Dreamspinner Press discussion
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Meet Jack Byrne
Hello! Anyone around? This morning I'll be sharing an excerpt or two, doing a giveaway, and generally answering questions about my writing process and what not. Feel free to jump on and ask me any questions that have been haunting you about the Bushrangers series!
Jack wrote: "Hello! Anyone around? This morning I'll be sharing an excerpt or two, doing a giveaway, and generally answering questions about my writing process and what not. Feel free to jump on and ask me a..."Hi Jack! I'm here. It's nice to see you write "morning" because it means I'm chatting to someone in the same time zone! :)
I'd love to ask you about your writing process. I'm keen to understand how your series evolved. Did you have the entire story in your head before you started or did it slowly come to you as you wrote each book?
Okay, first things first, Dreamspinner have a sale on at the moment and Dingo Run is 25% off. You don't need a code, so pop on over and grab yourself a copy now while it's on sale (until 30th). Or, you can be the first to answer this question and get a copy FREE!"What does the Australian term 'swag' mean?"
Jack wrote: "Okay, first things first, Dreamspinner have a sale on at the moment and Dingo Run is 25% off. You don't need a code, so pop on over and grab yourself a copy now while it's on sale (until 30th). O..."A place to sleep. what you carry to sleep in, your bed roll. Hi Jack
May wrote: "Jack wrote: "Okay, first things first, Dreamspinner have a sale on at the moment and Dingo Run is 25% off. You don't need a code, so pop on over and grab yourself a copy now while it's on sale (un..."Don't you love the Aussie terms? My teens have grown up here in Australia but think swag has nothing to do with camping :)
Whoa! Just got ten updates at once LOL....
Nic wrote: "Jack wrote: "Hello! Anyone around? This morning I'll be sharing an excerpt or two, doing a giveaway, and generally answering questions about my writing process and what not. Feel free to jump on..."Hey, Nic! Yay, it's cool. I have Aussie friends now so I get NO sleep LOL
Nic wrote: "May wrote: "Jack wrote: "Okay, first things first, Dreamspinner have a sale on at the moment and Dingo Run is 25% off. You don't need a code, so pop on over and grab yourself a copy now while it's..."Hi Nic and the kids at my school think SWAG is something best left unsaid
Jack wrote: "Okay, first things first, Dreamspinner have a sale on at the moment and Dingo Run is 25% off. You don't need a code, so pop on over and grab yourself a copy now while it's on sale (until 30th). O..."A traveller’s or miner’s bundle of personal belongings rolled in a bed roll
May wrote: "Jack wrote: "Okay, first things first, Dreamspinner have a sale on at the moment and Dingo Run is 25% off. You don't need a code, so pop on over and grab yourself a copy now while it's on sale (un..."May! You win!!!!!! First correct answer! I'll get you a free copy of Dingo Run asap! Congratulations!
Why Bushrangers Jack? Historically Aussie love the underdog and most women love the bad boy with a good heart? Or do you love the era?
Sula wrote: "Jack wrote: "Okay, first things first, Dreamspinner have a sale on at the moment and Dingo Run is 25% off. You don't need a code, so pop on over and grab yourself a copy now while it's on sale (un..."Sula, hi, right answer but sorry, May beat you to the reply. Stick around though because there will be another giveaway in the next hour. :)
Jack wrote: "May wrote: "Jack wrote: "Okay, first things first, Dreamspinner have a sale on at the moment and Dingo Run is 25% off. You don't need a code, so pop on over and grab yourself a copy now while it's..."WooHoo!
Nic wrote: "I'd love to ask you about your writing process. I'm keen to understand how your series evolved. Did you have the entire story in your head before you started or did it slowly come to you as you wro..."Nic, the writing process for The Billabong was so different from my usual writing process that it took ME by surprise. Usually I'm totally OCD about plotting and outlining, a very methodical worker when it comes to crafting my books. This time I took a (is it left-brain or right-brain, which is the creative side, I can never remember because I'm so dyslexic?) creative approach and just opened my mind and let the story flow in my imagination. See, I got to see the movie of this story in my head, which was hella fun. I wrote it all down as it happened and had no idea of where the plot was taking me. It's the first time I have ever written anything like that and I loved doing it. I tend to write all my romance stories like that now.
