The entire sub-continent is a-buzz as a number of Australian cricketers (along with others), having willingly stood on the dais at the slave market, prepared to join new teams to play some exciting Twenty20 games around India.
I'm supporting the Bangalore mob, mainly because that's where my book Ranga Plays Australia is set for quite a bit of the story.
Ranga and the rest of them would never have dreamed of what's happening today - in their day it was a game, only, played for fun. Read more about this at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com/previewrangaplaysaustralia.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Ranga grows!
Ranga Plays Australia has a new chapter, where the boys (and one girl) toss around a bunch of possibilities about the impending visit of the Indians, demonstrating a fair degree of confusion and a few bits of remarkable knowledge.
Check it out at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
By the way, if you'd like to have a book with your own personal dedication, go to the same site and see how this can be arranged.
Check it out at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
By the way, if you'd like to have a book with your own personal dedication, go to the same site and see how this can be arranged.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
About Beethoven, the musical play
Beethoven! the musical stage play is the story of a man’s pursuit of music, as he struggles against increasing deafness and other periodic ailments. Whilst he is a naturally gregarious person, and loves keenly a number of ladies (even leading to proposals of marriage), his hearing problem makes him more and more isolated. Compounding this is his lack of money sense, and a sometimes–too–quick temper – which causes him to fall out with his friends and run through a string of servants. Fortunately his friends are extremely loyal on the whole, and stick with him, doing their best to help him where and when they can.
Act 1 establishes a number of Beethoven’s character traits, in the context of his increasing reputation, and follows some of his initiatives in trying to live what might be called a regular life - that is, mixing in society and entering a state of matrimony, as well as trying to earn a living in a well-regarded vocation.
Reflecting these aspects, we find Beethoven in various situations, relating to his friends, and where we can learn, either from the context of the scene or from himself, something of the man and his music.
We meet him in a typical situation. He is thirty years old. Although he’s been aware of it for a few years, his hearing loss is still more of an irritation than a real impediment. As the act unfolds we follow him as he falls in love with a number of fair admirers, gaining a sense of his alleged money difficulties, his increasing success, his temper, and something of his philosophy, humour (he was an inveterate punster), and habits. Up until nearly the end of the Act, deafness is treated more or less incidentally, through the occasional miss–hearing of words and the recurring motif of the cuckoo. It’s only in the last scene that we begin to see how much it’s affecting him, when we contrast the gaiety of a country dance with his faltering response to its rhythms.
The main themes of Act 1 are love and music, with deafness as a shadow in the background.
Act 2 takes us into the latter part of Beethoven’s life, particularly the conflict between his desire for marriage and a normal life and his growing view that this would diminish his art. Interleaving these matters is the self-consuming saga of his efforts to gain guardianship of his nephew, together with something of the trauma which results from this, and a little fun.
The act ends with both a quiet and a triumphant affirmation of Beethoven’s time–transcending greatness.
You can find more information at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
Note: This play has not been produced and, apart from one song, lyrics are not included.
Act 1 establishes a number of Beethoven’s character traits, in the context of his increasing reputation, and follows some of his initiatives in trying to live what might be called a regular life - that is, mixing in society and entering a state of matrimony, as well as trying to earn a living in a well-regarded vocation.
Reflecting these aspects, we find Beethoven in various situations, relating to his friends, and where we can learn, either from the context of the scene or from himself, something of the man and his music.
We meet him in a typical situation. He is thirty years old. Although he’s been aware of it for a few years, his hearing loss is still more of an irritation than a real impediment. As the act unfolds we follow him as he falls in love with a number of fair admirers, gaining a sense of his alleged money difficulties, his increasing success, his temper, and something of his philosophy, humour (he was an inveterate punster), and habits. Up until nearly the end of the Act, deafness is treated more or less incidentally, through the occasional miss–hearing of words and the recurring motif of the cuckoo. It’s only in the last scene that we begin to see how much it’s affecting him, when we contrast the gaiety of a country dance with his faltering response to its rhythms.
The main themes of Act 1 are love and music, with deafness as a shadow in the background.
Act 2 takes us into the latter part of Beethoven’s life, particularly the conflict between his desire for marriage and a normal life and his growing view that this would diminish his art. Interleaving these matters is the self-consuming saga of his efforts to gain guardianship of his nephew, together with something of the trauma which results from this, and a little fun.
The act ends with both a quiet and a triumphant affirmation of Beethoven’s time–transcending greatness.
You can find more information at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
Note: This play has not been produced and, apart from one song, lyrics are not included.
About Possum and Python
Possum and Python is a story of the rain forest, of birth and love and companionship - of a most unusual (but splendidly splendid) kind.It all begins late one night, on a broad branch, high up above the forest floor, where something remarkable happens that leads to a remarkable change in the ecology of a special part of our remarkable world. Without doubt.
You can find out more about Possum and Python at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange to have the author write a personal dedication in the front of the book.
About The Search for Quong
Quong was a creature of the olden olden days, even before grandmother.
He was a short fellow, or, at least, that’s what they said, with long, thin legs and an even longer, thinner tail. His face was fat and wrinkly, and big bushy eyebrows kept out the sun and flies.
At least that’s what I think he looked like, though no–one has actually seen him that I’d believe.
Which, of course, was the trouble.
Some people say that there are no such things as quongs, that it’s a stupid name, and that if there were any there’d be pink elephants,too.
But those people don’t think Father Christmas comes every year, either.
Of course this is all nonsense.
There must be quongs and we must find them.
And, if this story’s any good, we will.
