\u201cI\u2019m trying to not write a sequel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Rachel Robertson, lecturer in Professional Writing and Publishing at Curtin, smiled as she said this, before adding, \u201cbut maybe my son can write it \u2013 it will be about the next stage of his life after all.\u201d<\/p>\n
The book in question is her memoir Reaching One Thousand about her experience raising her son Ben who is autistic. It was recently shortlisted for the National Biography Award alongside acclaimed biographers like Robert Drewe. Her son Ben is thrilled about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is quite proud of it \u2013 not embarrassed at all,\u201d she told me. \u201cI had to think a lot about the extent to which you reveal things \u2013 about myself, about my son, about my ex-partner, about my childhood as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reaching One Thousand started life after Dr Robertson tried to find books that would help her with her son after he had been diagnosed. She felt there was a gap as most of the books encouraged her to fight her son\u2019s condition rather than accepting it and working with it. \u201c\u2019Normal\u2019 is a construct,\u201d she said. \u201cI want my son to be who he is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The book also functions as a scrapbook \u2013 one that her son dips into frequently. \u201cIt\u2019s my view of what has happened over the last twelve years,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd he knows that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reaching One Thousand was first published as an essay in the Australian Book Review, the book being structured in a thematic format. Dr Robertson was rather surprised when the publisher Black Inc called her up and asked her if the full length manuscript was done.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so aware that that isn\u2019t what usually happens \u2013 you don\u2019t usually get an offer of publication,\u201d she laughed. \u201cI have got a lot of support from Curtin for what I do. And I think it\u2019s good to support the idea that academic research can result in fantastically creative production and in things like creative non-fiction which I\u2018m interested in.\u201d<\/p>\n
How did she balance it all as a full time lecturer and a single mother?<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a lot of writing done in coffee shops while my son was at therapy sessions. But there is also a lot of flexibility at Curtin which helped a great deal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her recommended reading list included fellow shortlisted writer Robert Drewe but also Patricia Hampl and Vivian Gornick. She isn\u2019t entirely used to the idea of joining their ranks as a published author yet. So will she continue writing more books?<\/p>\n
She doesn\u2019t have any other works in progress but Dr Robertson wouldn\u2019t disclose if she had any ideas for future books. And the sequel to Reaching One Thousand is still a possibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s his life. I think it would be invasive for me to try to write it when he could and should if he wanted to,\u201d she said. \u201cI read a lot of memoir writing and you have to know when it isn\u2019t your place to write about something.\u201d<\/p>\n