Justin Sheedy's Blog - Posts Tagged "vanessa-witton"
Author Justin Sheedy Interviewed in The Glebe Society Bulletin on his Latest Book, “Nor the Years Condemn”
Glebe novelist Justin Sheedy’s new book
Vanessa Witton recently interviewed Justin Sheedy at his local, the Toxteth Hotel on Glebe Point Rd.
The first thing that strikes you on meeting Glebe author Justin Sheedy is that he’s a man of passion. It’s a trait which shines through in his writing and is one reason – combined with the fact that he tells a great Australian story – that his latest book has been so warmly received. Nor the Years Condemn is a tale of shining young men destined never to grow old, an historical fiction based on the stunning true and untold story of the young Australians who flew Spitfires against Nazi tyranny in WWII.
VW: What was your inspiration to write this story?
JS: First of all I wanted to tell a truly great Australian war story of which, by contrast to our Gallipoli story, most Australians are unaware. Gallipoli is so important to us, as there we discovered who we were as nation: a young people looking after each other in the midst of the worst situation imaginable, all while fighting a heroic defeat for our imperial masters. Nor the Years Condemn is based on a true story of Gallipoli magnitude; not one of heroic defeat but of stunning victory, albeit at tragic cost.
VW: These Australian Spitfire pilots – how young were they exactly?
JS: In their late teens and early 20s. Hadn’t had a girlfriend yet. 1939, England, alone against Nazi Germany, calls out to its British Empire, “HELP. Send us pilots”. Every young Australian male says “Pick ME!” yet to fly a Spitfire, only the “best and brightest” could be picked. With staggering irony, this “best and brightest” had volunteered for one of the fastest ways to die of the War. First time on a ship, if they survived being torpedoed they got to England where they flew Spitfires against young German gentlemen; when they should all have been Olympians against each other, Formula 1 drivers; for this was the kind of young men they were – because they had to be.
VW: Riveting stuff…
JS: Precisely! It’s a saga so exciting, so tragic, so dramatic as to seem the stuff of science fiction, and yet it’s true! And it’s just so rewarding for me that readers are engaging with my story as the anti-war portrait I intended; one of young people doing with such brilliance, style and world-beating heroism what they should never have been asked to do: end a war. Which they did.
VW: Who do you see as your readership for this book?
JS: It’s been to my delight and relief that I’ve had grandmothers vowing, “I laughed and cried, didn’t want it to end, I was right in the cockpit with the main character!” Also, it’s very much a mothers’ story too, as for every shining young man who flew a Spitfire, there was the poor mother cursed to let him go.
Vanessa Witton – (Full issue of The Glebe Society Bulletin April 2013 Issue at the Link below)
http://bulletin.glebesociety.org.au/2...
Justin Sheedy will be signing copies of “Nor the Years Condemn” at Dymocks Chatswood on Saturday 20th April from 10am, an ANZAC Day 2013 lead-up event. The book is available at GLEEBOOKS, BERKELOUW BOOKS PADDINGTON & THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL, also at DYMOCKS GEORGE ST SYDNEY, DYMOCKS MACQUARIE CENTRE, CHATSWOOD, NORTH SYDNEY, BROADWAY, BONDI JUNCTION, ROUSE HILL & CAMBERWELL (VIC) stores. ALSO AT THE BOOK DEPOSITORY, AMAZON, AMAZON UK, as an Ebook at SMASHWORDS and via all Ebook sites and via ALL good bookstores. REVIEWS at the below Link!
http://crackernight.com/2012/01/17/gr...
http://crackernight.com/2013/04/14/au...
Vanessa Witton recently interviewed Justin Sheedy at his local, the Toxteth Hotel on Glebe Point Rd.
The first thing that strikes you on meeting Glebe author Justin Sheedy is that he’s a man of passion. It’s a trait which shines through in his writing and is one reason – combined with the fact that he tells a great Australian story – that his latest book has been so warmly received. Nor the Years Condemn is a tale of shining young men destined never to grow old, an historical fiction based on the stunning true and untold story of the young Australians who flew Spitfires against Nazi tyranny in WWII.VW: What was your inspiration to write this story?
JS: First of all I wanted to tell a truly great Australian war story of which, by contrast to our Gallipoli story, most Australians are unaware. Gallipoli is so important to us, as there we discovered who we were as nation: a young people looking after each other in the midst of the worst situation imaginable, all while fighting a heroic defeat for our imperial masters. Nor the Years Condemn is based on a true story of Gallipoli magnitude; not one of heroic defeat but of stunning victory, albeit at tragic cost.
VW: These Australian Spitfire pilots – how young were they exactly?
JS: In their late teens and early 20s. Hadn’t had a girlfriend yet. 1939, England, alone against Nazi Germany, calls out to its British Empire, “HELP. Send us pilots”. Every young Australian male says “Pick ME!” yet to fly a Spitfire, only the “best and brightest” could be picked. With staggering irony, this “best and brightest” had volunteered for one of the fastest ways to die of the War. First time on a ship, if they survived being torpedoed they got to England where they flew Spitfires against young German gentlemen; when they should all have been Olympians against each other, Formula 1 drivers; for this was the kind of young men they were – because they had to be.
VW: Riveting stuff…
JS: Precisely! It’s a saga so exciting, so tragic, so dramatic as to seem the stuff of science fiction, and yet it’s true! And it’s just so rewarding for me that readers are engaging with my story as the anti-war portrait I intended; one of young people doing with such brilliance, style and world-beating heroism what they should never have been asked to do: end a war. Which they did.
VW: Who do you see as your readership for this book?
JS: It’s been to my delight and relief that I’ve had grandmothers vowing, “I laughed and cried, didn’t want it to end, I was right in the cockpit with the main character!” Also, it’s very much a mothers’ story too, as for every shining young man who flew a Spitfire, there was the poor mother cursed to let him go.
Vanessa Witton – (Full issue of The Glebe Society Bulletin April 2013 Issue at the Link below)
http://bulletin.glebesociety.org.au/2...
Justin Sheedy will be signing copies of “Nor the Years Condemn” at Dymocks Chatswood on Saturday 20th April from 10am, an ANZAC Day 2013 lead-up event. The book is available at GLEEBOOKS, BERKELOUW BOOKS PADDINGTON & THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL, also at DYMOCKS GEORGE ST SYDNEY, DYMOCKS MACQUARIE CENTRE, CHATSWOOD, NORTH SYDNEY, BROADWAY, BONDI JUNCTION, ROUSE HILL & CAMBERWELL (VIC) stores. ALSO AT THE BOOK DEPOSITORY, AMAZON, AMAZON UK, as an Ebook at SMASHWORDS and via all Ebook sites and via ALL good bookstores. REVIEWS at the below Link!
http://crackernight.com/2012/01/17/gr...
http://crackernight.com/2013/04/14/au...
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