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Rufus
Rufus is an observer of life, his own, quadruped and human. He loves his life and he knows his place in the world. From solving a murder to confronting a crab, from time with good friends to saving a life, Rufus is the kind of person you would like to spend some time with. If your dog biscuits suddenly go missing, Rufus will solve the mystery. If you need a new home but you don't realise it Rufus will quietly solve the problem. He will remember you when you are gone and he will share his wisdom with you while you are making your way in the world, but above all else, he will steal your heart.
- GenresCrime
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 2014
1 person is currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Terry R. Barca
1 book8 followersI’m an author who lives and works in the Dandenong Ranges, on the eastern edge of Melbourne Australia.
I take one day at a time but occasionally I’m attacked by several days at once.
My amazing wife and I have lived in The Hills for forty years.
My favourite colour is green and so is my favourite car.
I started my working life as a Primary School Teacher in the early 1970s.
Since then I have been a stained glass craftsman, furniture restorer, restorer of Player Pianos and music rolls, author (one book so far another on the way), photographer, basketball trading card manufacturer, basketball coach, basketball player, basketball referee, part-time shop assistant, newspaper columnist, homeschool dad, husband, father, grandfather, and a few other bits and pieces, and not in this order.
I’m fascinated by people, but I prefer the company of dogs.
I’m not frightened of dying, but sometimes life scares the hell out of me.
I think that birds are cool but I don’t believe that they spend any time thinking about me, even though I give them lots of stale bread, and the occasional pizza crust........ ungrateful bastards!
araneus1.wordpress.com
Terry R Barca
I take one day at a time but occasionally I’m attacked by several days at once.
My amazing wife and I have lived in The Hills for forty years.
My favourite colour is green and so is my favourite car.
I started my working life as a Primary School Teacher in the early 1970s.
Since then I have been a stained glass craftsman, furniture restorer, restorer of Player Pianos and music rolls, author (one book so far another on the way), photographer, basketball trading card manufacturer, basketball coach, basketball player, basketball referee, part-time shop assistant, newspaper columnist, homeschool dad, husband, father, grandfather, and a few other bits and pieces, and not in this order.
I’m fascinated by people, but I prefer the company of dogs.
I’m not frightened of dying, but sometimes life scares the hell out of me.
I think that birds are cool but I don’t believe that they spend any time thinking about me, even though I give them lots of stale bread, and the occasional pizza crust........ ungrateful bastards!
araneus1.wordpress.com
Terry R Barca
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 20, 2016
This is the story of Rufus, a clever, independent, and fascinating dog anyone would love to call friend. He takes care of his mistress when she's not writing, but in between, when she's lost in her words or traveling, he takes care of the dog community in his neighborhood. And shares the stories of his canine friends with us.
I keep this book at the ready on my Kindle for those times when I end up with 5-10 minutes to spare between appointments, waiting on a doctor, or need a mental break. The book is written like vignettes, organized around the central theme of Friends of Rufus, each story just a few pages (with the rare and pleasurable exception of longer stories). When I finish Rufus, I'll be getting the next in the series. I love having Rufus and his canine logic and wisdom in my life.
I keep this book at the ready on my Kindle for those times when I end up with 5-10 minutes to spare between appointments, waiting on a doctor, or need a mental break. The book is written like vignettes, organized around the central theme of Friends of Rufus, each story just a few pages (with the rare and pleasurable exception of longer stories). When I finish Rufus, I'll be getting the next in the series. I love having Rufus and his canine logic and wisdom in my life.
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October 2, 2016Thank you for my copy of 'Trust: What it feels like to be a Medium'
I must not have read the synopsis very carefully when I applied to read and review this book, because I discovered that the Medium who wrote the forward, Trevor Evans, is an aquaintance of mine, from the Phoenix Spiritual Centre...........which I might add was also mentioned in this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Trust, it was well written and very easy to 'digest' offering enjoyable insights into what it means to be a Medium!
Terry R Barca, described beautifully what it is like to stand in front of a room full of people and attempt to bring loved ones through.
I highly recommend 'Trust' to everyone who is interested in Mediumship in anyway, whether it is to have a 'reading' or to embark on a new journey to discover ones' own potential to be a Medium.
