First Things First

the long version

"I've always said I will write anywhere. You could throw me into prison, cut off my arms and legs and you will find me in the morning with a pen in my mouth writing on the floor". "Collected here for the first time are selected letters from the private correspondence of one of Australia's most loved authors, Kate Llewellyn (The Waterlily, A Fig at the Gate). With infectious ardour and enthusiasm, skipping some words, shortening others, she writes to painters and writers about poetry, art, sex and gardening and much else besides. First Things First brims with energy and humour. Editors Ruth Bacchus and Barbara Hill have sifted through decades of correspondence to produce a volume which reveals her life and work. The result is a joy to read: a precious insight into the world of one of this country's finest wordsmiths."--Back cover.