Upcoming Event & In the News!
Maplecroft: A Heartbreakingly Beautiful Historical Romance Novel of Love and Betrayal, Based on a True Story
Upcoming Event
If you are local to Gippsland, I’d love to see you at my upcoming Author Talk! There are already some bookings, so be sure to book your spot!
In the News
Featured in The Warragul & Drouin Gazette last week. It was so wonderful to reflect on my indie author journey and the writing and research of Maplecroft!
Flashback
The last time I featured in The Warragul & Drouin Gazette, I wrote an article about our Edwardian home. I adored doing the research for this piece and remain captivated as ever by history and the way we experience place over time.
Maplecroft Spotlight: Austin
An excerpt from Trooper 519, published in Queen’s Quarterly — Winter edition 2020
Trooper 519
Wed 7 Reveille 2:30 through Oliphant’s nek & small scrap, stormed kopje, few bullets, less breath, observation all afternoon, two troops in reserve for flanking… 9 prisoners.
– Austin Moss, Trooper 519, second contingent, New Zealand Mounted Rifles, November 7 1900
Carefully opening the linen cover of the pocket-sized journal, I examine the tiny lined pages that threaten to escape their binding. Recorded in brief dates and phrases, outlining the action or inaction of each day, is the fighting, looting, and conquering of Boer territory, as told by my great grandfather, Austin Moss. Within these pages, I begin to identify the tiny threads, mere impressions, of Austin’s life becoming apparent. Amidst the fighting, Austin’s daily existence largely revolves around marching great distances, reportage of the weather – which seems to have two modes, torrential rain or unbearably hot – the scarcity of provisions and the anticipation of receiving mail. Though at times he employs mild sarcasm – Camped, wonderful, no water – Austin makes little complaint of his daily struggles as a soldier. Indeed, the Boer War and the South African landscape, is what Austin craves. He longs for this at the war’s end when his position in the South African Constabulary offers little opportunity for advancement. He longs for this even after he establishes a life for himself in Canada; his yearning, greater still as that life begins to crumble.
Personally, I wish there was another war. I am not anxious for gore but the ‘air’ here would be all the clearer if a kaffir rising were to take place, there are rumours, but nothing at all definite.
– Austin Moss, April 15 1904
Using authentic letters and journals, I am writing the story of my great-grandfather, Austin Moss. At my parents’ home, there is a room devoted to remnants of Austin’s life, boxes of letters, documents and photographs spread across the full length of a trestle table; rich, authentic accounts in and around the Edwardian era: my great-grandfather's Boer War journal, wills, deeds, family photographs, journals, letters and documents from the Masonic Lodge, official military documents and the most treasured of all, the love letters of my great-grandparents for the entire duration of their courtship, 1905 - 1911. It is both wonderful and overwhelming; standing in the doorway of this designated writing room, looking on to the fully laden table, it is difficult to imagine a finished product. How may I come to know Austin so intimately, to have some hope of writing his story with any kind of conviction?
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This article marks the beginning of my writing of Maplecroft and my ‘way in’ to Austin’s character. The process of reading Austin’s Boer War journal and comparing and contrasting his account with History’s official record is still fascinating to me.
Do you have your copy of Maplecroft yet?