Find more information about The Search for Quong at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
He was a short fellow, or, at least, that’s what they said, with long, thin legs and an even longer, thinner tail. His face was fat and wrinkly, and big bushy eyebrows kept out the sun and flies.
At least that’s what I think he looked like, though no–one has actually seen him that I’d believe.
Which, of course, was the trouble.
Some people say that there are no such things as quongs, that it’s a stupid name, and that if there were any there’d be pink elephants,too.
But those people don’t think Father Christmas comes every year, either.
Of course this is all nonsense.
There must be quongs and we must find them.
And, if this story’s any good, we will.
Find more information about The Search for Quong at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
About Lissie Pendle
Lissie Pendle is, to a degree, about trouble.
It's about trouble which just...well, it just happens. Usually with the help of her little brother, or Scratcher and his friends, or just....things.
In the course of telling us about a number of pretty unusual events, such as the case of the killer koala, or what happened in old-fashioned trains' toilets, or when she met a lady who inserted capital letters into her conversation, or when there was blood instead of ink in the inkwell, or....well, a pile of other things, we discover an Australia of another time.
When things were clear, including the air, and life was simpler and, yes, funnier.
Although none of us, especially Lissie, realised it at the time.
Lissie Pendle can be obtained at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
It's about trouble which just...well, it just happens. Usually with the help of her little brother, or Scratcher and his friends, or just....things.
In the course of telling us about a number of pretty unusual events, such as the case of the killer koala, or what happened in old-fashioned trains' toilets, or when she met a lady who inserted capital letters into her conversation, or when there was blood instead of ink in the inkwell, or....well, a pile of other things, we discover an Australia of another time.
When things were clear, including the air, and life was simpler and, yes, funnier.
Although none of us, especially Lissie, realised it at the time.
Lissie Pendle can be obtained at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
About Scratcher
Some ‘official’ reviews of Scratcher…
Ministry of Education, Victoria
Scratcher (given name Macneill) is a young Australian lad who, in the process of living everyday life, seems to become involved in numerous scrapes and comical situations. Often these result in his feeling corporeally the wrath of the Principal, or his father’s hand on certain parts of his anatomy. Some of the hilariously funny incidents include: being saved by firemen from the top of a silo whilst he is in the process of rescuing a friend; having a large eel attach itself to his nose whilst out with his father fishing; adopting a dog, who, when it sights a cat, reacts in the normal manner and creates havoc in a butcher’s shop; ferreting; a folk dancing competition; a passionate love for his teacher; and watching a train load of pigs escape. Scratcher’s exploits occur in the small country town of Niamong, whose local identities add humour and colour to the story. It is written in the first person. The witty anecdotes and vibrant characters ensure a wide appeal.
Department of Education, Queensland
Scratcher is a middle primary schoolboy in the outback Victorian town of Niamong, and is in the centre of any mischief that is going. Uproarious episodes convey the flavour of a country boyhood in which fun was simple but plentiful. Exaggeration is the essence of the author’s style and the slapstick humour is bound to appeal to the young, while initiating them into such mysteries as rabbiting, knuckles and eisteddfods (referred to throughout by the graceless hero as the ‘Iced Edward’!). Spiky line drawings and a map enhance an unassuming production which should give much pleasure. Many teachers would enjoy reading this yarn aloud for both its humour and its nostalgia.
…and some from young readers:
Matt, South Frankston, aged 12
This is just a quick note to say thank you for the book “SCRATCHER”, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was very funny. I would like to know where you got the name Macneill? Any way I don’t really like fiction books at all, but this one was great! I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I’D EASILY GIVE IT A BIG 10 out of 10!
Sahaj, Bangalore, India, aged 10
My neighbour and friend of my grandparents, Mr.Bandyopadhyaya, gave me one of your books 'Scratcher'. I read the book and have written a few review comments. I found Scratcher a very funny, unique and exciting book. I found the incident when Petchie, the pup, ran loose in Niamong really funny. The beginning of Scratcher was a little dull as the story was in a totally new environment. In India we do things very differently than in Australia. Later, after I got used to this new environment I started to like the book a lot. It is marvellous how you made something extra-ordinary happen in every ordinary day (in Scratcher). Scratcher was also especially interesting as we are studying Australia in Geography at school. We have learnt the western plateau, the central lowlands, the eastern highlands and some other physical features of Australia. I am hoping to read some more books written by you.
Bree, Overport, aged 11
I am writing to you to tell you how much I liked Scratcher. I like the bit when the pig got out of the train and the people all went running out after the pigs. I also like the bit where they go away with Miss Hendley to the hall to do a dance with the grade. I like Scratcher because it has funny things in it.
Lindsay
I loved the book Scratcher, I didn’t have a favourite part because I liked it all. I’m not saying you can’t write like an adult but you really did write with a child’s mind. Like when you said that they were really called brakes but you never saw a broken one. We write lots of books here at school and at the end of the story you were teaching us how to make them. I’ve written four books and other people have written lots too. I hope you are feeling well.
Bronwyn, Frankston, aged 11
I liked your story very much. Your jokes are very funny, too. We have a boy in our grade called Nicholas and he talks about something and then ends up talking about something else just like Scratcher. Your story was so amusing in nearly every sentence that our grade burst out laughing. Miss Hendley is just like our teacher Miss Young, she’s kind and pretty. My favourite chapter is “Old Mary”, when we all have a very mary time. Our class would like you to come to our classroom sometime. I liked that part about “I like it when my footprints are behind me then I know I’m in front.” Good-bye happy writing.