I must not have read the synopsis very carefully when I applied to read and review this book, because I discovered that the Medium who wrote the forward, Trevor Evans, is an aquaintance of mine, from the Phoenix Spiritual Centre...........which I might add was also mentioned in this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Trust, it was well written and very easy to 'digest' offering enjoyable insights into what it means to be a Medium!
Terry R Barca, described beautifully what it is like to stand in front of a room full of people and attempt to bring loved ones through.
I highly recommend 'Trust' to everyone who is interested in Mediumship in anyway, whether it is to have a 'reading' or to embark on a new journey to discover ones' own potential to be a Medium.
September 8, 2016
My name is Trevor Evans, I am fascinated by how the mind works, and when Terry delves into the secrets of someone's mind, it stirs the imagination.
The Keeper of Secrets - when a granddaughter finds her grandmother's secret diary, she stepped into no-man's land, where she has to face the devil and survive for the greater purpose, she used a simple rag doll that can keep her secrets.
You step into your mind, you use your imagination to come face-to-face with your own, deepest, darkest secrets, would you share them with your granddaughter to come alive again?
Happiness lies in the memories of the past, when you can say I've been there, done that and survived!
Come into this fascinating journey with Terry, come alive, feel the tingle deep down in your spine.
The Keeper of Secrets - when a granddaughter finds her grandmother's secret diary, she stepped into no-man's land, where she has to face the devil and survive for the greater purpose, she used a simple rag doll that can keep her secrets.
You step into your mind, you use your imagination to come face-to-face with your own, deepest, darkest secrets, would you share them with your granddaughter to come alive again?
Happiness lies in the memories of the past, when you can say I've been there, done that and survived!
Come into this fascinating journey with Terry, come alive, feel the tingle deep down in your spine.
July 13, 2016
thanks to goodreads for giving me this book.
I liked this book and how the story is interwoven between the two heroines susan and daisy. though separated by generations they are both helped by the keeper of secrets.
the heroines use all their abilities and skills plus their female wiles to get what they want.
looking forward to a sequel.
Josephine dolmans
8 pine crescent browns plains qld 4118
jdolmans@bigpond.com
I liked this book and how the story is interwoven between the two heroines susan and daisy. though separated by generations they are both helped by the keeper of secrets.
the heroines use all their abilities and skills plus their female wiles to get what they want.
looking forward to a sequel.
Josephine dolmans
8 pine crescent browns plains qld 4118
jdolmans@bigpond.com
July 28, 2016
if you like your hair standing up on the back of your neck then this is the book for you I totally enjoyed it.
each different story is good to read alone. overall the book is hard to put down.
the book has beautiful illustrations,
I recommend it.
Josephine dolmans
jdolmans@bigpond.com
each different story is good to read alone. overall the book is hard to put down.
the book has beautiful illustrations,
I recommend it.
Josephine dolmans
jdolmans@bigpond.com
November 27, 2015
Loved this book. A game changer.
Favourite line - "This is all way too much fun to get bent out of shape."
Favourite line - "This is all way too much fun to get bent out of shape."
July 16, 2016
Really enjoyed reading this book as it gave me confidence to go and explore my Mediumship skills further. Thanks Terry. meghan
September 11, 2016
Red Wheelbarrow by Terry R. Barca is a selection of short stories. There are a variety of subjects, many of which have an interesting premise. I think the thing I like most about many of the stories is that quite a few of them are ordinary people and the plots uncover what they might do in a situation. For example, a found money type of scenario; some of the stories feature the characters finding a bit of money and their intentions are questioned. It doesn't necessarily ask me what I would do in the situations presented to me, but Barca's characters are so lifelike and relatable that I ask myself anyway. What might I do if I were to find a bit of money? What would I do if I found people trying to steal my car? Admittedly, they're not the most original story ideas on the planet, but the author imparts a lot of stylisation to his work so it's still quite unique.
There are a few negative things about the book, I must admit. In cases, there are minor spelling mistakes (desert instead of dessert, page 15; "during the desert course") and a few areas with missing bits of punctuation. Though I appreciate the photographs included with each story, I don't think that they're all necessarily relevant. In some cases, there are also bits which aren't exactly clear to the reader. An example of this is the story beginning on page 161, Never Say Never. It features some sort of private investigator, taking on a client. They're to photograph an affair in a restaurant. However, once the prints are revealed, we find a mysterious reflection of someone in a mirror behind the photographer. I think we're meant to assume that something nasty happened, "it got messy after that"; however it's not quite obvious. It kind of feels unfinished, much like some of the other stories. A lot of them are concluded with throwaway endings, summarised in only a few lines. I'm not angry about it, obviously; the stories are short so it's not like I've invested too much time in them. However, it does feel like some of the stories could be expanded to include better details.
