Available now

Roughly three years after I began writing it, my most important novel so far, I am proud to announce that Love Sick Love, published by Rogue Phoenix Press, is now available to purchase.

Angus has battled an obsession with sex throughout his adult life. Although outwardly a model husband and father with a respectable life and a well-paying job, he has a shameful secret life which he has become highly skilled at hiding.

Cassy is married to Angus and has no idea about his secret life. In fact, with her own worries she has been pulling away from him, emotionally and physically which is making his behaviour worse. Although she does not know it, Cassy is fanning the flames of an inferno which threatens to destroy their marriage.

Lovesickness: the eternal bane of humanity, the inescapable affliction which we simultaneously crave and fear. For Angus and Cassy, already in the thirteenth year of their marriage, the painful journey to true happiness has only just began.

Love Sick Love is a brutally honest and confronting story of love, sexual obsession and hope.

Get your copy here Love Sick Love

Celebrate the small things: three words

I've finally been made permanent at work. There's been a huge improvement in class attendance courtesy of an email blitz (the contents of which may or may not have made references to breaches of visa conditions and notifications to the Department of Immigration). I finished the draft of my new anthology, The Devil Wears a Dressing Gown (I need some beta readers btw, if you're interested), and...

After two years in the writing, a lifetime in the making...novel number five, Love Sick Love, is in the hands of my editor, and will be available in November. The cover has just been finalized, and in case you missed it over to your right, at the top, here it is again.

Just a short celebrate post from me today. Have an awesome weekend!

Building a River Part 2

I have questions about people and relationships, and I attempt to answer those questions by creating characters who are totally believable, and placing them in difficult circumstances. The major concept I wanted to explore with this novel, A Muddy Red River, was what it would be like to have a brother. 

In the novel, my two lead characters, Shane and Rob Archer, are brothers who have grown apart due to their differences. As children these differences were complementary, but in adulthood they are catalysts for separation. Shane and Rob are essentially opposites; two sides of one coin. A Muddy Red River was originally a single point of view narrative but wanting to show how inextricably linked the two men were, demanded I use a dual point of view.

My hope is that the reader will see the importance of relationships, and in particular, the unbreakable ties of brotherhood, and appreciate that reconciliation is never as far away, or unlikely as it may seem.

Building a River: Part 1

A Muddy Red River was originally inspired by a chance meeting which in fact was barely worthy to be called such. In 1990 I was working with a volunteer missionary group called Youth With A Mission (YWAM). I was in Thailand where my team visited a high school in a province whose name I can no longer recall. I may have forgotten that name, but I have never forgotten the name of Jam, a beautiful young student to whom I was briefly and perfunctorily introduced.

Her name, her pretty face and her slender feminine body became the inspiration for A Muddy Red River. I never saw her again, and it was not until ten years had passed that I began to write the story: a handwritten draft about an Australian man who falls in love at first sight with a Thai women after a chance meeting. As most romances are, this tale would be full of drama and difficulty. Chris Cornell's lyrics sum it up nicely. "You fall in love from a great height, now the easy part's over."

The manuscript ran out of steam after four chapters so I shelved it. At that time, I was concentrating on short stories, believing I was too busy to attempt a novel, and very uncertain about my ability. The very short life of A Muddy Red River proved the point, and those first four chapters remained hidden away in a drawer for more than ten years. Until...

W.A.S.

Happy to report a very productive back end to 2014 and marching on nicely into 2015. Lovesick is now 27 chapters strong. I am still, however, wrestling with the story, wondering sometimes what I'm doing, where I'm going. It is much different than anything I have previously written, to the point where I wonder if it will be recognisable as me. Of course it will, and I have high hopes for this one but that's nothing new?

W.A.S.

