Hello It's been a while since my last post. I have been preparing to travel again (at last) and putting finishing touches to Sandhill Cove. I would like to share with you a little of my writing process. Flora, a character in Dear Maggie , started life as Phoebe and while the details changed in the writing of my book, the piece shows how I develop my characters and am flexible when it comes to the final draft. I hope you enjoy reading this and please feel free to comment. Thanks, until next time Phoebe: A Self-Portrait There are things in my life that I have tried to forget; to hide them away in shame. Why shame? My mind is in turmoil; my baby is gone. Nothing else matters now. Not Father; not George or Henry; no amount of rejection is equal to the pain that I suffer with the loss of my little girl who is now in the frozen ground outside of the church yard, to endure the cold eternity of the unbaptised. Cruel and unnecessary punishment for being born before it was her time. R...
Posts
hello, Please see another instalment to my new story. I'd be interested to read your comments. Thanks for your time. cheers Gen Chapter 1 Sandhill Cove, which got its name from the sand dunes that stretched a half-mile south along the beach, was a small seaside town that time forgot. Somehow it grew out of the national park surrounding it, a single road connecting the town to the highway. Folks from the highway towns referred to Sandhill Cove as a one dog town since the trains stopped running to the timetable. While the station-master (as he still referred to himself, despite the closing of the line) Mr Edwards, called it a two-dog town; his and the local butcher’s. Bruce Lindsay, the publican preferred to think of it as a one-horse town, it didn’t have the ring of abandonment as suggested by the one-dog handle. The Education Department had already transferred the older students to the high school in Nowra, while retaining the primary school. Annual threats to close t...
Hello friend, I would like to share a short excerpt from my new MS, title as yet undecided. If you would like to leave a comment, I would appreciate any feedback. Until next time Gen 1951 Not a word had passed between them since leaving town. As he turned north onto the highway five miles into their homeward journey, Dave Armstrong broke the silence. “What d’you think, Love. Is it a goer?” he tried to keep his enthusiasm in check. He could be impulsive and sometimes things went very wrong. Mo was usually tolerant of his failings, but this time he needed her full consent and cooperation. Dave had a list of all the right reasons to uproot his young family to the edge of civilisation, as his father-in-law had so indelicately put it. He ticked them off in his mind: Fresh air; the ocean at their doorstep; a business that paid its way and then some; tourists flocking to the coast for summer holidays and weekends while the local pub, and a number of b and bs provided accommodation. A...
Hello Friend, The dust has settled after the excitement of organising the launch for Dear Maggie; it's time to get back to work. We had a good group of friends and family attending. The lovely Rima from @caferima2204 and her friendly staff kept us hydrated and the event running smoothly. Thanks Rima, for providing a great venue for our event. I'm happy to report that my new MS is taking shape at last and I hope to have it completed by the end of January. That is the plan; 'but the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.' Acknowledgment to Robert Burns "To a Mouse." cheers till next time Gen
hello Friend, I have returned from my sojourn on Norfolk Island, which lasted a bit longer than I anticipated. the weather wasn't any better for us there, than it was for you folks here. Hence I just have some pics of the garden on one of the rare fine days. I wasn't tempted to swim in the calm water of Emily Bay, which was too cold for the time of year, but I was able to sit and watch the power of the ocean with a takeaway then back to my laptop. I think I made some progress with my MS; time will tell. Preparations are well in hand for the book launch which will take place at 2.30, on 29th October at the Café Rima, with the lovely hostess Rima to welcome us. Till next time Gen
Hello Friend, An interesting little book landed in my lap last week; Great Housewives of Art by Sally Swain. You see friends, that between 1971 and 1992 I was busy raising children, working full-time while managing home and housework and all that it involves, so I was to all intents and purposes oblivious of goings-on in the world of art and literature. Since my retirement I have been catching-up so to speak, with my travels, reading translations of foreign books and seeing as much art as I can; so much art-so little time. In short I've been undergoing re-education of sorts. Back to Sally and her creations which lifted my spirits and brought a smile to my face. The front cover has Mrs Degas vacuuming the floor-tutu and all, while Mrs Miro sweeps hers and Mrs van Gogh makes the bed. This is such a delightful book and I thank Sylvia for sending it to me. I will be house-sitting on Norfolk Island for a few weeks where I hope to have plenty of writing time and will send posts...
Dear Friend I’d like to share a story with you. Gerry (not his real name) has been telling me that he’s been living in Australia now for sixty-five years. He painted a picture of himself as a young man, when he squeezed into his stovepipe trousers and sporting bright red socks visible above his winkle-pickers attended the dances at Petersham Town Hall. He said that he had a fun time and an excellent life here after migrating to Australia. “The ladies liked me too…” he said with a cheeky grin. I can just picture it. He still has that killer smile (with fewer teeth it has to be said) that swept the ladies off their feet. Everyone has a tale to tell, but not everyone has someone to listen. Look for the youngster hiding behind the leathery skin of folks who mostly go unnoticed and unremarked upon. Please stop and listen to the stories of both the young and not-so-young. I find inspiration all around me, I listen to family stories too and my next project will be about the youn...