Overall, I appreciate that the stories are quite whimsical in nature. Even though not every portion is relevant, that flaw makes it feel so natural; it's like a real person rambling on about points in their life in a sense. I think the main thing that bothers me about the book is that the stories are quite contained and we're meant to make the rest up ourselves. I think that some of these stories could be lengthened well into novella (or even a full length novel) form. For example, the titular story might make an interesting full length book; there's so much untouched information that we don't have. The stories that I particularly enjoyed were the private investigator sort. There's nothing particularly fascinating or unusual about them, but the author writes them well. So I also think that those would work well as a longer story. I think that there are some stories that will stay with me and I do intend to read more of the author's work.
I won a copy of this book via Goodreads Giveaways and these are just my honest thoughts on it.
There are a few negative things about the book, I must admit. In cases, there are minor spelling mistakes (desert instead of dessert, page 15; "during the desert course") and a few areas with missing bits of punctuation. Though I appreciate the photographs included with each story, I don't think that they're all necessarily relevant. In some cases, there are also bits which aren't exactly clear to the reader. An example of this is the story beginning on page 161, Never Say Never. It features some sort of private investigator, taking on a client. They're to photograph an affair in a restaurant. However, once the prints are revealed, we find a mysterious reflection of someone in a mirror behind the photographer. I think we're meant to assume that something nasty happened, "it got messy after that"; however it's not quite obvious. It kind of feels unfinished, much like some of the other stories. A lot of them are concluded with throwaway endings, summarised in only a few lines. I'm not angry about it, obviously; the stories are short so it's not like I've invested too much time in them. However, it does feel like some of the stories could be expanded to include better details.
Overall, I appreciate that the stories are quite whimsical in nature. Even though not every portion is relevant, that flaw makes it feel so natural; it's like a real person rambling on about points in their life in a sense. I think the main thing that bothers me about the book is that the stories are quite contained and we're meant to make the rest up ourselves. I think that some of these stories could be lengthened well into novella (or even a full length novel) form. For example, the titular story might make an interesting full length book; there's so much untouched information that we don't have. The stories that I particularly enjoyed were the private investigator sort. There's nothing particularly fascinating or unusual about them, but the author writes them well. So I also think that those would work well as a longer story. I think that there are some stories that will stay with me and I do intend to read more of the author's work.
I won a copy of this book via Goodreads Giveaways and these are just my honest thoughts on it.
May 19, 2016
THE LONG WEEKEND is the debut, self-published crime fiction novel from Victorian based author Terry R. Barca. Set in inner Melbourne, using the beautiful Windsor Hotel as a backdrop for most of the action, it features recently retired / newly married Sam and his wife Scarlett on a relaxing long weekend. It's not long before their idyllic time is interrupted by a high profile murder which takes place not that far from where they are.
A quick review of the blurb to this book will give potential readers a very good feeling for the style of the novel overall. What shines through is the author's love of his characters, and his desire to spin a good yarn, but the style sometimes doesn't serve that love as well as it could. A tendency for long, drawn out sentences is very prominent as is the use of a lot of information dumps and sidetracks and byways along the main thread of the murder. It does make THE LONG WEEKEND read very much like an early draft that needs paring, cleaning, tightening, focus and work. With that effort, it could be an interesting interpretation of a latter day Tommy and Tuppence style novel.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
A quick review of the blurb to this book will give potential readers a very good feeling for the style of the novel overall. What shines through is the author's love of his characters, and his desire to spin a good yarn, but the style sometimes doesn't serve that love as well as it could. A tendency for long, drawn out sentences is very prominent as is the use of a lot of information dumps and sidetracks and byways along the main thread of the murder. It does make THE LONG WEEKEND read very much like an early draft that needs paring, cleaning, tightening, focus and work. With that effort, it could be an interesting interpretation of a latter day Tommy and Tuppence style novel.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
December 6, 2021
Interesting and thought-provoking book on home schooling, from a fellow teacher. If you’re considering home schooling, this is an easy read.
