Fighting City Hall

'A politically engaged citizenry is needed for democracy to work well'

SEVENTEEN YEARS REPORTING on one community newspaper gave me background knowledge into this year’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) inquiry into four Queensland councils.

      I worked for 17 years on the Pine Rivers Press and, for four years before that, I was with the Queensland Times group at Ipswich.

Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Logan, and the Gold Coast were the four councils subject to the CCC investigation.

      In Maaate! Bribe-Proofing the Public Purse Against Good Blokes I combine coverage of the CCC hearings with my history with councils of Ipswich and Moreton Bay.

Researching my book, I found an avid following of the hearings from ‘council watchers’.

But I also discovered interested citizens who did not know much at all about the hearing.

       As Law Professor Graeme Orr says in his preface to my book, a politically engaged citizenry is needed for democracy to work well.

     In Maaate! I abridge some of the lively discussion at the hearings from people such as Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale, who is facing serious criminal charges, deputy mayor Paul Tully, Logan Mayor Luke Smith, Moreton Bay Mayor Allan Sutherland, and Redcliffe developer David Trask.

      I add commentary and stories of my interaction over the years with councillors, developers and political donors.

      The topic might be a dire one but I have written my book for laughs as well.

      I launch MAAATE! Bribe Proofing the Public Purse Against Good Blokes at South Brisbane on State Election Eve and I have a book signing at North Lakes on Election Day.

MAAATE! Bribe Proofing the Public Purse Against Good Blokes, published by Bent Banana Books will be available worldwide in paperback and eBook From November 25.

Launch and signing

MAAATE! - Bribe Proofing the Public Purse Against Good Blokes by Bernie Dowling

Date: Friday, November 24, 5.30pm – 7pm.

Place: Croquet Club Community Hall in Musgrave Park, 91 Cordelia Street, South Brisbane.

Brisbane City Councillor Jonathan Sri will launch the book.

Book Signing

Dymocks North Lakes, Westfield

November 25, 10.30am to 12.30pm.

This is old and corny, with fuzzy vision, but it holds a strong kernel of truth.

Encourage Christina

EVERYONE needs encouragement along the path to accomplishment.

     Christina Debi is a debut author from the Australian seaside suburb of Redcliffe.

     Christina’s novel When Life Walks on Bare Soles is a realistic comedy drama.

Central character Maria has turned 55.

Book in the New Year

READERS around the world buy more books in January than any other month.

Christmas Day and Boxing Day are the easily the two biggest book buying days of the year.

But January beats December on monthly sales.

Why so? Well, the predominant theory from those who theorize about such things is you, the reader, give indies and small publishers a go in January.

People with new Kindles or other eReaders in their hands on Christmas Day or Boxing Day are not inclined to take chances so they choose best-selling authors. By January they are more likely to flirt with a tempting book by a writer previously unknown to them.

But how do readers choose indie books or small publishers? How do they even find the good ones among the three million books Amazon alone stocks?

Good question and I do not know. How do you do it? 
(You might need to be a Google+ member to comment below. I am not sure but sometimes I can be a hard marker and I may have whimsically made that stipulation. Anyway, you can see my email link right of this blog so there is little excuse not to continue the conversation, admittedly one-sided ATM.)

I received a good review for my neo-noir novel Iraqi Icicle in Publisher’s Weekly which resulted in few sales. I received another good review in our State newspaper and a fellow author said that must have provided a sales boost. Nope. 
Professional reviews do not seem to cut it anymore.  Print media supplies book reviews less frequently than they used to. The reviews are shorter and harder to find.

I suspect the 80-20 rule applies to book buying as it does in many situations: About 20% of readers buy 80% of books, that is what I believe.

If you are a 20 percenter or know of one, please alert them to the books on my website. See if any tickle their fancy. Ask them to take a little time to read the reviews on Amazon. There are not a stack of them but they are authentic and should ring true to the reader. 

Tell me how you find books you wish to read.

Here is my Publisher’s Weekly review in case it might spark you into investigating my novel Iraqi Icicle.

PW Review 

AND here are all the wonderful books you can buy from #BBBooks retailers in January. Oh, and please pass on this post to other 20 percenters. I am sure they are lovely people unlike those nasty 1-percenters. No I am not talking about Hell's Angels.

Bent Books

OUR song is associated with a true story in the novel, Iraqi Icicle, which is set in Brisbane Australia, BTW, despite references to international cultures and conflicts.

The U.S. invaded Panama on December 20, 1989, to arrest that country’s president Manuel Noriega for drug and arms smuggling.

Noriega took refuge in the Vatican Embassy in Panama City. 

Armed Forces Radio launched a rock music attack of soldiers' requests on the Embassy. It is not quite as straight-forward as that and you will need to read the novel for the full story, or my version of it.

Noriega had been in the pay of the CIA for many years before he became a designated bad guy. One U.S. soldier certainly knew this because here’s his request for a war blast at the Vatican.

Publish your anthology Part 2

Now available world-wide in every format

by Bernie Dowling

Our first thrilling episode on how your group can produce your own anthology ended with the cliffhanger of your being on the threshold of publishing.

As with those ancient pre-movie serials we quickly replay the action from the first episode. Our Writers Anthology Group (WAG) of the Arts Alliance Pine Rivers decided to do an anthology. We set up an editorial committee and found a sponsor, the late Peter Campbell.

We drew up a leaflet inviting writers to enter a short story and/or one or two poems. A  payment of $20 would buy one copy of the anthology if the story was accepted. If it was rejected the $20 would be returned.

We distributed the leaflets in libraries, our local art gallery and among writers’ groups.

