Catherine radiated much appreciated personal and professional warmth from the start of the day. She gave lashes of encouragement and inspiration at every turn during the workshop, which, it has to be said, was presented under unpredictably debilitating conditions in the searing Brisbane heat. The writing class gig itself was, however, definitely not debilitating. It sizzled along, crackling with her energy and creativity, and whenever we seemed as though we were flagging in the heat, Catherine acted cool and in control, helping us reach for new creative heights, both emotionally and intellectually. How Catherine sustained her boundless energy and enthusiasm throughout was a wonder to behold. She also personalised aspects very astutely for various individual members of the group, at the same time conveying very relevant, more general points where appropriate as well. Thus the enlightenment which resonated all day was that ‘In the particular lies the universal’ in some form – often mysteriously so, where writing is concerned.
Helen Yeates