Want to see how a writer writes... LIVE! A short story is created live in front of your eyes.

YouTube story: Watch as the story takes shape: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxmu_ooyrpw

Ever wondered how to write a story quickly and easily. See the YouTube video. Questions? Ask away!

Free ebook for the next 24 hours, kindle only: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OL673RW

Free ebook for the next 24 hours, kindle only:http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OL673RW

A collection of nine stories revolving around the thriller genre. Action, suspense, mystery, horror, adventure, and much more. 

1. Three people are about to have a very bad day. All of them different to the other. All of them destined to come together in a situation of circumstance. 

2. She wakes to the a brightly lit room, her lover’s mouth inches from hers. It’s going to be a wonderful day... Her thoughts are becoming clearer now, and pierce the early morning dullness. But this man above her is not her husband. Her wrists are bound. Her life is in danger. 

3. When is a thief not a thief? When he is backed into a corner and threatened. Then he kills. 

4. The summer sunshine bakes the sandy shore and the face of a newly sculptured man by the small hands of a ten year old boy take shape. Something miraculous happens. The face can see, smell and taste! 

5. When people first appear in the box they are confused. Slowly they come to realize why they have been brought here and their purpose. However, occasionally something goes wrong and the system must back up until that person can be expelled from the metal room and continue the life they were supposed to lead. 

6. My home is a sanctuary. My wife makes me crazy. The people at the door need to die. 

7. He steals and enjoys the challenge. Orphaned on the streets and left in the poorest part of the kingdom city, the boy (almost a young man) has created quite a name for himself within the lowliest of the city’s people. 

8. Beer. He wants more, but he can’t see straight. He also needs to piss. The pattering of urine sings out into the night against the side of a car. In the distance he can hear someone yelling at him. Someone is coming for him. 

9. Plagued by a distinct and frightful nightmare, Joshua is unable to get back to sleep. In two hours he has to get up for work. He tries to sleep again, but the scratching coming from his front door is too scary to ignore.

Free eBook, today only! (keep an eye out for more freebies over the next few weeks!)

Free eBook: Nine 'til 9, short stories. The best of the best! Nine til 9 Short Stories - Kindle edition by Mat Clarke. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Nine great stories that are not for the timid or heart! Enjoy at your own peril :)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OL673RW

Writing Group in Melbourne - The Wharf Hotel

Come along tonight and enjoy the company of writers and other creatives in the entertainment industry.
We meet at 6pm and chat for 2-3 hours. You'll also be able to hear people read out their work from 7pm.
If you're a writer, or even an actor, why not read something out?

Mat Clarke, will be talking about synopsis, query letter, and sample pages, as well as reading out his works.

So come along for this informal chat and drink. Grab a meal there as well if you like. $15 steaks for you meat eaters.

See you there!

Hot sexy stuff!

Get your steamy & sexy side into gear with this new competition:
http://www.stringybarkstories.net/The_Stringybark_Short_Story_Award/Stringybark_Erotic_Fiction_Award_2014.html

Mat Clarke
www.matclarke.wranga.com.au

A few tips from published authors - enjoy!

We are trying our hardest to get an idea to write a story.
We are then trying our damnedest to finish the blasted story.
Later we try to get the energy to edit... then eventually rewrite that story that has now changed into something quite different.
Then, last of all we want that story somewhere that people can read it. Well, it's this last past that is the hardest.

Read on to find out what rules authors set for themselves.

Tips for writers x20:

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/the-rules-of-writing-according-to-famous-writers

Need a publisher?

Black Opal Books, a small publisher is currently looking for submissions and are much more willing to take on new clients. However, they do not pay advances, and advertising from them is limited. Still, they are helpful and transparent in all their dealings. And of course, there are no charges to the author!
http://www.blackopalbooks.com/

Also, here is an interesting little bit about a thriller writer in Australia... not me, someone else, in case you were wondering. He went to NYC to try his luck there. Still sounds like me, but I assure you it isn't. Truely: 
http://thrillerfest.com/success-from-down-under/

Mat Clarke
matclarke.wranga.com.au

An actual proper reply from a literary agent

I have sent my second novel to probably only 10 literary agents so far. My first novel, however has been sent to around 70. Now for the first time out of all my submissions I have finally received a rejection that was not generic! Thanks Saba from Talcott Notch Literary :)

Maybe I shouldn't be that happy that I received a rejection, but I guess it's sort of like yelling out in a public place but no one actually looking like they can hear you. Then, suddenly someone turns around and notices me. Sure, that person said, shutup, but at least I know they saw me.

So here is the rejection as well as the actual email I sent.

I'll let you be the judge regarding Saba's reply.

Cheers
Mat Clarke
http://www.matclarke.wranga.com.au/

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Saba Sulaiman
To: Mat Clarke
Sent: Saturday, 2 August 2014 4:52 AM
Subject: Re: Query, Saba Sulaiman: Citylife, Fiction/Thriller

Dear Mat,

Hi there! Thanks for thinking of me. I'm going to be honest with you: You've got some interesting things going on here, but it's all too vague. What is the premise? What are the stakes? Can the plot of the novel be summarized in 1-2 sentences? In today's crowded market, thrillers will only sell if they have a clear focus that can be easily conveyed, so readers can connect to the story instantly. You're right, I do prefer character driven novels, but there has to be more of a hook for me to be invested in delving deep into any character's psychiatric neuroses. So while your writing has grit, I think you could benefit from thinking about how you want to shape your novel in order to make it more palatable to the current commercial thriller reader.

And -- for what it's worth -- I strongly advise against shifting POVs between the prologue and the rest of the novel. In fact, having the prologue at all is risky, because most editors shy away from acquiring projects with long-winded prologues that prevent them from getting into the narrative immediately.

You seem to have good resources at your disposal, so I have faith that with the advice and support of your peers and mentors, your novel will eventually place somewhere. Until then, continue to persevere, and do not lose hope!

