near as dark and cavernous, but it’s just as welcoming as it was all those years ago. The librarian recognised me as a stranger, gave me an overview and left me to explore. So, what about you? Whatever your chosen career or passion, when did you know?
Allison
23/9/2014 12:14:56 pm
Yes it does look smaller than I remember too. And what I remember well was the devastation of moving from Deception Bay to a place where there was no library.
Fiona Greene
23/9/2014 12:41:55 pm
The first thing I noticed Allison - the stairs were gone. Now a ramp. And it wasn't the huge monolith I remembered. Still plenty of great memories though. And you know that park at Albany Creek (ferguson Street) now has a library - imagine how great that would have been! Comments are closed.
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Fiona Greene AuthorWhen you set out on a journey and night falls, that's when you will discover the stars." Archives
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