1 March 2018 - 'LOVE YA WORK!' by CLANCY TUCKER - TOP BOOK REVIEW

 'LOVE YA WORK!' 

by 

CLANCY TUCKER 

- TOP BOOK REVIEW -

G'day folks,

My latest book, my tenth, has just been reviewed by one of Australia's top book reviewers, Anastasia Gonis, and included on the 'Kids' Book Review' website. Many thanks to Anastasia and also Kids' Book Review for promoting Australian authors. Love ya work!

So, here it is ...

This impressive collection by award-winning author, activist and humanitarian Clancy Tucker, features unpublished short stories and personal anecdotes from his journey through life ‘on the run’. It includes some bush poems that have appeared in previous publications such as Gunnedah Hero.

The stories provoke laughter and tears. They are diverse and full of atmosphere, and draw you into the settings so well-described I felt I was reliving the times. They contain romance, family conflict and resolution, love, and life-changing random acts of kindness by, and to, strangers and others, such as in The Five Dollar Circus.

Many of the true stories are taken from Clancy’s own life experiences, as are the anecdotes that he relays with such confidence and strength of memory, which shows the impact those experiences have had on him. Other stories are simply stories. Each has a specific theme that reflects the human and inhuman side of life.

Clancy has travelled extensively, documenting life through his camera lens, within Asia, the United States and countless other countries. This travel has enriched his life and informed his world view. His experiences are represented in his writing. They reflect his humanitarian attitude and generosity towards others less fortunate. Examples of sharing what you have are represented in stories built with dignity and compassion.

Then there are his bush poems. They are breakers between long and short stories, and anecdotes.

This is a book to pick up and put down at leisure, but not before you have read it all first. It’s entertaining and reflective; thought-provoking and thoughtful. The stories are about life before computers, when things were clearer and unwritten laws on social conduct and manners were passed on to others by example.

Many will cherish this collection which is presented in Clancy’s inimitable style, through his unique way of seeing life, and by writing it as it is. Love Ya Work, Clancy!

BOOK  DETAILS: 

Title: Love Ya Work!

Author: Clancy Tucker

Publisher: Clancy Tucker Publishing $28.00 in Aust. (available in eBook)

Publication Date: January 2018

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9780994601001

For ages: 12+

Type: Short Stories, Poems, Anecdotes

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

BOOK'S BLURB:

Clancy Tucker is an award-winning author, photographer, poet and screenwriter who writes young adult fiction. He has lived in four countries, speaks three languages, has photography published in the USA, photographic work registered with the International Library of Photography, and included in literary magazines. He has also written more than 140 short stories and an anthology of bush poetry.

Clancy’s been short-listed, commended and highly-commended in many writing contests, and had short stories and poems published in literary magazines. He has been a political speechwriter, public servant, farmer and vocal advocate for human rights, social justice and independent authors. Clancy has worked with street kids, currently mentors aspiring writers, and draws on life’s experiences to write stories for young adults.

This is a collection of Clancy’s short stories, bush poetry and anecdotes from a ‘Life on the run’. Many of the stories are based on true-life. So, get in, buckle up and hold on. This book will make you laugh and cry.

 

KIDS' BOOK REVIEW 

Clancy's comment: I'm blushing. But, seriously, if you are keen to read this book, just head up to the right hand side of this page and you can purchase it as a paperback or e-book. Trust me, there will be something in this book that captures you.

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28 February 2018 - VICTORIAN HUMAN HAIR SHRINES

VICTORIAN HUMAN

 HAIR SHRINES

G'day folks,

Here is something that people became involved in during the Victorian era.

 

Meander through enough Sunday flea markets, and you’re bound to come across a Victorian grief shrine every now and again. 

They’re quite hypnotising objects, with their lacquered wood frames and bulbous glass encasing tiny flower-baskets, spindly trees, and elaborate landscapes. Take a closer peak, and you’ll realise you’re looking at a shrine made of someone’s actual hair.

Making shrines and jewellery out of human hair was already a hot hobby in the Victorian age. Exchanging locks of hair with your friend, family member, or lover was as common an act of affection as, say, liking a pal’s Instagram pic today.

Even Napoleon got in on the trend, and requested that his hair be woven into bracelets for his relatives to remember him after his passing. But today, we’re honing-in on the hair jewellery and shrines made in memoriam of loved ones. On that subject, Queen Victoria is a good place to start.

Grief simply set the tone for the final years of the Victorian era in both the present-day European Union and United States. In 1861, the unexpected death of the Queen’s husband, Prince Albert, took an immense toll on the Monarch. Suddenly, grieving the loss of her husband’s death became a second full-time job.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, the American Civil war was under way. To this day, the war remains one of the most intense periods of domestic carnage and loss in the U.S. The act of crafting a grieving shrine out of the locks of a loved one’s hair was not only cathartic, but created a tangible memory of sorts for loved ones lost in battle.

Families would go to great lengths to have craftspeople make up intricate scenes paying homage to their kin, creating heirlooms for generations to come. The act even became a rather competitive game, with each member of the community seeing whose shrine could be biggest.

That’s not to say there were not smaller, more portable efforts made, namely in the form of rings and brooches. According to mourning-jewellery specialist Erica Weiner, “before photography came along, [mourning jewellery] was the main way that people remembered their departed loved ones.

Clancy's comment: Mm ... And then mobile phones and computer games came along ...

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