Best,
Saba
 

Saba Sulaiman, Junior Agent
Talcott Notch Literary Services

2 Broad Street, Second Floor, Suite 10
Milford, Connecticut 06460
ph: 203-876-4959
fax: 203-876-9517
ssulaiman@talcottnotch.net
http://www.talcottnotch.net/agents/saba_sulaiman

---

From: Mat Clarke
To: "ssulaiman@talcottnotch.net"
Sent:
Subject: Query, Saba Sulaiman: Citylife, Fiction/Thriller

Dear Saba,

A snippet of my completed thriller manuscript:
    CNN showed a birds eye view of a shopping mall smoldering after being torn apart by an explosion on opening day. The news reporter now stands in front of the rescue crew, his hair whipping about his forehead in the ash laden wind.
    Tingrin knew this had something to do with him, his hungover mind just couldn’t break through the fog. He refocused his eyes from the TV to his hands, the blood was still there. He was sure he had dried them clean moments before...
He gulped down the glass, previously resting on his knee, then poured more and drank more. After some time he set the stained glass back next to the bottle of Jack Daniels on its side, both empty. Finally the blood on his hands was gone.

I chose, Citylife, to be my pursuit toward being published due to it being interesting and different, as well as having what I believe to be a commercial potential. I read through your preferences for reading material and what you represent, which includes psychological thrillers. You also seem to have some preference toward unique plots and narratives. For this reason I think Citylife may interest you.

The story will appeal to adults interested in thrillers with a gritty and sometimes violent setting (not gratuitous). It should interest male readers as well as female, as the main antagonist (female) and protagonist (male) are both strong minded characters.
    The main character is not well in the mind. He believes he is the cause of his team (a private agency hired by the government) being murdered in the field. The main antagonist is a strong female who wants to hurt/kill the main character. Revenge is the motive.

The first ten pages of the manuscript are included within the body of the email.
Full manuscript word count is approximately: 92,000.

Note: The first chapter has been created as a prologue for two essential reasons. First, the prologue is in first person, while the remainder is in third person. Second, the prologue follows the main character as he runs drunken events through his mind. These particular memories have been muddied by guilt, and are not accurate in the least. Instead he has made someone else’s guilt his own.

Similar titles
1) Stephen King - The Dark Half. Not in any way supernatural, instead that there is another side to the main character he himself is oblivious to.
2) Chuck Palahniuk - Fight Club. The main character in Citylife also has issues with his life morphing into another and not knowing what exactly is real.

To assure you that you would be investing in a prolific writer who will persist in getting his best work out to readers, I would like to add that I have completed two other separate novels, one of which is also being sent out to agencies: AWAKEN: A man with amnesia must find answers to his attempted murder.
I have also written short stories as off-shoots surrounding Tingrin’s world.
I have also self published five ebooks.

I run a writing group in Melbourne where we meet and talk writing, as well as write and read out our work.
In my past I worked for pre-press and printing companies for over 15 years in a desktop publishing role, so I understand the print industry side of books and magazines quite well.

If you would like any further information on me, you need only ask. Otherwise, you may wish to search the name, Mat Clarke, online. There should be at least five hits in the top ten.

I am continually striving to market myself and my work using all internet based, paper based, large sign based mediums at my disposal. Websites, writing groups, business cards, social media, printed samples, etc.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my work for representation.

Kind regards,
Mat Clarke
m +61 403 193 785
e matticlarke@yahoo.com.au

-----------

Citylife

PROLOGUE

 

Nights are full of assholes, especially Sundays. They go hand in hand like bourbon in an unwashed cup.

     I wake with its sweet taste on my lips, my tongue numbs as I lick at it, then I get the warm shivers.

     Last night must have been rough.

     I remember a dark naked woman gesturing for more money, while I gawked at her flexing body. Her stilettos moved with all the uncoordinated rhythm of two stray dogs doing the dirty in the middle of the street.

     I did the touch and feel Latin dance on myself while I searched for my wallet but came up empty. All that drink pickled my brain and turned me into a bum.

     Then she wasn’t there anymore. Probably got bored and moved onto some other loser. She was nothing special, just another gyrating girl twirling around a pole, and guys and the odd gay sitting around staring up at the stage looking for a replica of their teeny sweetheart.

     Assholes and Sundays, they really do like each others company.

 

2am.

     Pretty quiet at the bar. It’s getting late and at the same time getting early. The girls jigglings barely make an impression on the twenty or so throughout the room. No college guys, they’ve all headed home to settle the score with a handful of tissues. Bucks parties had moved onto the part where the groom and best man hold each others hand while being sick in the gutter. Or wiping blood from their noses after a fight. Then there’s just guys like me: drunks who can’t sleep.

     I left the bar when the next stripper shrugged me off. She wasn’t so interested in me drooling all over her while she gave me my lap dance. Fair enough, I could hardly see anymore anyway. Sort of like staring through someone else’s eyes and they had already drunk more than I had.

     I mumbled a goodbye to the security out front—who looked dapper in their $50 suits, but they looked the other way, or maybe my imagination that they ignored me. My memory, still foggy, doesn’t feel right. One moment goes into the next.

     I don’t want to forget what happened. If I don’t run everything through my mind now then it’ll be gone for good. It’s almost time for lunch, I’m getting hungry. Also thirsty for my next drink.

     I can still taste bourbon around my mouth where my tongue trails the cracked skin of textured sandpaper. Bourbon sticks to your lips like old tape you’ve forgotten to peal off. Its gummy goo staying behind. I need to rinse my mouth. I get up from the makeshift bed—a brown lumpy couch with a shape of a six foot three thin guy—and balance my shaking legs on the rising and falling of the floor in the lounge.

     Just like all cheap housing the bathroom is the size of a closet and runs off the bedroom. I put my face in front of the mirror. Aged some ten years since last time I stared back. Keeping time was like plucking warm air from the heater and stuffing it into your pockets. Useless.

     For a moment I can’t remember what month or day it is, but I know now, it’s May, late May. The weather should get warmer soon.

     Back to last night; I have to keep running it through my head before I forget what happened. Something important. If I keep moving along from start to finish of what happened, I’ll remember.

     Yellow cars passed me by as I walked the street and tried to stay upright. I could see the security detail were still watching me, probably wondering if I was going to get hit by a taxi. Probably making bets. Would they give me mouth to mouth if I went down?

     One of them yelled out at me. Probably said to look out. Guess they have an aversion to giving me any sort of resuscitation.

     I remember walking into the path of a car but I must have gotten out of the way. No bruises, no cuts, so wasn’t hit.

     Still getting off track. Got to keep thinking about what happened.