Jack wrote: "Nic wrote: "I'd love to ask you about your writing process. I'm keen to understand how your series evolved. Did you have the entire story in your head before you started or did it slowly come to yo..."It sounds like an exciting process - being surprised by your own stories and the journey the characters take you on!
May wrote: "Why Bushrangers Jack? Historically Aussie love the underdog and most women love the bad boy with a good heart? Or do you love the era?"Well, I didn't name the series until after I had written 'The Billabong' and if you read my reply to Nic's question about the writing process, you'll see that I didn't actually plan the story. But I think the idea of taking two basically decent blokes and putting them in a situation where they are 'bad boys' to everyone else creates an interesting dynamic. It gives them challenges to overcome and creates conflict. Even worse for them, their romantic connection in those days was enough to send them to the gallows. I often wonder when I am writing this series, do Jim and Mark see themselves as 'bad'?
Jack wrote: "Nic wrote: "I'd love to ask you about your writing process. I'm keen to understand how your series evolved. Did you have the entire story in your head before you started or did it slowly come to yo..."You do write very visual stories. It was a full senses story in the first one
May wrote: "Have you read this? True History of the Kelly Gang.Peter Carey's version of events was a great read"
No they are not bad but that outlaw aspect of the sexuality puts them on the edge
May, I'm actually related to the Kelly gang, and I'm kind of a fan. I don't know if I've read that specific story but I've read a lot of books about them and seen a couple of movies (including one weird one starring Mick Jagger as Ned Kelly.
May wrote: "No they are not bad but that outlaw aspect of the sexuality puts them on the edge"I don't know. I think Mark is starting to develop the attitude that if he's to be condemned for the crimes he didn't commit, or for loving Jim which is not a crime, he might as well do the crimes he'll hang for? At one stage in the novel I'm writing he gets fed up, walks into a bank and robs it, then tells Jim they'd better gallop on out of there. :)
Jack wrote: "May, I'm actually related to the Kelly gang, and I'm kind of a fan. I don't know if I've read that specific story but I've read a lot of books about them and seen a couple of movies (including one..."So you're one of those underdog bad boys that May referred to. LOL
Jack wrote: "May wrote: "No they are not bad but that outlaw aspect of the sexuality puts them on the edge"I don't know. I think Mark is starting to develop the attitude that if he's to be condemned for the c..."
As long as you do not get Mark to make himself & dress in a plate armoured suit and I think I preferred Heath Ledger in the role.
Whoa, sorry, unexpected visitors. I told them to come back in an hour! Now, where were we? (Reads upthread)....
Nic wrote: "Jack wrote: "May, I'm actually related to the Kelly gang, and I'm kind of a fan. I don't know if I've read that specific story but I've read a lot of books about them and seen a couple of movies (..."LOL I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way ;)
You know, I haven't seen the Heath Ledger version! The Mick Jagger version was so off-putting that I swore off Ned Kelly stories for a while LOL. But actually, although he is painted as an outlaw, there's a lot of backstory behind Ned, corrupt troopers and the 'establishment' wanting to quash what was fast becoming a dangerous political movement. It's not as cut and dried as a lot of people think. You have to go to the letters Ned wrote - he was quite an educated man - to see the real story.
I'm trying to get an extract from Dingo Run for you here... the visitors threw me a bit.
Here we go: our boys getting all romantic, or trying to....Jim’s voice broke through the silence. “What do you feel?”
Mark looked up into his eyes. “What?”
“When we do that, what do you feel?”
Mark hesitated. “You. Inside you. The heat.”
“Is it like a woman?”
Mark hesitated for even longer, then whispered, “I wouldn’t know.”
They lay in silence for a few moments, then Mark asked, “What do you feel?”
There was a long silence, then Jim said, “You. Like you’re part of me. Like you come into my body, and we’re one person. And every time we do it, I want more.”
Mark looked away, then couldn’t resist looking back, and saw Jim’s eyes gleaming at him. He asked, “Would you go back to a woman? Do you want children again?”
Jim stared off into the distance. “I don’t think so. Haven’t thought about it. Have you?”
Mark nodded. “I bet you were a good father.”
Jim’s eyes suddenly turned ice blue, and he turned to Mark and answered, “If I had been, they’d still be alive, wouldn’t they?”
Mark blinked, unsure what to say, and looked away.
