My Anzac Day Tribute

Your Grandad’s medals sit in my drawer

Presented to him at the end of the war

And though he left us when you were young

I keep them to remind me of songs he sung

Like Waltzing Matilda and Danny Boy

Always lusty and sung with joy

On Anzac Day in Seventy Two

He beamed with pride when he first saw you

And so today my son I have them on view

To remind me of the terror that he went through

Believing his land would be safe from harm

If he shouldered a rifle over his arm

I hope like him the day will come

When there will be no need for a mother’s son

To be asked to make such sacrifice

And for our young country to pay such a price

And though you left us when you were young

Presented to you at the end of the war

Your medals sit safely in my drawer

We keep them to remind us of songs you sung

Good information hidden in here

I found this link through a comment I made on Linked in's Author U  pages.

Hope it's helpful:

http://buildbookbuzz.com/amazon-book-description/

Planning a Book Tour for 2017

Hi,

Starting to see the end in sight for Les Gillespie's Gold and beginning to think about a  book launch sometime  in 2017. So I need some suggestions for the following.

• Australian towns to visit.
• What would be better, a library, or book-store launch venue
• Best time of day.
• Would you prefer me to talk on my writing processes, or about the book itself.
• Contact details of the librarian or bookshop manager.

If you can help, Please message me via Facebook or leave a comment on the blog. 

I am looking forward too and will be thankful for your input.

Cheers,

Terry

Les Gillespie's Gold excerpt from Chapter 38

I put chapter thirty eight of my Les Gillespies Gold manuscript to our writing group for critique today. At this point we are about half way into the story and much is happening. 

 I loved writing the chapter and although long has added quite a bit of drama and intrigue to the tale. I particularly liked tapping out this exchange by three generations of Gillespie girls. 

I hope you enjoy it too.

Laura and Tilly nattered while they drove to the farm, in the back Emily put her iPod down. ‘Mum, you said Pop wanted to go to Wilson’s, right?’

‘That’s what he said. Why?’

‘Can we go skinny dipping like you and Samantha did?

Laura, her face full of question, turned to her daughter with palms upturned. Tilly said nothing.

Emily kept up.’ And what is skinny dipping anyway?’

Tilly felt her face flush, Laura’s hands paddled the air in slow circles. ‘Yes, Tilly, come on,’ She made exclamation marks with her fingers. ‘just what is skinny dipping?’

‘It’s a saying we use for having a swim, a swim in a water hole.’ Tilly turned to her mother. Laura watched as a rolled up tongue breached her daughter’s lips and slipped back as quick as it appeared. ‘And no, Em. Not today, we didn't bring any bathers.’

‘Robert says you don’t wear bathers, when you’re skinny dipping.’

Laura was still facing Tilly, she shrugged and mouthed the words ‘Who is Robert?’

‘Tell Granny about Robert, Em.’ Embarrassing moment avoided, she hoped.

‘He has to sit in the naughty corner at Fiona’s.’

‘And why does he do that?’ Laura asked

‘Because he pulls the girls hair and calls us names.’ Emily picked up her tablet. ‘Can you show me the waterhole?’

‘Maybe on a nice warm day when we have our bathers, you me and Jeff can all go swimming.’ Tilly said and put her hand up to high five her mother.

‘Not so fast, Tilly Gillespie.’ Laura said. ‘Samantha’s from the mining company, you’ve had dinner with her and now Emily says you have been out to Wilson's. When were you going to tell Dad?’

A little bit of Les Gillespie's gold

I'm looking at the finish line for my manuscript, so I thought I would share the opening of a chapter about three quarters the way through. Tell me what you think.

Darryl and Angela stared at the incident board.

‘Uniform tomorrow, Boss?’

‘Ah...’ 
Angela continued to post information from the Hammond Road murders on the board, Cassidy was lost in thought. He kept staring into the face of Joe’s attacker. ‘Sorry?’ he said.

‘What should I wear tomorrow? Uniform, or plain clothes.’

‘Plain clothes, let’s do our best to emulate our city cousins. Otherwise, they’ll brush us off as country hicks.’

‘Works for me, Sir.’ She thought about the suit she had bought at the beginning of summer and hadn’t worn yet. ‘Tomorrow, clothes will maketh the woman.’ She said.

‘Yeah... Okay.’ Darryl was deep within his mind again. He walked to the window and searched the streetscape, hoping for inspiration.

‘Boss,’ he didn’t hear her, ‘Boss?’

Cassidy didn’t look back. ‘You’re the computer whiz, overlay the photo of those tyre tracks,’ he tapped the board, ‘and the ones near the gate where Jeff found the ute. Can you do that?’ 

A few lines from Chapter 37 of Les Gillespie's Gold

Jeff rummaged behind the seat for a couple of minutes. He folded the back forward to gain better access. The bolt cutters lay below a steel box with a lock on it. The padlock was under the hasp and Jeff lifted the lid, a 9mm self-loading pistol lay encased in foam rubber. It was Army issue. He picked up the cutters and walked over to Joe. ‘Anything you want to tell me about the box under the seat?’

‘Nope.’

‘It’s not locked.’

‘And you looked?’

‘The policeman in me,’ Jeff said,’ I’m curious.’

‘That’s what got the cat killed.’ Joe said. He did not look at Jeff and worked the cutters on the chain.

‘Got a licence for it?’

Christmas Eve in Orroroo (first draft)

For Annie

I’m in love with a princess

In a faraway land

I imagine her home

And the places she’ll see

And hope that she smiles

If she’s thinking of me

This month it is Christmas

And the trees in her park

Are covered in snow

While here in the outback

A summer Christmas we know

And we have a tree in the corner

Trimmed with tinsel too

Carols come from all corners tonight

Children waiting for Santa

Will keep their eyes closed tight

I close my eyes and see in my mind

Stockings hang from a mantel

Above a fire in the grate

And for Santa too, they wait

Her cousins out here in the bush

Take their places in the Christmas parade

There’s clowns with coloured barrows to push

A tradition we keep where memories are made

Floats decorated in green red and blue

And Annie I hope it’s a sight

My words bring to you

Outside the shops they still pipe

Those old Christmas songs

And the floats might be corny

But the spirits still here

A street full of faces spreading good cheer

And right down the back

At the end of the parade

In a little green car

Santa arrives, always the star.

Old eyes become misty

When we remember the days

When we were once young

In this street where we played

Now cousin Geoff drives the car

And he does his best

Now Uncle Murray has gone to his rest.

So now my princess from over the sea

I hope you have a Christmas as merry can be

For I’m in love with you, Princess

In your faraway land

I imagine you home

And the places you see

And hope that you smile

When you’re thinking of me