Scratcher has sold nearly 5,000 copies - if you're interested in the book, click on http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
Ministry of Education, Victoria
Scratcher (given name Macneill) is a young Australian lad who, in the process of living everyday life, seems to become involved in numerous scrapes and comical situations. Often these result in his feeling corporeally the wrath of the Principal, or his father’s hand on certain parts of his anatomy. Some of the hilariously funny incidents include: being saved by firemen from the top of a silo whilst he is in the process of rescuing a friend; having a large eel attach itself to his nose whilst out with his father fishing; adopting a dog, who, when it sights a cat, reacts in the normal manner and creates havoc in a butcher’s shop; ferreting; a folk dancing competition; a passionate love for his teacher; and watching a train load of pigs escape. Scratcher’s exploits occur in the small country town of Niamong, whose local identities add humour and colour to the story. It is written in the first person. The witty anecdotes and vibrant characters ensure a wide appeal.
Department of Education, Queensland
Scratcher is a middle primary schoolboy in the outback Victorian town of Niamong, and is in the centre of any mischief that is going. Uproarious episodes convey the flavour of a country boyhood in which fun was simple but plentiful. Exaggeration is the essence of the author’s style and the slapstick humour is bound to appeal to the young, while initiating them into such mysteries as rabbiting, knuckles and eisteddfods (referred to throughout by the graceless hero as the ‘Iced Edward’!). Spiky line drawings and a map enhance an unassuming production which should give much pleasure. Many teachers would enjoy reading this yarn aloud for both its humour and its nostalgia.
…and some from young readers:
Matt, South Frankston, aged 12
This is just a quick note to say thank you for the book “SCRATCHER”, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was very funny. I would like to know where you got the name Macneill? Any way I don’t really like fiction books at all, but this one was great! I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I’D EASILY GIVE IT A BIG 10 out of 10!
Sahaj, Bangalore, India, aged 10
My neighbour and friend of my grandparents, Mr.Bandyopadhyaya, gave me one of your books 'Scratcher'. I read the book and have written a few review comments. I found Scratcher a very funny, unique and exciting book. I found the incident when Petchie, the pup, ran loose in Niamong really funny. The beginning of Scratcher was a little dull as the story was in a totally new environment. In India we do things very differently than in Australia. Later, after I got used to this new environment I started to like the book a lot. It is marvellous how you made something extra-ordinary happen in every ordinary day (in Scratcher). Scratcher was also especially interesting as we are studying Australia in Geography at school. We have learnt the western plateau, the central lowlands, the eastern highlands and some other physical features of Australia. I am hoping to read some more books written by you.
Bree, Overport, aged 11
I am writing to you to tell you how much I liked Scratcher. I like the bit when the pig got out of the train and the people all went running out after the pigs. I also like the bit where they go away with Miss Hendley to the hall to do a dance with the grade. I like Scratcher because it has funny things in it.
Lindsay
I loved the book Scratcher, I didn’t have a favourite part because I liked it all. I’m not saying you can’t write like an adult but you really did write with a child’s mind. Like when you said that they were really called brakes but you never saw a broken one. We write lots of books here at school and at the end of the story you were teaching us how to make them. I’ve written four books and other people have written lots too. I hope you are feeling well.
Bronwyn, Frankston, aged 11
I liked your story very much. Your jokes are very funny, too. We have a boy in our grade called Nicholas and he talks about something and then ends up talking about something else just like Scratcher. Your story was so amusing in nearly every sentence that our grade burst out laughing. Miss Hendley is just like our teacher Miss Young, she’s kind and pretty. My favourite chapter is “Old Mary”, when we all have a very mary time. Our class would like you to come to our classroom sometime. I liked that part about “I like it when my footprints are behind me then I know I’m in front.” Good-bye happy writing.
Scratcher has sold nearly 5,000 copies - if you're interested in the book, click on http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
About The Alone Man
The Alone Man draws on the concept of ‘dreamtime’, the Australian aboriginal mythology of the land.
It is a ‘double love story’ about a man’s love for his wife and family and his love of the land and nature.
Set in outback Australia around 100 years ago, the story is of a simple man in a simpler time, creating a micro-world - as many pioneers did.
Although he doesn’t realise it, his life is a kind of poetry, with the beauty of love, nature, and sorrow as the themes - a ‘prose poem’, poetic about something as ordinary (or common) as building a life – marriage, toil, birth, death.
The style is gentle and evocative, and the story is, at the same time, humorous and sad, touching and poignant, affirming and happy, dreamy and warm.
The Alone Man is a simple story full of understated insights that will have deep emotional resonance with readers all over the world.
It is a ‘double love story’ about a man’s love for his wife and family and his love of the land and nature.
Set in outback Australia around 100 years ago, the story is of a simple man in a simpler time, creating a micro-world - as many pioneers did.
Although he doesn’t realise it, his life is a kind of poetry, with the beauty of love, nature, and sorrow as the themes - a ‘prose poem’, poetic about something as ordinary (or common) as building a life – marriage, toil, birth, death.
The style is gentle and evocative, and the story is, at the same time, humorous and sad, touching and poignant, affirming and happy, dreamy and warm.
The Alone Man is a simple story full of understated insights that will have deep emotional resonance with readers all over the world.
More on purchasing the book can be found at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com, or if you're interested in the CD with me reading the story, contact me directly at ibgburns@optusnet.com.au.
About The Day and Night Machine
The Day and Night Machine is a mystery: how Jess came to get it in the first place; what it might do (or actually does); why Miss Sturzen so much wants to own it; where Ulso came from (and where he went when he wasn't there); why Miss Sturzen so wanted it and why she would not stop at anything to get it; and what Jess's mother and father did after the story ended.
