M.A. McRae's Blog
February 18, 2016
Penwinnard series complete
The Penwinnard books are not really a series, but rather a series of books, as each one can be read as a standalone.
All the same, this last one does wind it up. In 'Price of Survival,' I return to Bob, star of 'Angel No More,' the first of the stories.
Bob was always convinced that if he was ever located by those who once knew him as 'Angel,' his life would be forfeit.
But one of them does find him, he takes him, and for a time, he is again called 'Angel.' And yet, the man doesn't seem to want him dead.
This is 'Price of Survival,' the sixth and last of the Penwinnard books, just published.
All the same, this last one does wind it up. In 'Price of Survival,' I return to Bob, star of 'Angel No More,' the first of the stories.
Bob was always convinced that if he was ever located by those who once knew him as 'Angel,' his life would be forfeit.
But one of them does find him, he takes him, and for a time, he is again called 'Angel.' And yet, the man doesn't seem to want him dead.
This is 'Price of Survival,' the sixth and last of the Penwinnard books, just published.
December 18, 2015
The 5th Penwinnard Book
The fifth Penwinnard Story, called 'Mutty's Fort,' is now available.
The Penwinnard Stories are all self-contained, although they do feature many of the same characters, and they have been written in chronological order.
The final book is called 'Price of Survival,' its release date 27th March, 2016. This one is primarily about Bob, an important character in every story, and the hero of the first book, 'Angel No More.'
The Penwinnard Stories are all self-contained, although they do feature many of the same characters, and they have been written in chronological order.
The final book is called 'Price of Survival,' its release date 27th March, 2016. This one is primarily about Bob, an important character in every story, and the hero of the first book, 'Angel No More.'
November 1, 2014
My newest books.
Please note that my newest books - 'the Frost and the Sunshine,' which is the final in the Shuki Series, and a fourth Penwinnard Book, 'Lionel's Wedding,' can both be found on Goodreads. One day, they might even be under my profile.
October 16, 2014
Two new books released.
The fourth Penwinnard Story is now available, look for it on most online booksellers. Lionel's Wedding: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
'Welfare kids have got to be tough, but Steven Vikkers is not tough. He calls himself 'soft,' though at fourteen, he has not yet decided whether or not he is gay. Gays get bashed in his neighbourhood. Being a welfare kid might not be ideal, but it is safe.'
Plus the fourth and final book of the Shuki Series has been released:
The Frost and the Sunshine http://www.amazon.com/Frost-Sunshine-...
'Shuki has such a good life now - his new home, his wives and his stepchildren, and becoming more important to him every day, young Zahu. It is hard to believe that Zahu could possibly want to stay with him when he is so much older. Surely one day, he will realise that a young woman has to suit him better than a middle-aged man.
And then Meriam comes into their lives - Meriam, daughter of Shuki's sister. Meriam, who looks so much like a youthful Shuki. She fascinates Zahu; she confuses him, and she tempts him. But she is not Shuki.
Meriam's baby is born when the frost lies heavy on the ground. But then the first rays of the sun come slanting over, and the countryside lights up. It is a promise - that bitter times might come, but one day, the sun will shine again.'
Both of these books are on the Goodreads list, just not so far appearing under this profile.
'Welfare kids have got to be tough, but Steven Vikkers is not tough. He calls himself 'soft,' though at fourteen, he has not yet decided whether or not he is gay. Gays get bashed in his neighbourhood. Being a welfare kid might not be ideal, but it is safe.'
Plus the fourth and final book of the Shuki Series has been released:
The Frost and the Sunshine http://www.amazon.com/Frost-Sunshine-...
'Shuki has such a good life now - his new home, his wives and his stepchildren, and becoming more important to him every day, young Zahu. It is hard to believe that Zahu could possibly want to stay with him when he is so much older. Surely one day, he will realise that a young woman has to suit him better than a middle-aged man.
And then Meriam comes into their lives - Meriam, daughter of Shuki's sister. Meriam, who looks so much like a youthful Shuki. She fascinates Zahu; she confuses him, and she tempts him. But she is not Shuki.
Meriam's baby is born when the frost lies heavy on the ground. But then the first rays of the sun come slanting over, and the countryside lights up. It is a promise - that bitter times might come, but one day, the sun will shine again.'
