Coming Soon: "The Pacific", by Australian Author Peter Watt

     Australian writer and adventurist Peter Watt is one of my favorite authors . In addition, I am fortunate to be able to call him a very good friend. And so, it gives me great pleasure to announce the imminent release of another historical novel by this fantastic story-teller. The Pacific will be released this coming November, and I can't wait to read it.

     If you have not yet had the opportunity to read and enjoy the ongoing dramas of the MacIntoshes and Duffys, the Kellys and the Manns--don't delay! I recommend you begin with Cry of the Curlew and follow the adventures of these unforgettable characters from the very beginning, when the ancient continent of Australia was being populated by immigrants who were jostling to make their mark on the land. It's a treat you shouldn't deny yourself.
     I recently finished reading To Ride the Wind, so stay tuned for a review of Pete's most recent novel. It was every bit as good as those which preceded it. My only complaint? My teenaged daughter, Josie-Earl, decided to read it at the same time, and I constantly had to hunt for where I'd last left-off, as the darling girl would move my book-mark. It was a minor aggravation, but it was nice to be able to talk about the adventue as we read it together.
     Here is a blurb about The Pacific. Make sure you get a copy when it becomes available-- and if you'd like to have yours autographed by the author, just go to Pete's website and order one directly from my Aussie mate. His penmanship isn't half-bad!
                                          

As a war correspondent covering the Second World War, Ilsa Stahl isn’t afraid to be on the front line. But when her plane goes down in a terrible storm over Papuan waters and she is taken prisoner by the Japanese, she has every reason to be terrified. Particularly as they plan to hand her over to the Nazis.

When Jack Kelly discovers that his only daughter has fallen into the hands of the enemy, he will stop at nothing to save her. Even if it means risking the life of his only son, Lukas. No one knows Papua the way they do, they may be Ilsa’s only hope but time is running out.

Meanwhile, Major Karl Mann is sent on a secret mission to Indo China that will see him embroiled in Ilsa’s rescue mission in ways he could never have imagined.

This sweeping saga continues the story of the Kellys and Manns, following Peter Watt’s much-loved characters as they fight to survive one of the most devastating conflicts in history – the war on Australia’s back doorstep.

To Touch the Clouds

Author Peter Watt’s knowledge of the history of his native Australia infuses his novels with authenticity. I first met Peter last year. A friend of mine had attended a writing seminar that the author was conducting, and when my pal learned that I loved Wilbur Smith’s novels, he recommended I give Peter Watt’s a try. That is one recommendation I’m very glad I followed!

To Touch the Clouds is the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of the Duffy and Macintosh clans. The tale began in Cry of the Curlew, and the opening scenes of that novel were gripping. The government-sanctioned massacre of a tribe of native Australians was openly supported by one immigrant family, and the other was caught in the crossfire. That tragic event was the catalyst for hostilities between the two families which would last for generations. Some thought it was more than the terrible crime of a bygone day which kept the feud and the bad luck going. Some remembered the curse, and believed.

In To Touch the Clouds, cousins Alexander Macintosh and Michael Duffy are sent to German controlled New Guinea on an undercover mission. The Macintoshes have extensive business dealings with the Germans but as Europe balances on the precipice of war, suspicions abound. What these cousins don’t realize is that they are being betrayed by someone very close to them. Who is plotting their failure and deaths? Is it Yank, New Zealander, German cousin, or perhaps another Australian? And will their mission succeed, or will their lives or freedom be forfeited? And what will become of Alexander’s troubled sister Fenella, who is suspected of murder? The author keeps his readers guessing until the very end.

I have been privileged to read several of Peter Watt’s novels thus far, and as in the others, this story is full of engaging characters with very human qualities. Interwoven in this story are tales of passionate love between man and woman, and the fierce love of parent for child. There are hate-filled plots and humorous anecdotes of friendship. Peter has the ability to convey real emotion; whether love, loathing, contempt, greed or camaraderie. He is gifted with insight into the inner workings of both the male psyche and the mind of a woman. As his friend, I can tell you truthfully that this author has keen intuition. Peter knows people, and that is the first and most telling mark of an excellent writer. When his familiarity with the histories of Australia and New Guinea are added to the mix, To Touch the Clouds is guaranteed not to disappoint the reader. Although this novel stands on its own, I recommend you read the whole Duffy/Macintosh series from start to finish if you get the chance. And don’t despair. A little bird told me there is yet another episode in the works. I can’t wait, for more than the obvious reason.

I’ve been promised a nice long letter when it’s done!

An Australian Saga Continues

Today, I thought it was appropriate to review a novel written by a friend of mine. Why today, you ask? Well, today (November 1, 2009) is the official release of his most recent work, To Touch the Clouds. And the author’s name? Peter Watt.

As much as I would love to write about his latest novel, I can’t. I haven’t read it yet. I intend to…in fact, friend Peter has told me it is winging its way from Australia to me as I write this. And that has me very excited!


I hope you avid readers will keep watch here on GAG, for as soon as I have my grubby little mitts on To Touch the Clouds, I intend to read it from cover to cover. And then… I’ll tell you how much I like it! Or, knowing author Peter Watt… how much I LOVE it.