More information can be found at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
More information can be found at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
About Thomas Bulford's Essays on Life, Language & Love
‘Eclectic’ is the word that most readily springs to mind when searching for an appropriate descriptor for Dr Bulford’s latest, and hopefully last, work.
The fact that these 135 essays are published posthumously does not detract from their enormous importance; indeed, it highlights our good fortune, knowing that there is, in fact, a limit.
Not to mention that each 'essay' can be read without too much trouble before reading, if one must, another one.
The fact that these 135 essays are published posthumously does not detract from their enormous importance; indeed, it highlights our good fortune, knowing that there is, in fact, a limit.
Not to mention that each 'essay' can be read without too much trouble before reading, if one must, another one.
If you'd like to read ideas from the grave, go to http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
About Thomas Bulford's English Companion
In the spirit of An Exaltation of Larks and The Meaning of Liff, with a strong dose of “Down Under” humour, Thomas Bulford's English Companion is a word lover’s anthology that gives new life to many words and phrases no longer in daily usage, and redefines others to more closely represent modern meanings. The work is a lexical odyssey of puns and plays on words, infectious in spirit, which will charm word lovers everywhere.
The author has created the persona of Thomas Bulford, a turn of the (20th) century English cum Australian academic and eccentric who infuses his biting wit and whimsical persona throughout the book.
The book is divided into twenty-seven categories, such as, Women, Money, Science, and Countries, each with introductory text by Bulford expounding with his piercing observations on the state of the world and life, ala Oscar Wilde. This is then followed by an extensive array of words, their phonetic transcriptions, and his definitions, for example:
* Androgynous [an.droj.in.us] n. An ancient Greek thespian, famous for his ability to combine several roles into one.
* Cactoblastis (kak:toh`blaah!st’s) n. A terrifying form of diarrhoea.
* Pomace (pom:ays) n. An exceedingly clever, though rare, Englishman.
* Vision (vij’n) n. A word, naturally, with two eyes.
* Xylyl (?zy?:lill) n. Any word which can never be pronounced correctly the first or second time – by when it’s too late, anyway - and which, coincidentally, represents a very small class of words that are apparently vowel-free.
The result is a language affectionado’s garden of delights with over 1,600 words humorously redefined. There are lots of plays on words and double entendres, which will appeal to anyone who likes words, language, or cryptic crosswords.
If you'd like to verify these over-the-top comments, go to http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
About Ranga Plays Australia
Ranga Plays Australia
It’s only four years after the end of World War 2, during which there were no great cricket matches. But now things are getting back to normal: the Australians have thrashed the Poms in England, India has played its first Test series in Australia, and ‘the Don’ has retired.
In a small Bangalore village young 12 year old? Ranganathan Rao is musing about life in general and cricket in particular. The weather’s been hot and dry for ever – everyone’s eyes are skywards, looking for the monsoon. Except for Ranga’s, whose spinning fingers begin to itch.
Kumar, Ranga’s English/Geography/History teacher, as part of a discourse on the strangeness of the English language, introduces his pupils to an especially strange word - that he heard an Australian say during the war – and invites them to try to pronounce it and identify its meaning. After many unsuccessful attempts Kumar reveals both the word’s pronunciation and meaning, and suggests that everyone might remember this, as one day they might go to Australia.
This starts Ranga thinking.
As children tend to do, in their naivety, Ranga mentioned this strange Australian word to his grandmother, who thinks he should become a doctor and forget about cricket. He then visits , before visiting his ancient Punjabi friend, Harkishen Singh, for his advice,. where (bit convoluted) Tthe ensuing conversation embraces the origins of cricket – the Greeks, not the English – and the dispensation of veryarious pieces of wisdom.
Although Ranga doesn’t normally understand Harkishen’s wisdom, it does encourage him, to the extent that he blurts his idea ?it out in class the next day. Much to his surprise, everybody thinks likes it a good idea. But, then, it was a cricket idea! What is the idea??
Building on this, he decides to talk to his father, who then decides that he should bring others into the conversation – the village headman, a businessman, and the teacher. All of these, for various reasons, think Ranga’s idea is a good one, although embroidered with several problems, not all peculiar to an Indian village boy’s environment or upbringing. The upshot of this uncertainty-shrouded agreement is that advice should be sought from a respected English Brigadier, who just happens to be the President of the Bangalore Club.
Brigadier Hill immediately sees all the problems – and a few new ones – as well as the solutions to these, which he sets in train (via, of course, delegation).
Brigadier Hill immediately sees all the problems – and a few new ones – as well as the solutions to these, which he sets in train (via, of course, delegation). Sorry this stays and perhaps joined to next para
Amazingly, and without fuss – the British way! – the youthful team is selected from all over India. Ranga is feted from his village to Bangalore station and the train to Bombay. He’s more than a little surprised, and more than a little tongue-tied, to find that two girls from his village – whom he admires greatly – are in the team, which is a distraction on the long journey to the port, not to mention on the ship and in Australia.
Bombay has a number of other surprises for Ranga, including meeting an All India Radio star and cricket fanatic, lunch at the famed Taj Mahal Hotel, a walk around the Gateway to India, and meeting the other members of the team.
The biggest surprise, however, was at the docks, when they looked up at the Strathnaver, the ship that was to take them to Australia.
From Ranga’s point of view much of the journey to Fremantle was a blur, the principal highlights being the stop-over at Colombo and a ship’s officer’s attempt to blow up a floating mine with his rifle.
