Children's and YA Author
When mail thieves strike, your friendly writer-postman is on the job detailing their dastardly work!
What can I say? To some, the sanctity of the written word, of the Royal (okay, not anymore) mail means nothing. Zero. Zip. Zilch. And so these ne’er-do-wells swoop in the dead of night while good folk slumber – and steal their bills and junk mail!
Calamity!
But fear not, we are on the hunt and shall bring these perpetrators to book.
Spot the letterbox.
No Prize offered – just the satisfaction of solving a mystery.
The weather . . .
. . . enough said.
Here we go again. Oh, and ten out of ten for inventiveness. This OBSTRUCTION even has an artistic vibe going on. But honestly, homeowner, please consider your hard working writer-postman.
Obstruction. Obstacle course. Obfuscation. Oh dear. This should not be something that greets the writer-postman when he calls by.
Moving on. A publisher (a major one) has finally made a decision about my crime novel ‘Corruption’. No. Or more precisely a ‘near miss’. To quote: ‘so much here that was wonderful’, ‘fantastic premise’, ‘loved the character, her resourcefulness and determination’. But still a no. Man, crime writing is a tough gig. I shall endure! Onwards . . .
My current manuscript, ‘The Squeezed’ progresses well and sits at 51,000 words for first draft. 85,000 words should do it, then the real work – the crafting – begins.
Okay. Back to work I go.
My short story ‘Celebrity‘ is now available to read at Island Online.
Island Magazine is one of Australian’s most respected and prestigious literary magazines and I’m really quite chuffed that my short story has been published by them.
You can read my story here:
https://islandmag.com/read/celebrity-by-chris-mctrustry
and you can also check out lots of other fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
Heaps of good reading, so do yourself a favour!
I love nature. I try to get along with all of the creatures in our world. But they don’t always get along with me!
Here I am – minding my own writer-postman business when this peewee (a bird that is NOT a magpie and therefore should not be swooping and pecking anyone!) decided he didn’t want me anywhere near his family’s nest. Okay. Fair enough. I’d protect my family too, but I was only passing through. I have to pass through everyday as this location is part of my delivery round.
Live and let live, bird. Come on, dude, lighten up!
I understand maintaining your garden can be time-consuming and not exactly high on one’s priority list of household chores. But lorks-a-lordy, spare a thought for your friendly neighbourhood Writer-Postman.
Somewhere in that green Cousin It look-a-like vegetative monstrosity is a letterbox!
Pass the machete please!
Can you see the letterbox? Just right of centre, low down. Yeah low down all right! A Writer-Postman runs the risk of poking out an eye – or poking something worse.
So come on people, think of the hardworking postmen and postwomen who bring you messages of joy and hope (and the occasional bill) and get those hedge clippers out. TODAY.
So. Below is the result after I told my postie-bike my latest writing news.
This is what happened: Its been a year since I was placed on the books of Australian Literary Management so On the anniversary of this significant event, I decided to contact my agent Lyn and report on the progress of my crime-novel-in-the-works, Burned. I emailed the opening 50 pages and she likes it! I’ve now passed the 60,000 word mark (the complete manuscript will run 75,000-80,000 words). I’ve just returned to my postie run after a week off and told my bike these pieces of news today. The picture above is its reaction. Shock. Surprise. Who knows?
It had to happen. Just had to. It happens with every novel. A crisis of faith in the story and the characters. Self doubt. A dip in confidence.
This crisis was triggered when I realised I’d taken a wrong plot path – and followed it a very long way. Aargh!
But now I’ve picked my way back through the wilderness and found where I veered onto the wrong path. The good news is that I think I can use some of this material later in the manuscript.
The even better news is I do have confidence in this manuscript and characters and it will be back on track in no time.
But, oh, the darkness, the doubt, the fear. Be gone!
Aaah, that feels better. Okay, back to the keyboard. . .
Spring is here in Australia and so I’ve embarked on my annual ‘clean up my desk’ adventure. Don’t try this at home kids! These are highly trained professionals at work. They may make it look easy – but it ain’t.
My crime-novel-in-progress Burned continues to ‘progress’ well. I’ve been in a writers group with respected and award winning author Bill Condon for many years. But with the advent of COVID 19 our meetings have been curtailed. Bummer. But, Bill and I meet up online weekly and critique and discuss the manuscripts we’re currently working on. It’s been very productive and a lot of fun. And I still feel very connected with Bill. It’s funny. I’m not seeing him in person but we’re both still a part of each other’s lives.
The Highlands continues to be out there in the publishing world. Two considered no’s so far. The last publisher said my main character was ‘refreshingly and complex’ in an ‘incredibly readable’ novel where I brought characters and setting to ‘life brilliantly’. And still a no. Aah, crime writing’s a tough gig.
Stay safe and well.
Chris McTrustry 