     A big contract. Lots of blood. Something about a fire.

     Now I’m jumping ahead. I need to go back.

     The strip joint. What did I do next?

     I tried hailing a taxi, but none stopped, even just to give me the chance to ask for a ride west. These cabbies are all new arrivals. They’re looking to make some cash over here because there’s no work and too many people back in their own country. And that’s how it’s always been. Hasn’t it? People seem to forget that. I forget that.

     I remember looking at my watch. Just before 4am. For a few moments I don’t know where I was or how I got there. That seems to be going around a lot lately. I can even remember looking up and staring around not recognizing the houses or streets. Then being worried about falling down and not being able to get back up again. I saw a house that I thought looked familiar. Man, was I zonked. I didn’t know this place.

     “Idiot.”

     I walked up the driveway and tried the front door, still thinking like a drunk, thinking I know what I’m doing. Of course it was locked. I go around the back. Locked too.

     I finally realize I don’t live here or know anyone here. Nothings familiar. Embarrassing. My brain’s scattered. Even now I can’t think clearly. Maybe I jumped ahead again? Maybe I went there later?

     I remember feeling pretty useless after so much drink. Pretty sick too.

     I turn to my bed and see it’s covered in puke. I guess that’s why I didn’t sleep there.

     My head’s pounding. I lean down to get clean clothes from my lower drawer. Then I stop because my face gets hot and begins to get wet with sweat. I can feel more vomit swirling around in my stomach. That taste comes to the back of in my throat, getting me all ready to puke again. I breathe in like I’m running out of air. My body stops shaking.

     I’m losing my thoughts about... Where did I get to last night?

     I have to remember.

     I made it home sometime in the morning. Not sure when, but it was still dark. I must have managed to get a taxi. My wallet’s empty. That doesn’t mean a lot; probably spent it all on booze.

     I remember the phone ringing after walking in the door.

     Annoying, repetitive.

     Instead of throwing it through the window, I answer it.

     “Hello,” I kind of said.

     “Are you available tonight?” the voice said.

     Damn. Pity it wasn’t that girl in room three on the bottom level. Sometimes she would call to see if I was awake and wanted five minutes of romance. It’s the only reason I answer the phone at that time of night.

     “Yeah,” I told him.

     It wasn’t my regular office job. They wouldn’t call Sunday morning. I wasn’t very good at sitting at a desk at my day job anyway. Everyone at the office were good people though. I always have a laugh or chin wag with them. Still, doesn’t mean I have to like it there.

     “You need to go to New City before light.”

     “Yeah,” I answered. The guy’s all business, so that helped sober me up.

     “Instructions are being sent,” the voice said.

     “Yeah. Yeah, I got it. It’s coming in,” I said reading the information on my phone, “Uhuh.”

     “Good. Make sure it’s done when they first come in.”

     I hang up. No one tells me how I work.

     Assholes and Sundays. They go together like carnivals and creepy clowns.

     I’m back on the street now feeling as sober as I could remember ever being, although was still on cloud nine.

     A guy’s walking toward me. He’s got that look in his eye like he’s thinking of trying something. So I feel around inside my jacket until my hand passes over the polymer handle of my Glock. I’ve got a grip on it. I aim it at him from the waist. He sees it there. His face drops.

     I usher the unhappy fellow into the alley. Take his money—from three different wallets stuffed down his pants. None of them his.

     I don’t like crooks. I tell him this and then break a couple of his fingers. The guy screams so I put the angry end of my Glock to his forehead and he stops. He whimpers. He goes away.

     It’s getting close to six. Cabbies are desperate for fares. One beeps me as he gets close, to get my attention. I wave him over and we get to the newly built shopping centre in short time. I pay the cabbie extra for his driving talent. I pay him a bit more to forget me. Cabbies love cash. They pocket it without a thought. I like greedy people; makes them predictable. This guy would have stayed quiet even if I said I was going to kill his next door neighbor. As long as I gave him enough green.

     It’s not always about money. Some of the people in this life I’ve met I’ve enjoyed plucking from the earth and sending them to the next life. There’s also some that I want to see gone but just haven’t been asked to assert my particular talent upon them yet. I don’t get contracts for government types—strange that. I guess it’s because it’s easier to buy them off rather than kill them.

     I think It’s always going to be money that sets the rules, you just need to know how to play so you can get more money than everyone else. Maybe even enjoy yourself while you’re doing it.

     There I go again, getting off track. Now where was I... the cabbie.

     After paying the cabbie I walked, or probably staggered, to the shopping mall entrance.

     Shares for Randolph Group need to plummet. Stop their next shopping mall from opening on the first day. Casualties preferred.

     Nothing worse than dead people to bring in poor sales. There would be a crowd waiting to get in the doors to grab an opening day bargain. All they would see instead is shrapnel tear flesh from bone.

     Now, what happened next?

     As I think on it I bring my hand up to rub my face. There’s blood. Large, heavy clots of it. Also under my fingernails. That’s not right. I wouldn’t have been anywhere near the action.

     This isn’t good.

     I must have gotten sloppy. Shouldn’t have done the job with no sleep and with more than just a few drinks in my guts.

     It’s coming clearer. I can remember. It was a big job, lots of cash. I should have paid that cabbie more. He may go to the cops. I’ll have to pay him a visit before the cops do and give him more. Cabbies are good that way; predictable. Cops won’t pay cabbies to talk. They also can’t threaten cabbies with what I can if they don’t do what they’re told.

     I’m sort of like Santa that way. If the cabbie’s bad, he dies and I burn his house down, and everyone inside dies. But if he’s good he gets cash. And cash is still king.

     Pants. I need pants.

     Maybe a jog first. I’ll need shorts then.

     I’ll have to eat later. Maybe some celebratory drinks for a job well done... hmm, except for the blood. Almost forgot. Well, no use worrying about that now.

     Today is Sunday, which means back to the office on Monday. Sit behind a desk while some bitch looks over my shoulder and tells me to hurry. Nah, it ain’t that bad. Both my jobs are good.

     The blood on my hands is still annoying me. How did that happen? I was nowhere near it when the place went up in flames and with the black smoke.

     I sniff my hands and it brings back a memory. Smells like cabbie. I remember saying that after killing him.

     I guess he didn’t need the money that badly after all.

