Maggie comes to Town.

He had flown across the mountain, because the water’s runnin’ low,

parched lands were increasing day by day.

He travelled to the city where the rivers were in flow,

found them pleasant and decided he might stay.

It was the Georges, where he landed, to have a look around,

found a lake with tall timber at its edge.

Sighing She-oaks spindled branches waving gently in the…

Twenty First Birthday Celebration

National Year of Reading

Holroyd City Council

Library Service

2012

***

We commemorate this celebration

in carefully chosen ways by remembering

Henry Lawson…

Ayres Rock.

1952.                                                              

Nestling in a desert wasteland

is this monolith of fame,

perhaps a creature quietly sleeping,

omniscient, oh! so tame.

Knowing all but seeing nothing

as many others pass it by

while it dwells in concentration…

Naracoorte Nonsense ?

Two tiny steam engines following along

both of them singing their sweet little song,

sucking up dust, spreading to air,

the farmer must feel downhearted despair.

But no !

He is just - clover seed harvesting.

Collecting seeds, expelling some dust,…

Prologue -                    Gum Tree Reserve.

An environmental activist, known hereabouts as

Banjo Hayes,

were it not for his intervention

this habitat,

would now be lost

in haze.

Humble Habitat.

This symbol in a  city, a little west of Sydney Town,

in Guildford a small suburb, deserving just renown.…

“Flag of Stars”

Emotions surely can be stirred when our flag is hoisted high

as a tear begins to trickle from a true-blue ‘Aussie’s’ eye.

Anzacs stormed the beaches under our Australian Flag

at times a tattered piece of cloth, a blood stained, dirty rag.…

My membership of New Writers' Group has been continuous since its inception.

For many 'good' things to remain good, change must happen, but also growth must occur.

The words that follow are but one indication of a happy, healthy and useful writers group -

Crikey, aren't we NWG members bloody fortunate to have people dedicated to producing, improving and publishing this marvellous  - Zine.

It is tremendous to have been able…

An excerpt from a Bookpal blog I think may interest some members -

How Your Book Can Be Distributed in Southeast Asia


As Australian authors, we often think of our local market, the North American market, and the UK market as the prime markets for our books.
Undoubtedly, these markets are the largest segments for English books. However, they are also the most competitive. With the rapid changes in book consumption patterns and a recession in much of the Western world, it…

Bourke  ‘n  Back.

We’ve just been out to Bourke ‘n back, by train ‘n then by road

to visit with a great ol’ bloke, who once shouldered a heavy load,

makin’ roads ‘n fixin’ them, all around the ol’ Bourke Shire

but now ‘e rests, as is their due, when Tall Tale Tellers retire.

Now Outback Jack, he guided us - ‘round…

Design and production

Jim's Jottings Publications

Topical Rhymes about Aussie Times

*****

 *

*          *

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Jim's Jottings

 …

Birthplace, a memoir.

prologue :

My birth paper says, young Jim is a male, apparently I was - hearty and hale.Very soon after, my family went away - to another town, for just a short stay.Life in the depression, my ensuing years, were a very long session.

Now, Jim is a contraction of a much bigger name.Perhaps, the two my folks chose they thought would bring fame.Well, it never happened. I don’t really care.They’ve all served me well, no need for…

Recently came across this item. Thought it worth sharing.

Suggest you check it out then make your individual decisions -

New Authors Beware!



It has come to our attention that there are a lot of new authors getting burnt out there by self-publishing houses and vanity publishers.

So this article is to help you be aware of a few pitfalls out there.



There are two general rules to keep in mind when it comes to choosing how to publish your…

These details came my way, courtesy of another Writers' Group with whom I am affiliated, 

Opportunity: Manuscript Monday with Pan Macmillan.

Manuscript Monday is a new initiative which is part of Pan Macmillan Australia's manuscript submission process.

If you've ever dreamed of getting published, and have a story you'd like to pitch, here's your chance to have it read by a publisher. No more navigating the slush pile! Every Monday we…

One member misunderstood that I was the ABPA winner. 

In case it was misinterpreted by anyone else, -

A Bushman's Last Farewell was the 2011 winner.

This marvellous poetic piece was not created by

Jim Spain/Rimeriter.

Travellin’ the Gibb.

They’re bungin’ some tar on the

Gibb River Road,

so hooray for the Nomads and their heavy load.

**

I travelled it once,

a fair time in the past…

Because it is so bloody marvellous, I must share with you the winning ABPA entry for this year -



A Bushman’s Last Farewell© 2011 - Catherine Clarke   

As a bushman I’ve been wandering for all my working life,
and I never settled down with home and family, a wife.
I just worked where work was going as a drover, station hand;
did some mustering and shearing, always working on the land. As the twilight of my years now finds me lost in solitude
and I…

"onya"  Adrian,

What a feast !!

Making a choice will be difficult enough. 

Then one has to 'dig in' to decide what, when, where, then how.

Should keep me busy for a 'coupla' days.

"Thanks"

Jim. 26/6/11.

Life isn't about how you survived the storm...

it's about how you danced in the rain!

*****

So true for all of us.

All that follows is an ABC excerpt which members may find interesting –

"Kim Scott…

Kandos poet Terry Yates will launch the Kandos Writers' Group inaugural Anthology titled Kandos Moments on Friday 1 July at 4pm at the Kandos Returned Services Community Club, 20 Dangar Street, Kandos.

The Kandos Writers' first collection features short stories, a letter, memoir and poetry.

Local artist Judi Martinelli Rasmusssen's delightful work complements this diverse pallette of styles.

The group meet at the Kandos Library and are part of the Fellowship of…