Lovesick is proving a difficult creature to handle. I finished chapter 15 this morning and chapter 16 is already complete, but it really isn't flowing. I'm attempting something different with this, my fifth novel, experimenting a little with structure, and while I have a strong overall sense of the narrative and a very strong main character (in my humble opinion), it has been tricky to assemble the pieces. I'm enjoying the challenge but it's taking longer than I anticipated. A Muddy Red River which will be available from Rogue Phoenix Press in 2015, was easy to write.

I'm excited to see how Lovesick will develop. I'm also excited to see how readers react. I don't know how much more I have to write. Despite having a chapter outline, my novel, like all novels, is a living thing so it grows and changes, and I go with it. In that way it resembles its author: a work in progress.

We Interrupt This Program

Gripped as you no doubt are by the post nuptial assessment series, I must interrupt it to bring you a W.A.S on my W.I.P. Or in words less acronymonic (new word I just invented), I want to update you on the progress of what will hopefully be my fifth novel, Lovesick. I have now completed 15 chapters and am working on chapter 16. 

I have also made a lot of progress with organisation. Lovesick is being put together in the same haphazard way that Loathe Your Neighbor was which means I need to spend a lot of time concentrating on the timeline. However, I just write chapters as they come to mind. If I have to figure out later how the chapters fit together so be it. I don't have preconceived ideas how about to put my novels together, I just write.

W.A.S.

Assuming most of my regular readers will remember what the acronym W.A.S. stands for, won't help deal with the ignorance, no offence, of new readers or casual visitors. There is an army of Square Pegs fans who storm the gates of hyperspace every morning to see what the great and not at all famous writer, D.A.Cairns has to say.

Sadly but not quite inexcusably, I have been neglecting my fans, and my writing. I've been neglecting a lot of things lately as a matter of fact, due to...let's call it an emotional distraction or two.

This Writing Activity Statement (W.A.S.) is proudly brought to you by...I've been watching too much television. Since the last W.A.S. I have had three short stories rejected, and zero published. I have added barely a paragraph to my novel and I have not written any new short stories. I'm barely a writer. I'm a shadow of a literary craftsman. I'm a vague idea. A long held but inconsistently pursued dream. I'm a bit stuck.

Never mind. It's raining and cold today. Winter has returned uninvited and unwelcomed. Never mind. It's all good. I feel good. How are you doing?

A Big Ask

I want to have a new cover designed for my debut novel, Devolution, and re release it in India. Why India? Much of the action takes place in Mumbai, and the lead female character is Indian. I've found a publisher over there who will publish it and promote the you know what out of it. Big market there. I reckon it will sell, but I don't have any capital to get it off the ground. I know it's a big ask but would any of my supporters/friends/followers like to invest in Devolution?

Check out Devolution right here

What next?

A Muddy Red River will be published by Rogue Phoenix Press next year. I'll have some work to do on the manuscript and cover, and will share the latter as soon as it is available, but it's time to think about the next project. It would be more accurate to say begin the next project rather than think about it, because I have already given it a lot of thought. Since I completed the manuscript, my efforts have been intensely focused on finding a publisher. With that box happily ticked, what will I do now? 

I will write and/or submit more short stories, particularly targeting writing competitions to try to raise my profile. I would like to hit 50 short story credits before my fourth novel is released. I will write another novel. I will try to find an agent. And I will get on with  my study as I'm still falling behind.

Lastly, I will enjoy my work and my play.

Publishing update

The latest rejection of A Muddy Red River said that the there was no problem with the quality of the manuscript but they had reservations about its marketability. We'll see about that. Here's the state of play re A Muddy Red River. I have accepted a contract so now it's time to advise all those other publishers who have been nursing the manuscript, or part thereof, in their laps, or on their desks or ignoring it in their inboxes, that A Muddy Red River is no longer available.

Six publishers liked the sample enough to request the full manuscript. Two of those subsequently offered me a publishing contract. I haven't heard from the others yet. I also received 5 joint venture/subsidy publishing offers which I declined although I am considering using one of them to re cover and re release my debut novel, Devolution, into a large, specific market of readers.

