What was your pathway to publishing?

I put an advertisement in the London Times newspaper in 1964 or thereabouts, which stated ‘Australian BA, typing, wants job in publishing’. I got three offers and accepted one, which was being a menial for a sponsored book editor at Hutchinson’s. But my real pathway was my mother and father, both great readers; I grew up surrounded by books.

Do you edit the books you commission?

Sometimes, but as time went by I had editors who worked with me. I did the first read, made notes, and the final editorial