God's Callgirl (60 page)

Sister Mary Carla.

Benalla FCJ convent. The nuns’ dormitory was adjacent to the upstairs balcony. I used to crouch low on the balcony and secretly sun my bare head to encourage my hair to grow back.

My first days of freedom after leaving the convent—and that dress!

James and me on our wedding day, 1970.

A group of nuns graced my wedding day with their company

Still married to James—with our daughter, Caroline.

A serious moment during my first year in prostitution.

Feeding the swans with Caroline in Perth.

Enjoying a new life in Denmark, 1992.

With my daughters and grandchildren: (l-r) Victoria; her daughter Ruth; Caroline; Victoria’s son Damien; me.

Acknowledgements

FIRST OF ALL
, I want to acknowledge the mysterious grace that has spurred this book along until it was finally completed. Over the years, this gracious urge has persevered whenever I thought it was too hard or when I tried to persuade myself that there was no need to continue.

In 1992, an anonymous benefactor arranged for me to have a laptop computer. I was not only very touched by this gesture, but in accepting it I also took on the challenge of one day finishing the book. This was the first of a long list of miraculous encouragements which were all necessary as my life continued through many inner changes and different motivations for writing.

I want to thank my friend, erstwhile counsellor and women’s group leader, Persephone Arbour, for writing the foreword to this book and for inspiring me simply by being who she is.

My friend Yosi Collins sent me her old computer when I couldn’t afford to keep paying for repairs to the laptop. My lack of computer knowledge has meant that I have often been dependent on assistance, but somehow this has always been provided, often completely free of charge. I count Murray Fairbanks and Bill and Rose McMullen among my
most generous computer angels. Lynn Tulipan, a distant friend I hadn’t spoken to for years, came to visit from Karratha one week and used her skills to type many pages of longhand onto my computer, then disappeared as suddenly as she had come. Thank you, Lynn.

Even the government stepped in inadvertently by providing a computer training course, ostensibly to retrain me for the workforce, but as all my applications for jobs were faithfully knocked back there was nothing for it but to put my new skills to use by continuing to write.

I thank Craig Chappelle from the bottom of my heart for reading the first draft for me (when the pages weren’t even numbered) simply by way of friendship and giving me feedback without demolishing my confidence. English is not my first language and in prose this is often unconsciously evident in some strange twists of grammar! Don Eade, a writer and author, who was tenant/writer at the Katharine Susannah Pritchard Writer’s Centre in Greenmount, Perth for five years, fortuitously came to live in Denmark and did me the favour of familiarising me with presentation protocol.

Another friend, Kumara, also a published author, provided the feedback of a reader with fresh eyes and many thoughtful suggestions.

I received unexpected help from an FCJ nun I met in England, who wishes to remain anonymous. This book became enriched as a result of her frankness and trust, and I thank her.

Books I have found useful in confirming certain dates in my chronicle include
These Women
, a historical account of the Mercy order, and
The Sisters Faithful Companions of Jesus in Australia
, the latter by Sister M Clare O’Connor, FCJ.

Sally Haigh took on the task of copy editor for my first
draft, and she has done more than that. She is a veritable healer of the written word. I thank her for the unflagging attention and skill she has brought to the task and her willingness to give the manuscript the extra time it needed as it evolved beyond her original brief.

The professional advice of Tanya Marwood and Andrew Burke, both well known in Western Australia, helped shape my book to its present format.

I can’t speak highly enough of the professionalism of the staff at HarperCollins. It has been an uplifting process to work with Nicola O’Shea and see the manuscript improve through her superb editing skills. I thank Alison Urquhart for her true encouragement and for her patience and kindness in answering all my queries and acting on my behalf.

I sought occasional guidance from a woman who has a reputation for channelling higher wisdom, and spontaneously the topic of the book would arise. The message, ‘Finish it; it will be successful’, always came up, so I had the feeling I was on a mission from God. I thank the unknown friends who inspired her, and the other unknown, unseen friends who gave me guidance.

What of the many characters in this book, who all played their parts so well? From my heart I thank my parents, the FCJ nuns, my ex-partners, my two daughters, and the several people involved in my healing processes. And of course I particularly thank all the men who were once my clients. What would I have written without them?