After a few minutes, he ventured a look at Jim, who was staring straight up at the overhanging rock above them. Mark thought Jim was lost in reverie but then was surprised when Jim spoke. “If I ever have children again, I’d want to raise them someplace else. Someplace where there are no snakes, or dingoes, or bushfires. Then I might think about it.”
Mark ventured a comment. “Like Ireland?”
Jim turned to stare at him. “What?”
“What you described, it’s like Ireland. They don’t have snakes or dingoes or bushfires there.”
“They’ve got the English. I think that’s bad enough.”
Mark fell silent for a long time, pondering. “I’ve heard it’s very green.”
“I remember white. White mists and snow. And being cold and hungry all the time.”
“What would it have been like if you had a big house and money and a warm fireplace?”
“Why are you asking me this? The only people who have that are the rich.”
“I know you think I’m lousy at bushranging….” began Mark.
Jim chuckled warmly. “Mark, as a bushranger… you’d make a great philanthropist. Buying food and giving those settlers gold for it!”
Mark stilled Jim’s lips with a kiss. “But… what if I were to become a proper bushranger?”
“You?” Jim was still smiling, but not unkindly. “Why would you do that?”
“Let’s just say I owe someone.”
“What?”
“Never mind,” said Mark and trailed distracting kisses onto Jim’s neck. “How often do we get a chance to do this? Just lie here and talk?”
Jim turned and met Mark’s kisses with his lips. “Nice, isn’t it? But when’s Dan getting back?”
“Not for another couple of hours at least,” murmured Mark. He stared down at Jim. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen eyes as blue as yours.”
Jim looked embarrassed. “Come on, now, that’s enough of that.”
It was Mark’s turn to chuckle. “You’re supposed to say something nice back at me. What’s something nice about me?”
Jim chewed his bottom lip and looked more and more anxious.
“Oh, come on,” chided Mark. “Surely you can think of something?”
“Um…. You ride really well,” ventured Jim, and Mark groaned.
Jim protested, “What?”
“You’re terrible at this!” laughed Mark and kissed him anyway.
“Well, there’s a lot of different stuff about you, but I don’t know. Which one do I tell you?”
“Just anything would do at this stage!” Mark kissed him again.
“You kiss nice.”
“And?”
Sula, you on the blocks and ready for another question? I'm gunning for you!
May wrote: "Such a bloke: "you kiss nice" LOL"LOLOL he is, isn't he?
OK second question for another copy of 'Dingo Run' you ready? What is the name of Mark's black horse?
Koozebane - correct! You win a copy of Dingo Run!!! Congratulations!
So now I'm curious, I assume you've read The Billabong? Have you read Walkabout yet?
Okay, while I'm waiting to find out more about who has read what, just to let you all know, I'll be doing a blog tour from November 1 through November 10, organised by the good Scott from GGR Promos.... there will be 10 stops, each with 2 chances to win a free copy of Walkabout, so that's 20 chances to win! Here's a link to my Goodreads blog about it and if you click on the link in there you'll be taken to my website with the blog calendar! https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
Oh, yay! Do I just message you on Goodreads? I'm never sure, especially since my DSP account is at a different address. Anyway, thanks so much!
Koozebane, probably easier to email me please on jackaroo_byrne@hotmail.com and I can forward it on to Dreamspinner who are lovely and organize the correct format for you.
Jack wrote: "Sula, you on the blocks and ready for another question? I'm gunning for you!"Hi Jack, thank you but I have not read the books (yet) but they are on my wish list.
I have a family link to a notorious gang in the UK via one of my great uncles, a 2nd WW war hero disabled and unable to find work until one of his army buddies linked him up to a job in a night club and the story started there.
What are writing plans at the moment?
Mark trying to get used to having Dan around and the horses showing their personalities:Mark asked Dan, “Where do you want us to take you?”
“Well, back to Wodonga would be good, or at least as far as you’re going in that direction.”
Dan fiddled with the unfamiliar buckles on Shiloh’s bridle as he did them up, and Shiloh nipped him impatiently.
“Do you have family there?” asked Mark.
“Yes.” Dan smacked Shiloh on the nose as she nipped at him again as he led her up, ready to mount.
He did not elaborate on his answer, so Jim shrugged. “We can take you home. It’s the least we can do after you saved our hides.”
“I think we’re even on that score,” Dan pointed out.
Jim took Shiloh’s reins from Dan and gave her a dark look as she went to bite him. Shiloh obviously thought better of it and stood quietly for once as Jim mounted. Then she turned around and nibbled at his toe.
