p>Colleen McCullough was born in Australia. A neurophysiologist, she established the department of neurophysiology at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, then worked as a researcher and teacher at Yale Medical School for ten years. br>br>Her writing career began with the publication of i>Tim/i>, followed by i>The Thorn Birds/i>, a record-breaking international bestseller. The author of over ten other novels, including the acclaimed 'Masters of Rome' series, Dr McCullough also wrote lyrics for musical theatre. br>br>Until her death in 2015 she lived on Norfolk Island in the Pacific with her husband./p>