Dame Fiona Kidman's early days at the Rotorua Daily Post

A recent letter to the editor from Graeme Dennett following Jill Nicholas' Q&A with Dame Fiona Kidman regarding her newly-released book based on Jean Batten (Weekend Life, November 9) has sparked Rotorua memories for the author. In his letter Mr Dennett referred to the-then Daily Post editor, Ian Thompson. Here Dame Fiona reflects on how it was the late Mr Thompson and the Post gave her entrée into published writing and on this segment of her Rotorua years.

I stopped work in Rotorua's libraries in 1962. I'd moved from deputy librarian at the Rotorua Public Library in 1960 to a couple of years at Rotorua Boys' High as librarian. When our daughter, Joanna, arrived I became a full-time "housewife and mother". (It was suggested I leave RBHS expeditiously on account of my pregnancy and the source of the "problem" also being a teacher at the school). Just too embarrassing for everyone, even though we were married.

I soon wanted to do something else, and we needed money for a house of our own. We were renting in Iles Rd, Lynmore, in a house we eventually bought.

I thought about the skills I might have and decided that I knew a bit about books so perhaps I could review some. I went to The Daily Post's editor, Ian Thompson and offered myself up. He offered me (as I recall it) 12 shillings and sixpence a month for a page of reviews.

I had to get the books myself. It was a challenge, but by dint of badgering publishers and buying or borrowing books myself, I managed it for several years. Books were cheap then, less than the 12 shillings and six pence but I needed to build up my "reputation".

I look back with total astonishment and realise that over the years I must have "reviewed" close to 1000 books. I know that I was one of the first people to give Maurice Gee a good review (for The Big Season), I didn't realise at the time that he was teaching in Rotorua. We met years later.

The review pages were well received and after a while I asked Ian Thompson if I could write some freelance articles - he agreed. I can't remember what I got paid for them, but it was a small, regular amount and I'd started freelance journalism for other magazines, including The Woman's Weekly - I actually got paid £20 for one article. It made me feel as if what I doing was worthwhile.

I started doing work further afield, including covering some Wellington events for The Daily Post such as the Seato [South East Asia Treaty Organisation] conference in Wellington in 1968. It was at that event that I also began to understand the complex issues of political difference, left and right, war and peace. It was a steep learning curve.

Peace, Power and Politics [protest movement] was on at the same time. In the middle of the whole shemozzle Lyndon Johnson announced that he would not run for president again on account of the Vietnam war.

I was there in the room with Admiral Ulysses S Grant when it was announced and suddenly, because of my Post assignment, was part of the world's big events.

In 1970 we moved to Wellington. For some years I wrote a Daily Post column called Capital Comment about issues in the capital. Eventually I wasn't saying very much, and work in broadcasting had overtaken the work of a columnist. I'm still grateful for the start I got at The Daily Post.

Dame Fiona will be returning to Rotorua in April to speak at the Spectrum Club and attend a local librarians' reunion at Ohinemutu.