I was listening to the ABC Radio National's Bush Telegraph when its presenter Cameron Wilson interviewed Catherine Titasey, author of My Island Homicide which in itself is a nice wordplay on Thursday Island's famous song "My Island Home".
Catherine, who was born in Sydney but grew up in Papua New Guinea, first arrived on Thursday Island in 1994 when she answered an ad to work in a local pub, the Federal Hotel. It was meant to be a short-term stay to earn money between travels, but the pace of the island life grew on her. Falling in love with local fisherman Tony may also have had something to do with it because she's been there ever since.
As she wrote, "Inspiration for "My Island Homicide" came from a love of reading mysteries as a kid, working as a solicitor, sailing the pristine waters of the Torres Strait with my fishing-crazy husband, Tony, and the insatiable desire to write a book that celebrated the beauty of my island home."
With my interest piqued, I not only ordered the book but also emailed Catherine as follows:
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Hello Catherine,
I listened to your interview on ABC Radio National which brought back many happy memories of my own time on Thursday Island. I have also just ordered my own copy of MY ISLAND HOMICIDE from Booktopia. Catchy title and a nice play on the song 'My Island Home' ☺ I went back to Thursday Island in 2005 - click here - and found it very different from when I lived there in 1977. Is Brian Pearson still around? And what about Gary Duff? "Canadian Jim', now living on Horn Island, must be, literally, on his last leg as I heard that he had one leg amputated. Give them my regards if you see them! Sadly, Dave Richardson passed away - click here and here.
With best wishes and I now look forward to reading your book |
I didn't have to wait long for her reply:
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Hi Peter,
You won't believe it, but when I first started writing in late 2006, I was keen to include material that made readers want to go to TI. I was googling TI to get an idea of what was out there and your site was one of the first sites I came across. I remember thinking, I'd love to have a blog like this. It was (and is) easy to read and informative and conversational. Brian Pearson is still driving taxis and Gary Duff is there on and off. He has a property there as far as I know. My husband and I had a crayfishing boat when Gary was crayfishing, but we sold it years ago. I don't know Canadian Jim at all nor Dave Richardson. I've only been on TI since 1994! Not long compared to the locals. I really hope you enjoy the book. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on it. I love feedback as I am working on the sequel. I write for readers so feedback is much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best wishes. |
What? A sequel? You'd better weave a bit of German Harry and French Joe and Oskar Speck and Ron Brand into it!
Postscript seven years later: I heard that Catherine left Thursday Island sometime in 2014, and has disappeared from the web because none of the above links still work. Not her www.catherinetitasey.com.au - an archived copy is here - nor her email address. Her blog Ilan Life (Island Life) is still online but has gone a bit rusty with the last entry dated April 2016, which is surprising after her "Why I keep this blog" entry in which she confesses to "that biological urge to write" (I know what you mean, Catherine!) I read somewhere that she's now the mother of six children which is probably a good-enough excuse to stay off the web.
