 Travel memoir author Robert Fear looks back at his Time in Thailand.
It's 34 years since he was arrested read his Thai jail experience in Time in Thailand free today on Amazon. Day 36 - a shock awaits Ananda returns on a visit along with some of the people from the tribe he is researching.. Fred starts his own preparations to go back with him to stay with the tribe for a couple of days. Then everything changes within a few short minutes ........ "I'm lucky that I have no deadlines to meet (apart from the limitations of visas and money)." Find out more about today's dramatic events on the Daily Diary page.
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Travel memoir author Robert Fear shares some of the entries in the travel writing competition. Do you have a travel story to share?
Are you an aspiring travel writer? We would love to read your story so why not enter this competition being run by Rukia Publishing travel memoir author Robert Fear? There are great prizes available and the chance to showcase your writing here at Rukia Publishing. Visit fd81.net for details and to enter. The competition will close on July 31st 2015 and an overall winner will be announced on August 10th 2015. They will receive a £100/$150 Amazon gift card along with a signed copy of the paperback version of the diary. Good Luck and be sure to share the news of this great competition because we all have and love travel stories! Here are some of the entries, follow the links to read the whole story. Big Ben and the Marco Polo brigade by Frank Kusy Sumatra, 1989 It was while sampling a delicious martabak sayur (vegetable spring roll) from a street cart warung in Bukittingi that I bumped into my old friend Steve from the Trailfinders tour. ‘You look shattered, Frank,’ he said with his familiar grin. ‘Are you still burning the candle at both ends, “going off the beaten track”?’ http://www.fd81.net/frank-kusy.html Crazy Times in Pinochet's Chile by Richard Klein The highlight of the vacation was skiing in Farellones, one of Chile’s oldest winter-sports resorts. To get there, we took a rickety, old bus that barely managed to haul itself along the steep, winding curves of the cordillera. Although the view was magnificent, the road bordered unprotected precipices that didn’t seem to concern anyone else but me. http://www.fd81.net/richard-klein.html Throne Sitting Around the World by Susan Joyce “The Thinker” (Le Penseur) by the French artist Auguste Rodin is a sculpture of a nude male figure sitting on a stone pedestal philosophizing. I have always liked the sculpture and think of it often when sitting on a comfortable toilet seat philosophizing. Perhaps it was inspired by Rodin while sitting and thinking on his own comfortable toilet seat. Perhaps not. http://www.fd81.net/susan-joyce.html Today at Rukia Publishing, Sarah Jane talks to Mehreen Ahmed about her stream of consciousness book, Moirae Moirae by Mehreen Ahmed Embedded in dream allegory, Moirae conveys human predicament taken from a fantasy land called the Lost Winds. Juxtaposed with the narrator's intermittent views, imaginary events are captured and presented allegorically in the main character's lucid dreams. These dramas appear in knitting of pink honeycomb patterns. As the knitting continues, each of these bee-hives self-organizes purportedly into a new word.  Queensland writer, Mehreen Ahmed has been publishing since 1987. Her first publications were journalistic in nature which appeared in the Sheaf, a campus newspaper for the university of Saskatchewan Canada. Later on she published fiction and academic non-fiction. Jacaranda Blues is her debut novella. A featured author for Story Institute, she has published The Blotted and Line,a collection of short stories. More recently, Snapshots, a book of travels was published by PostScript Editions followed by a dream allegory written in stream of consciousness style called Moirae.
