100 Stories for Queensland - it is out!

My review for "100 Stories for Queensland" is pasted below -

A Veritable Choc Box - Whatever the flavour you favour it's here!

If life is a box of chocolates, then this is the ultimate assortment! This collection is a remarkable mix of stories across numerous genres with something to suit, no matter what your tastes, age, or background. The stories have been drawn from all over the globe and all round Australia. A smorgasbord and it is all for a very good cause, helping Queensland's flood victims rebuild their shattered lives.

Whether you are an animal lover [try "Kittens!" by Sam Adamson] or you want a belly-laugh of a read [try "Why Can't I take Life Easier?" by Keith Havers], something multicultural ["Cake" by Lunar Hine or "Burka" by Sylvia Petter], a story of unrequited love with a twist ["Her Smile", Emma Newman], SciFi adventure ["Transmutator" by Devin Watson or "Drake M. Causeway" by Tomara Armstrong], a tale for the nature lover ["The Speaking Tree" by Alan Baxter or "The Miracle Tree" by E.N. De Choudens], the psycho drama [“Daisy” by Theresa Milstein] or something a bit trippily surreal and poignant at the same time ["Surviving the Kitchen Tiles" by Jessica Bell], it is all there. All collected together for you to dip into at your pleasure, whatever you mood, there will be a read for you!

And there is, as the adman says, MORE! At the end of the volume is a collection of 17 bonus stories, including the novel in miniature "Summer at the Sugar Palace" by Tanya Bell, the boy's own adventure of "The Quest" by Trevor Belshaw, "Clutch" a cruise ship romance with a difference by Jodi Cleghorn, my own tragi-comic "Her Ladyship Awaits..." under my other persona, J.R.McRae, and the uplifting and delightful "Smile" by Stacey Larner.

Short story collections have gained a new impetus with the advent of e-books, i-pads and Apps. A short story is the ideal way to indulge your reading passion on the move, waiting for a bus, train, plane or lift. They are the ideal online read during coffee-break or welcome diversion whilst whiling away time because your partner, lover, friend or colleague is late.

If you know someone going on a cruise or a long journey or a reader with eclectic tastes, this is the perfect present! It is like a box or Haigh's assorted chocs, you just can't wait to dip in! Do yourself a flavour! BUY IT!

Reviews on Amazon, The Book Depository, Boomerang Books

Teller2Teller - storytelling in prose, poetry and off the cuff

Friday, 24th, was my first live gig for a while and my first ever storytelling using grown up material for a grown up audience. The event was hosted by Teller2Teller at the Brisbane Square Library. Director/Founder/coordinator, Marlene Butteriss, did an outstanding job of bringing the whole together, despite a number of out of left field glitches along the way, including Brisbane Square Library halving the allotted time for our gig! :} On the programme was YA/children's author, Eddie Dowd, Marilyn Roberts, performance poet and yours truly.

Eddie gave a sterling performance of a whimsically funny story of potions and portions and manufacturing and realising your life goals. Marilyn regaled us with her "Pink Lady"- a rumbustious, rollicking, raunch of piece and a story about knocking on windows late at night in her birthday suit and borrowed coat...
For me, it was a good opportunity to spruke "100 Stories for Queensland" [all monies going to flood victims] and "Stories for Sendai" [launching 30th June, all monies going to Japan's tsunami survivors, some of whose stories are included]. Both books are available from Amazon and The Book Depository. I read "Her Ladyship Awaits..." [loosely based on a true story] from "100 Stories for Queensland" and "Soup", first published in Rose and Thorn and now also available in "Pot Luck" edited by Chris Bartholomew, Static Movement, USA.