Wednesday 10 July 2013

Acting up

My acting career is taking off, 4 days on "Secrets and lies" and except for one freezing night dressed in summer attire it has been a hoot.
Haven't done much writing lately since I finished  "When the tiger hunts" and still waiting on my first book 'Walk with the tiger" to be edited.
 My son Luke and I are looking to do some event management maybe an Indy writers festival. We have a  suitable venue available on the north side of Brisbane at our disposal.

Tuesday 14 May 2013

Today I did a screen test for and actors agency, the part was Al Pacino's portrayal in "the Devil's Advocate".
Where he was explaining about one Eddie Barzoon and the slant Lawyers had on life.
"We've got a runaway train boy. We've got a billion Eddie Barzoon's all jogging into the future.
 Every one of them reading to fist f----k God's ex planet, lick their fingers clean  as they reach out with their pristine cybernetic keyboards  to total up their billable hours".
There was a lot more to the scene but that part really got to me, thank god I was given that script. If it was the English patient I may have fallen asleep. Any way I nailed it, the agency have me two auditions.
It maybe a little late in the game but perhaps a star is born.

Monday 6 May 2013

Life after the book

Now that "When the tiger hunts" draft is finished I need help in editing both books.
the Metal sign factory has been slow but picking up, who knows I may even be able to draw a wage soon.
To keep me occupied I walk 5 klms every morning, 4 day a week at the gym and joined a Aikido martial arts class. Did I mention the 100 WW11 model aeroplanes I've made.
But I'm looking to do some acting and extras work.

Friday 4 January 2013

Now that the festivities are over I can get back to 'When the Tiger Hunts' (working title)
Jack's task force go to North Qld to close down a PLO training camp only to be captured them selves.
Jack is tortured by his old enemy Becker who want's to know who the mole is. Jack finds out that it was a Melbourne Mafia mobster who murdered on of his colleagues and he proceeds to extract his own justice.
Some extremely good news, a well known artist in USA is interested in doing the cover for this book his work includes a "hard boiled" theme featuring 50's and 60's American classic cars, truly magnificent stuff. I will pass his details once I have his approval to do so. One of his prints now proudly displayed in my little house on the bay that I have just moved into.
A little tip for you writers out there we all hit the wall now and then and that's fine. Just keep jotting down your thoughts even if they don't make sense the plot will reveal itself when you least expect it. 

Thursday 18 October 2012

THE WALL

At 31,000 words I've hit the wall in the second Jack Harrigan so I,m just concentrating on tidyup work.
The metal sign business is a little quiet at the moment but still time consuming. Our strategic mrketing plan becomes redundent on a daily bassis but one of the avantages of being reasonably small is that you can alter your direction quickly.
In a distribution agency type operation you find that your distributors commitment will varry and some time you have to make hard decisions.

On the right is my good friend Dr Peter Johnson from America, my mentor in staregic planning.

Having no difficulty with sobriety as a matter of fact I can't remember when I have felt this good. 

Wednesday 10 October 2012

Healthy Life

With presures of business and lifes little hicups it's easy to neglect your health and fitness. What's the harm in having a few beers when your friends come round every afternoon, a then a couple of wines with dinner. Well there's only 3 stubies left in the bar fridge may as well polish those off too. Next morning "I'll go to the gym this afternoon". I could go out and see some clients, bugger it I'll send them an email". Lunch time my mate from over the road calls in "What about lounch at Tomatoes?" they have a deal down there pay for 5 Crownies get one free and the pizza's are great. "Well I can't go to the gym now" and so the cycle goes on. Gee figures are down this year it must be the ecconamy, or those bloody politicians. I can give up the grog any time I like.

Does this sound familiar when your in your thirties or even forties you can get away with this for a while but definately not at 63.
Two weeks ago I had to draw a line in the sand, even went to a meeting. For the first week I felt lethagic and craved for sweets.
But I hit the gym every second day , drank tea in the afternoon with my mates and took the dog for a walk at night. In just this short time the business has picked up, my book is comming along and  BP is 110/70 with a pulse of 53/minute.
Don't think for one moment that I've gone all prude, anything but.
Enjoy life to the max grog can be a wonderful slave or a terrible master.

Friday 5 October 2012

When the Tiger Hunts

That's the working tittle for my next book in the Jack Harrigan series. I've found one of the secrets to writing, do the first draft in almost Diary for and keep another word doc with characters, places and info on weapons cars and other things pertaining to the story.
As you go back to edit keep in mind that every character believes that they are the protagonist in the story. It gives you something to work on. We are up to 30,000 words now and the first real draft is less than a month away.

Keep on typing fellow authors.

my place of insiration the bar, pity I don't drink.