The Arthritic's Cookbook - Collin H. Dong & Jane Banks
Thirty years ago, I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the spine that affected my whole body. I was told it would get worse as I got older. Desperate, I went searching for alternative answers. As I struggled around the shops one day, Dr Dong's Arthritic's Cookbook caught my eye. Three years later, I was free of arthritic pain, stiffness and prescribed medication.
Understanding Flying Weather - Derek Piggott
My husband introduced me to gliding. I was terrified! Later, more adventurous, I qualified as a glider pilot. After reading this book - mostly looking at the pictures - I ''got it!'' about weather and how you can read the signs in the sky. For a glider pilot, understanding where the rising hot air is under clouds can be the difference between staying airborne or having to land.
The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle - Beatrix Potter
Sunny-natured Mrs Tiggy-Winkle inspires me. Because of her I have sketched, painted, designed soft toys and dolls clothes, and written children's stories. As a child, I discovered her song and later sung it to my children. ''Lily white and clean, oh! with little frills between, oh! smooth and hot - red rusty spot never here be seen, oh!'' She is the inspiration I need when the going gets tough.
The Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough
Having read the book, seen the movie and loved both, I decided I was going to write contemporary family sagas set in the Australian outback - a bit of a cheek, considering I was born and raised in England. But I had married an Australian whose parents were born and brought up in Yass, Lightning Ridge and Walgett. So I had real-life stories and eventually my own experiences.
Emotional Freedom - Judith Orloff
Why do some people exhaust me or make my head spin, while I have only to chat briefly to others to feel energised? Now I understand. Combining neuroscience, psychology and spirituality, this empowering guide, particularly the section discussing ''emotional types'' and ''emotional vampires'', has transformed how I deal with emotions, my own and others. As an author, it helps me create more believable characters.
Anne McCullagh Rennie is a Sydney author, champion glider pilot and a former concert manager with London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The latest of her six novels is Under Southern Skies (Michael Joseph, $29.95).