Perth gave who??some of the grown-ups the opportunity for some awful puns about kangaroo paws, as a presage to probably the greatest event of Ranga’s life, past, present, and future, when he met the greatest man alive, in Adelaide.
Finally they arrived in Melbourne, their almost-destination, where they had a sumptuous feast organised by Kumar’s ‘cousin’ – who owned the only Indian restaurant, followed by a visit to the world centre of Test cricket (at least in Melbournians’ view).
Then by train, excitement mounting, to Niamong, a dusty town in the middle of a red dusty part of Australia, where the Great Match was to be played. Review these three paras eg what restaurant? Perhaps combine? More punch!!!! They have arrived!!!
Niamong is not the usual sleepy hollow, and quite a number of unusual things happen before the Game, all of which Ranga would remember for ever, and perhaps even longer.
The game itself was played in great spirit, but also considerable puzzlement and, to this day, it’s possible that there are still people alive who were present at the game but who are unsure – actually ignorant – of the result. However, in the best traditions of the game, this doesn’t seem to matter. Many lessons were undoubtedly learnt, many friendships were undoubtedly made, and various sets of beautiful blue eyes embedded themselves in several brains, not to mention the brown eyes.
And, of course, Harkishen Singh has the final last word, somehow. Apart from the train...
Find out more at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
It’s only four years after the end of World War 2, during which there were no great cricket matches. But now things are getting back to normal: the Australians have thrashed the Poms in England, India has played its first Test series in Australia, and ‘the Don’ has retired.
In a small Bangalore village young 12 year old? Ranganathan Rao is musing about life in general and cricket in particular. The weather’s been hot and dry for ever – everyone’s eyes are skywards, looking for the monsoon. Except for Ranga’s, whose spinning fingers begin to itch.
Kumar, Ranga’s English/Geography/History teacher, as part of a discourse on the strangeness of the English language, introduces his pupils to an especially strange word - that he heard an Australian say during the war – and invites them to try to pronounce it and identify its meaning. After many unsuccessful attempts Kumar reveals both the word’s pronunciation and meaning, and suggests that everyone might remember this, as one day they might go to Australia.
This starts Ranga thinking.
As children tend to do, in their naivety, Ranga mentioned this strange Australian word to his grandmother, who thinks he should become a doctor and forget about cricket. He then visits , before visiting his ancient Punjabi friend, Harkishen Singh, for his advice,. where (bit convoluted) Tthe ensuing conversation embraces the origins of cricket – the Greeks, not the English – and the dispensation of veryarious pieces of wisdom.
Although Ranga doesn’t normally understand Harkishen’s wisdom, it does encourage him, to the extent that he blurts his idea ?it out in class the next day. Much to his surprise, everybody thinks likes it a good idea. But, then, it was a cricket idea! What is the idea??
Building on this, he decides to talk to his father, who then decides that he should bring others into the conversation – the village headman, a businessman, and the teacher. All of these, for various reasons, think Ranga’s idea is a good one, although embroidered with several problems, not all peculiar to an Indian village boy’s environment or upbringing. The upshot of this uncertainty-shrouded agreement is that advice should be sought from a respected English Brigadier, who just happens to be the President of the Bangalore Club.
Brigadier Hill immediately sees all the problems – and a few new ones – as well as the solutions to these, which he sets in train (via, of course, delegation).
Brigadier Hill immediately sees all the problems – and a few new ones – as well as the solutions to these, which he sets in train (via, of course, delegation). Sorry this stays and perhaps joined to next para
Amazingly, and without fuss – the British way! – the youthful team is selected from all over India. Ranga is feted from his village to Bangalore station and the train to Bombay. He’s more than a little surprised, and more than a little tongue-tied, to find that two girls from his village – whom he admires greatly – are in the team, which is a distraction on the long journey to the port, not to mention on the ship and in Australia.
Bombay has a number of other surprises for Ranga, including meeting an All India Radio star and cricket fanatic, lunch at the famed Taj Mahal Hotel, a walk around the Gateway to India, and meeting the other members of the team.
The biggest surprise, however, was at the docks, when they looked up at the Strathnaver, the ship that was to take them to Australia.
From Ranga’s point of view much of the journey to Fremantle was a blur, the principal highlights being the stop-over at Colombo and a ship’s officer’s attempt to blow up a floating mine with his rifle.
Perth gave who??some of the grown-ups the opportunity for some awful puns about kangaroo paws, as a presage to probably the greatest event of Ranga’s life, past, present, and future, when he met the greatest man alive, in Adelaide.
Finally they arrived in Melbourne, their almost-destination, where they had a sumptuous feast organised by Kumar’s ‘cousin’ – who owned the only Indian restaurant, followed by a visit to the world centre of Test cricket (at least in Melbournians’ view).
Then by train, excitement mounting, to Niamong, a dusty town in the middle of a red dusty part of Australia, where the Great Match was to be played. Review these three paras eg what restaurant? Perhaps combine? More punch!!!! They have arrived!!!
Niamong is not the usual sleepy hollow, and quite a number of unusual things happen before the Game, all of which Ranga would remember for ever, and perhaps even longer.
The game itself was played in great spirit, but also considerable puzzlement and, to this day, it’s possible that there are still people alive who were present at the game but who are unsure – actually ignorant – of the result. However, in the best traditions of the game, this doesn’t seem to matter. Many lessons were undoubtedly learnt, many friendships were undoubtedly made, and various sets of beautiful blue eyes embedded themselves in several brains, not to mention the brown eyes.
And, of course, Harkishen Singh has the final last word, somehow. Apart from the train...
Find out more at http://imaginalworks.googlepages.com.
