From the Stars Above

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From the Stars Above Page 28

by Peter Watt


  Overall, this is a novel about the forgotten diggers of the Malayan and Confrontation campaigns, and I hope that it reignites the fading memories of Vietnam for the younger generations of today.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  My thanks to the great team at Pan Macmillan involved in the production of the last in the Frontier series. My thanks to: Cate Paterson, who has been there for me from the very first, Cry of the Curlew; my wonderful editors Libby Turner, Julia Stiles and Rebecca Hamilton; proofreader Kristy Bushnell; Lucy Inglis, my publicist; LeeAnne Walker, who I get to talk to often at Pan Macmillan; and the team of Roxarne Burns and Milly Ivanovic. Thanks also to Tracey Cheetham.

  My thanks to Geoffrey Radford for his help on this project.

  My thanks goes out to the members of Hardrock Entertainment: Rod Hardy and son, Brett and family, Paul Currie and Suzanne De Passe for their work on the Dark Frontier.

  Thank you to the ladies at the Maclean Library who supply the diverse research material: Cath, Jolana, Angela, Alison, Maree and Belinda.

  Thanks to Kristie Hildebrand for the Facebook site, Fans of Peter Watt Books, and to Peter and Kaye Lowe for looking after my website www.peterwatt.com. Special thanks to John Riggall and his wife, June. John is driving our project to establish a legacy for emergency service volunteers to support families whose loved one has paid the ultimate price while assisting their communities in times of natural and man-made disasters. Also my old cobbers, John Carroll and Rod Henshaw.

  To Bob Mansfield and his sister, Betty Irons OAM, thanks for the second Saturday of the month at the markets. For my other family, the firefighters in the Gulmarrad Rural Fire Service Brigade: a thank you for your camaraderie that is well known to those who run towards danger when all others, wisely, run away.

  For the ongoing friendship of cobbers, such as Kevin Jones OAM and family, Mick and Andrea Prowse, Dr Louis Trickhard and his wife, Chris. Not forgotten Geoff Simmons, Darren Billett and Dan Butt. A thanks to Jan Dean.

  Best wishes go out to my writer colleagues: Tony Park, whose past visits have ruined my liver; Dave Sabben MG and wife, Di; Greg Baron and family; Karly Lane; and an old cobber, Simon Higgins and his wife, Jenny.

  A truly big thanks to my relations: Tom Watt and family; my cousins Luke, Tim and Virginia; and my beautiful Aunt Joan Payne, who served her country in World War II. Also, best wishes to the Duffy boys and their families. With thanks to my sister Lindy Barclay and Jock, and to my brother-in-law Tyrone McKee and Kaz.

  With sadness I remember two of our World War II heroes who have passed from the ranks since my last book: Vera Montague and Mick O’Reilly. Both served in the Pacific War, and the world has lost another two heroes.

  Last but not least, my acknowledgements to my beloved wife, Naomi, who has to review each chapter to ensure I get the romance right.

  Next year we march with Captain Ian Steele into the Crimean War, as he serves as The Queen’s Colonial.

  About Peter Watt

  Peter Watt has spent time as a soldier, articled clerk, prawn trawler deckhand, builder’s labourer, pipe layer, real estate salesman, private investigator, police sergeant, surveyor’s chairman and advisor to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. He speaks, reads and writes Vietnamese and Pidgin. He now lives at Maclean on the Clarence River in northern New South Wales. He has volunteered with the Volunteer Rescue Association, Queensland Ambulance Service and currently with the Rural Fire Service. Fishing and the vast open spaces of outback Queensland are his main interests in life.

  Peter Watt can be contacted at www.peterwatt.com.

  Author Photo: Shawn Peene

  Also by Peter Watt

  The Duffy/Macintosh Series

  Cry of the Curlew

  Shadow of the Osprey

  Flight of the Eagle

  To Chase the Storm

  To Touch the Clouds

  To Ride the Wind

  Beyond the Horizon

  War Clouds Gather

  And Fire Falls

  Beneath a Rising Sun

  While the Moon Burns

  The Papua Series

  Papua

  Eden

  The Pacific

  The Silent Frontier

  The Stone Dragon

  The Frozen Circle

  Excerpts from emails sent to Peter Watt

  ‘Dear Peter, just finished While the Moon Burns. Enjoyed it immensely. Hope another one is in the pipeline. Keep up the good work.’

  ‘Can you please tell me whether there are any more books planned in the Frontier series? After reading the first ten books over the last four weeks, I am really looking forward to the next instalment.’

  ‘Once I get started on your books I just can’t put them down. I love all the books that you have written, they are so entertaining and so full of Australian history.’

  ‘I have been following the Duffy/Macintosh saga from the beginning. They have kept me enthralled. I am now halfway through While the Moon Burns and loving it . . . Looking forward to your next book.’

  ‘Don’t write such compelling stories, I cannot put them down once I start them, consequently nothing gets done . . . I am just glad you don’t write three – four books a year.’

  ‘Thanks for the terrific reads . . . Great research! Just finished Beneath a Rising Sun. Is there another following this one? I would love to know how Sarah Macintosh finishes up!’

  ‘I would like to congratulate you for taking on the telling of Australia’s history through fiction . . . I have never contacted an author before but couldn’t resist this time! Thank you so much and good luck with future writings.’

  ‘Just finished it, excellent as always and not long enough as always. Waiting anxiously for the next one.’

  ‘Mate, you are truly like a good bottle of red – the older you get the better you get . . . Mate, not ever being in the military, my stomach and heart turn over with what our boys had to endure in their service to this wonderful country of ours. Always waiting impatiently for the next edition of the Macintosh and Duffy historical journey; absolutely love your books.’

  ‘Just to let you know I have read and enjoyed all your books . . . can’t wait for the follow-up to While the Moon Burns.’

  ‘Have just finished reading While the Moon Burns and again was totally enthralled with the Duffy/Macintosh saga. Everything here just had to wait – couldn’t put the book down!!! So my pet rabbit, my Persian cat, chooks (who conveniently kept laying eggs) and dog just HAD to be patient. I love the storyline including the Aussies in the Pacific and can’t wait for Sarah to get what’s coming to her!’

  ‘A really great series, thanks mate. I have loved them all so far and will continue to the end.’

  ‘Pete, I just re-read And Fire Falls, Beneath a Rising Sun and then your latest, While the Moon Burns. It is fantastic how you interweave facts and fiction. You know, I’m the first generation in my family that has not experienced war . . . One cannot imagine the suffering the boys went through at a young age. You describe that so well; every now and then I had tears in my eyes . . . Anyway, thanks for the wonderful stories . . . can’t wait until the next book lies under the Christmas tree!!!’

  ‘I so love the Duffy/Macintosh saga. You give me a closeness to my late father with your writing of the Pacific at war. Thank you again for While the Moon Burns. I thoroughly loved it.’

  This is a work of fiction. Characters, institutions and organisations

  mentioned in this novel are either the product of the author’s

  imagination or, if real, used fictitiously without any intent to describe

  actual conduct.

  First published 2017 in Macmillan by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd

  1 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2000

  Copyright © Peter Watt 2017

  The moral rig
ht of the author to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.

  All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

  This ebook may not include illustrations and/or photographs that may have been in the print edition.

  The author and the publisher have made every effort to contact copyright holders

  for material used in this book. Any person or organisation that may have been

  overlooked should contact the publisher.

  Cataloguing-in-Publication entry is available

  from the National Library of Australia

  http://catalogue.nla.gov.au

  EPUB format: 9781760557591

  Typeset by Post Pre-press Group

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