About me
I was born in the UK into a house full of books. Reading was always a big thing in our family and my love of writing was spurred on by my mother (a frustrated children’s writer and a brilliant teacher) who encouraged me to send off short stories to various magazines when I was a teenager. I also wrote a racy sex’n’shopping novel with my best friend at school which thankfully never saw the light of day but which provided us with endless evenings of hilarity.
I studied History of Art at the University of East Anglia and specialised in modern architecture which continues to inspire and occasionally frustrate me. I worked as an interior designer in London before discovering an interest in feng shui. After moving to Australia, I became a feng shui consultant and taught the subject at community colleges around Sydney and consulted on many business and domestic projects. I continue to be fascinated by the way our homes and workplaces influence and reflect our lives.
Blending my love of words with my love for design can be seen and heard in my work for ABC Radio National’s By Design and Blueprint for Living, links to which can be found on the Other Writing and Podcasts pages. My novel Not Always To Plan was published in 2013 and Loving Le Corbusier was published in 2016. Both can be found at all good e-resellers.
While Sydney is home, I quite fancy a stint in France at some point. Or maybe Italy. One thing I have realised since moving to Australia is just how important the sunshine is to the way I feel. But there’s nothing quite like a rainy day for a good day’s writing…
You can contact me at cbisset@froggy.com.au, or please leave a comment after any piece – I love hearing from readers.
I have just finished reading your novel “Not Always To Plan”. I enjoyed it very much. I much admire your style. It is clear, engaging and very readable. It was a good story. I look forward to reading more of your work.
Graham Egan (your co-star in Habeas Corpus)
Thanks, Graham, for your very generous feedback which I much appreciate (especially knowing your love of words). Hope you enjoyed the local theatre scenes…!
Hey there! I just nominated you for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Feel free to accept or ignore! 🙂
Wow, what a lovely thing to do! Especially when you deserve one too – I always enjoy your posts for their inspiring take on French life. Can I honour you back?
Absolutely no need, as I’m just paying the same honor forward! 😉
Hi Colin, I think your site’s got beautiful design and such interesting pieces, so I’m following! 🙂
I really enjoy your posts and look forward to your next.
Feel free to check out my writing about publishing: publishinginsights.org
Sherry
Thanks, Sherry, that’s lovely feedback!
Mr. Collins, I love to read your posts. Your blog is so amazing and impressive. Hope someday I can be a traveller like you. And I was a broadcaster too but I had resigned since ten years ago.
Hi Sugih – That’s great to know you enjoy it! It means a great deal to me that people I haven’t met find my blog and follow it. Good luck with your important work in Borneo!
Thank you Sir 🙂
”
Nothing quite like a rainy day for good writing” indeed..
I see you’re from Seattle so I understand you know the potency of rain…Thanks for stopping by.
I am. you have a cool blog.
Thanks!
@”I quite fancy a stint in France at some point.” – bonjour de Toulouse, France, “old Europe”! 🙂 glad to have come across your awesome blog… cheers and have a splendid week! 🙂 Mélanie
Thank you for stopping by – always particularly great to have French readers. And what a beautiful city Toulouse is!
Hi Colin, I sorely miss By Design on RN, in particular your little shots of history. What are you working on now? Are you making any more audio stories?
Thanks, Kieran, I’m glad you enjoyed them. But all is not lost – I don’t know if you’ve caught Blueprint for Living which took over the slot from By Design? I’m doing a series on Iconic Buildings this year and you can catch up on them by going to my Podcasts or Other Writing pages, or put my name into the RN website and they’ll come up. I’m doing my best to keep design and architecture on the network! Hope you approve.
oh good stuff, thanks for the reply, will do!
Hello Colin and thank you for flattering me by following my blog – I will try not to disappoint 🙂
It’s a lovely blog and couldn’t disappoint. And I will try not to be consumed by jealousy for your lovely French life!
Re your piece on Blueprint for Living 27/08 and comment on Paronella Park. Joe Paronella was not an Italian immigrant. See extract from History of Paronella Park,
“José Paronella arrived in Australia from Catalonia in Spain, in 1913. For the next 11 years he worked, cutting sugar cane initially, then purchasing, improving, and reselling cane farms. In 1924 he returned to Spain and married Margarita in 1925. The trip back to Australia was their honeymoon.
José first saw this 13 acres of virgin scrub along Mena Creek in 1914. He eventually purchased it in 1929 for £120 and started to build his pleasure gardens and reception centre for the enjoyment of the public. etc”
My apologies, Pam (and Jose!). It’s been a while since I visited Paronella Park and I relied on my (faulty) memory rather than checking. Quite a difference. Nevertheless, I hope newcomers will seek you out. I will ensure the written version is corrected.
Is your email address still working? I get a 550 No Such User Here response.
Colin, have to let you know how much I enjoy your segments on Blueprint for Living. Always spurs me on to search further and I feel quite enlightened. Do you have more places I can find you. Mia
Oh Mia, that’s lovely to hear. Thank you so much. I try to put anything I’ve done on this site, if I can – links to my two novels, other radio work under Podcasts, etc. If you follow this by email then you should get notification whenever anything new goes up. Thanks again!