About Helen Benbow | Helen's Blog | Interview | Friends' Words

I have two claims to fame: at the age of four I repeated kindergarten: ten years later, still attending the same fine convent, I left school when I had managed to get the Intermediate Certificate - a transition exam leading to a further two years of study for admittance to university. This was achieved despite only getting ten marks for General Maths - 2 for attempting each question. In Junior School I queried everything to do with the Catholic Religion and as I continued with this unheard of attitude in Senior School (the little children shall be seen and not heard era) I was generally ostracised by the nuns at Loreto Convent. My hand went up on a regular basis with the cry "God isn't like that". My entire attitude as an innocent child is absolutely relevant to this quartet and explains why - as a 'senior citizen I'm 70 this years - I have written this saga. Twice married, I have three children with my first husband. I feel most passionately about my Quartet. I have approached the subject as a sceptic. For many years I held Workshops in Sydney where I taught a unique form of Meditation and held Spiritual Awareness classes to help improve our lifestyle. Before I began, I realised there was a vast need in the Western world as people become dissatisfied with their various religions and the cloak of ignorance they have endeavoured to smother us in for the last two thousand years. The Quartet is controversial as I endeavour to open up the Realm of the Gods and our relationship with them and the universe. Only four hundred years ago it was believed the world was flat, incredible as that seems now. Then too I grew up in an era when our galaxy was it. The universe revolved around us, as did our sun. Fortunately many much more intelligent people than I have delved into the vast and wonderful cosmos in which we live and destroyed that mantle of ignorance. This has made the writing of my quartet much easier. Their researched knowledge is most timely for me in that this same scientific awareness that is now for all to read or see in the news, supports much of what I write. The Quartet presents a challenge to the 'Thinkers' as well as the 'Man in the Street'. Some will say 'rubbish', some will ponder on the subject matter. Very religious people won't like it. The 'Swingers' will. Fact? Fiction? As to the latter, I hope it also makes entertaining reading when we meet our Creator, Light of Light; the God he created, Yahweh, the Male Essence of the Universe and the Goddess, Oleiyani, who is the Female Essence of the Universe. We also meet the six Greater Gods and many other remarkable characters with their incredible intelligence and powerful love affairs all of whom live in The Realm of the Gods. I have, with respect, entered into a sacred area and dared to challenge our beliefs. To point out that the bible upon which we swear to tell the truth is a fairly inaccurate series of stories of the Hebrew Tribe. Inaccurate in that it is far from being the way in which Earth was created, nor correct about Adam and Eve and that wretched apple. The great scientists of today have explained the Big Bang. I explain about Adam and Eve specifically in the third volume "Dark Falls Over Eternity". Minerva's Reader, "A.R.G.", has found the first two volumes a compelling read. I trust this will eventually be the case worldwide for the complete Quartet. What are your 10 favorite books of all time? (Click on the links to read more about these volumes and purchase at Amazon.com) I really enjoyed Jeffery Deaver as a writer because he captures the young people of today. There are three delightful stories about 'Rune' that make for entertaining and lively reading. They are "Manhattan is my Beat". "Hard News" and "Death of a Blue Movie Star". Also "The Blue Nowhere" is another great read. Michael Connelly's hero, Harry Bosch makes terrific reading too. I can hardly wait for the next one to come out - in April. Here is another special author. "The Black Ice" and "The Black Ice" are top reads as is "Void Moon". I particularly enjoy Patricia Cornwell's novels on Kay Scarpetta. The author has created a living, breathing woman along with the overweight policeman, Pete Marino. It's been interesting watching the relationship grow between Aunt Kay and her contemporary niece, Lucy Farinelli. David Gutterson's "East of the Mountains" is a most interesting read. Gentle and sad, but refreshing. His "Snow Falling on Cedars" is also quite beautiful. Lee Child has created a terrific character in Jack Reacher. These are real thrillers. "Tripwire", "Echo Burning" and "The Visitor" all make for a chilling read ...save for a hot night... Robert Crais wrote another spine tingler with "Robert Crais". Whew. John Steinbeck, from another era in America, wrote gentle, moving stories about people. I have all of them in leather. "The Pearl" and "Burning Bright", "Of Mice and Men", "East of Eden", "Cannery Row". Read them and weep for what we've lost. Lynda La Plante wrote a wonderful trilogy on her heroine Lorraine Page. "Cold Shoulder", "Cold Blood" and "Cold Heart". They are three stunning reads. J.H. Fletcher wrote a great yarn "Wings of the Storm". This is an unusual and beautiful love story. by Norman Macswan Author, Retired Correspondent AAP - Reuters and Assistant Editor AAP* Helen Benbow has lived life to the full in her sixty eight turbulent years. She overcame a convent education to marry twice, have three children and travel the world. She now lives in bush land contentment, happy in her great love, writing. She is one of seven children born to a dentist father and her early years were redolent of a happy childhood in the innocence of a Sydney home. She has been described as flamboyant and with the innate ability to light up a dull gathering by her presence and love of life. This is her first published work but she has a drawer full of other writings and a head full of ideas. Norman Macswan joined the A.I.F. in the second world war. He was a war correspondent during the Korean War when he went to England where his first book was published. Norman ran Reuters in New York during the early 1960s and was there for the assassination of President Kennedy. He returned to Australia to run Reuters and became the Assistant Editor for AAP. After a distinguished career, he is now retired, and lives in Mosman with his wife.

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