     I start to chuckle, but it doesn’t go on long.

     Some other thought is tickling the back of my mind.

     I’m not smiling anymore. My mouth droops like a kid that found his dog dead in the street. I sit slowly down into the couch and look again at my hands. Moments pass but my mind is empty.

     A semi-full Jack Daniel’s bottle is sitting on the coffee table with a stained glass next to it.

     I don’t want to remember anymore.

     In the next moment the glass is half full and It’s tipping past my lips. The warmth of the alcohol rushes over my tongue. The satisfying brown liquid makes its way to the back of my throat.

     I won’t leave the house today. I got plans.

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

Monday morning.

     Tingrin came alert as soon as his eyes opened.

     A soft beam from the low spring sun barely warmed his lounge room. The blurred orb, obscured by thin cloud, rose above the next door neighbor’s homes, just enough so a glimmer of sun shone through his window and past the heavy brown curtains. He shivered, then vomited. Nothing came up.

He slipped out from under the covers that had been draped across his mid section and down to his ankles. He still wore his socks, which poked out from the bottom of his bed. A disturbing smell wafted up from under the covers and made him want to wretch again.

     He stood and walked to his dresser and pulled open his top most drawer. He searched his under clothes, but was unable to keep focus on his hands as they blurred moving from socks to underpants. He closed his eyes for moment, then opened them again and took another moment to focus before remembering what he had been doing in the first place.

     He also found runners, shorts and a T-shirt. He had time for a twenty minute jog before work. Something he had missed out on yesterday due to things best forgotten.

     Once back he would shower, dress and run out the door. Possibly buy breakfast on the way to work. Ending his short commute by train into the grandest city in the world and less windy than some were led to believe.

 

Tingrin found a seat on the half full train, so sat while savoring the feeling of his overworked muscles. He took another bite from his bacon and cheese bun, recently bought from a small shop on his rush to the steps of the raised railway. They had outdone themselves on this occasion; mushrooms and green peppers had been included with the pig meat and mozzarella. Oil drizzled down his hand toward his shirt, which was quickly soaked up by a napkin before it got under his cuff. He held a book in the same hand as his napkin, managing the two tasks at the same time, well enough that his mind stayed engulfed in the story about a man with amnesia on the run.

     Upon finishing his food he turned the page and unscrewed his juice and washed the remainder of the bun still clinging to his teeth, thinking of each morsel as a rat being swept away down a flooded sewer pipe.

     Tingrin idly thought of the killings at the mall and the taxi driver. His actions had been warranted. What was done was done.

     Remorse could occasionally be expected to touch upon a hired gun’s mind—not in an open weep way, over someone lost, but enough so a needle poked him in a tender part of his chest, which would serve to make him remember what it was to be human. This could cloud a professional’s judgment. It was best avoided, lest it get him killed. It could also make it so he couldn’t deliver upon a contract. He wasn’t sure which was worse.

     Contradictory to the news delivered into people’s lounge rooms via their television, no one generally enjoyed inflicting damage on others, more so, they would help rather than harm.

     Yet, were people acting on feelings of empathy? Moral instinct? Or is it just that we have been guided by society ethics? Have we somehow developed a fake sense of morality that instructs us not to hurt others? Would it all fall to pieces if society suddenly collapsed?

     Tingrin shrugged.

Books for sale in bulk

If anyone wants to buy some of the 15,000 books I'm selling, let me know.

$5 each
5 x books for $20
10 x books for $35
20+ books and they are $3 each

Most books are standard popular fiction paper backs, however there are hard covers, children's books, YA, non-fiction, sports, biographies, cooking, etc., as well.

New books are 2 for 1

Also book display shelves for sale

Warehouse is in Ferntree Gully, Victoria. About 25 kms east of Melbourne.
(It's a storage place, not a shop, so let me know if you want to come by)

Mat Clarke

31 free thriller fiction short stories! By Mat Clarke

"31 Odd Short Stories" ebook - now FREE!

Only on Smashwords with this code can you now get this free ebook with 31 short stories.
It covers Thriller, Speculative, Scientce Fiction, Horror, experimental, children's, and much more.

Go to Smashwords now and download onto your computer or hand held device:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/338427?ref=matclarke

**Don't forget to use this code so you get it completely free: DM64C

Mat Clarke
http://www.matclarke.wranga.com.au/

Spaceship called earth

I write and sometimes I research... so then this comes out of me:

We're on a spaceship made of dirt and water and it's traveling at 30kms per second around our solar system. Go team astronaut earth people!
Also, our solar system (with us in it) is traveling around our galaxy at 220kms a second. If you want to look out the window, well, that's called night time.
Imagine if you fell off the planet for a little bit (fell out the window?), you would have to flap your arms heaps and heaps to catch back up!

Mat Clarke
http://www.matclarke.wranga.com.au/

Sunny winter day in Melbs - bands and AFL - Elsternwick!

Great day to be outside!!
Elsternwick Community cup today!
AFL game between band members and DJs.
Also live music!

http://www.meetup.com/Melbourne-City-Adventures/events/189551302/

Go to jail!

The old Melbourne Gaol (jail) is now taking writers.
It's a place to work right in the CBD.
Yes, you have to pay, and not in the way of you doing the crime and paying the fine. Instead, it will be your office!

"The National Trust Cells for Writers is a way of inspiring and engaging with the Victorian writing community through our rich built, natural and cultural heritage. The project will contribute to the vibrant artistic community of Melbourne by offering spaces to writers in which to work uninterrupted on their manuscripts. Writers will be housed in a cell with just a chair, table and their imagination. - See more at: http://writersvictoria.org.au/help-for-writers/writers-studios/cells-for-writers/about-cells-for-writers#sthash.CpVTFGa9.dpuf"

More info here: http://writersvictoria.org.au/help-for-writers/writers-studios/cells-for-writers/about-cells-for-writers

How to fix India

It seems that with that many people and that much land and that much money, India should be able to turn the country around and give the people a better way of life. I did a search online and found a few things that made sense and could actually work, if people could be convinced that morals are important to them as money
.
The following excerpt is what made the most sense. And it is a great idea for all countries!

"When Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the AK Party came to power, the country was ruled by military elites, and regular people had to lump it. But Erdogan decided to change the country's political and economic future by changing the mindset of its leaders.

