Who Says I Can't - Catherine DeVrye

Abandoned as a baby, Catherine DeVrye was adopted by loving parents in Canada. When she was 21 they died of cancer within a year of each other. An only child, Catherine packed her bags for Australia, arriving jobless and near penniless.

This led to a lifelong journey to find her place in the world. She waited tables, taught school, worked on a mine site and went on to become a public servant, working on the 'Life. Be In It' campaign. She then joined IBM, who sent her on postings to Tokyo, Hong Kong and New York. Named Australian Executive Woman of the Year, Catherine found herself dining with princes, prime ministers and Olympic athletes. She also cycled over the Andes, dived with sharks and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

Yet, still something was missing. So, eventually Catherine decided to search for her biological parents. And that's when her adventures really begun....

'I came into the world, an illegitimate baby in an era of shame, conceived before the advent of the pill or abortion. Maybe it wasn't exactly what one would call a great start in the game of life, but I'm grateful that it made me a player. Since then, life has offered more success and joy than I ever dreamed about. It's there for all of us and I guess that's why I'm now happy to tell my story. But there was a time I wouldn't have told anyone at all'.

Catherine DeVrye was born in Canada and lives in Sydney when she's not traveling the world sharing her life experiences. Her previous bestselling books include 'Hot Lemon and Honey' and 'Hope Happens'.