Both of these books are on the Goodreads list, just not so far appearing under this profile.
September 10, 2014
Concluding the Shuki Series
The Shuki Series started with 'Not a Man' - (from child of the slums to Oxford Graduate, this is the story of Shuki Bolkiah, modern day eunuch.)
'Not a Man' finished on a satisfying note - no cliff hangers for me, then came 'The King's Favourite' and then 'To Love and To Protect.'
The fourth and final book 'The Frost and the Sunshine' is to be officially released 17th October, 2014, though it is likely to be available on Smashwords for up to a week before that date.
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
(I prefer people to buy from Smashwords when they can, as I get the royalties with far more speed and efficiency than Amazon manage for Australian authors.)
'Not a Man' finished on a satisfying note - no cliff hangers for me, then came 'The King's Favourite' and then 'To Love and To Protect.'
The fourth and final book 'The Frost and the Sunshine' is to be officially released 17th October, 2014, though it is likely to be available on Smashwords for up to a week before that date.
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
(I prefer people to buy from Smashwords when they can, as I get the royalties with far more speed and efficiency than Amazon manage for Australian authors.)
July 5, 2014
Meet My Character Blog Tour
Meet My Character Blog Tour
Jacqueline Watts has suggested I write about one of the characters of my books. I don’t usually participate in these ‘blog tours’, but Jacqui gave me a great deal of help with my first book, ‘Not a Man,’ when my prospective publisher objected to some inaccuracies in how I described an Oxford education. As an Oxford graduate herself, Jacqui was able to give me the help I needed and I will always be grateful.
J. S. Watts (Jacqui) is the author of ‘A Darker Moon’ and of several short stories and poetry.
So, to answer the questions about my character:
What is the name of a character in an upcoming book? Is this character fictional?
The book I will soon publish is the fourth and final book of the Shuki series. The first book of the series was Not a Man. ('From child of the slums to Oxford graduate, this is the story of Shuki Bolkiah - modern-day eunuch.')
In the second book, I speak of Shuki's years as a king's advisor, and in the third, he becomes very much respected as an author and consultant.
But this time, I am not speaking about Shuki, but his niece, daughter of his sister. Her name is Meriam Kanduracai, and she is sixteen years old when the novel begins. She is, of course, fictional.
When and where is it set?
The novel is set in Australia. Shuki now lives on a property that I've set between Uralla and Armidale on the New England Tablelands of NSW. (Uralla is now called Bellerusse, and Armidale is now Leverson.)
What should we know about her?
Meriam has grown up in a strongly Islamic family in Arabia. But she yearns for the freedoms of the west. She and her friend pore over western magazines, they want to wear pretty clothing, not the grey or black cover-all makrebi, and they want to shop in a western style shopping centre, they want to see shows and go to western style restaurants. Meriam's friend has an older brother who indulges their desires. He takes them to places that their parents would never have allowed, and they wear clothing that would have shocked their parents.
What is the main conflict? What messes up her life?
But after one of these excursions, Meriam wakes up in a seedy hotel. She doesn't know what happened and she feels awful. She is bullied into her robe with the addition of a face-cover, then taken by car to an area close to her home, where she is dropped off. She doesn't know what happened to her, but she is sure it was something bad. Her friend has gone to live with the family of her fiancé, she is told, though she had not previously heard anything of a fiancé. It would be improper to ask to see her friend's brother. She does not confide in her parents.
There is no such thing as sex education for the good Muslim girls of Elbarada, and Meriam does not know she is pregnant. But she worries that she could be impure. A girl is never supposed to be alone with a man, and she thought she might have been alone with a man. She drops her attempts to live a more free life, and acquiesces when her father looks for a husband for her. She tries to be a better Muslim; she no longer neglects her prayers, and for the first time, she adheres strictly to the daytime fasting of Ramadan.
But word has spread, and even though Meriam doesn't know what happened to her, others can guess. Her prospective husband demands a purity test.
When Shuki meets her, she can scarcely walk for the beating dealt out by her father. It is not the worst of it. There is no place for an impure girl in Elbarada, and certainly not one who is pregnant. No neighbour or relative would question if Meriam vanishes; they understand that it is sometimes very difficult for a man to do his duty for the honour of his family.