You can also arrange for the author to write a personal dedication in the book for you.
Writing tips (6 of 20). Audience
Who's your audience?
Your 'audience' is who you're writing for, who you want to or hope will read your work, and, in this context, it's perfectly OK for you to write for yourself! As long as you're not aiming to publish.
What I mean here is that, assuming that you're not a published author and are uncertain about the worth of your work, it makes a lot of sense to begin the journey by putting it down - to be a writer you have to write! This process, and how long you stay with it, will tell you whether you should become serious, or get a ghost writer!
So, you're serious, and you've subjected your work to the opinions of others (who've been encouraging), who are you writing for? Who do you hope will buy it?
I must confess, here, that I've never asked myself these questions when I've sat down to write a book or for the stage! So, am I a naughty boy?! Yes, and no.
A normal professional writer will have asked these questions and have a pretty good idea of the answer(s), as will the publisher. On the other hand, as I've said elsewhere, it's a good idea to write for yourself. If you do it this way, the questions - which have to be answered - can perhaps be best done by 'road testing'. A terrific way to do this, for children's books, is to find a friendly school teacher who will allow you into their class, and/or encourage individuals to read your manuscript. The feedback is gold, enabling you to clarify or explain, delete, expand, create new material, and even collect valuable comments to include in your pitch to publishers. The experience will, at the least, confirm or eliminate one possible audience! And, perhaps, give you a better idea of who the work really is for.
An example of this, from my own writing, is Ranga Plays Australia, a story that I thought would appeal to boys around upper primary or lower secondary school, but it's turning out that adults enjoy it, too. See http://www.lulu.com/content/1855128.
Your 'audience' is who you're writing for, who you want to or hope will read your work, and, in this context, it's perfectly OK for you to write for yourself! As long as you're not aiming to publish.
What I mean here is that, assuming that you're not a published author and are uncertain about the worth of your work, it makes a lot of sense to begin the journey by putting it down - to be a writer you have to write! This process, and how long you stay with it, will tell you whether you should become serious, or get a ghost writer!
So, you're serious, and you've subjected your work to the opinions of others (who've been encouraging), who are you writing for? Who do you hope will buy it?
I must confess, here, that I've never asked myself these questions when I've sat down to write a book or for the stage! So, am I a naughty boy?! Yes, and no.
A normal professional writer will have asked these questions and have a pretty good idea of the answer(s), as will the publisher. On the other hand, as I've said elsewhere, it's a good idea to write for yourself. If you do it this way, the questions - which have to be answered - can perhaps be best done by 'road testing'. A terrific way to do this, for children's books, is to find a friendly school teacher who will allow you into their class, and/or encourage individuals to read your manuscript. The feedback is gold, enabling you to clarify or explain, delete, expand, create new material, and even collect valuable comments to include in your pitch to publishers. The experience will, at the least, confirm or eliminate one possible audience! And, perhaps, give you a better idea of who the work really is for.
An example of this, from my own writing, is Ranga Plays Australia, a story that I thought would appeal to boys around upper primary or lower secondary school, but it's turning out that adults enjoy it, too. See http://www.lulu.com/content/1855128.
Writing tips (5 of 20). Start from the known
Start from the known
Even the youngest of us has had experiences. Whilst most of us would consider that most of these are not terribly interesting, or that they're pretty common (which is true, for most, as not too many of us have actually stood on the moon, or had a leech up our nose!), they are you! Together, of course, with what you imagine, and what you absorb from the world - through interacting with other people, through reading and movies, from the Internet...
This experience, whatever it is, is real - we might call it reality, or real-ness - and it enables you to connect with the reader. Generally speaking, a person is less likely to continue reading if he or she thinks that what you're writing is unlikely, implausible, impossible. You might think that science fiction, life and action on other worlds or in far-distant times, is like this, but you'll find that good science fiction is exceedingly well grounded.
Similarly, surreal stories like Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass - both actual impossibilities like Wind in the Willows, are exceedingly believable and entertaining, once the initial psychology has been dealt with. My story Possum and Python, as you might expect from the title, is of this ilk. See http://www.lulu.com/content/159971.
So I believe that it makes good sense to begin the construction of a story with something that you have known, and perhaps experienced. This doesn't necessarily mean 'start' means the beginning of the story - the actual beginning of the story could easily be the result of pure imagination. The inspiration for my first book Scratcher was a story told me by a colleague about a horse and a dam actually ended up as chapter 8! You can follow this up if you like at http://www.lulu.com/content/191736.
Even the youngest of us has had experiences. Whilst most of us would consider that most of these are not terribly interesting, or that they're pretty common (which is true, for most, as not too many of us have actually stood on the moon, or had a leech up our nose!), they are you! Together, of course, with what you imagine, and what you absorb from the world - through interacting with other people, through reading and movies, from the Internet...
This experience, whatever it is, is real - we might call it reality, or real-ness - and it enables you to connect with the reader. Generally speaking, a person is less likely to continue reading if he or she thinks that what you're writing is unlikely, implausible, impossible. You might think that science fiction, life and action on other worlds or in far-distant times, is like this, but you'll find that good science fiction is exceedingly well grounded.
Similarly, surreal stories like Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass - both actual impossibilities like Wind in the Willows, are exceedingly believable and entertaining, once the initial psychology has been dealt with. My story Possum and Python, as you might expect from the title, is of this ilk. See http://www.lulu.com/content/159971.
