The three stories in this tiny volume are about the surprises one comes across in explorations of the lives and careers of family ancestors. Each story has a unique setting but all emanate from activities of free settlers who migrated from London to Australia in the middle of the nineteenth century. The stories are all true and revolve around specific events accruing to writers, teachers, and high society matrons. Each story reveals inputs to the emerging society of Australia as it transformed itself from its birthright as a penal colony to a civilized nation. The tales are examples of little 'aha's that literally brought tears to the author's eyes in the process of discovery.

Writing an Historical Novel sounds like it could be fun and not too difficult. If you are writing about Grandma as a youth and the games she played and the food the family ate, where they all went on vacation, and how they decorated their house you might be right. But if you want to wander further afield and write about the Egyptians and a new mystery you think would have applied in the times they built the pyramids, your job becomes a little more difficult. To be 'acceptable' an historical novel must convey a real sense of authenticity. You cannot use elephants to carry giant loads of they weren't found in the country. There some authors who seek to raise challenging questions in their historical novels. Does their story sound plausible or not? Others want to educate - to weave historical events into the tale. What do you want to do as a writer? This booklet aims to help people identify their goals with respect to writing an historical novel and then to ensure they think carefully about the situation and circumstances surrounding their story. I doesn't matter what the motivation was to start writing, it only matters what content you present and how it's presented. Maybe your interest was triggered by something you saw on a television documentary?. Or a book you read with a story set in the middle ages? Or perhaps it was that old postcard which Aunt Prudence had sent from Kenya when she was a missionary there and which you just re-discovered.? But when you finally sit down at the keyboard, words don't flow. Can I write a story? Can I tell history as I see it? Can I maybe do both? How can I get started? Where can I get help? That help is right here. The aim of this primer is to help you try to answer those questions for yourself, and give you some inspiration to have a go There's really only twenty five easy to read pages with lots of practical advice. It's all presented in a whimsical, easy-to-read-and-enjoy way that might just appeal. There are useful suggestions about plot, organization, timing, and content presentation. As well there are references about how to write and how to publish, as well as some personal writing anecdotes, and a few fun little historical facts that may spur you on. Even the most famous authors had to start somewhere. Several are quoted inside. If the rest of the booklet doesn't do anything for you, at least their words might.

These three short stories are unrelated mysteries that will have you guessing through their final chapters. The first mystery involves a cross-border boating story. A powerful motor boat speeds across calm moonlit waters. The owner checks in with US Customs and anchors in a cove on one of the many islands near the border. Come morning local bay residents observe odd behavior of the boat's passengers . At a resort in the remote wilds of pristine Canadian waters four girls hired for guests entertainment are returned to Nanaimo by the same boat observed crossing the border two nights before. Alert citizens have drawn attention to the boat with a suggestion that it is being used to smuggle illegal immigrants across the border. Simultaneously, US police contact Canadian authorities about concerns of an emerging international prostitution ring. The US Coast Guard tries to involve US Customs in their smuggling investigation but get rebuffed. They establish a trap for the suspect powerboat's anticipated next border crossing run. With good anticipation and planning they intercept the boat and its occupants and carry out a standard 'safety inspection'. That's when circumstances change, and the story takes an unexpected twist. The second mystery revolves around university students at play. It's Meghan's boyfriend's birthday. She decides on a very personalized gift and surprises him by delivering it to the lab where he works in the University Physics building. Gavin's roommate is also present. When Gavin and Meghan eventually leave they are shocked to find at the base of the stairs their friend Matt, who has hit his head on the last concrete step with blood pooling under him. The police eventually establish that Matt didn't fall but was murdered with savage blows to the back of his head. One theory is that Matt was mistaken for Gavin who is a brilliant Ph.D. Nuclear Physics expert. Other alternative theories need more exploration. Matt's parents plan to come from England to take his body home. A computer left by Matt at Jenny's place is given to the police, who then involve the FBI based on the contents. Solution to the murder puzzle comes from an unusual quarter. The FBI acts quickly overnight and makes an arrest the next morning just as Matt's parents head home. They lose their son, but find three new young friends, and board their plane with a satisfying conclusion in hand. The final mystery involves characters from 100 years apart with international intrigue a major component of the story. Nikolay's muscles strain as he rows across two miles of international waters not long after the turn of the century. He arrives in a foreign country where he eventually migrates to a big city. Thanks to his linguistic skills he never has trouble finding jobs on the waterfront. One hundred years later Sean and Christina help Sean's brother Mark look for a house to buy. They end up checking foreclosed properties with lower prices and eventually find one that Mark thinks suits his needs. Sean and Mark's father is seriously ill and eventually is moved to a hospice as his care needs escalate. Back in history Nikolay settles down and befriends a vivacious nurse whom he met when she treated him at the hospital after a small accident suffered on the wharves. The friendship leads to marriage and they buy a lovely little home overlooking the harbor. Nikolay works hard on a special basement project while Pauline's pregnancy progresses. Nikolay observes strange behavior on the docks that eventually leads to a profound change in his interests. Mark and his girlfriend Celine move into their newly purchased house and Mark sets to work doing what he can to make it much more livable for them. The house is the common bond between Nikolay's past journey in life and Mark's emerging one. A totally unexpected discovery leads to an amazing finding that fulfills Christina's genealogical interests and lets' Sean's fa