But Meriam is luckier than most. Shuki takes her back to Australia to live with himself, his four wives, and his love, young Zahu Daoud.
Meriam is filled with her shame. She tries very hard to do exactly as Allah would want. She becomes attached to her new family, but she worries for them. They are not good Muslims, and again and again, as she reads the Quran her father gave her, she takes in those threats of burning, everlasting hell.
The baby comes. She'd thought it a sinful thing she must get rid of, but instead, she finds joy, a delightful girl child she can love.
Her pleasure in life lasts for more than two years, but then there is a loss. Could it be Allah's punishment for her? It was a good woman who died - but she was not a good Muslim. Was she now in dreadful torment? It tears Meriam apart to think that Sanyar could be in hell.
Meriam leaves the family who care for her, she leaves the tiny daughter she loves, and she seeks a different life, one where it is easier to live life as a good Muslim.
What is the personal goal of the character?
Meriam wants to do good in the world. Her uncle did good in the world, and she wants to do the same.
What is the title of the book?
The fourth and final book of the Shuki series is called 'The Frost and The Sunshine.'
When is it to be published?
The likely publication date of this book is the 17th October.
I am supposed to tag several more people to do the same.
I therefore tag any of my author acquaintances who want to do it.
Jacqueline Watts has suggested I write about one of the characters of my books. I don’t usually participate in these ‘blog tours’, but Jacqui gave me a great deal of help with my first book, ‘Not a Man,’ when my prospective publisher objected to some inaccuracies in how I described an Oxford education. As an Oxford graduate herself, Jacqui was able to give me the help I needed and I will always be grateful.
J. S. Watts (Jacqui) is the author of ‘A Darker Moon’ and of several short stories and poetry.
So, to answer the questions about my character:
What is the name of a character in an upcoming book? Is this character fictional?
The book I will soon publish is the fourth and final book of the Shuki series. The first book of the series was Not a Man. ('From child of the slums to Oxford graduate, this is the story of Shuki Bolkiah - modern-day eunuch.')
In the second book, I speak of Shuki's years as a king's advisor, and in the third, he becomes very much respected as an author and consultant.
But this time, I am not speaking about Shuki, but his niece, daughter of his sister. Her name is Meriam Kanduracai, and she is sixteen years old when the novel begins. She is, of course, fictional.
When and where is it set?
The novel is set in Australia. Shuki now lives on a property that I've set between Uralla and Armidale on the New England Tablelands of NSW. (Uralla is now called Bellerusse, and Armidale is now Leverson.)
What should we know about her?
Meriam has grown up in a strongly Islamic family in Arabia. But she yearns for the freedoms of the west. She and her friend pore over western magazines, they want to wear pretty clothing, not the grey or black cover-all makrebi, and they want to shop in a western style shopping centre, they want to see shows and go to western style restaurants. Meriam's friend has an older brother who indulges their desires. He takes them to places that their parents would never have allowed, and they wear clothing that would have shocked their parents.
What is the main conflict? What messes up her life?
But after one of these excursions, Meriam wakes up in a seedy hotel. She doesn't know what happened and she feels awful. She is bullied into her robe with the addition of a face-cover, then taken by car to an area close to her home, where she is dropped off. She doesn't know what happened to her, but she is sure it was something bad. Her friend has gone to live with the family of her fiancé, she is told, though she had not previously heard anything of a fiancé. It would be improper to ask to see her friend's brother. She does not confide in her parents.
There is no such thing as sex education for the good Muslim girls of Elbarada, and Meriam does not know she is pregnant. But she worries that she could be impure. A girl is never supposed to be alone with a man, and she thought she might have been alone with a man. She drops her attempts to live a more free life, and acquiesces when her father looks for a husband for her. She tries to be a better Muslim; she no longer neglects her prayers, and for the first time, she adheres strictly to the daytime fasting of Ramadan.
But word has spread, and even though Meriam doesn't know what happened to her, others can guess. Her prospective husband demands a purity test.
When Shuki meets her, she can scarcely walk for the beating dealt out by her father. It is not the worst of it. There is no place for an impure girl in Elbarada, and certainly not one who is pregnant. No neighbour or relative would question if Meriam vanishes; they understand that it is sometimes very difficult for a man to do his duty for the honour of his family.
