Sunday, September 15, 1895
Photo portrait of Mark Twain, 1907, by A.F. Bradley
Being a writer and book lover, I had to share this piece of Australian history. This was the day when Mark Twain, the writer of classics such as Huckleberry Fin, Tom Sawyer and The Prince and the Pauper, arrived in Australia for a lecture tour at the age of sixty.
Mark Twain was a pen name which he signed to one of his writings, after which it took hold. He was originally known as Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Twain was one of the most popular authors and humorists of his time, so when he came to Australia, he was treated a little like royalty.
He kept a journal of his visit here, of sorts, and later published extracts of them. So it is easy to discover that Australia fascinated him. He loved the accent and the character. He appreciated our history and our landscapes. He had good things to say of Melbourne, and particularly the Melbourne Cup, which he happened to be in town for at the time. Of our nation stopping race, he said, ‘Cup Day is supreme – it has no rival.’
I wonder if any budding writers clamoured to get a glimpse of him, or perhaps to exchange a few words with the famous author. Have you ever met a world-famous author? If not, who would you like to meet?
Romancing The Rock 
I met Janette Oke, the night she was honoured for her contribution to Christian fiction. I’ve been meaning to write a blog post about it for ages. Perhaps this week, while my writing buddies are off to the ACFW conference, I might relive my own adventure there and retell the story.
I think I remember you telling me that story. Lovely experience for you! 🙂