(Anyone who buys a copy of either of our anthologies Serendipity (2013) or Alpha and Omega (2014) will have access to all out support material. Email bentbananabooks@gmail.com)

In the first instance, we requested the unpublished story as a print copy.

In earlier anthologies we asked for the phrase which was the book title to be included in the story.

For Sweet and Sour we asked for a comic story and/or a drama/ thriller. Each writer had only one story published.

The past two anthologies had broad options asking only that story in some way relate to the book title.

Our editorial committee edited the hard copy with two editors assigned to each story. Suggestions were sent to the submitters. Further edits were done through email.

After the initial run of the anthology, copyright reverted to the authors with Bent Banana Books and WAG retaining publishing rights for reprints with no further royalties paid.

Authors could pre-order further copies, last year at $15 each.

We had enough money in the kitty to order one copy for each author, 10 copies for our sponsor, the pre-order copies and copies for sale and giveaways to our local libraries and sometimes to our illustrators.

The editorial committee worked without pay as did out illustrations editor/ cover designer, Ken Armstrong. Not-for-profit WAG holds excess funds on behalf of writers. Last year we invested in trophies and prizes for senior high school writers.

Out editorial committee for at least the past two volumes has been Myself, Vera Murray, David MacLaughlin, Anne Olsson, Lorraine Noscov and Ronald Holt.

We send out our call for submissions in November and December and have the book launch 10-11 months later. It gives us plenty of time to get it right.

So how did we physically publish the anthology? That’s where we leave you on the edge of your chair, eagerly awaiting Part 3.

Here is our song about the contest for meaning.

Publish your short story

Your writers create an anthology

Available world-wide

Part 1

Alpha and Omega is the fifth annual anthology by writers from my area of Australia.

We have more than 20 writers each year contribute short stories and poetry.

As a  journalist, I am the only professional writer in our group but we have produced a good-looking   product with some cracking yarns and thoughtful poetry.

Book launch from alpha to omega

Available world-wide from October 25

The 2014 WAG #new #release #short-stories anthology was launched  world-wide  at Pine Rivers Art Gallery in  Australia on October 25.

You can buy the eBook and/or print book from

Amazon

or Google and affiliates and the eBook from a host of online retailers, such as the

Apple store

Or Barnes and Noble

B&N

Or

Kobo

Last year, Writers’ Anthology Group (WAG) in conjunction with Bent Banana Books produced the popular collection Serendipity. Again Alpha and Omega has short stories and poetry, illustrated by local artists, mainly photographers

This year saw the launch of the Peter Campbell/ WAG Literary Awards with the champion’s trophy going to Paimarire Teague, a Year-11 student from Dakabin State High School. Paimarire’s story Hope amid War is a dystopian story and, as they say, a page turner.

Here  are some launch photos courtesy if previous anthology contributor Raelene Purtill

Fellow author and musician Maurice Hardy performs two of Bernie's (my) parodies

7 reasons you want to buy Alpha and Omega

Available world-wide from October 25

The 2014 WAG short-stories anthology Alpha and Omega is available in print and eBook world-wide from October 25.

On that day in Australia we will have the physical launch at Pine Rivers Art Gallery.

For those flying over from London, New York and Paris for the launch starts at 1pm.

Last year, Writers’ Anthology Group (WAG) in conjunction with Bent Banana Books produced the popular collection Serendipity. Again Alpha and Omega has short stories and poetry, illustrated by local artists, mainly photographers

Now available world-wide in every format

This year saw the launch of the Peter Campbell/ WAG Literary Awards with the champion’s trophy going to Paimarire Teague, a Year-11 student from Dakabin State High School.

Reason #1 why you want to buy Alpha and Omega

Paimarire’s story Hope amid War is a dystopian story and, as they say, a page turner.

Reason #2 why you want to buy Alpha and Omega

We All Meet in the Stars by Phil Devine is a fascinating real-life account of how Phil provided free viewings through his relatively powerful telescope.

It was a celebration of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy in the desert heart of Australia in Alice Springs. Superbly told, this story is a wonderful and surprising tribute to the human spirit.

Reason #3 why you want to buy Alpha and Omega

A young story-teller is 16-year-old Sarah L Wilson.

Her futuristic story, First Do no Harm, is set in a youth orphanage. It is a tough exciting moral tale which breathlessly rushes the reader to its denouement.

Reason #4 why you want to buy Alpha and Omega

Journey’s End by Sue Sander is a modern classic about the death of a loved one.

Without giving the plot away, I will simply say you will remember this one long after the last word. Superb.

Reason #5 why you want to buy Alpha and Omega

Anne Olsson’s A Step Too Far is a brilliant telling of the progress through life of a group of high-school friends.

Distinctly Australian, the story nonetheless will touch the international soul.

Reason #6 why you want to buy Alpha and Omega

Some people believe that self-promotion is an evil of the modern age.

I will simply say, you may enjoy my quirky suspense story The One About the Farmer's Daughters

Reason #7 why you want to buy Alpha and Omega

There are another 15 stories, not to mention good poems and attractive artwork.

All this is at a most reasonable price given the collective labors of love that have produced it.

You can pre-order the print book from

Amazon

or Google and affiliates and the eBook from a host of online retailers, such as the

Apple store

Or Barnes and Noble

B&N

Pre-order your copy now!

7 reasons, 7 brides, 7 brothers, the season in Australia, reminds me of a song

7 Reasons to read 7 Shouts

WE are all sick of reading the same old stuff, week in week out.

I probably only have to give you one good reason to read a good Bent Banana Book, a book which is different. But I am a generous sorta bloke and I will give you 7.