Mayhem in Melbourne

I hope you enjoyed part 1.  Ralph was one of the people who made being a property manager a joy. Ralph has vacated and Lauren came with me to do the final bond inspection. There’s been a shuffle around in the office and she’s going to manage the property now. I’m glad. I want to remember it as Ralph’s home. We walked into a dull box-like space with yellowing, off-white walls and an exhausted carpet. The curtains have gone and the Venetians are pulled up to give a view of the driveway from the lounge. The passing traffic is now…

I have been browsing my book Mayhem in Melbourne – Behind-the-scenes at Caruthers Real Estate. COVID has given me time to do this. It’s about my life as a Residential Property Manager, the people I worked with, the ups and downs and the fun.  I’ve been re-visiting some of my favourite characters.  It is fantastic to meet up with them again so I have taken them out of the pages to spend time with them.  These characters are a composite of people I worked with but now with their new identities they are friends I know under their new names…

The lockdown door has opened a crack with more light coming through on November 1st.  With this new life seeping towards us we have another Melbourne spring-style day. Cold wind and now in the late afternoon the sun is out and the wind lessened. To Celebrate I have poured a gin and tonic in one of the beautiful glasses I inherited from my mum.  The gin turned up when I was cleaning out a cupboard.  Not much left which is perhaps why I forgot about it but enough to celebrate.  The crystal is sparkling in the sun and the slice…

Hi there This is a quick update of my progress with the Onlinebookclub. A couple of posts ago I complained that although I’d signed up and paid my money with a promotion that said they would buy a book and it hadn’t happened.  In fact nothing had happened. I have to give them their due they have now bought a kindle copy. I have had some email correspondence with a real person – a lovely lady called Sarah. No reviews yet. I’m not sure what I paid for because it looks as if I have to pay more if I…

  This is my self-published book – I’m so pleased with the cover. Here’s the link to Amazon I want to shout to the world, ‘READ IT. READ IT! BE ENTERTAINED!!’ Problem – How to market a self-published book I don’t expect everyone to like it but I would love to think that everyone who reads English will give it a go! One of the hardest things for self-publishers is getting their book noticed.  It is harder than writing it, than having it edited and working on the advice and criticism that follows. Harder than the whole writing process. Harder…

My writing is not going well at that moment – too may statistics about Covid-19 to distract me.  My creative juices need an out outlet so I’m cooking. I have just made Lebanese Lamb Stew with Eggplant I love egg plants. I love the colour and I love the shape.  I bought one so I could admire it on my kitchen bench. Then it came time to use it and on searching for a recipe I came across this one on the Adamant Kitchen blog.   The recipe turned out well. I think less tomato puree next time and possibly…

I’m giving away 10 copies of my book Mayhem in Melbourne… read further to find out how you can score one. At the moment, locked up as we are, I’m reading book after book.  It is so relaxing.  It takes me from this fraught and stressed existence to another world.  I have just finished reading a Donna Leon Mystery, The Girl of His Dreams. It has taken me to Venice and the world of Commissario Guido Brunetti.  It is giving me an interest in today’s Venice without the crowds of tourist he is describes as he walks around the city…

Last time I posted on this blog I talked about my writers’ block. I was suffering and feeling inadequate and somewhat miserable. The Internet is full of cures but I have found my own cure by chance. It may help you if you ever find yourself in the same state.  It is not a happy state.  Writers write I kept telling myself that. It did no good something was stopping me writing. Check out the book I have written here   My cure and I’m sure my writers’ Block is cured.   Walking! Instead of sitting at home and gazing at…

Hi there, This is a post with apologies. My aim is to post once a week yet the last couple of weeks have seen nothing from me. Why can’t I write?  Now my book is published I find myself word-tied. It’s as if words are NOT one the things I enjoy most in life. It’s as if one my greatest pleasures that of  playing with words and working out the best way to write something has gone. The challenged to make something funny or gripping or just plain interesting has disappeared. It  this Writers Bloc? It that what I have?…

As a newish arrival in Australian I think Australia Day is a good day for me to launch my book from my Website… Australia has been good to me and I like to celebrate that on Australia Day. Whatever day the powers-that-be-choose will be fine with me.  I am one of the many new residents here who want to thank the country for welcoming us. Mayhem in Melbourne -Behind the scenes at Caruthers Real Estate. My book is beside me on my desk and every time I look at it I want to shout ‘whoopee’ and ‘wow’ and thrust it…