On assuming power, Erdogan moved into a two-storey house in downtown Ankara and ruled that all ministers and members of Parliament ought to live in their own homes. In a speech delivered at the Turkish Parliament he argued, “If you want to be representatives of people, you must live and work with your people.” He then proceeded to take away other privileges they enjoyed.

He followed it up by calling in people from the construction business and asking them to reduce invoices he reckoned were inflated or face being blacklisted for all government projects. He also made it clear that any compromise on quality, durability or deadlines in building roads, dams or other projects with public money would attract severe penalties.

He then moved to provide special grants to the poorest and incentives to small businesses in an attempt to provide a fillip to the rural economy. He issued orders that his government focus on education in the most backward provinces of Turkey. Five years was all it took to effect a transformation.
by Jason Overdorf"

Alternative to RACV Roadside Assist

Sometimes I write, but it isn't about writing. This is one of those times.

RACV have been there when I needed help with my car quite a few times, however they are not the best when explaining details. I wrote them and told them of my issue with a particular roadsaide assist which cost me $150 tow-time, but they didn't seem to concerned about it, or that I felt duped. At any rate, I have removed myself from their insurance scheme and will be removing myself from the roadside assist program shortly as well.

The best ones (and cheaper options) are these (Australia Wide!):

http://www.aac.com.au/Member-Benefits.php
Seems very good, but you can only cover a fairly new car.

https://www.roadsideassistance-1.com.au/?page_id=244
Seems best for me right now due to my car being a 1998 model. Heaps cheaper than RACV as well. Under $60.

Bye bye RACV, thanks for the memories, but I wouldn't have gone looking elsewhere if you hadn't done the following:

(If you don't want to read the whole thing, it is basically me requesting a partial refund because I was not aware how far from home I was and so did not expect a $150 bill. I did not realise I needed to pay the money immediately upon arrival at the destination, if I had I would have had the driver stop at an ATM. And I did not realise that there would be a surcharge for paying by card over the phone. If this had all been explained to me and they gave me an estimate on cost of the tow, then I would have made other arrangements. They did not see it my way and instead said: We understand what you are saying, and we'll look into it, but bad luck there chum!)

Recently I was in need of emergency roadside assistance (Friday 18th April). In this case my car could not be fixed on the side of the road, so needed towing. My car was parked near the corner of Keilor road, where it turns onto another road, also called Keilor Road (same road, just not a straight through road) in Niddrie. From here there are a few routes that may be taken and differ slightly in distance. I assumed I would be taken along the shortest route, considering the distance and the amount I would have to pay once I traveled past the 20km free limit. The difference may have been only around 5kms, but it makes a lot of difference to a low income earner. Could you please review the route taken by the driver (or the distance as it was logged by the driver), and consider a refund of the difference if you have also found the kms excessive. Thank you.

In addition, some advice for the future, if you enjoy customer satisfaction: I was not sure how far I was from home, although knew it was over 20kms. My guess was 35kms, and I had guessed how much it would cost in that case. So when I arrived at my home and had to pay $150, I was very surprised. I was not expecting such a large amount. I believe that an estimate should have been given by the driver or RACV representative on the phone, this would then helped me avoid “bill shock”. Even if the driver or RACV representative made an estimate, then added 10% as a buffer, this would have prepared me for the possible cost I would have had to pay.

Further, the fact that I had to pay on the spot was not told to me until I was at home. And I certainly did not have that amount of money on me. If I had have known that I had to pay upon reaching the destination, I would have asked the driver to stop on the way so I could withdraw money. Instead, I paid by credit card and was slugged with a $5 fee. Talk about kicking me while I was down. That’s how it felt at the time - especially after going through the ordeal of my car breaking down etc.
This sort of information should be relayed to the customer so that they can make an informed decision (this is regardless  of whether it is in the “fine print” of the RACV conditions. Although, as I mentioned, this is only if customer satisfaction is important to RACV).

A nicer option would be that a bill is sent to the customer within the next week, and is able to be paid the same as other RACV bills.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my requests and feedback. Please keep me updated on the development of your findings.

Writer meet in Melbourne Tuesday night!!

Tuesday the 29th from 6pm at the Wharf Hotel (also every fortnight therefore after):

Maria has just self published her book, 

"Everyday Stories from Ten Remarkable Women"

Maria will be here tonight to talk to us about her book and the process she has gone through to get it to the public.  An important night for those of you who also wish to self publish one day!

We have a Meetup sign on the table to find us. Also you can ask at the bar for the Writers Group. Or I can give you my mobile number if you prefer. 

From 7pm-7.30pm you can read out or show off your work to the rest of the group (for up to 5 minutes). You can ask for feedback - others may freely give it. Please leave a note in the comments below if you wish to read out or show off your work. Also, remind your event host on the night. Thanks

Come on out and meet some like-minded folks who enjoy writing and other entertainment and creative outlets. We'll hang around until at least 8.30pm, but often later. 
Wharf Hotel membership for cheaper drinks and special deals: 
http://www.myguestlist.com.au/mgl/showForm.php?id=515af90ea60e7

Writers group Melbourne

For anyone in the Melbourne area who writes, reads, or wants to write or read more, or even just likes to be around creative people, come along to the Wharf Hotel in Melbourne at 6pm on Tuesday the 15th of April: http://www.wharfhotel.com.au/
Here is the link to RSVP: http://www.meetup.com/The-Melbourne-Writers-Meetup-Group/

There will be chatting, drinks, $15 steaks if you're a meat eater, and people reading out their work.
Noel Anderson, director, writer, actor, will be reading out some of his work from an upcoming performance, which is a Audrey Hepburn musical.

We meet every second Tuesday and once a month on the weekend. So come and say hi! We're a friendly bunch of people happy to talk to new people.

See you there!

