francis

Shipping preorders — Well, the elves have been busy, and there go the last of the preorders! A few lucky readers got hand delivered copies, but the rest should reach their destination later this week. And don’t forget the world premiere book launch at the Seraphine Cafe, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, High Street, […]

Out they go!

December 3, 2012 in Book production by francis

First printing of A Distant Prospect — The first printing has arrived, and a little over 100 copies remain available for sale, so get in quick if you want one before Christmas! Order now using the link at the top right of this page, or go to http://adistantprospect.com/store

First printing has arrived and selling strongly

November 28, 2012 in Book production by francis

The first printing is done, and will ship tonight from Griffin Press in Adelaide, arriving in Maitland by this weekend! We will send out all preorders from Maitland on Monday 3 December. You can still order a copy from the first printing by clicking on the link at the top […]

First printing news

November 26, 2012 in Book production by francis

Lucy and her father speak Irish quite a bit in A Distant Prospect, requiring Annette to study the language in order to write it. Some of the funniest moments in the book see Lucy blurt out something in Irish in mixed company. Here’s an Irish grace before meals: Beannaigh sinne, […]

Beannaigh sinne, a Dhia

November 25, 2012 in Irish / Prayers by francis

Men in the trenches awaiting the attack at Fromelles 19 July 1916 — The 1914-18 Great War had long-lasting effects on Australia, including the families of our four string quartet members in A Distant Prospect. As the Australian War Memorial’s official synopsis of Australian involvement in World War I recounts, “For Australia, as for many nations, the First World War remains the most […]

Australia and the Great War

November 24, 2012 in War by francis

Sub tuum Presidium papyrus 250-280 AD — Since many modern readers will be unfamiliar with them, we hope you will find it useful to have several posts and links about this and other prayers and expressions in the book. The Sub tuum praesidium may be the oldest Christian prayer dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, with this Greek […]

Sub tuum praesidium

November 24, 2012 in Prayers by francis

Great news. We have just signed with Ingram Books to supply the US and UK markets, including Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and The Book Depository! They now have our book and we expect a proof next week, so it should become available everywhere by mid December. Meanwhile, our first printing is already […]

USA and UK book deal signed

November 23, 2012 in Book production by francis

www.maitlandmercury.com. Wednesday, November 21, 2012 THE MAITLAND MERCURY Lifting the Lid on Lucy by REBECCA BERRY Lorn author Annette Young’s story about a young Irish girl called Lucy has been written in her head for years. But the words did not appear on paper until now in the form of […]

Maitland Mercury interview with Annette Young

November 21, 2012 in Annette / Reviews / Writing by francis

Lucy faces a dilemma over her cello in A Distant Prospect. So, how do you decide whether to go with Guarneri or Stradivari? Few get a chance to make an informed judgment, but one person who has is the French violinist Renaud Capuçon. For several years, Capuçon played the 1721 […]

Choosing your violin or cello – Guarneri or Stradivari?

November 16, 2012 in Cello / Lucy Straughan / Music by francis

Here’s the beautiful cover proof!

November 15, 2012 in Book production by francis

Another milestone, as Griffin Press in Adelaide has just shipped the proof copy of the book. Annette gave her first media interview today, to the Maitland Mercury. Stay tuned for a link to the review. And don’t forget to like our page on Facebook.

Proof has shipped!

November 14, 2012 in Book production by francis

Woman Playing the Cello - Róbert Berény — Finally, silence. The sultriness with which the day began had not diminished and by the time I alighted from the train, the sky had become a threatening blue-grey. Dollops of summer rain flopped onto my boots as I trudged homeward. I opened the gate, and the rain wept down a […]

Finally, silence

November 11, 2012 in Bach / Cello / Lucy Straughan / Music by francis

Janette Beard’s fascinatingly detailed 1983 Sydney University thesis Newtown 1892-1922: A Social Sketch became a valuable roadmap for researching life in 1920s Newtown, where Lucy lives. It was quite a fashionable place to live, and King Street became the first important shopping strip outside the city. Newtown retail advertising in […]

Newtown 1892-1922: A Social Sketch

November 10, 2012 in Newtown / Sydney by francis

‘Mathematically, the Fibonacci sequence would be represented as Fn = Fn-1 + Fn-2. ’Tis a numerical sequence whereby the ratio of two consecutive numbers converges on the golden ratio. You can see fibonacci patterns in nature, in the arrangement of petals in flowers or branches on trees. The sum of—’ ‘Very good […]

Disorder

November 9, 2012 in Lucy Straughan by francis

One of Lucy’s passions is mathematics, and this little book published in 1917 means a lot to her. Watch out, though – some of these puzzles are really tricky! Check it out at Project Gutenberg: Amusements in Mathematics.

Amusements in Mathematics, by Henry Ernest Dudeney

November 8, 2012 in Lucy Straughan by francis

After reading Chapter 1 of A Distant Prospect, perhaps you’d like to hear the cello piece which Lucy played, as the rain thundered down outside after her eventful first day. Here’s Pablo Casals recorded in London in 1936 (with surface noise standing in for the rain): J.S. Bach Prelude from […]

J.S. Bach Prelude from Cello Suite No.2 in D minor, ...

November 7, 2012 in Bach / Cello / Lucy Straughan / Music by francis

In A Distant Prospect, several characters travel out to Mascot airfield to watch Bert Hinkler arrive after his record-breaking flight. Here you can listen to Australian aviator Bert Hinkler recounting the incidents of his solo flight from England to Australia in February 1928. Recorded at Homebush, Sydney, Australia, in March […]

Bert Hinkler – Incidents of my England to Sydney Flight ...

November 7, 2012 in Aviators / Bert Hinkler tagged Bert Hinkler by francis

Thank you all for the pre-orders! So far we have recovered 10% of the expensive first printing costs through early sales. This also means we are on track to sell out the first printing by Christmas (and break even, so we can finance the second printing!). Bookstore owners are also […]

Thank you for your pre-orders!

November 7, 2012 in Book production by francis

A Distant Prospect – ISBN 9780987435101