'Underneath The Arclight' now available.

My new novel, Underneath The Arclight, is finished and now available on my website as well as at Amazon and Kindle. I'll be emailing my readers within the next few days with a special introductory price offer.  

A change of title

After a lot of thought -- and the pressure of impending publication -- I have decided to change the name of my new novel to Underneath The Arclight for reasons which will become obvious when you read it. 

Writing is a lonely life...

I love this quote from Ernest Miller Hemingway on receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature, 1954: 'Writing, at its best, is a lonely life. Organizations for writers palliate the writer's loneliness but I doubt if they improve his writing. He grows in public stature as he sheds his loneliness and often his work deteriorates. For he does his work alone and if he is a good enough writer he must face eternity, or the lack of it, each day.' 

FREE Kindle download

As a promotion I have made To The White Gate available as a FREE download from Kindle here. Feel free to share this offer which will end at 7.00 pm on Friday 8 May. 

My new novel almost ready to go.

I started it at the end of September 2014, worked on it all over summer, and now I'm pleased to say that my new novel is finished. Now comes the boring bit. I'll submit it to a couple of friendly publishers but most likely I'll publish it myself as which means getting a cover designed - my son Steve will probably do that - and getting the blurb written for the back. Then I'll have to start costing and formatting for local, Amazon and Kindle publishing. A slow and painstaking job.

It's lightweight easy-to-read humorous literature based on a short story I wrote a few years ago called The Silverbeet Patch which was published as part of the Nana's Special Day and other stories collection. 

It should ready for launch and sale by the end of April/early May 2015 at which time I'll e-mail the news to my regular readers with a special introductory discount offer. Email me if you'd like to be on that list.

'To The White Gate': a nice review from a Kindle reader.

This review of To The White Gate turned up on Kindle.

This is a great read!
This book takes the form of an elderly man’s recollections, starting with his early teenage years during the 1930s in Auckland, New Zealand.
With a beautiful and expansive public park, described in exquisite detail, as the anchor or central hub the story gently unfolds through to the turn of the century. There are many observations of the changing nature of life in New Zealand during that period of time and, as an ancient New Zealander myself, I recognised many of them instantly.
Tommy leaves school to work in the park plant nursery and grows into an intuitive man who is only really content when close to nature in his beloved park. Over the years he befriends a generous mix of flamboyant individuals who mostly have impressive artistic talents. He learns much from them (particularly from one mysterious wee fellow) and the development of knowledge and wisdom that sometimes comes with experience and advancing years is well portrayed.
And the ubiquitous White Gate plays its part with increasing regularity and clarity.
Yes, a good well researched book with great attention to detail and many examples of human nature at play in the small group of islands known locally as Aotearoa.Highly recommended

Other informal feedback includes:

• A delightful read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.  
• I have finished To the White Gate and really enjoyed it. It was as one reviewer said a refreshingly gentle read and I particularly enjoyed it as I could identify with most of the  storyline (except of course I have never sat cross legged  in a park with an elephant keeper.)  
• I really enjoyed it! It was sad, touching and lovely.

A new novel started

For the record: I've started a new novel. It's untitled as yet and it'll be nothing like To The White Gate but it's already fun to write and I hope it'll be fun to read. Probably a year's work ahead of me so watch this space.