Another Impending Publication.

Did I mention I have another story being published in a few months?

I certainly hinted, back here, but I don't believe I have given any further details.

The Lady who Sings to the Dead is set in Australia long after an apocalypse but in a non-technological time. This story occurs in the same world and many years following the events depicted in two of my other stories, The Last of the Butterflies and Fireflies.

I can trace its origins to a tour I undertook many years ago in Port Arthur - a convict colony in Tasmania with a painful and violent history in the most glorious surroundings. Those familiar with Port Arthur will no doubt easily find the connection.

This will mark my fifth publication in Outposts of Beyond, the first since 2014. And it's good to be back. Alban Lake has always been a supportive, encouraging and fair publisher. I look forward to receiving my contributor copy. Keep an eye out for the release date in July.

As for other stories set in this same world? I have a few ideas. Watch this space.

Tasmania.

My wife and I spent the weekend in Tassie - Hobart, to be precise - and we had a fabulous time.

The food and wine was excellent and the weather was perfect. The accommodation and flights were paid for by Jacob's Creek for buying a few specially marked bottles. And there were no complaints there.

We did a lot during our visit. We walked a lot, took a river cruise and visited MONA.

From my understanding, MONA was started by a self-made millionaire (through gambling, of all things) originally to house his own art collection, and then to give back to the community. He employs around 300 people, receives no government funds, promotes the arts and has won numerous tourism awards.

Certain exhibits are quite confronting and not to my taste. Some I considered to be simply shocking for shock's sake. There was enough, however, that I enjoyed to make the visit worthwhile. And it's great to see such a supportive patron of the arts.