Dorothy Cork

Biography

As an author for Mills and Boon and later for Harlequin Romance, Dorothy Cork wrote 38 romance novels. She was born in 1918 and is still alive. Sadly these days she is in not very good health - she has Ålzheimer's and is blind.

Her first book was published in 1965 and the last in 1985.

A number of her romances were written in the years when she and her artist husband Maurice travelled in Western Europe (1972 - 1974). She wrote sitting in the back of the camper van - inspired by the settings around her.

Alan Boon had a preference for stories set in Australia as these were particularly popular in the UK. But when Dorothy proposed setting a story in Communist Russia (which country she had just visited) in the early 70s, he said "I think not, Dorothy." For although she had set her stories in many countries the idea of a Mills and Boon romance in Communist Russia was going too far for Mr Boon.

There were stories set in Egypt, Papua New Guinea, Morocco and France. However the majority were set in Australia and she travelled extensively to research her backgrounds in Outback Australia. She possibly drew on her experiences as a young teacher in country Australia (places like Moree) to better capture the atmosphere of the Outback.

Quite a number of her books have been translated into a diversity of languages: Japanese, Greek, Italian, French...there is quite a list. Some of her seventies romances have recently been included in a German language omnibus.

She also wrote a number of short stories - about half of which were published in various Australian magazines.

In addition to her fiction writing, she wrote a great deal of beautiful poetry. She was encouraged in her poetry writing by her grandfather who was the first graduate of Sydney University to hold a Chair. (He was Professor of Latin.) He encouraged her to "cultivate the muse".

Her earliest poem was written in 1935. She was only 16 and her father had just died.

Dorothy's first poem

LINES WRITTEN IN DOUBT

Let me cry from the deeps of my soul that I worship no God

Let me say that our Lord was a man, and believe him no more,

Let my heart be a part of the grace of the waves and the shore.

In the sea of my thoughts let no tremulous passions arise:

While I live, let it be for the sorrow and joy of today -

To be one with the sun

And the shadows - the blue and the grey.

Let me hope for no glorious Heaven, nor shudder at Hell;

As I came, let me go - knowing nothing - awaiting no call.

Let me die as the sigh

Of the wind; with the leaves let me fall.

Books

The Address Was Noonameena (1965) (writing as Deidre Cork)

Where Black Swans Fly (1971)

A Night for Possums (1971)

Butterfly Montane (1972)

Wayaway (1972)

Summer Mountain (1972)

Spirit of the Sun (1973)

The Girl at Saltbush Flat (1973)

A Promise to Keep (1974)

The Red Plains of Jounima (1974)

Heart of the Whirlwind (1974)

Gate of the Golden Gazelle (1974)

Quicksilver Summer (1975)

Wandalilli Princess (1975)

Red Diamond (1975)

The Eye of the Sun (1976)

Dreamtime at Big Sky (1976)

Breakers on the Beach (1977)

Outback Rainbow (1977)

Sunset Country (1977)

Island of Escape (1978)

A Thousand Miles Away (1978)

Forget and Forgive (1978)

The Kurranulla Round (1979)

Walkabout Wife (1979)

Outback Runaway (1980)

Barefoot Bride (1980)

First Passion (1980)

By Honour Bound (1981)

Secret Marriage (1981)

Reluctant Deceiver (1982)

No More Regrets (1982)

Outback Dreaming (1983)

Island Spell (1983)

The Man from the Past (1984)

Chosen Wife (1984)

Wildest Dreams (1985)

With Marriage in Mind (1985)