Mat Clarke
http://matclarkeauthor.wix.com/novelist

AUDREY HEPBURN AND I CONSIDER OUR ASSETS

A MUSICAL ABOUT FAMILY, THERAPY, HOLLYWOOD & FALLING OUT OF LOVE
Book by Gaylene Cabris, Noel Anderson & Cerise de Gelder
Music & Lyrics by Geoff Main

https://www.facebook.com/pages/AUDREY-HEPBURN-AND-I-CONSIDER-OUR-ASSETS-A-new-musical-made-in-Melbourne/743570852322121

Description

AUDREY HEPBURN AND I CONSIDER OUR ASSETS

SYNOPSIS
Audrey Hepburn and I Consider Our Assets is a musical about Liz O’Sullivan, a struggling thirties something suburban girl growing up in Melbourne in the late 1960’s and 70’s. Liz has been brought up by her adoring parents as if she’s the star in a Hollywood movie from the Golden Age. Surrounded by the voices in her head and inner turmoil, Liz cracks under the pressure of the endless chatter telling her who she is and what she should be. Her movie-mad parents, aunts and uncles, offering only visions of life that come straight from the silver screen. Lonely and scared, Liz jumps on board a merry-go-round of part-lovers trying to find a real man but instead finds Len, a simple man, who wants nothing more than marriage, children and a wife. What should she do? Is marriage really the answer? Maybe therapy will help her get away from all the responsibilities of her life? So with the help of Rod, her overbearing good looking therapist, Liz must drive out the voices and ‘do the seeing’.

Audrey Hepburn and I Consider Our Assets is a funny, lyrical and moving musical about family, the importance of idols, and the value we place on appearances. And, how sometimes delving beneath the surface can unearth an unexpected guardian angel.

Audrey Hepburn and I Consider Our Assets is a funny and probing exploration of one woman’s journey to selfhood and self-acceptance.

Reviews based on the original play
“Like Dorothy Hewitt’s ‘The Chapel Perilous,’ Audrey and I explores a broad canvas in a way that is not didactic but funny, accessible and very real”
– Sue Ingleton (actor/playwright/director)

“Gaylene’s work is so beautiful, so honest – and so brave.”
– Kerry Armstrong (acclaimed Australian actress)

“This play would make a great musical”
• Wolf Heidecker (award-winning director and producer)

“I loved this play – it’s very, very funny, very clever, and well-written. Entertaining, delightful”
• Linda Gibson (comedian)

Biography
GAYELENE CARBIS (Writer) is an award-winning playwright, poet, fiction and non-fiction writer whose work has been performed and produced in Australia and overseas, including Athens, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Ireland, Oxford and New York. After touring Regional Victoria in 2011, Gayelene's play This Is What Happened toured Asia in 2012, including George Town Festival in Penang. Gayelene is dramaturg/script consultant on the opera libretto Confined (by performer Tammy Brennan) which has had showings at the Arulean Theatre (Alice Springs), Legs on the Wall (Sydney); and will be performed in India in 2013. In 2012, Gaylene was awarded a scholarship for a five-week Residency at Banff in Canada and read her poetry in Canada and New York. In 2011, Gayelene was selected for the Librettists Workshop with Chamber Made Opera. Gayelene's plays include: Crossing The Bridge (La Mama), Women Men Nazis and Trucks (La Mama), Disconnected (Fitzroy Gallery, Edinburgh Festival), Ode To Death (La Mama), Going Out Tonight (Butterfly Club, Wesley Anne), and Cunversations (Theatreworks). Acclaimed actress Kerry Armstrong has expressed interest in performing Gayelene's work in a one-woman show. Gayelene is currently writing a new one-woman show for Clara Pagone. Gayelene's play for her Masters in Creative Writing (Melbourne University) achieved First Class Honours and she has now applied to do the VCA Masters in Writing for Performance in 2013.

NOEL ANDERSON (Co-Writer & Director) completed NIDA’s Playwright Studio 1996 and also trained at Stella Adler Studio (New York), The Gate Theatre (London), Independent Theatre (Sydney) and Brisbane Academy of Music. He has worked as an actor, director, writer throughout Australia, his written work includes: Germ Warfare, Circles and The Carer which played at Sydney’s Belvoir Street theatre. Noel's strictly adult play, Sammy & Dave, which he also directed, played to packed houses at the Stables Theatre (Sydney), and ran for 3 months. In 2001-2002, Noel’s children’s play Kylie Kastle Throws a Party was performed in hundreds of schools across the country by Troubadour Theatre Co. As director & dramaturg, Noel worked on Kingdom - an Australian musical based on the King Arthur Legend and also The Other Half, a TV pilot for Beyond Films. Noel assistant directed on the first ever Aboriginal sitcom produced on SBS TV called The Masters, and counts Sylvia Plath’s play Letter’s Home at Belvoir Street Theatre among his best directing work. In 2004 -2006, Noel worked on a feature film script, Adult Services and a new play, Moonshot, about the American Lunar landing. But, needing adventure, he packed up and moved to Melbourne where he directed Dark Angels with Pop Diva Katie Underwood (Bardot). In 2008, Noel’s short play "Pulling Out" won Midsumma’s Pink Shorts Festival and Noel's production The Water Sellers at Dante's was awarded Best Director by the Monash Theatre Festival. In 2013, Noel's written work was performed in the show Love Letters at the Melbourne Arts Centre and his play Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes of Fame played to full houses at La Mama, Courthouse. Other directing work includes: Oliver (The Gold Coast Performing Arts Centre), Friday Night in Town, A Fitzroy Romance, Blowing Whistles, Australia Dot Com (Melbourne Comedy Festival) and Especes Menacees (performed in French) for the Melbourne French Theatre Company. Festival credits include : The Sydney Gay Mardi Gras, The Sydney Olympic Arts Festival, The Sydney Film Festival, and The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

CERISE DE GELDER (Co-Writer) has had plays performed around Australia, in the USA, New Zealand, Canada, India, Malaysia, Dubai and the UK, on stage, film and radio. Since 2004 she has been a regular participant in Melbourne Writers’ Theatre seasons, Williamstown Little Theatre Play Six, Walking Into Bars productions, Baggage Productions Madwomen Monologues, the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Flinders University Drama Department productions, and Short and Sweet festivals around the world in both theatre and cabaret. Her plays have been performed by local theatre companies all around the country, and have won several national playwriting awards, including Noosa Arts Theatre One-Act Playwriting Competition (Man Of Snow), the Dogwood Playwright Initiative Radio Play Competition (Squeaking In Tums) and Kew Court House Arts Association National Playwriting Competition (Snap). In both 2007 and 2008 she was named Writer Of The Year at Walking Into Bars’ Crash Test Drama. Full-length productions have included A Narrow Time For Angels (two week season at The Storeroom), Searching For Comets and A Narrow Time For Angels, The Musical (Wishing Well Productions, Midsumma Festivals), The Umbrella Plays and Just Douglas (Accidental Productions, Adelaide Fringe Festivals), and a MWT season at La Mama First George and Then Sally and The Cherry Umbrella. Her next production is Beyond Sky There Be Dragons (Melbourne Fringe Festival) and she is currently collaborating on three new musicals.

