Catherine Milne
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About the Author I'm an Australian currently located in sunny Southern California with my husband and children. I've always written although for many years, aside from some input in the school newspaper, it was purely for myself. But by the time I hit university I'd begun entering local writing and poetry competitions and even got a few things published. Nothing major though. In university I took the opportunity to really branch out and study a wide variety of things. I took classical history and languages and ethical philosophy. Modern French, Art History, and lots of literature including myth studies. Literature had always held a strong fascination for me - especially the earlier forms such as those of Mesopotamia. In them we see the original mythic cycles as they were understood by those who created them. To read the work of Classical, Dark Age, and Medieval authors is to see and understand the world through an entirely different set of mores and ethics, as well as to hear the oral traditions from which the myths arose. I don't think I actually studied more than three classes in history or literature that were more recent than the C16th! These classes formed a strong foundation for what is the core of my writing - mythic cycles and heroic acts. I'm interested in the why and wherefore of heroism. The human face. The tragedies that often form the foundations of great heroism. During this time I was also involved in tutoring work - high school and English as a Second Language students initially although I branched out to university English and History as well as developmentally delayed children. This offered me the chance to view language differently. No longer was it 'just' my mother tongue. Now I was learning to deconstruct how we communicate in order to effectively communicate with those for whom English is not instinctive. I got involved with some local Re-Creation groups and had a fantastic time with the whole Dark Ages, Middle Ages, and early Renaissance periods. We attended fairs and taught at schools. After obtaining my degree I re-enrolled and completed most of a second Bachelor's - there were still so many subjects that interested me. During this time I survived by selling crafts at fairs and costuming work...mainly surcoats and padded garb for the warriors to wear under the armour. As you can see, my interest in things old, musty, and esoteric continued - and still does to this day. Throughout this I lived a somewhat typical student life - rented a house and sublet rooms to other students while studying and holding down a number of part-time jobs. I had many foreign student housemates along with the occasional Aussie. That was a wonderful learning experience - both in terms of international customs and culture, and in terms of knowing oneself. By the end of the 10 years I spent thus I had changed a lot. I later went on to complete post-graduate work in Business Administration and Management (of all things) and took up a position with the Australian Government. Secure job, great work conditions, and the financial independence to do 'stuff'. Within a few years I was off on my first overseas trip. A month in Britain exploring all the places I'd studied and learnt about. Nowhere near long enough but a glorious trip none-the-less. A friend and I also experimented with running a craft stall at the local markets - lots of hard work and a lot of fun too. And I enrolled in yet another degree. This time I returned to my interests rather than the 'acceptable' course and started a 3-yr Bachelor degree in Natural Therapies. Aromatherapy, massage, herbalism...with other bits and pieces thrown in for good measure. Once again I was sunk in the joys of learning. In 1999 I started looking at moving to the UK. As a grandchild of an English citizen with soluble funds in the bank I was eligible to get a 4-year working visa and the idea of spending 4 years in Britain thrilled me. I convinced my partner to join me and we started the application process. But at the end of 1999, just after I'd booked the airline tickets, everything changed. My partner was offered employment in California with a good company. The career benefits were strong - especially compared to our current plan of 'move to the UK, find a place, find a job, get settled'. He accepted the job and we moved. Three months later we returned to Australia for our wedding and then back to the States. Life since then has continued to be interesting - although in a different way. I took a trip to Greece with my mother - that was another incredible adventure that included seeing so many of the places I'd read about. We've traveled a little around parts of the US and taken a few trips home. I've continued studying - online and at the local college where I finally buckled down and began taking a course in writing. We had twins in 2002 and a new addition in March 2007. The cat and 2 goldfish complete the menagery. After more than 7 years of living in Southern California we are looking to move to Colorado. A change of scenery, lifestyle, pace of life...and some actual seasons! Somehow I managed to convince my husband that cold snowy winters were a good thing! Through all this I have of course continued writing - but due to the nature of my visa I've been unable to pursue a career while in the US. So I spent the years working on a number of manuscripts and waiting. Meanwhile I raised and homeschooled my daughters, studied, and enjoyed a slower pace of life. Then, in October 2006 my employment authorisation came through. This allows me to work within the USA and so I am also allowed to submit manuscripts to publishers - and become a published author. I immediately did so and in November 2006 my first manuscripts were published - the Girlfriend Crafts series. I am currently working on a new set of manuscripts - a mythological adventure series for 'tweens' called the Drawing Quest. I am also finalising some editing on a number of adult fantasy manuscripts - The Har Megiddo duology and the Earthern Ward.
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2001-2008
Catherine Milne - All Rights Reserved