Welcome to Rukia Publishing Mehreen and thank you for taking part our featured author blog. What was the inspiration for writing Moirae? Moirae was inspired by a bunch of mentally ill people persecuted by their neighbors in their village. Talking to them made me interested in their lives and thoughts which I later created in producing Moirae. Who is the target audience for this book? This is a hard going read. So any one patient and understanding enough to read it through would be the target audience. I don't expect to attract a wide audience for this book at all. How long did it take you to write this book? About a year. What is the biggest source of writing inspiration in your writing life? I believe in contribution. Something that I have written will be left behind when I am gone. This has led me to live a life of the mind and that is the source of my inspiration. Is there one book or author that has inspired you more than any other? Yes, Virginia Woolf. What is your favorite line or quote from your book? These are stream of consciousness (SOC) sentences separated not by period but by uppercase letters. SOC is not new, but my presentation is original. "Mother I had a beautiful house in Shingdi a vegetable garden Vines of bitter gourd lettuce English spinach and tousled coconut trees Coconuts fell on my darling husbands head One day we made love under the tree Now I was pregnant just like my orchard full of fruits with the love child Oh I ran as hard as I could from the shadow These were shadows of time shadows of the past ..." Do you have a favorite time of day for writing and why? Rain inspires me to write. When the cloud darkens and the winds howl, that's when I know that it's time to write. Otherwise, quiet evenings are my favorite time of the day. What are you currently reading and why did you choose it? I am reading The Silent House by Orhan Pamuk. My husband who is an intellectual and an academic recommended this book to me, given my interest in the Turkish culture. We had very good Turkish friends once. I don't know where they are now. Who is the biggest source of writing in your writing life? There isn't just one or two people but many. Authors of great books, novels and dramatists of all ages have inspired me over many years. Do you take time off when you finish a book or do you start the next project straight away? It depends. Sometimes more than one plot will be hovering simultaneously in my mind. When this happens, I usually send the first draft to the publisher and while that's being processed, I shall start another almost straight away. Do you have a current writing project that you would like to share with us? Yes, I'm writing a novel called, Until the Evensong. It is about an Australian maverick, whose diabolic nature comes from an external source quite beyond comprehension. If you had one thing to share with your readers that you would like readers to know what would that be? That one should create a parallel world of one's choosing. A world of art, literature and music where one could retire momentarily from time to time. Thank you so much for joining us Mehreen, I am currently reading Moirae for our Rukia the Reader review and as this is the first stream of consciousness book I have read I am enjoying experiencing a new writing craft. Sarah Jane Visit Mehreen's Amazon Author page here Buy your copy of Moirae here Find Moirae on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24679904-moirae Here is a review of Moirae by Tony McMahon university of RMIT Australia. Mehreen Ahmed is a wildly interesting writer. Moirae is not the first book from the Queensland scribe that I’ve read, but it is undoubtedly the best, most mature work. This is a nebulous yet - paradoxically perhaps – razor sharp text that speaks to the reader on a number of intellectual levels. Ahmed somehow manages to blend stream of consciousness type prose with a sure knack for story telling, and the results are no less than delightful. If you think about it, this kind of mixture is one that few writers have the ability – or the audacity – to attempt. Joyce is one exception that springs to mind, but he is probably an exception that only proves the rule. Jack Kerouac maybe. Either way, with this work, it is obvious that Ahmed joins a very select group indeed. Thoroughly recommended for both its technical beauty and, not inconsiderably, its bravery.
 THE FEATURED AUTHOR at Rukia Publishing today is Jackie Parry Welcome to Rukia Publishing Jackie and thank you for taking the time to join us today. This is a great title, ‘Of Foreign Build - From Corporate Girl to Sea-Gypsy Woman’ How did you come up with this title? Thanks, I chose Of Foreign Build for several reasons. Firstly, when we check in and out of different countries on our sailboat, there is quite a bit of official paperwork involved. When we sailed into Niue in the Pacific Ocean, we received documents confirming our details which included a statement “… navigated with one female, foreign built…” Also, the beginning of the story reveals how lost I was – emotionally, physically, and mentally. I ran away - I had to, and all of a sudden I was living in a foreign country, with a foreign husband and within the foreign world of boats – I felt very ‘foreign-built’ and way-out of my depth. Lastly, at school I read Of Mice and Men, and John Steinbeck’s story has stayed with me. So his title has had a little bit of an influence on my title! My first book’s title has other connotations too (which helps encourage people to ask about it!). Cruisers’ AA (Accumulated Acumen) – was written with my husband Noel and has over 1,800 tips, tricks, ideas and advice on living on board (plus articles and short stories). The title shows that this book contains our accumulated knowledge. A Standard Journey, is my third book. I love the simplicity of this title, and it is smart. This story is about an incredible journey with