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Books Quote by P.J. Hartnett

“I was born near Sydney, Australia, a long time ago. A lovely young woman named Dawn married me in 1972 and we were blessed with three wonderful sons – Daniel, Ben and Nathan. Sometime during the 1980s Dawn suggested I write a short story for the three boys, so each lunchbreak I would sit in my car…” quote by P.J. Hartnett
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““I was born near Sydney, Australia, a long time ago. A lovely young woman named Dawn married me in 1972 and we were blessed with three wonderful sons – Daniel, Ben and Nathan. Sometime during the 1980s Dawn suggested I write a short story for the three boys, so each lunchbreak I would sit in my car and write and each night I would type what I had written. This was a very different challenge to the journalism I had been trained in as a reporter on a New South Wales country newspaper. When a chapter was completed I would read it to the family and their enthusiasm would encourage me to keep writing (the fact that Daniel, Ben and Nathan were also the starring characters may have strengthened their support!). The short story became a novel which was released in 1989 as “The Fortress of Migdol”. The feedback I received was very positive, and to my pleasant surprise this came from all ages and both genders. These positive responses, as well as our belief that the story had something worth sharing, eventually sparked the idea of giving it a new and more effective distribution. I took the opportunity to rework a lot of the writing and even added whole new events that brought greater depth and breadth to the world of Eldengard and its themes. Finally, after somehow ending up twenty thousand words longer, the new version was finished. “Dewthor and the Fortress of Migdol” was ready to leave home. Dawn and I live in the small bayside community of Woody Point, just north of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. We have been married for 40 years and our three sons are now in their 30s.””

P.J. Hartnett

About This Quote

The author recounts his lifelong journey of writing, family collaboration, and the evolution of his novel, highlighting perseverance and creative expansion.

In simple terms: A lifelong creative journey with family support.

Key Takeaway

Persist, collaborate, and expand your work.

Themes

Writing Family Creativity Persistence Collaboration

Mood

reflective inspired

Type

autobiography creative

When to use this quote

  • Writing workshops
  • Family storytelling
  • Publishing projects

Key Concepts

Narrative development Creative process Family dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does family influence your art?
  • What drives you to revise your work?
A Different Perspective

Creative fatigue can arise.

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