GEOFF MAIN (Composer/Lyricist) - Geoff's writing career started in his mid 20’s when he wrote a one act musical for a Melbourne local theatre company. Shortly after he moved to Toronto, Canada where he became a radio producer/director for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) creating national and provincial programs. His most well known work was Radio Noon and Sunday AM. After more than two years with the CBC, Geoff joined the Victoria Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, England as a stage manager. Here he worked with their resident playwright , Christopher Bond, who was currently acting in his play “Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Chris’s play was later adapted by Stephen Sondheim into the well known musical. In 2003, with Renn Barker, he created and developed the musical play “Face A New World”, writing the 17 songs in an integrated style. A CD was produced with arrangements by John Grant .

New Google Maps on your computer - slow, clunky, lack of control

I won't rant on about this "update" too much, because I think everyone already has.
I use Google Maps for book research as well as getting around my area and other cities. And now I've gotten used to using it I don't want there to be less options. Happy enough with more, but don't take things away!
My main issue is that we don't have a choice. I tried the new way for a while then turned it off (when there was a choice). Now that there is no choice, I want my money back! Oh wait, I didn't pay anything.
I guess that's the thing in the end, it's free so they can pretty much do what ever they want. Annoying, but true.
First annoying thing about the new Google Maps: It takes quite a while for things to happen. I'm not big on the special things new programs can do where they fade in and genie up or whatever. I would rather the bare brass kind of program. Gets the job done and quickly!
There is also the annoying issue with not being able to drag the little orange person to where you want it to go once you dropped it. However, you can click where you want it to go, so sort of works. But then there is the issue of the map being too small and that there is no "pin" to show you where you were.
Follow me? No? Nor does the little orange person. Let me try to explain.
Once you drop the orange person, the map does that special drain swirl thing (while I grind my teeth waiting for it to finish) and then shows the street view. Great, but I want the map bigger so I can see where I am because I don't know this part of the city.
Nope, sorry, what you see is what you get.
Fine, whatever. I'll just move the map around or drop the orange person in different places so I can see where I am and where I want to go or search around.
You can, but once you start moving around the map you will notice that your "pin" for the address or area you were checking out does not show up in that map. You have to go back to the full map and start over.
Sigh. Close program and forget about it.

P.S. They are letting you change back to the old Google Maps. Maybe I'll change back again once they fix the problems.
 Maps: https://support.google.com/maps/answer/3045828?hl=en

Words come easily, just not when dating

Words don’t fail me when writing, nor does it happen when talking (generally). That doesn’t mean I do or say or write the correct thing when it leads up to or comes to a date.

Everyone travels along the dating path at some stage in life. Then the successes are decided depending on what the dating pair intended for the outcome to be.
Fling?
Long term?
Fun?
Tester?
Friends?
Friends with more?
Many times what you are searching for is not what your dating partner wants. Not that this matters, because they may play the game and nod to whatever they think they should agree with, and shake their head when otherwise required. This added to an observation or funny anecdote and suddenly the date is being wooed without them both actually being on the same wavelength. Either way, your words and the way you hold yourself will determine what result is eventually achieved.

Meek: Maybe you decide on the old proverb, “open your mouth and crap may come out.” Don’t quote me on that being exactly correct, but it’s the general gist.
The result of this can give your date the idea that you can not make decisions, do not have original ideas, you’re shy, you have something to hide, and finally that you might be like this all the time and will therefore be awkward to be around in the extended future.

Happy: Generally this is something I can associate myself with. And I think happy is best.
However, it can also take on some of the other three dating classes listed here. Laughing at every joke can be bad, especially when a joke wasn’t made. Smiling at your partner until it becomes creepy. Or seemingly drunk when you have only been sipping on a hot chocolate. A meek smile can only be pulled off by the most genuine person.

Confident or arrogant: Females and males can fall into this area. I have never experienced a date with an arrogant or confident male, of course, but friends of mine have. Confidence can be very good, but hard to make yourself take on that persona, plus there is a line that you can’t see but your date can and will turn off as soon as you cross it.

Clown: Juggling, card tricks, showing how you can stand on your head. I think these are all great things, but that may also show why I am still single.

What about online dating. Emails. Profiles. Crazy internet weirdos. This also makes you wonder about internet etiquette, but more about that at the end.

Profiles: What to put in there? Can it work? For a small minority I think it can, but once you have a smorgasbord of people at your finger tips as well as their private information they had to think long and hard about, you start to either become more picky, or already have your doubts about anyone who needs the internet to find someone.
Most people will go by the pictures and only read the profile information as a follow up.

Some examples of not so good pictures:
Pictures from a failed marriage would not be a good idea to include. Maybe a picture with a tiger or monkey? Selfie in the mirror? A picture with no top on or less clothes than you would go outside with?
Heard it all before?

If you’re potential date is still deciding, they may read through your profile and see if you both have something in common. Mostly they’ll say no or close your profile and come back to it before the end of the day and then decide no anyway.

Who am I?: It’s not often we have to take a look inside ourselves and then note down what we find.
Most will talk about their personality, hobbies, what they do with friends and what person they’re looking for. And that’s probably the best advice.
EVERYONE says they are down to earth and love their family and friends. And if you like to be like everyone else, feel free to do the same.

Emails: Tricky. Very tricky also if you like to kid around. You may get caught out where a person doesn’t know your kind of sense of humour, or just wasn’t expecting it. Or, you just may not know how to get your joke across properly and may end up insulting your potential date.
You also don’t want to come off sounding bland, so just sticking to the facts about yourself and the weather may push the person away and have them thinking you’re a passionless robot.

Who are you?: You may not even know who you are looking for: A person with four limbs is preferred, but not essential, can talk at least a bit, and can pay for his own drinks or meal.
If you get too picky you may be left behind while everyone else snags a person. Tough line, but the thing is that you can never learn who a person is by reading a profile, reading an email, or even meeting a person on a date knowing that you’re both being severely judged. And if you say or do one wrong thing, or don’t do what your date expected or wanted you to do, you will be scratched off the list.