10 publishers rejected A Muddy Red River, and I have not heard anything from 47 others to whom I submitted the manuscript. It is to that 47 that I must now direct my correspondence.

Any of you writers have tales of great rejections? Either in number or character? Anything to share. If not, simply share my joy as my fourth novel goes into production.

A Few Irons

The good news about the offer of a publishing contract for A Muddy Red River, is still being diluted by ongoing struggles in my personal life. I'm also supposed to resume my studies this semester but I have no appetite for further dull academic instruction. I should begin my next novel, after deciding to shelve the one I had already begun, but I can't seem to find my way to that particular door. At least I know where the room is, and I know what's in there. I wish there was a much certainty in my life as there is in my writing. If only it was as easy to do as it was to know.

A Muddy Red River chapter 1

The Themes of the Manhattan Puzzle

The Themes of The Manhattan Puzzle

by Laurence O’Bryan

What has been hidden in Manhattan by the most powerful people on earth?

What would you do to a Manhattan banker who treated ordinary people like slaves?

What magic is buried under Manhattan that allows it to rise again from anything the world throws at it?

BXH Bank building, Manhattan, vehicle entrance visible under the arch.

Image © LP O’Bryan

These are the themes of The Manhattan Puzzle. The story sees Sean and Isabel (my characters from The Istanbul Puzzle and The Jerusalem Puzzle) reunited in Manhattan at the headquarters of one of the world’s largest banks, BXH. There’s been some grisly murders, and now the plot takes a new twist. The contents of the book they found in Istanbul are revealed.

My personal journey with this story grew out of my disgust at the financial crisis that has brought many so low. I am interested in the myths and the beliefs of those who value money above everything.

But The Manhattan Puzzle is about other things too. For instance, what would you do if your partner didn’t come home one night? And what would you think if the police turned up at your door the next day looking for him?

Relationships are under stress everywhere, because of the demands placed on us by our jobs, but few of us will face what Isabel has to face when Sean goes missing.

There is violence from the start in The Manhattan Puzzle too, but the opening has a woman inflicting it on a man. I am tired of reading about men inflicting sexual violence on women. I think it’s time for the handcuffs to swop wrists. And they certainly do in The Manhattan Puzzle. You can download the first chapter here as a pdf. 

But don’t get me wrong. I love Manhattan. It’s a city in a snow globe of dollar bills. So look in your bookstore and on your E-readers and order it too, if you want.

To order The Manhattan Puzzle click here.

Or to visit my website click here.

And thanks for reading this and for buying The Manhattan Puzzle, if you do. I hope you find it entertaining and the themes interesting.

Relief Day

What began in 1998 with a hand-me-down 486 computer, reached another milestone today with the release of my third novel, Ashmore Grief. The book may have been released today but there is no release for me, and neither is there any relief.

The lead up to a book release is an anxious time. More than at any other stage during the process, from genesis of the idea to draft through to publication, the two weeks leading up to release day and the three or four weeks after, are the hardest. I fret. Will it sell? Will readers like it? How do I get more readers? Impatience for success boils within me. Will this be my breakthrough novel? Will I finally burst out of the forest of obscurity into the sun drenched clearing of recognition? I obsess. What else can I do to get noticed? Why don't people respond to e-mails or return my calls? Why did the local book store which hosted me for two previous book signings, have to close down a week before the release of Ashmore Grief? What else can I do to get noticed? Did I mention I get obsessive?

Soon, these intense and distracting feelings will pass but not longer after that I will begin the process all over again. I have been asked why I set myself up for such disappointment and frustration. Some people wonder why I bother, why I put myself through torment. If you are asking that question, I don't think you will understand the answer. On the other hand, some of you will know exactly what I am talking about it, and appreciate precisely how I feel.

Ashmore grief is an entertaining novel: dramatic and confronting, with a sprinkling of wry humour, and an important message to convey. I will be donating 50% of my royalties to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Your purchase will support two good causes. Thank you for reading.

