Being Bookish

The Place That Time Forgot is a story set in Central Victoria during
the 1960s at the time when Lake Eppalock was created, by
submerging the land and homes of many communities.
This story depicts a “time of deep loss for those who were forced
to abandon their livelihood and their heritage” in a government
effort to combat Australia’s battle with drought and a lack of
water.

Those of us who now enjoy the amenities of a constant supply of water to our homes and
businesses, and the capacity to enjoy sports and recreation on these huge expanses of
water should remember the price of progress does not come cheaply.
The Place That Time Forgot tells an imaginary tale of people who lived through a turbulent
era in the history of Central Victoria. Though they are fictitious characters, people like
Charlotte, Victoria, Matilda, Luke, and Wang Lei lived and shaped the community and the
state we have. And who we are today.
Described as ‘historical fiction’ the novel will no doubt generate interest throughout Victoria
and beyond as the 60th anniversary of the creation of the dam is remembered in April next
year (2024).
As we approach what is forecast to be another prolonged period of drought, Lake Eppalock
is reported to be at full capacity. However, many local residents can recall the years of recent
drought with severe water restrictions and their reservoir being down to sixteen percent
capacity in 2007.
This story is a very human account of the personal and individual cost of progress.
The Place That Time Forgot is written by Jann Maree and published by The Rural Publishing
Company.

For an interview with the author please contact [phone] or jandjobrien27@gmail.com.
To contact the publisher, please contact 0406 498 528 or
hello@theruralpublishingcompany.com.au.

More information can be found at https://jannmaree.com/.

Book Blurb:
The Place That Time Forgot tells the story of a community under threat. A proposal to create
a man-made lake causes turmoil and dissension for people who have lived and farmed in a
close-knit community in the district of Wild Duck for many generations.
During this time of social upheaval, ambitious, young Charlotte Duggan grows to
womanhood. As the people of the district galvanise to hold their place and their heritage
against the forces of authority and the water that threatens to engulf them, Charlotte finds
her ambition to be a writer and her infatuation with the son of a wealthy neighbour is
tested when a mysterious stranger arrives in her district.
As landowners wait for the explosion that will form the weir and signal the loss of their homes
and livelihood, Charlotte and the newcomer, Luke, are thrown together in a relationship
that despite their strong attraction, holds a conflict of interest for both of them.
Can their love survive amidst the turmoil that threatens their way of life and that of their
community?
About the Author:
Jann Maree was born in Bendigo and has worked as a secondary college teacher in the ACT,
NSW, Queensland and Victoria. She has also had stints in adult education and as a
workplace trainer. Her lifelong interest in health and wellbeing has gained her
qualifications in Remedial Massage and Bowen Therapy. In 2022 she published No Nervous
Lady, a memoir of her time spent building a mud-walled home in rural NSW.
She is passionate about yoga, health and wellbeing, gardening, and reading across all genres.
She describes herself as an avid nature lover.

The Place That Time Forgot is her first novel and is inspired by the recollections of her
ninety-seven-year-old mother.
She is married and lives in Central Victoria.

MEDIA RELEASE

No Nervous Lady

(Resilience and heartache in the Australian bush)

Based on a true story this little book in the genre of creative non-fiction has just been released by Victorian writer Jann Maree.

No Nervous Lady is more than the story of a young couple who try to solve their marriage problems by embarking on a tree change. It is also the personal story of a young woman who is committed to the survival of her family and her relationship with the man she loved.

Set during a time of social and political change. The aftermath of the Vietnam War. A rising wave of new feminism. A growing conservation movement. This is the tale of a woman who is caught in an uncertain marriage during a time of tumultuous change in society. Here is a woman who was influenced by the ideas of the feminist movement. Of pioneering stock, she chose to test her temperament when confronted by the challenges of bush living.

Told against the backdrop of building a mud-walled home with the earth and timber from their land. She has hopes that their daily hard-working life and their efforts to be self-sufficient will re-bond them and provide new zest to their marriage. But is it ever that easy?

 Such a journey; physically and emotionally! But through it all, her resilience and optimism shine through. No tale of woe here, but a story that will inspire and have you cheering at the end.

Links to print book (POD):

https://www.booktopia.com.au/no-nervous-lady-jann-maree/book/9780645525786.html

https://www.bookdepository.com/No-Nervous-Lady-Jann-Maree/9780645525786

The writers, Alan O’Brien and Patrick Ferris, that brought us the stage play “From the Backbone Out” and the radio play “Snow Falls and So Do We” have joined with Dave Blackwell and Berni Dwan to produce a new radio play, “Alarm Bells” that depicts the plight of the homeless throughout Ireland.

“Alarm Bells is a radio play written and produced by the Green Ember Arts collective. It portrays the escalating housing crisis through an anthology of short scenes in which a small fraction of those most affected by homelessness is represented. Alarm Bells examines the reality of the housing crisis and the contrast of a dominant media narrative of economic recovery. Ireland now has over 100,000 people on public housing lists and over 10,000 homeless”.

With a cast of more than twenty actors and music by Thomas McCarthy, the play goes to air at 6pm gmt on Tuesday 14th December 2021. Made with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, with the television licence fee, it can be heard online from here: Listen Online – Near fm 90.3

After Tuesday, it will be available on their website’s “listen again” option, but it will also be going on  Soundcloud.