At least before the internet you would get to know someone at a bar or at a friends gathering for a few minutes before suddenly realising you could ask this person on a date. You also got to see how this person interacted with others. This gave you a great idea on what type of person they were.

Internet dating etiquette. Are there rules? What are they? Do we care?
Yes, there are some rules to follow. No you are not allowed to be an asshole because a person is not face to face with you. Yes, you do have to be respectful and realise their time is as valuable as your own. (Please feel free to add to this list as well as disagree with any already on this list:
1) Reply! It’s only common decency.
2) Don’t get in touch if you don’t like replying to emails.
3) Don’t get in touch if you don’t like meeting your dates. If you prefer to only email, you may want to find a pen-pal.
4) First date is not really a date, so best to go with a drink or cuppa, not a meal.
5) Paying for the drink or cuppa should probably be by each individual. However, the person who paid to contact the other person may deserve a free drink? Still, old customs such as the guy paying for everything is hard to overlook.
6) You don’t have to pay for both drinks if you are not interested, only your won.
7) If you do decide to dine together, then paying half each may make you feel better if you do not intend to see that person again.
8) Profiles and emails are not the same as a person in real life. Get to know them again once you meet in real life.
9) 30 min to 90 mins is fine for a first date.
10) Don’t ask 20 questions. It’s not an interview. Talk about things you would normally do so with friends. If you like someone you already know everything you need to know. The rest will be found out organically and over time, like it was before the internet.
11) Treat others how you would like to be treated. That should be a given. Still, when you act, think about how you would feel if someone else acted that way to you.
12) Don’t roll your eyes.
13) We all have baggage, it’s normal, so try not to show all your “crazy” on the first date. Spread it out so you sound normal.
14) Don’t judge. A person may be very different from their profile, emails, and when you first meet. Shyness is something that is eventually overcome. So is awkwardness. If you’re a nice person, you will help them through this shyness instead of shun them. Your reward may be a very nice and giving partner.
16) If you are after sex and not much more, it’s ok to put it in your profile. Then you’ll find each other much more easily. Then people who want a relationship can find each other more easily too.
15) Reply to emails/messages!

Give me money!

I know I mentioned this once before, but once more can't hurt.
I know it's hard to have cash and do the things you want to do. For me, it's writing novels and children's stories. So hopefully I can help you buy giving you information on making some safe money.

If you've wondered where to trade the US dollar (and other money) and heard about people making money when the US dollar goes up (or down), you can try it out on this site even if you don't know what you're doing. You just type in the amount, hit GO, then wait to see if the dollar changes, then hit sell when it does.

Most people in the past have put in $1,000-20,000 so that they make more money when the dollar changes. But if you want to put in $10, that's fine too. To work out how much money you make, say that if you put in $100 and the dollar changes 5 cents, then you make $5. $1,000 and you make $50. $10,000 gets you $500, etc.

Good thing is that if you're unsure, then you don't even have to use real money to start with. You can use the practice part of the site and test if you will actually make money. There are other trading things you can do on there, such shares etc. So might be worth your time to see if you can make some cash each day when you're just watching TV anyway.

Most of the time there is an extra bonus thing you can get when you sign up, so in the area, "How did you hear about us", type in "Mat Clarke" so you get the bonus. http://tradedirect365.com.au/

Awaken, A Novel Squeezed Down to Just 5 pages. Free!

To write a novel is a challenge.

To edit it well is art.

To have it published is where the fun and anguish begin.

Enjoy a novel which has been beaten and molded into a short, yet, exciting brief of what takes place in the small town of Kinglake, Victoria, Australia. Then extends to San Francisco, New York and the world of bioengineering, agents, greed and loss.

Blurb:

A man wakes up in the middle of the wilderness covered in cuts and bruises, wearing only runners and shorts. Not sure of how he came to be there, he sifts through broken memories to recall just one fact: he works for a bioengineering company on viruses, not harmful, but beneficial viruses. His only problem is that rival companies and government agencies will go through anyone to steal it.

Download for free:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/412361?ref=matclarke

Trade online and make money with a beginners website! (also more than accommodates experts too)

Interested in trading on the stock market to earn extra money?
Maybe you want to trade the US dollar and make money that way?
Not sure how to do it and worried about losing what has taken so long to save?
Well there's a website that makes it easy and safe to trade. Also, it teaches you how to do it using a DEMO ACCOUNT, so you don't even need to spend anything while you get up to speed.

http://tradedirect365.com.au/
If you want a special deal (where available) upon signing up, just mention, Mat Clarke, in the area: How did you hear about us?

Why this one?
You won't get ripped off with high fees etc.
The trading platform can be used simply by beginners, but has the capacity to accommodate experts as well.
Security is paramount, that's why all client funds are held on trust with Westpac, a 1 AA rated Australian bank.
Lastly, the site is run by an expert in the field, my brother :) Davin Clarke. Google him, find out for yourself and see!

Write with the help of writing games. Tips on writing, editing and being published.

How could a jumble of words with a little punctuation become something that’s interesting to read?

Is it a gift from the gods? Something only the highly educated can produce? Or maybe anyone can do it?

If you want to know if YOU can achieve your writing goals, then why not have a play around with some words and sentences using my writing games. All tested many times on willing subjects from my writing group.

Over 60 games/exercises to get you writing straight away.

Learn to write creatively in a fun and explorative way.

Tips on becoming a better writer is included as well.

Do you want to become a writer?
Do you have a story in you that wants out?
Maybe you like to dabble in writing or keep a blog?
Maybe you like the idea of writing but never get past the idea stage?

If any of the above sounds like you or your writing interests, then you will enjoy reading this book and trying out the many writing games within: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/403974?ref=matclarke

The great thing is you don’t even have to do these on your own. Try them with a friend. Read the stories out to each other as soon as they are written (with no editing - you’ll be surprised at how well you do).

Post them online for others to read once they have been edited. The Story Mint Writers Pad is a great place for you and other writers to do so.

Don’t be shy, it’s only words on paper or a screen. Jump in and enjoy yourself!

50% off
Coupon Code: SB96V
Expires: March 12, 2014