These three mysteries are based on personal travels to the towns and locales described. A few minor liberties have been taken - especially with respect to the other characters in each story. In some cases reference is made to the state of the cities many years ago. Modernization has invariably taken place but the mysteries are as relevant today as they would have been decades ago. I love to travel and am only missing Antarctica in the continents still untouched. All places have stories to tell, secrets to reveal, and mysteries to unravel. One just has to think hard, outside one's own experiences, to wonder what else might have happened in the same place at a different time. It's like walking down the streets of London in the footsteps of hundreds of thousands of souls who have trodden the same pathways. Were all of them innocent, behaving themselves, with no secrets, no mischievous thoughts in mind? Of course not. Many were hatching or carrying out evil plots. In fact I think some of them must have traveled to the lands in this book, and be influencing the tourists who come there. What do you think....?

These three short stories are unrelated mysteries that will have you guessing through their final chapters. The first mystery involves a suburban setting we can all relate to. Karen is an ex-realtor, divorced, no-longer active in the industry. Now a private investigator, she specializes primarily in missing persons and potential infidelity investigations. One of her old real-estate customers, Wendy, has become a friend with both endearing and disarming traits. Wendy has observed some odd phenomena in the old house across the street from her home. Not knowing what to make of them she calls Karen who finds a plausible explanation for the unusual phenomenon her friend has observed. A massive storm with high winds and torrential rain rages for days, creating driving hazards from downed trees, racing rivulets, and accumulated debris in narrow streets. Karen's investigation of a missing person from out of state stalls. When Wendy calls with yet another issue on the house opposite, Karen is predictably rude in her response. The ensuing investigation involves both unexpected and unpleasant issues. Wendy is enormously upset, and Karen is thrown into an awkward position by the findings. The final outcome is only partially balanced by a new revelation between the two women. The second mystery revolves around boating between the US and Canada, among the northwest islands, away from the mainland. Ted and Tricia own a modest home on the shore of an island bay. Their pride and joy is a 50ft sleek powerboat. Ted is a real-estate broker but has recently had major knee surgery and is recuperating at home. A visiting boat pulls into their cove and anchors in an area that doesn't always hold well. When Tricia alerts the captain and guest of the boat she comes away with mixed impressions. Next morning the boat appears to be abandoned and disabled. Tricia contacts the Coast Guard who get in touch with the owner. The boat belongs to a Charter company, which chartered the boat to a single chap for cruising in the northwest islands. Tricia reservedly helps get the boat towed to a local boat repair facility. There, her interaction with a new employee seems out of character with other employees she knows. Based on a fortunate small finding Tricia travels to Canada to check out a possible lead. Back home Ted helps with some investigative Internet work. The mystery of the disappearing boat charterer only deepens however. A dead body found in the nearby major shipping Strait adds to the concerns of authorities. But Tricia, with her investigative instincts, suggests a solution to the local police. A little work on their part finds illegal cross-border activity that is nipped in the bud. The final mystery takes place on a hiker's paradise - a large mountain with still untrammeled woods, creeks, and ravines. Gwenda is an ardent writer, editor, and hiker. A tiff at home sends her off to her favorite retreat - an immense nearby mountain that towers above the city and the bay it sits astride. There are still many unchartered parts of the mountain with untrammeled woods, creeks, and ravines. Gwenda heads for an area where, on her last hike, she saw in the distance a running stream emanating from a pile of rocks. Curiosity leads her to two startling finds on the bank of the small creek. She returns to the city and uses both local resources and the Internet to research the background of one particular clothing object from a distant past. She learns about a community of specialized workers living in the city nearly a century ago. A mystery of those times is suddenly revealing clues in the present time. The police inevitably become involved but are not enthusiastic problem solvers. So, as a columnist for the local newspaper, Gwenda reveals her new information to readers. In the end, an exchange with an avid reader leads to a meeting which helps determine the origin of the mystery on the mountain.