Sue

My first love has always been music. I learnt the piano and violin from an early age and taught myself the basics on the guitar but I wasn't fabulous at it, just OK. (always told I rushed things!) Keen to get into the industry, I always wanted to be famous without getting my face known. Loved the idea of being a radio announcer, or better still, a record producer, like Mark Opitz -leading producer in the 1980s for Australian Rock artists or John 'Jellybean' Benitez, producer for Madonna. First album I bought was Madonna's Madonna, but through the late 1980s and 1990s was big on Australian rock - Noiseworks was a fave, but also had a soft spot for Bon Jovi as my best friend at the time had a Dad (as we all do), who worked in the music industry and we managed to meet Jon Bon Jovi and Alec Jon Such backstage at the Slippery When Wet tour. Started working for a community radio station Southern FM in the late 1980s, first on the Youth programme, then I became an 'extra' reading the Stars on the Saturday Breakfast programme, plus played 'Nurse Ample Cleavage' on the radio serial 'A Country Member' before I took the seat for the children's programme 'Ning Nang Nong'. After high school, I auditioned for the Australian Film, TV & Commercial Radio School's Commercial Radio course and got to the 2nd stage before GOLD 104 forgot to send my audition tape in and I failed to get in. Next best thing I went to La Trobe University to study Media studies, gaining an insight into radio/TV editing and the media hype. With only 7 contact hours of uni in my last year, I started working at the Age Newspaper typing out classified ads at $18 an hour (not bad income for a uni student in 1994). By this stage, the money took over the dream and I had a fairly permanent man in my life, Hans (now the husband!) and the Age gig turned a few cycles before a fell into copywriting for real estate agents, which is what I have now been doing it since 1998. After spending many years with my now husband who is a movie freak, my passion for music faded for 10 or so years, and over the past 5-6 years has kicked into gear again after seeing Robbie Williams on his 2003 tour. He has resurged a new vitality in me and creates a common bond with me and my two sons who love listening to his music. Would still love to work on radio, but the money and flexibility isn't there raising a young family. (have been offered copywriting work for Melbourne's top talk station, but the time and money wasn't worth it for the prestige). My boys are now my proudest effort and I love watching them grow...In 2008, I found a new love - travelling! Got my passport this year and went to visit my dearest high school friend Tracy in London. We went to Paris for the day, and hired a car to go to the Lakes District in the north of England for 3 days. Loved every second of it! Then my sister Michelle and I jumped on a plane to New Zealand to see our Aunt for her 60th birthday. Love it so much, got my boys their passports and now we are off to Fiji for 8 days.Still interested in the celebrity status without people knowing my face and have decided that I want to be a published author by the time I'm 40. Have 5 years to get there. Have sent my first manuscript to a literary consultant in the UK and they can recognise that there is a glimmer of talent. So must keep pursuing. From very young, I can remember myself writing children's stories and creating my own magazines in my bedroom, so I think writing has been my destiny. I want it to take me around the world. That's the beauty of being an author, everything you do and see is "research", so everything is tax deductible (really once you have yourself signed to someone, otherwise it is still a hobby!).Enjoying life immensely right now. Excited about the future. ..