Melton Artbeat Festival

I got a little cheeky at the festival yesterday. I attended with the Wordsmiths of Melton and we had a great day with nearly every member dropping in to help out promoting our groups. Councillor Sophie Ramsay called past and during our photo opportunity I explained that I intended to launch the most anticipated novel of this century at the Melton Library in December. I didn't think to tell the throng that it was me who anticipated it most.

Kundela Update Time

Much to report about the progress on Kundela I spent last Monday with Merlene Fawdrey developing a publishing and marketing plan for a series of book launches in December this year. Once we decided on a plan the work has started and I am well on the way to completing about four things on my to do list of about fifty items.

Kundela will be published by Probert Consulting in both paper back and E-book. You should find it appearing during the first week of December making it a great present at Christmas.

For $24.95 This is $5.00 of the rec retail, I can forward you a personally signed pre-publication copy, all you need to do is e-mail your requirements to terry.probert@bigpond.com remembering to include your phone contact details and a posting address.

Les Gillespie's Gold, story update

Yesterday my writers group Wordsmiths of Melton reviewed and critiqued my first chapter and I'm delighted with the response. Apart from a few punctuation errors and an occasional long sentence, there is not a lot to do to correct the first draft.

Here are a few excerpts from the group's comments.

• You have managed to capture my imagination and I am dying to know more. A receipt and a rhyme - intriguing. Julee Stillman

• A great into to the story, and look forward to reading more. Sonia Doherty

• Everyone loves a mystery especially one that has an air of excitement and danger attached to it. You have stated the answers lay in the cryptic wording and it is my guess that most readers will attempt to solve the puzzle and relate their assumptions to the circumstances as they occur. Frank Ince

• Well old chum, the Wordsmiths has done you a power of good. This is the best piece of writing from you that I've read so far. A very good start to what I feel will be a great strong story.     Les Stillman

I'm trundling along with the next chapters and have set myself a task of about four thousand words a week for September which will take me into the first quarter of the book. Exciting times on the keyboard.

You can get an insight into the ghost of Les Gillespie (without me giving the story away) in previous posts on my blog.

Thanks for the visit.

Old Man

Not a lot of inspiration this week other than a rhyme that began early one morning and went to paper and into the computer today. It needs more work so I will develop it more later.

He was grey

He was old

Lines of his face

His story told
 

 

Spotted with age

Hands bony thin

And his life’s story

Written on him

 

 

In his mind

Memory so sharp

No tears in these eyes

Love beats his heart
 

On the porch

He sits all alone

Tea in a cup

Fondling a phone
 

It rings and

He answers again

Smile on his lips

Hello old friend
 

He shuffles

And he creaks

No time for grumbles

Friends he seeks
 

 

In the morning

From quarter to ten

You’ll see him

Phoning a friend
 

He’s laughing

Another story to tell

Old friends denying

Entry to hell
 

Is he lonely

Thinks he might

Kisses her photo

And turns off the light

 

Frank Ince's story "Melanie rents a room" published.

Nice to see a report on Facebook today by Frank letting his friends know his story has been published in Narrator Magazine. Printed back in May, Frank had considered the story to be languishing on a desk somewhere, because he hadn't heard from the publisher. However, in between sending and contacting them, he'd changed his e-mail address they were unable to let him know.

Congratulations Frank, you continue to tread a path for others to follow.

If you know Frank, you can send him a message of congratulations by posting in the comments box below.

Author Interviews with Merelene Fawdry

Drop over to Merlene's Blog to read some interesting Author Interviews, and you can find lots of  interesting links to writing and publishing sites.

Click on the link: http://merlenefawdry.blogspot.com.au/

Les Gillespies Gold 'progress at last'

I am pleased to report that I have finished my first chapter of the new novel. I had to make a start  today because I am finding it difficult to keep making notes without setting them into chapters.

Here is the Synopsis, it will change as the story develops, but for now is what I'm following.

Joe and Laura Gillespie travel to Europe to seek answers to questions about Laura’s past, returning home to appear at a coronial inquest into the death of Lieutenant Gordon Montgomery-Sanders. Sanders, was found dead, in suspicious circumstances, at Hammond in South Australia. He was the prime suspect, in the murder of three of his cohorts, and Queensland man, Jimmy Symes.

While researching Laura’s family in England, she gets word to say she’s a nominee for an Order of Australia award, and they decide to return home early. Joe checks over his correspondence and is intrigued about a request for a meeting with Charles Winkler, the CEO of Raydor Exploration. The mystery of the little rhyme his father would sing to him has infiltrated his thoughts all trip.

Jeff and Tilly, change their careers because of the outcome of Joe’s Heart attack, and beginning spending more time together. They both want to progress their relationship, but are tentative and reluctant to forego parts of their present lifestyles.

            At Wanooka’s Well, events turn sour, when a geological survey team ignores the owner’s mining rights, and trespasses on the Gillespies land. Showing disregard for sacred sites destroy dreamtime carvings when taking samples. Joe and Jeff employ force to remove the exploration team, and face charges from the police.

            The Inquest becomes front page news as the Nation is swept up in the mystery of Gordon-Spencer’s death and the speculation that he has been sung to death by the aboriginal women, or he succumbed to having a Kundela pointed at him by a Kadaicha Man.

            The Minister of Mines singles the Gillespies out at Laura’s Australia Day presentation and tries to force Joe into accepting the Exploration Company’s offer. Jeff meets the Minister in the Gents and the two get into a pushing and shouting match witnessed by a Journalist.