Findaway Voices are running a “June is audiobook month” promotion for the month of June.

Against the Wind: Memoir of a Dissident Dubliner is one of the books being promoted by many Findaway Voices distributors.

Unfortunately, some distributors are only offering an abridged version with a running time of just 4 hours.

The full running time is 4 hours and 26 minutes. So, buyer beware.

When you click onto the distributor website, scroll down to ‘Product Details’ to make sure that you have the full unabridged version (4hours 26 minutes) before adding to cart.

J A O’Brien 31/5 2021.

https://www.culturematters.org.uk/index.php/arts/fiction/item/3606-a-working-class-voice-from-the-irish-language-tradition-exiles-by-donall-mac-amhlaigh

By J A O’Brien

There were not many times when I saw my Da really angry. I think the first time I can remember was when he had an argument with Uncle John.

John was a bachelor who lived with his brother Kevin and his wife and five children in the working-class suburb of Kimmage. He was a cautious and careful man who always tried to do the right thing by everybody.

Da reckoned he had this fixation about propriety because he had not gone out in 1916 to join the Rising. John and his brother William had both been members of the Irish Volunteers and on that fateful Easter Monday William had joined his company and marched off to be part of the Boland’s Mills garrison.

John had obeyed the countermanding order of Eoin MacNeill the chief of the Volunteers who opposed the Rising, and so had not joined his unit on that momentous day. For the rest of his life he had regretted his decision and it was to influence his attitude and his dealings with people for the rest of his days.

He had a friend, Dick Duggan, who had died owing close to five pounds to a local publican “Dribbler” Deasy, so called because he had an almost permanent dribble of spittle on the side of his moustache. When Uncle John learned that his old friend had died in debt to Deasy he went to the publican and paid out the five pounds ‘to clear his friends good name’ as he put it.

When Da heard about this he was furious and when Uncle John called to see us one Saturday afternoon, he remonstrated with him in no uncertain terms.

“Five pounds to the Dribbler,” he shouted. “What in the name of Jasus made you do that?”

“It was a matter of principle, Pat,” John said defensively.

“Principle,” Da roared. “What principles does a bloody publican hold? Just look at how they advertise for staff in the papers. ‘Must be strict TT and Non-TU’. Strictly teetotal and non-trade union,” he said contemptuously.

“But Pat, I could not have let Dick go to his grave in dishonour,” John said. “I had to allow for his redemption and clear his soul of his sin.”

“You are living with Kevin and Mary and five hungry kids. Five quid would put food on the table for a few weeks. You could have offered it up in your prayers for him, if that’s what worried you,” Da said, his tone softening just a little.

And that was when Uncle John overplayed his case. “But Pat,” he said piously. “The debt had to be paid as full restitution for his sin. If not, it would be a mortal sin on his soul.”

Da stood up I had never seen him so worked up. “Mortal sin,” he roared. “Mortal sin! Oh, Christ help this bloody country.”

He turned to Uncle John “Get out,” he said. “Get out of this house. I’ll tell you what mortal sin is. It is a mortal sin not to do a bloody publican.”

© J A O’Brien 2009.

It seems that a search on the internet often shows incorrect information on Against the Wind: Memoir of a Dissident Dubliner.

The current independently published edition was released as an ebook and print (POD) with Amazon in February 2019.

Details for the audio book, released in October, 2019 are listed on most retail sites as follows:

  Audible Audio book

 Listening Length: 4 hours and 26 minutes

 Program Type: Audio book

 Version: Unabridged

 Publisher: James A. O’Brien

 Narrator:  Gary Furlong

 Release Date: October 4, 2019  

Here is a list of the vendors where Against the Wind: Memoir of a Dissident Dubliner may be purchased as an audiobook.

24symbols / Apple / Audible, Amazon / Audiobooks.com / AudiobooksNZ / Authors Direct / Beek / Chirp / Downpour / eStories / Google Play / hibooks / Hummingbird / Instaread / Kobo, Walmart / Libro.FM / Nextory / NOOK Audiobooks / Playster / Scribd / Storytel / 3Leaf Group / Baker & Taylor / Bibliotheca / EBSCO / Follett / hoopla / MLOL / Odilo / Overdrive / Perma-Bound / Wheelers

This blog will post regular updates from now to December 31, 2019.

Against the Wind: Memoir of a Dissident Dubliner

Now an audio book

 Capturing the cadences and frequent humour of Irish speech, this historically insightful and highly entertaining memoir Against the Wind by Irish-Australian writer James (Seamus) O’Brien is enhanced by Gary Furlong’s skilful narration.

Though “astute observation and character portrayal” are the strengths of the work. Naturally, it helps to have actors mediating the words on the page, giving them intention and physically embodying them. There’s no doubt actors add immense value to a writer’s words. In the right narration the words scintillate and perform and add to the listener’s enjoyment of them.

In this wonderful grab-bag of recollections O’Brien weaves together the many threads of history and his own life to produce an informed, often bizarre tale, that will interest many listeners and readers well beyond the globe’s enormous Irish diaspora.

     SOON TO BE RELEASED THROUGH FINDAWAY VOICES TO OVER 30 RETAILERS WORLDWIDE

WATCH THIS SPACE