One of the most important decisions of my life life tool place in a school library. It happened in Brisbane, about 1973. An ordinary sort of day. I headed for the library as soon as my lunch was eaten and, standing be the circulation desk, I looked at the shelves full of books and made myself a promise. 'When I grow up,' I told myself. "I'm going to be a writer. Other people might think it's better to write for grown ups, but I'm going to write children's books, and one day, my books are going to be on the shelves of this library.' (Introduction)