So I believe that it makes good sense to begin the construction of a story with something that you have known, and perhaps experienced. This doesn't necessarily mean 'start' means the beginning of the story - the actual beginning of the story could easily be the result of pure imagination. The inspiration for my first book Scratcher was a story told me by a colleague about a horse and a dam actually ended up as chapter 8! You can follow this up if you like at http://www.lulu.com/content/191736.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Illustrator wanted!
Knocking One
I'm writing a new series of books for younger children, targetted at the junior primary school level, titled Twevven's Little Life Books.
The title character is not human, but certainly has a range of human characteristics displayed in a variety of situations.
The series requires illustrations, and would be an interesting and entertaining project for an illustrator.
The opportunity is 'shared risk/shared reward' - the illustrator would receive 50% of royalties earned, in exchange for preparing a number of examples to demonstrate the concept to potential publishers and others.
Knocking Two
A number of my works could be enhanced by the inclusion of illustrations - have a look at them at Imaginal Works.
The opportunity again is 'shared risk/shared reward' - the illustrator would receive 50% of royalties earned from Internet or regular publication sales.
If you might be such a person, and would like to begin a discussion, please email me on ibgburns@optusnet.com.au
I'm writing a new series of books for younger children, targetted at the junior primary school level, titled Twevven's Little Life Books.
The title character is not human, but certainly has a range of human characteristics displayed in a variety of situations.
The series requires illustrations, and would be an interesting and entertaining project for an illustrator.
The opportunity is 'shared risk/shared reward' - the illustrator would receive 50% of royalties earned, in exchange for preparing a number of examples to demonstrate the concept to potential publishers and others.
Knocking Two
A number of my works could be enhanced by the inclusion of illustrations - have a look at them at Imaginal Works.
The opportunity again is 'shared risk/shared reward' - the illustrator would receive 50% of royalties earned from Internet or regular publication sales.
If you might be such a person, and would like to begin a discussion, please email me on ibgburns@optusnet.com.au
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Writing tips (4 of 20). Make it interesting
Make it interesting
Yes, I'm stating the obvious again! But this is critical! No one's going to read uninteresting things, unless they haveto. Even then, a compassionate author will try to lessen the pain, where possible - by breaking it up into smaller morsels, or adding humour or illustrations.
It's not enough that the subject be interesting to you, but if it isn't...don't bother!
So, you have a subject of interest: does it have developmental possibilities? Can you see the story unfolding, expanding, deepening? Are you capable of creating such a written environment?
I've had countless 'great ideas'. I've written them down, excited, only to find that that's as far as I can take that particular idea.
Know what you can do. For example, although my grandfather (Bernard Capes) wrote a crime novel (amongst many other books),
I have no idea how to do this, or to write a thriller. It doesn't matter, because there are so many types of books, for many different audiences. In my own case ranging from a children's fantasy (or is it?) The Search for Quong, through the often almost-farcical Scratcher and Lissie Pendle, to the heartstring-tugging The Alone Man to Thomas Bulford's English Companion (an alternative, idiosyncratic, dictionary for adults). You might like to look at some of these on my publisher's Web site: www.lulu.com/ianburns.
Yes, I'm stating the obvious again! But this is critical! No one's going to read uninteresting things, unless they haveto. Even then, a compassionate author will try to lessen the pain, where possible - by breaking it up into smaller morsels, or adding humour or illustrations.
It's not enough that the subject be interesting to you, but if it isn't...don't bother!
So, you have a subject of interest: does it have developmental possibilities? Can you see the story unfolding, expanding, deepening? Are you capable of creating such a written environment?
I've had countless 'great ideas'. I've written them down, excited, only to find that that's as far as I can take that particular idea.
Know what you can do. For example, although my grandfather (Bernard Capes) wrote a crime novel (amongst many other books),
I have no idea how to do this, or to write a thriller. It doesn't matter, because there are so many types of books, for many different audiences. In my own case ranging from a children's fantasy (or is it?) The Search for Quong, through the often almost-farcical Scratcher and Lissie Pendle, to the heartstring-tugging The Alone Man to Thomas Bulford's English Companion (an alternative, idiosyncratic, dictionary for adults). You might like to look at some of these on my publisher's Web site: www.lulu.com/ianburns.
Writing tips (3 of 20). Gain attention early
Gain attention early
Yes, of course!
How long can you keep a reader reading?
To the end? To the end of the first chapter? To the end of the first page?
I'm sure that you've had the same experiences as I have - all three. You've probably read more books to the end, because they've generally gone through a review and edit process (hopefully by professionals), but a few have no doubt fallen by the wayside earlier.
It's a good idea to look at some of your favourite books and think about how the authors gained (and kept) your attention.
Did they have a strong first sentence, at the beginning of the book and for each chapter? Think about the famous (notorious? infamous?) "It was a dark and stormy night."!
Did they use humour, or many facts, or an unusual sentance style - I'll talk about some of these in later blogs, and would be interested to hear your views...
Some of my first words: From The Alone Man: He was old. Not very old, or as old as some people. But he was old. From Possum and Python: She lay on a great branch high above the rain forest floor. From Lissie Pendle: If there's one thing I don t mind doing, it's agreeing with myself. From Scratcher: My feet followed my shadow in the red Mallee dust as I headed down towards the rail yards, and my footprints followed me. From Ranga Plays Australia:
It smelt different.
Once again, test out what you write, first with yourself, then with others - and please let me know what you think about this 'getting attention' topic.
If you care to follow up any of my stories, please click on www.lulu.com/ianburns, where you'll find previews and be able to download or purchase the stories in paperback.
Yes, of course!
How long can you keep a reader reading?
To the end? To the end of the first chapter? To the end of the first page?