In the meantime, I’m going to do something that probably seems a little bass-ackwards. But if you’ll bear with me, you’ll see that there’s a method to my madness. (If I tell you that often enough, you’re bound to believe me! Ah, the power of suggestion...) What I’m going to do is tell you a bit about Cry of the Curlew.

Cry of the Curlew is the very first Peter Watt novel I ever read. It is also the first book in the Macintosh/Duffy series, and since To Touch the Clouds is the most recent chapter, I thought it was appropriate to write about the book where-in it all began. What a great way, I thought, to lead in to his new saga!

The backwards part comes from the fact that Cry of the Curlew is not a new novel, but rather, one that has been in publication for several years. I am sure that when it was originally released, COTC was reviewed over and over again by professionals--extraordinary journalists who knew what they are doing as they touted this epic adventure set in 19th century Australia. In contrast, I am NOT a literary commentator or a member of the press. I’m just a humble author of Young Adult fiction and a columnist who writes country tales from Maine.

However, I am a woman who is not afraid of a challenge! Let’s not forget…I have teenagers in the house. Nothing, but nothing, is as intimidating as that! If I can stand in the path of a constant barrage of adolescent hormones and pubescent attitude without flinching, then surely I can attempt to write a review of a book that, while not newly published, is a refreshing read, nonetheless.

A piece of cake!

I was pointed in Peter’s direction by my pal Jack. He knew that I was a fan of Wilbur Smith novels, and he suggested I try a tale by Mr. Watt, whose writing and talent has often been compared to that great author’s. And since I always do what my friend Jack tells me to (unless, of course, he’s WRONG) I went to Amazon.com and ordered Cry of the Curlew.

And boy, am I glad that I did!


Cry of the Curlew is a fictional account of two diverse families who are making their mark on a young country. A country as harsh and unforgiving as any on this planet. A land of great beauty and tremendous danger. Australia, a continent of extremes, was a siren for strong men who wanted a new start, or a chance at fame, or glory, or sometimes—anonymity.

Much like the wild west of American fame, the Australian frontier was a place where white settlers took it upon themselves to impose their own laws and ways of life on a land and a populace that did not need or want them. The natives of Australia were treated as second-class citizens by many of those who came to occupy their tribal lands. Worse, they were sometimes dealt with as if they were less than human. Without value. Even, sometimes… disposable.

Cry of the Curlew opens to just such a scene. Donald Macintosh, a wealthy landowner, has issued orders. The Nerambura tribe is to be ‘dispersed’. To some, that word means scattered or disbanded. But to Lt. Morrison Mort and his Native Mounted Police, it meant annihilated. When Patrick Duffy and his son Tom witness the slaughter, the father is murdered and the son goes on the run, an outcast from his own people. Disillusioned by the brutality of his own race, and accepted by a small band of aboriginals, he makes it his mission to even the score.

The conflict between the two families is not restricted to Donald Macintosh and Tom Duffy, however, as loyalty and devotion are strong sentiments in these immigrant families. Each family takes it upon themselves to see the other brought low. And for some, the depths to which they will go to achieve that end are unimaginable.

Cry of the Curlew is a novel--a fictitious tale--but the reader can glean much about the history of Queensland as Peter Watt weaves events from its past into the daily drama of his central characters. Not only does this saga have an authentic feel, but the individuals themselves are as mortal as can be. One of the qualities that most impressed me about the author’s writing is that he lets the reader see the humanity in each personality showcased between the book’s covers. Not one of them is perfect, not one—completely imperfect. Goodness and evil…all men have a dose of each.

And Peter Watt knows that.

In Cry of the Curlew, he shows us just what happens when individuals not only war with each other, but wage a battle within themselves.

***************************
The Pete Watt I know is a family man, a writer and a friend. But to do him justice, below is a bit of additional information pulled from his website. I didn’t ask permission to copy and paste this because I know that today, he’s busy launching To Touch the Clouds. But I’m going to chance it and include this blurb anyway. I’m brave, after all! Remember… I have TEENAGERS in the house!

Peter Watt has spent time as a soldier, articled clerk, prawn trawler deckhand, builder's labourer, pipe layer, real estate salesman, private investigator, police sergeant and advisor to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. He speaks, reads and writes Vietnamese and Pidgin. He now lives at Maclean, on the Clarence River in northern New South Wales. Fishing and the vast open spaces of outback Queensland are his main interests in life.

To Touch the Clouds (Release November 2009)

'They had all forgotten the curse … except one ... until it touched them. I will tell you of those times when the whitefella touched the clouds and lightning came down on the earth for many years.’

In 1914, the storm clouds of war are gathering. Matthew Duffy and his cousin Alexander Macintosh are sent by Colonel Patrick Duffy to conduct reconnaissance in German-controlled New Guinea. At the same time, Alexander's sister, Fenella, is making a name for herself in the burgeoning Australian film industry.

But someone close to them has an agenda of his own - someone who would betray not only his family but his country to satisfy his greed and lust for power. As the world teeters on the brink of conflict, one family is plunged into a nightmare of murder, drugs, treachery and treason.

To Touch the Clouds is a powerful continuation of Peter Watt's much-loved saga of the Duffy and Macintosh clan, begun in The Cry of the Curlew.

**********************************
The photo above is of three of Peter Watt’s novels, which he generously autographed and donated to my small, hometown library in New Portland, Maine. (No novels were set on fire in the taking of this photograph.)