What's happening with the next Murray Whelan book? When will it be out?
I have been working on the next - the final - Murray Whelan novel since early 2008. Things were progressing splendidly. Contracts were signed and publication was scheduled for late 2009. Most of the research was done, the ideas were coming thick and fast and I had the outline of a crackerjack plot. By early April I was out of the box like a greyhound on No-Doze.
Then, without warning, a bit of a health problem popped up - the sort of thing which demands immediate, intensive and debilitating treatment. As a result I've been out of commission, Murray-wise, for the entire second half of the year.
The storm has now passed and I am again coming to grips with Murray. The book should be finished mid-year. The timing of its appearance in the bookstores will depend on Text Publishing - who are as keen as ever to get it to the reading public.
Since the work is still in progress, I am loth to give away too much detail. Suffice to say that, like the other Murrays, this book is set back in time - so there is no chance that he will appear in the guise of a minister in the current federal government. The action takes place in 2002, a time when the Labor Party was at a very low ebb - exactly the sort of moment when Murray comes to the fore.
In my approach to my work, I have been particularly inspired by the example of the Rudd government. As a chronic procrastinator, its chain-dragging on the environmental crisis is real inspiration to me.
I also think it is terrific that Kevin Rudd has decided to give Australian writers a kick in the guts. As a true blue Queenslander, Kev knows that book-writer types are a bunch of poncy wankers and no votes will be lost by putting them out of business. Particularly those show-pony types whose books are published overseas. A bit of 'neutral advice' from an appropriate public service body and he can roll out legislation allowing overseas publishers to dump copies of their books on the Australian market, earning zero royalties for the writers and generating big windfall profits for the booksellers. Doesn't matter that Labor voted against the idea when the Howard government tried the very same thing. Inconsistency is a Labor virtue. The important thing is to fuck those smarty-pants writers. Go, Kev.
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Note the submissions from writers. Whinge, whinge, whinge. These dopey fools seem to think they're entitled to earn a living. What a cheek!
On the talks and workshops front, I will be getting out and about a bit more this year. Several readings, signings and other events were canceled in 2008 and some of the organisations involved have been able to reschedule. Have a look at the Events page for details.