five standard-breed horses. It is about them and for them, and will amaze every horse and animal lover – there was nothing standard in what our amazing horses achieved. The extraordinary story called A Fortunate Life by Albert Facey, has influenced my title too. The simplicity drew me in and I was deeply enthralled with his straightforward writing, revealing a fascinating life. Who do you think will enjoy reading your book aimed at? Anyone who has a passion for adventure, whether it be real-life-get-out-there-and-do-it people or armchair adventurers. It’s also for anyone who has found life tough at some stage (and who hasn’t?). In the beginning of my story I had a ‘want-to-die’ attitude to life. Somehow I found my way out of this dark time and twisted my life back into something worth living for. So, this is also about relationships with other people, but also with yourself – and that is so important; figuring out who you are and what makes you happy. It’s for sailors and cruisers too, of course. So many women starting out in the cruising life have appreciated knowing that they are not alone in being daunted by the obscure world of living on a boat. No one knew less than I did when we set out, and now I am a commercial maritime skipper and teacher! What is the best aspect of self-publishing for you and your book? Connecting with like-minded people; the people who have read my book and made contact are amazing. I’ve been sent so many stories from strangers who have had similar journeys or have connected with what I am saying, whether they are sailors or adventurers, or not. My story has helped many people; it is wonderful to hear about it. Of Foreign Build is a deeply personal story about life in general and how to survive it, and steer the path you want – that resonates with a lot of people. I love hearing from readers! How long did it take you to write Of Foreign Build? I started the book when we started our travels in 1998. As we travelled it grew. We spent nine years on Mariah II (our fantastic boat) and so from 2007 until 2014 I was editing and re-writing (part-time of course!). It had to be just right – for the readers and for me. Is there one book or author that has inspired you more than any other? Oh, many! One book? I’m an avid reader. As I said earlier, A Fortunate Life by Albert Facey and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, not just because of their titles. I study books as I read. These two books influenced my writing career. I learned from these authors, writing does not need to be flowery and tricky – it needs to be concise and clever. Ken Follet is one of my favourites, such smart writing, how does he weave mammoth and complex stories in a way that they are easy to follow? Dick Francis, because every one of his main characters I love and wish I could be more like. What are 3 of your favourite lines/quotes from your book………………. That is one tough question! In Barbados: ‘Little did we know that in just a few days’ time, Noel would be working in a brothel.’ Run over in France – Charles Aznavour look-a-like has just apologised, because I am visiting his country and I have been run-over! ‘Reluctantly, the man let me go. As I thanked him, my heart sank as he disappeared. I think I loved him for a short time.’ Physically playing with sea-lions ‘A timeless moment: the world stopped, and I became one with nature. I slowed my breathing. The liquid chocolate eyes did not reveal what was coming.’ The storm ‘The thoughts of smooth seas, full sails, and clear skies were viciously blown away and replaced with a three-dimensional lurching, bumping, bucking, and gyrating hell.’ The whale ‘The comparatively small boat rose up out of the water and fell, balancing on the whale’s curving back;..’ Oh dear – sorry, I am not good at following rules! Don't worry Jackie we break all the rules here at Rukia! Do you have a favourite time of day for writing and why? Mid-morning and mid-afternoon; these times seem to work for me. Although, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, or I’m inspired just before I go to bed, other times I wake up early.... hmmm, I think perhaps the answer is – anytime! What are you currently reading and why did you choose it? I am reading Lost In Kakadu by Kendall Talbot. I started chatting to Kendall on FB when a mutual friend introduced us. Kendall was looking for some information on boats (for a forthcoming book) and I could help (speed, distance, and time calculations/formulas). There is a wonderful camaraderie between authors. After providing some information, I looked up Kendall’s books and this title caught my eye. I hadn’t read an Australian based story for a long time. I should get back in touch with Kendall, I am annoyed, I’ve hardly slept these last few nights, I can’t put the book down! (However, I will be writing a review – the most important thing anyone can do for an author). Who is your biggest source of inspiration in your writing life? This could go on forever... let’s just say anyone that can spin a good yarn, whether written or spoken. Do you take any time off when you finish a book or do you start the next project straight away? I make promises to myself that I just don’t keep. I always say that I’m going to take time off between books, but I never do. In fact it’s getting worse. Three-quarters through one book, I start the next. Please don’t tell my husband! Do you have a current writing project that you would like to share with us? A Standard Journey is the story of Noel and I rescuing five scared, scatty horses and training them (and us) to be a team. We ventured along part of the Bicentennial National Trail in Australia (with no support). This honest story is up-lifting and comically touching. The horses were amazing – Noel and I were not so! I can’t wait to launch this book as 50% of proceeds will be donated to help rescue more horses. Here’s a taster: Galloping down the