Author: William

Visitors may find the Handy Guide to Manderville useful, but it offers no help to residents lost in a deadly maze of no-longer familiar streets, among newly sinister public places. Its pages extol the virtues of significant buildings, fine parks, and especially, the town’s upstanding citizens. But there is no section on serial killers. Nothing on distinguishing between a tragic accident and brutal murder. Beyond the flowery words and glossy PR lies a darker reality, from the courthouse to hospital, from footy field to [read more...]

Rural America, 1957. Revolution brews in Cuba, the Soviet Union launches Sputnik. The Space age begins and the Cold War escalates. But life in rural America meanders along. However the arrival of a Hasidic (ultra-religious) Jewish teenager in the township of Denton, Kansas, does create ripples in the placid community. The recent death of his mother has left Dov Goldstein, an orphan, made him question his faith and awakened a long held dream of becoming a Rock 'n' Roll star. Dov, is the unwelcome guest of a church going [read more...]

Archie Salt lives on the Scottish Island of Dung, where life is as unpleasant as it sounds. Remote and battered by the unrelenting elements, very few leave the island and even less survive. Archie however, is destined for greater things. Archie becomes a sailor where he thrives, and eventually his knack for survival saves everyone on board when peril strikes. He rises through the ranks and when disaster strikes again, he meets an unlikely companion who changes his life forever. From poverty and hardship to opportunity, Archie [read more...]

TJ grew up in the Upper Hunter Valley township of Muswellbrook. A happy childhood. Boarding in Sydney through high school TJ was sexually abused by a paedophile teacher. And survived. After Honours in Plant Cell Biology at The University of Sydney a PhD and then traveled to Manchester. Returning to Sydney to transact unfinished business TJ was fortunate to guest twice for Radio National and author 42 scientific papers before turning to Poetry. The poems herein are a mix of autobiography, natural disaster-proneness and more. Some [read more...]

A group of refugees cross the Mediterranean Sea from Libya in search of a better life. When they reach shore on the island of Isola Bella, Sicily, they are gunned down in a senseless massacre. Their bodies are found by an Australian tourist, Susan Blackstone, while having her morning swim. She is able to raise the alarm after getting help from two university students, Angela and Aurelio, who are also on the island. After the police arrive she meets Commissario Luca Lombardo who is leading the investigation. He is a man committed to [read more...]

Terror and War provides the reader with contemporary insights into military strategy, radicalisation and the challenges associated with countering the rising influence of terrorism. Twenty Essays is a cautionary and timely collection of works given the current inter-state and domestic tensions present within the world. The author has seen operational service on several occasions through Southern Asia, the Middle East and domestically, all of which centred on countering terrorism. This lived experience provides the reader with [read more...]

Before the modern age of computers and mobile phones, newspapers were produced by linotype operators working with hot lead. Lines of words were then put in frames by compositors who also set the larger headlines in individual pieces of type. The completed frames were set in flat bed or rotary presses for printing. International news came directly into the newspaper by teleprinter. Before that, the news arrived at the local post office and was delivered to the editor by telegram delivery boys. Reporters worked at getting news from [read more...]

With travel becoming easier than ever it was not always as easy taking photographs to preserve your memories of your holiday, honeymoon or business trip. Just as recent as a century ago, you had to take a large, heavy camera with bellows and a tripod just to take a photo of the beach which took a long time to develop. Nowadays it has never been simpler with modern technology to take prize winning photos in France, selfies in Sardinia or happy snaps in Hong Kong with a camera so small it fits into your pocket. Author, Cameron [read more...]