Manuscripts - Long and Short Stories
There are many things I really love and among them is history. I have a passion for early Australian history, late British history, Roman history, Egyptian... well, anything older than 100 years (I'm almost history myself!). From that passion arose a story that I first wrote as a TV series - 1905. From there and knowing that my TV series would never be produced, I re-wrote it as a manuscript for a novel and, from that, I broke it down to a series of short stories.
The first full-length manuscript is titled Cut on the Bias; the second Along the Weft and the third, still at the embryonic stage, The Broken Loom - but none has anything to do with weaving 😁.
The long-form stories follow the life of an Australian bastard colonist from 1874 to 1905 and the violent events that led from innocence to murder and ultimate redemption.
The first novel begins in 1905 and intertwines a series of events from 1874 in flashback. The second follows on in 1905 with repercussions from events in the Middle East in 1885 told in flashback. The third will see the past of 1874 catching up.
The first full-length manuscript is titled Cut on the Bias; the second Along the Weft and the third, still at the embryonic stage, The Broken Loom - but none has anything to do with weaving 😁.
The long-form stories follow the life of an Australian bastard colonist from 1874 to 1905 and the violent events that led from innocence to murder and ultimate redemption.
The first novel begins in 1905 and intertwines a series of events from 1874 in flashback. The second follows on in 1905 with repercussions from events in the Middle East in 1885 told in flashback. The third will see the past of 1874 catching up.
Full-length Manuscripts
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"Cut on the Bias" was a Second Rounder, Launch Pad Prose Writing Competition 2021(https://tblaunchpad.com/announcing-the-second-round-of-the-2021-launch-pad-prose-competition-1/)
and again a Second Rounder, 2023 Launch Pad Prose Competition 7th Annual ...always the bridesmaid...😢 |
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NEWS...NEWS...NEWS...NEWS...
2025 Will see the publication of the first novel, Cut on the Bias... woo-hoo!
August is the expected release date so keep tuned!
Meanwhile, only the short story, "Lady Katherine" will remain available to read here.
I hope you enjoy it.
August is the expected release date so keep tuned!
Meanwhile, only the short story, "Lady Katherine" will remain available to read here.
I hope you enjoy it.
Pre-release
THE FIRST BOOK IN THE BASTARD COLONIST SERIES
Due for release August 2025
Cut on the Bias
Memoir of a Bastard Colonist
Volume I
A Novel by Susanna Isa Bonaretti
“I killed seven men so far; another four would make no difference. They each deserved to die.”
THE FIRST BOOK IN THE BASTARD COLONIST SERIES
Due for release August 2025
Cut on the Bias
Memoir of a Bastard Colonist
Volume I
A Novel by Susanna Isa Bonaretti
“I killed seven men so far; another four would make no difference. They each deserved to die.”
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The blurb:
1905. The height of the Edwardian era. Elegance, wealth, socialism, kidnap, rape and murder. Brought in to capture those responsible for the abduction, rape and murder of three wealthy women, the officers of the newly-formed Special Branch of the Metropolitan Police are fighting crime and corruption on more than one front. Williams and Davies, partners since 1885, face enemies from both outside and inside the Force and, ultimately will face each other in a conflict where only one is to survive. Williams is staunchly British and ex-army. Davies is defiantly Australian, a colonist, a bastard, and a murderer on the run. Throughout the hunt for the kidnappers, Davies relives decisions made over 31 years to reach this nadir, justifying each death as a tribute to true moral justice, not that of the failing legal system. Left – mock up of cover to be changed for publication – actual photograph of Paddington c1856 birth year of Davies |
MORE INFORMATION AND LINKS TO THE RELEASE DATE AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE...
Short Stories
"Lady Katherine" is a stand-alone backstory of the only child of the Laird of Glenross and the Countess of Chestermere who finds herself orphaned at fifteen and how she ably oversees her vast estates and comes to terms with her own sexuality. Lady Katherine, the Countess of Chestermere (suo jure), features in "Cut on the Bias", the first of a 3-part saga set in 1905.
Memoirs of a Bastard Colonist
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My sincere thanks to the many who have tirelessly helped, guided and encouraged me in getting this thing out of my brain and onto the page.
- BARB CROMIE, screenwriter, journalist and unstinting time-giver, who read, reread and re-reread every word and helped me polish my bits of rough-hewn rubble into what it is now. A ‘thank you’ simply is not enough. I am deeply indebted to her and her generosity of spirit.
- JOAN FAYLE, whose medical knowledge, grammatical expertise and interest in what I was doing, helped me to smooth out the bumpy bits. To her, a warm and fuzzy blanket of gratitude.
- SUE MOREY, my number one fan whose enthusiasm kept me going when I wanted to finish the book two-thirds of the way through. She’s earned her coffee and a million thanks besides!
- JUNE ROGERS, Executive PA and wordsmith, who appraised my words from the other side of the continent, my sincere thanks.
- PAMELA MORRISSEY, published author, actor and fellow-writer from the Australian Writers' Guild for her positive critiques of this and other of my scribblings.
- IRENE di BONA, another friend who was generous with her time in reading parts and chapters as I churned them out. Many thanks for her persistence and feedback.
- KATHRYN GALLAGHER, avid reader who gave solid encouragement to continue.
- I am also very grateful to my fellow-writers from the Australian Writers’ Guild who first heard my ideas about this story and helped me give it shape and substance in its early stage.
- And, of course, the Internet and its myriad fabulous websites: Wikipedia, Internet Archives, Trove, Collins English Dictionary, Roget’s Thesaurus et cetera, et al, where so much information was distilled to give my voice a measure of authenticity.
For Peter A Cross
who believed in me
who believed in me
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The very fine print:
All rights by all media reserved
Copyright Susanna Bonaretti
Copyright warning: The whole contents of this work are copyright of Susanna Bonaretti.
No part of the contents may be reproduced or dealt with in any way that is inconsistent with the rights of Susanna Bonaretti under copyright law.
In particular, no part of this may be disseminated to a third party without the prior written permission of Susanna Bonaretti.
All rights by all media reserved
Copyright Susanna Bonaretti
Copyright warning: The whole contents of this work are copyright of Susanna Bonaretti.
No part of the contents may be reproduced or dealt with in any way that is inconsistent with the rights of Susanna Bonaretti under copyright law.
In particular, no part of this may be disseminated to a third party without the prior written permission of Susanna Bonaretti.