Such a long time between posts but I have been super busy, writing wise.
A long held desire to write an Anzac story- a verse novel- has been achieved in its draft form. The absolute thrill was to follow along my own grandfather's Anzac journey. a grandfather I never knew.
The research was exhaustive until I found an out of print edition of 'My Corps Calvary' A history of the 13th Australian Light Horse regiment 1915-1918.' And so began an eight month journey through Trove many text books, personal letters until I began a way into my novel.
And here is my grandfather H.W Chambers 141 MM
It was exhausting reacting to photographs, accounts, letters, understanding the world war and also its consequences down to me, a grand daughter.
But I pay homage to the men who willingly enlisted for mother country, to see the world, to show their mettle, to develop mate ship and I also pay homage to the families left behind and who latter dealt with death and the damaged men who came home. I now have a much better understanding of the war, but there is so much more to be explored. But for now, I begin the edits and have acknowledged all my sources and where facts could not be found I put myself into my characters' shoes, in this case Irene a 12 year old and put her on a 1914 farm in central Victoria. The verse novels uses three voices- that was a juggling act to keep each voice distinct- but enabled me to cover a depth of the war through home, overseas and community views.
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