“Oh, shut up, we’re taking you home,” huffed Mark and mounted Regret.
He reached down a hand to Dan, who hesitated and looked hopefully up at Jim on Shiloh. Jim asked, “Would you rather ride with me?”
“To be quite honest, yes. Shiloh’s a bit slower than Regret but a lot stronger. I think she’ll hold up with two riders for longer,” said Dan.
“And Jim hasn’t threatened to punch your head in?” said Mark drily.
“Well….”
“Yet,” finished Mark.
“What?” asked Jim, leaning down and grasping Dan’s hand to help him up on Shiloh. Dan settled behind the saddle, sitting atop the swag.
“Give it time,” said Mark. He pointed at Dan. “He never shuts up.”
“Really?” asked Jim. “I thought he was pretty quiet.”
They rode for many days, coming down onto the plains west of the range and heading southwest down toward the border into Victoria. Food was easy to come by, as the countryside was full of kangaroos. They simply shot one and cooked its tail each evening. There was no point trying to preserve meat, so they left the partly eaten carcasses behind each morning. Mark insisted they hid the remains before they left their camp, so as not to leave too obvious a trail of their progress through the countryside. It was unlikely, though, that anyone would find them so far in the wilderness.
By the end of the first week, Jim and Dan were good buddies, but Dan still treated Mark like a dangerous animal. He was respectful but seemed wary of Mark, who surveyed Dan’s every move, especially when Dan was helping Jim with something.
One morning Jim was packing the saddlebags and chatting easily with Dan, when Mark realized what irritated him most about Dan. “Here, ride Regret,” he said to Dan. “She’s an easy ride, don’t worry.”
Dan, surprised, said, “It’s fine—” But he looked up at Mark’s face and said hastily, “Okay, I’ll ride Regret.”
He mounted the black mare cautiously, but soon smiled. “She prances and dances, but she’s light as a feather to hold.”
Mark nodded and said to Jim as he took Shiloh’s reins off him, “I’d better take the saddle. Best my weight is not on her loins.”
Jim nodded, and Mark mounted Shiloh, then reached a hand down and grasped Jim’s hand to lift him up behind him. Jim settled on the swag and held on to Mark’s belt with one hand.
Dan said, “Jesus!” and Mark looked at him sharply.
“What?”
“You just lifted him straight up with one hand!” exclaimed Dan.
“He’s pretty strong,” agreed Jim.
“Well, you’d know,” agreed Dan, then seemed to realize what he had said and hastily nudged Regret along into a trot ahead of them.
Mark said over his shoulder to Jim, “Don’t ever leave me alone with him. I may decide to wring his neck.”
“What’s your problem? He’s a decent young bloke,” admonished Jim.
“He’s too damned talkative for my liking,” grumbled Mark.
Jim fell silent.
May wrote: "Jack wrote: "May wrote: "Jack wrote: "Okay, first things first, Dreamspinner have a sale on at the moment and Dingo Run is 25% off. You don't need a code, so pop on over and grab yourself a copy n..."May, email me on jackaroo_byrne@hotmail.com and I'll organize you a copy from Dreamspinner. :)
Jack wrote: "Mark trying to get used to having Dan around and the horses showing their personalities:Mark asked Dan, “Where do you want us to take you?”
“Well, back to Wodonga would be good, or at least as f..."
Hmm, sounds like he might be a bit jealous?
Okay, I'm bowing out five minutes early here because I have another lot of unexpected visitors (there is evidently a neon sign over my house saying "Jack's blogging, come and annoy him how" LOLOL). And the first lot have turned up again and I'm being dragged out to celebrate my book release :) :) :) which I guess isn't so bad....Thank you all so much for coming to visit me here! Happy reading, those of you who won copies, and don't forget there will be 20 more opportunities to win free copies of Walkabout over the 10 day blogging tour GGR Promos have organized for me. See my personal Goodreads Blog for details! Ciao everyone! Thank you!
Sula wrote: "Jack wrote: "Mark trying to get used to having Dan around and the horses showing their personalities:Mark asked Dan, “Where do you want us to take you?”
“Well, back to Wodonga would be good, or ..."
LOL - who, Mark???
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Books mentioned in this topic
True History of the Kelly Gang (other topics)True History of the Kelly Gang (other topics)
"Dingo Run":
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