But Meriam is luckier than most. Shuki takes her back to Australia to live with himself, his four wives, and his love, young Zahu Daoud.
Meriam is filled with her shame. She tries very hard to do exactly as Allah would want. She becomes attached to her new family, but she worries for them. They are not good Muslims, and again and again, as she reads the Quran her father gave her, she takes in those threats of burning, everlasting hell.
The baby comes. She'd thought it a sinful thing she must get rid of, but instead, she finds joy, a delightful girl child she can love.
Her pleasure in life lasts for more than two years, but then there is a loss. Could it be Allah's punishment for her? It was a good woman who died - but she was not a good Muslim. Was she now in dreadful torment? It tears Meriam apart to think that Sanyar could be in hell.
Meriam leaves the family who care for her, she leaves the tiny daughter she loves, and she seeks a different life, one where it is easier to live life as a good Muslim.
What is the personal goal of the character?
Meriam wants to do good in the world. Her uncle did good in the world, and she wants to do the same.
What is the title of the book?
The fourth and final book of the Shuki series is called 'The Frost and The Sunshine.'
When is it to be published?
The likely publication date of this book is the 17th October.
I am supposed to tag several more people to do the same.
I therefore tag any of my author acquaintances who want to do it.
October 6, 2013
My sixth published book.
'Trevanian's Leap' was published last month - a Penwinnard Story.
I've been having trouble trying to place it correctly with my other books, but just for the information of anyone interested, it is available on Amazon and on Smashwords.
http://www.amazon.com/Trevanians-Leap...
I've been having trouble trying to place it correctly with my other books, but just for the information of anyone interested, it is available on Amazon and on Smashwords.
http://www.amazon.com/Trevanians-Leap...
September 14, 2013
The third Penwinnard Story
The third Penwinnard Story is called 'Trevanian's Leap.' It was released just yesterday.
The blurb: In many cultures and throughout history, there have been manhood rituals. For the boys of Penwinnard Boys' Home, it is 'Trevanian's Leap' - the jump off a high point on the cliff into a deep rock pool below. Taking the Leap is foolish, dangerous, and strictly forbidden. But sixteen-year-old Frank Ryan wants to do it anyway. He is facing changes - a new home, a new school, and he will lose the friends he'd made at Penwinnard. He needs to be brave, and proving he can do this dangerous thing - maybe that will help him be brave.
Available on Smashwords and other online booksellers. http://www.amazon.com/Trevanians-Leap...
Try it. It's rather a nice story, though short at around 35,500 words.
The blurb: In many cultures and throughout history, there have been manhood rituals. For the boys of Penwinnard Boys' Home, it is 'Trevanian's Leap' - the jump off a high point on the cliff into a deep rock pool below. Taking the Leap is foolish, dangerous, and strictly forbidden. But sixteen-year-old Frank Ryan wants to do it anyway. He is facing changes - a new home, a new school, and he will lose the friends he'd made at Penwinnard. He needs to be brave, and proving he can do this dangerous thing - maybe that will help him be brave.
Available on Smashwords and other online booksellers. http://www.amazon.com/Trevanians-Leap...
Try it. It's rather a nice story, though short at around 35,500 words.
July 10, 2013
Child Abuse by Institution
A story that is more than entertainment - this is an important story.
'The Pencil Case' by Lorraine Cobcroft.
It is about child abuse by institution, not in 'olden times', not in Oliver Twist days, but in recent times, when we were supposed to be civilised.
More on my blog today:
http://mamcrae-author.blogspot.com.au/
'The Pencil Case' by Lorraine Cobcroft.
It is about child abuse by institution, not in 'olden times', not in Oliver Twist days, but in recent times, when we were supposed to be civilised.
More on my blog today:
http://mamcrae-author.blogspot.com.au/
June 13, 2013
Awesome Indies.
Does anyone who has given 'Not a Man' a comprehensive 4 or 5 star review happen to have a degree in Creative Writing, English Literature or Journalism? This is because I'd quite like to submit it to 'Awesome Indies.' http://www.amazon.com/Not-Man-Shuki-S...