I'm sure that you've had the same experiences as I have - all three. You've probably read more books to the end, because they've generally gone through a review and edit process (hopefully by professionals), but a few have no doubt fallen by the wayside earlier.
It's a good idea to look at some of your favourite books and think about how the authors gained (and kept) your attention.
Did they have a strong first sentence, at the beginning of the book and for each chapter? Think about the famous (notorious? infamous?) "It was a dark and stormy night."!
Did they use humour, or many facts, or an unusual sentance style - I'll talk about some of these in later blogs, and would be interested to hear your views...
Some of my first words: From The Alone Man: He was old. Not very old, or as old as some people. But he was old. From Possum and Python: She lay on a great branch high above the rain forest floor. From Lissie Pendle: If there's one thing I don t mind doing, it's agreeing with myself. From Scratcher: My feet followed my shadow in the red Mallee dust as I headed down towards the rail yards, and my footprints followed me. From Ranga Plays Australia:
It smelt different.
Once again, test out what you write, first with yourself, then with others - and please let me know what you think about this 'getting attention' topic.
If you care to follow up any of my stories, please click on www.lulu.com/ianburns, where you'll find previews and be able to download or purchase the stories in paperback.
Writing tips (2 of 20). Write like a play
Write like a play
Don't get me wrong, you don't actually have to write a play!
Think for a moment about a play you've seen, on the stage or television - even your favourite movie...
It has a beginning, a middle, and an end, just like us! So have in mind, when (if) you're planning your work, that it should have these three elements.
The thing to remember is that each of these IS NOT one third of the whole - they need to be different lengths. 'Act I' is shorter than 'Act II' and 'Act III' hardly hangs around at all.
A rule of thumb is:
Act I, around 20% of the total.
Act II, around 75% of the total.
Act III, around 5% of the total.
This means, of course, that you have to have some idea of the overall size of the story right at the beginning! Am I writing 500 words, 5,000, or 50,000?
And the same idea applies to individual chapters.
My personal best example of all this is The Day and Night Machine (see http://www.lulu.com/content/541352), a story about a girl who receives a birthday present from her father, who was killed about a year before.
Don't get me wrong, you don't actually have to write a play!
Think for a moment about a play you've seen, on the stage or television - even your favourite movie...
It has a beginning, a middle, and an end, just like us! So have in mind, when (if) you're planning your work, that it should have these three elements.
The thing to remember is that each of these IS NOT one third of the whole - they need to be different lengths. 'Act I' is shorter than 'Act II' and 'Act III' hardly hangs around at all.
A rule of thumb is:
Act I, around 20% of the total.
Act II, around 75% of the total.
Act III, around 5% of the total.
This means, of course, that you have to have some idea of the overall size of the story right at the beginning! Am I writing 500 words, 5,000, or 50,000?
And the same idea applies to individual chapters.
My personal best example of all this is The Day and Night Machine (see http://www.lulu.com/content/541352), a story about a girl who receives a birthday present from her father, who was killed about a year before.
Writing tips (1 of 20). Write for yourself
Write for yourself
The first - and most important - person to write for is yourself! If youdon't enjoy what you've written, or understand it, or if you're not entertained by it (depending on the subject matter), you can't really expect others to be, either.
I've found that a very good way for checking up on myself - to see whether it makes sense, is funny (if that's what I want to achieve), or explains something - is to stop fidgeting, pay attention,and read the material aloud to myself.
The next thing, if it passes this self-testing process, is to ask someone else to read it to themselves. It's OK to ask someone close to you to do this, as long as you remember that he or she might be inclined to be 'soft' on you, to say nice things about it. I love this bit, because, knowing that my work is brilliant, a little bit of early flattery is always welcome.
HOWEVER, this is NOT much good if your intention is an audience of people who don't or might not know you, so you really do need to get the opinion of people without the biases of family or friends (unless you can find one who you can trust to be objectively critical). I was very lucky with my most recent book Ranga Plays Australia (http://www.lulu.com/content/1855128), as the person who asked me to write it was also able to make a number of wonderful suggestions that I would never have thought of myself! Yes, it was painful, but remember the cliche no pain, no gain!
The first - and most important - person to write for is yourself! If youdon't enjoy what you've written, or understand it, or if you're not entertained by it (depending on the subject matter), you can't really expect others to be, either.
I've found that a very good way for checking up on myself - to see whether it makes sense, is funny (if that's what I want to achieve), or explains something - is to stop fidgeting, pay attention,and read the material aloud to myself.
The next thing, if it passes this self-testing process, is to ask someone else to read it to themselves. It's OK to ask someone close to you to do this, as long as you remember that he or she might be inclined to be 'soft' on you, to say nice things about it. I love this bit, because, knowing that my work is brilliant, a little bit of early flattery is always welcome.
HOWEVER, this is NOT much good if your intention is an audience of people who don't or might not know you, so you really do need to get the opinion of people without the biases of family or friends (unless you can find one who you can trust to be objectively critical). I was very lucky with my most recent book Ranga Plays Australia (http://www.lulu.com/content/1855128), as the person who asked me to write it was also able to make a number of wonderful suggestions that I would never have thought of myself! Yes, it was painful, but remember the cliche no pain, no gain!
A Cricket Dream
There's been a lot of controversy about cricket recently, with a lot of discussion regarding the behaviour of Australian and Indian Test cricketers. Ranga Plays Australia gives a different perspective, when cricket was a game.
If you'd like to download this book, or buy the paperback version, go to this Web address: http://www.lulu.com/content/1855128.
If you'd like to download this book, or buy the paperback version, go to this Web address: http://www.lulu.com/content/1855128.
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