mountain to find a gun to shoot one of our horses, I realised that I had bitten-off more than I could chew. My borrowed horse sensed the fear as we plunged down the trail. My mind focused on the gun, a necessity to terminate excruciating pain. There was a broken horse on the ridge. He had released a knowing groan as his fetlock snapped. Plunge, jump, ford – I squeezed my aching legs around my brave mount. We both expelled urgent pants from our flared nostrils. I have to find a gun! Sweat and tears mingled, running clean streaks along my grubby face; my eyes stung. Intense heart-pumps banged in my chest, while the horse’s heart thrummed beneath calf muscles. Time slowed as we hurtled through syrup. I cursed Noel - it was his idea. Not to shoot the horse, but to live with horses and ride the Bicentennial National Trail. If you could share one thing about yourself that you would like readers to know what would it be? Not only do I love writing, I’m addicted to it. I just can’t stop – even when I need a break! The buzz of holding your own book is like a drug. But discipline is not my strong point. I’ve had to work hard at introducing structure into my processes. Producing quality work is not just about writing! But what I bet you didn’t know... discipline does not count where chocolate is concerned, and sweet treats are imperative to this author’s survival! Awesome answer Jackie!! Thank you for an entertaining chat Jackie, we all know a lot more about you and your books and we look forward to seeing and hearing more of your author and book news here at Rukia Publishing. If you would like to contact Jackie or read her books here are the author and book links: Website: www.jackieparry.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/NandJJourneys Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/NoelAndJackiesJourneys https://www.facebook.com/pages/For-the-love-of-horses/1048526295173146 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7157763.Jackie_Sarah_Parry?from_search=true Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Foreign-Build-Corporate-Sea-Gypsy-Woman-ebook/dp/B00OQBWJJE/ B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/of-foreign-build-jackie-sarah-parry/1120573817?ean=9780987551542 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/preview?vpa=pub&locale=en_US Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jackieparry7543/ Cruisers’ AA: http://amzn.to/1MFGoa1 A Standard Journey (out in May): http://jackieparry.com/2015/01/20/5-young-horses-2-old-people-and-1-new-tent/   The latest Meet the Author feature at Rukia Publishing is now live. The Black Rose, author of The Yugoslavian chats to me about her writing life. http://www.rukiapublishing.com/meet-the-author-behind-the-black-rose.html#/20150315/how-do-we-get-featured-on-rukia-publishing-4628489/   Devorah Fox will read a selection from her epic fantasy novel "The King's Redress" and take questions about the book or any of her other works as well the writing process and life as an author. Coffee and snacks will be served including treats with a medieval flair. The event is free and no RSVP is needed. Just come and enjoy, Saturday, Mar. 14 at the Ellis Memorial Library, 710 W. Avenue A, Port Aransas, Texas, beginning at 10 a.m.  Rukia Publishing is supporting Nigel by promoting his fundraising walk in May 2016, but he needs your pledges now for safety and essential equipment. Project aim I'm needing funding for equipment for the challenge of walking from the end of the UK to the other end.I hope to raise funds for two charities below. Macmillan Nurses http://www.macmillan.org.uk Help For Heroes http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk This challenge is over a year away. I need time for training, and of course getting the money together for equipment. I chose Macmillan Nurses as one of the charities because 6 years ago I lost my mother to cancer. She was cared for by the nurses until she passed away. They all do a tremendous job. Help the Hero's was chosen because most of my family have served in the Armed Forces. The charity does an amazing job looking after the welfare of soldiers and their families when they need it the most. I am a fit person who loves a challenge. In the past I have competed in half marathons and 10 kilometre runs. A passion of mine is walking and taking pictures. I aim to do the walk in under 6 weeks. I will be carrying a rucksack with all my equipment including my accommodation being my tent. I will wild camp where ever possible. The food I will take will be hydrogenated meals in bags, more food will be purchased on route. This is not an easy challenge it's roughly 1100 miles in total. To make it in under 6 weeks I would need to complete a marathon every day. So it is vital I get decent, reliable equipment. The main items I am wanting help to get is: Tent Sleeping bag Rucksack Walking shoes GPS Food On my journey I will be writing a blog for people to follow my adventure. I will also have a tracking system in place for pledgers to follow my every move across the UK. Once home I will put together my stories of my journey into a paperback book, with, hopefully some stunning pictures. My wife is a self-published author, so she has the time and skill to get the book out as soon as practical. Here is the link to my wife's website where you can see the books she has already published: http://sarahjanebutfield.wix.com/sarahjanebutfield I will set up a sponsorship page most probably https://justgiving.com later during the year for people to sponsor me. Right now, I need the funding for this project to get off the ground. So if you would like your name in a signed book, please pledge away... http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/lands-end-to-john-ogroats-walk/ |
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Photos used under Creative Commons from Rising Damp, Nelo Hotsuma, Archives New Zealand