Could have done with better editing as there were obvious errors that drove this English teacher crazy.
Turns out I live quite near to him and he also knows the former store manager of FTG McDonald’s who went to Ballarat. I worked at the public library service he refers to, for many years, prior to teaching. Small world!
Could have done with better editing as there were obvious errors that drove this English teacher crazy.
Turns out I live quite near to him and he also knows the former store manager of FTG McDonald’s who went to Ballarat. I worked at the public library service he refers to, for many years, prior to teaching. Small world!
August 8, 2018
Average housewife Susan comes across her grandmother's old Diary while cleaning out the family home. Reading of Grandmother Daisy's adventures inspires Susan to find an adventure of her own.
The stories (Susan's & Daisy's) were indeed interesting, though a little disjointed. It also felt like vivid sex scenes were included just for the heck of it. To be honest, more than once I wondered if the author was simply using his writing to get off because the sex was very male dominated despite it being a female POV book.
I feel like this is a rough draft that could really become something if the women's adventures were more fleshed out. The book also ended quite abruptly, though that may have been intentional. Lastly, this audiobook was narrated by the author. That was fine. He's a good speaker and his narration was good. However, the production quality was off. I could tell when he was starting a new recording session by the change in sound. He would suddenly sound like he was reading in his bathroom, perhaps he was? I could also hear pages turning, which was a bit distracting. From the sound of it, the book & audio production were both 'self-published'/'self-produced'. If that is the case, he did a good job on his own. If he worked with a professional producer, however, I would advise changing who he works with!
The stories (Susan's & Daisy's) were indeed interesting, though a little disjointed. It also felt like vivid sex scenes were included just for the heck of it. To be honest, more than once I wondered if the author was simply using his writing to get off because the sex was very male dominated despite it being a female POV book.
I feel like this is a rough draft that could really become something if the women's adventures were more fleshed out. The book also ended quite abruptly, though that may have been intentional. Lastly, this audiobook was narrated by the author. That was fine. He's a good speaker and his narration was good. However, the production quality was off. I could tell when he was starting a new recording session by the change in sound. He would suddenly sound like he was reading in his bathroom, perhaps he was? I could also hear pages turning, which was a bit distracting. From the sound of it, the book & audio production were both 'self-published'/'self-produced'. If that is the case, he did a good job on his own. If he worked with a professional producer, however, I would advise changing who he works with!
October 10, 2025
Long Weekend is a charming blend of romance, mystery, and sophistication. Set against the elegant backdrop of Melbourne’s Windsor Hotel, the story follows Sam and Scarlett a mature, deeply-in-love couple whose romantic getaway quickly turns into an unexpected investigation. The chemistry between them is delightful, the setting vivid, and the mystery engaging without ever losing its warmth or wit. A perfect read for those who enjoy classy mysteries with a touch of love and intrigue.
January 16, 2024
Very disappointing. Poorly written, no story.
October 2, 2019
A review of THE LONG WEEKEND from a fellow writer...... thank you Pam.
"“Four whole days.No phone calls, no board meetings, no writing, just me and the wife enjoying a long, quiet weekend.”
Thank goodness for us Sam and his lovely wife Scarlett are unable to have the weekend they had hoped for.Murder, mayhem and betrayal make for a much more enjoyable weekend!Scarlett was part of the establishment, the nobility.Sam was not.And yet he fit into the world she inhabited with ease.It probably has a lot to do with his questionable background.Join the two as they ferret out the motives as the well as the person or persons responsible.
You won’t be disappointed.You will be entertained."
Pamela Read (Quiall)
"“Four whole days.No phone calls, no board meetings, no writing, just me and the wife enjoying a long, quiet weekend.”
Thank goodness for us Sam and his lovely wife Scarlett are unable to have the weekend they had hoped for.Murder, mayhem and betrayal make for a much more enjoyable weekend!Scarlett was part of the establishment, the nobility.Sam was not.And yet he fit into the world she inhabited with ease.It probably has a lot to do with his questionable background.Join the two as they ferret out the motives as the well as the person or persons responsible.
You won’t be disappointed.You will be entertained."
Pamela Read (Quiall)
August 23, 2016
I like short stories, especially ones that leave you wanting more. I won this from a goodreads giveaway. I didn't mind it, but I thought it could do with a good editor and proof reader. Also not many stories left an impression on me.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews