Update

I shrivel when I realize how long I have been writing this novel. Finally up to chapter 8 - yes, Rick is getting married for the second time to Fran. Fran has a personality similar to his first wife. Disaster!

Fran tells the story from now on. I will change back to Rick, but don't know when just yet..Goldie.

Update

Hullo - Slowly, slowly does it. I'm up to chapter 7...Goldie

Update

Life gets busy doesn't it. This novel is taking forever. Time is the problem as most of us would know. There's been other writing going on. I've just finished a crime story - a Whodunit - for a collection of crime stories written by members of Fairfield Writers Group - Queensland Group - Queensland (the group I belong to). It should be published around about May of this year. This is the fourth book that Fairfield Writers Group has published.

In the meantime I'm going to plug along with Disaster the Second Time Around and try to make good progress....Goldie

An Excerpt from my Novel

Rick Carmichael is in trouble. A decent man married to the wrong woman. This is a story filled with passion, love and hate, family problems, theft, murder and hope...

Here is a sample from the first chapter -

Rick’s life is in shreds like a curtain that has hung at a window for too long. His marriage to Sophie is finished, for good. For five years Rick has tried to make the marriage work.

     In the beginning they were happy, but as time went on, he was the only one working at the marriage. While Sophie had her own way and didn't have to do anything, their life was peaceful together. As time went by he became more and more resentful and angry.

     They have two children in this tumultuous marriage. A boy, Shane who looks like Rick with brown hair and eyes and olive skin, and a girl, Casey, who is as fair in colouring as her mother.

     Rick's mother had warned him at the beginning of his relationship with Sophie. “She’s a bit high and mighty for the likes of our family, Rick. You jolly well better be careful of that one,” she had sniffed.

     “Yeah, yeah, Mum,” he had replied, thinking that she did not know what she was talking about and that mothers are always possessive of their sons.

If only he had listened to her he would not be in this situation now and he would not be facing bankruptcy. He could feel himself sinking down, down, down into the black abyss of depression. He cannot sleep at nights, is constantly anxious, and is drinking too much.

     One afternoon as he is packing up his tools to go home, Rick has a call on his mobile from the bank manager about their mortgage. This was not the first time he has called. Rick has been on edge for months wondering how he can ever catch up on the payments. Sophie keeps on spending even though she knows that financially they are close to bankruptcy. When Rick approached her about pulling back on her spending Sophie airily told him, “It was his problem and to go build another house.” He has in fact built a lot of houses in the time Sophie and he have been married, but there never seems to be enough money to keep up with her spending no matter how hard he works.

     The bank manager had been pleasant, but firm.

     “I’m sorry Rick, but if you can’t catch up on your payments, the bank will have to foreclose”

     “Please give me one more month,” he had pleaded. “Just one more chance and I’ll do my best to find the money.”

     Reluctantly, the bank manager agreed.

     Rick asks his parents for help.

     “I’m sorry, Son,” his father had said. “We don’t have that kind of money to lend you and how would you ever pay us back if you can’t manage now. Perhaps Sophie could get a job?”

     “That’s not likely Dad,” Rick had answered feeling like he was about to throw up.“

     Eventually the bank foreclosed. He was declared bankrupt and they have

 been evicted from their home.