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre is Australia’s leading asylum seeker organisation. We are a multi-award winning, independent and non-federal government funded human rights organisation. We work at the coalface assisting some of the most disadvantaged people in our community.
http://www.asrc.org.au/

Keeping a Lid On It

It's not easy. I began my writing career in 1998 when I was gifted my first computer,(thanks again Darren)and I became familiar, very quickly, with the cycle of submit and be rejected. Editors say things like "we appreciate your interest in the magazine but your story is not quite right for us", "we appreciate the chance to read your story, unfortunately the piece is not for us", "after careful consideration we've decided we won't be able to use your story", and "we read your work but it wasn't a good fit for us at this time." Not all rejections are flat out rejections. Although adding fuel to the fire of frustration, some editors provide encouragement by praising what they liked about the story. They say things like, "Good idea", "well paced", "well written", "I loved the character", "I enjoyed it" etc, and then apologize that they won't be publishing it.I've written 71 short stories and had 11 of them published. That's 11 acceptances out of 252 submissions.

I've also written two novels. The first, Devolution was published as an e-book in 2009. I paid for that to happen and I did not recover my costs through sales. Nevertheless, it was an achievement. I had a product to sell and some supportive friends and family bought copies. Now Devolution is available in paperback and it cost me nothing to produce. It's called "print on demand" and I set it up with CreateSpace. When the proof copy arrived on my doorstep, I was stoked. The book was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. In a couple of weeks, I'll be appearing at the local bookstore to sell and sign copies of Devolution on the back of some publicity, including a feature article in the local newspaper. Like I said, it's not easy to keep on lid on my excitement. These small steps mean everything and nothing much at the same time. You can imagine my anxiety as I think of the in store appearance.

Will complete strangers buy my book? Why should they? Because they like the cover? The blurb? Because they want to support a local author? Will the appearance be a flop, leaving me to walk way with a box of unsold books? All writers have experienced rejection. All writers have had the fear that they are writing for themselves when what they desperately want is readers. Some writers become hugely successful, rich and famous...most writers have to keep their day jobs.I have to keep my day job which is okay because I actually love my day job...but I want to write and want people to read what I write. All I can do therefore, is try, struggle to contain my enthusiasm, keep writing and keep dreaming of eventual success.

review of Good News, Bad news

Good News, Bad News by David Wolstencroft

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Good News, Bad News is a story about a very complicated relationship between two spies, Charlie and George. Author, Wolstencroft paints a dark picture of the destructive nature of duplicity. It makes you wonder about those who lie because they have to, because it's their job to lie. It presents a credible challenge to the idea that honesty is the best policy. Sometimes people are faced with painful and difficult choices about what they reveal about themselves.



On the negative side, I found Charlie a bit annoying occasionally and I wasn't sure at times whether I was reading comedy or serious fiction. Overall, Good News Bad News didn't really grab me and shake me, but I enjoyed it and recommend it.It was a fast paced story with lots of twists and surprises. I liked that, and the slow reveal of back story. I also enjoyed the developing friendship between Charlie and George.







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Review: Hit List by Lawrence Block

Hit List by Lawrence Block

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Having read Hope to Die previously, I expected a bit from this Block novel. Unfortunately I was disappointed. I didn't find the KC, Keller, believable. Perhaps because he was not backgrounded. A killer without a conscience who collects stamps. I just din't get him. A lot of the dialogue, especially between Dot and Keller was trite and boring and a bit try hard, trying to be funny that is. As for Dot, I didn't like her at all.

The narrative kept me interested but it was too punctuated by other stuff and the ending was anti-climatic which I think was a comment of mine about Hope to Die. One thing I did really like and appreciate was the lack of detail in relation to Keller's hits. It made the violence in the novel seem...I can't think of what I want to say. Anyway, overall, not such a good read.



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