Brave Kids

                                                         Sixth book in the ‘Kick-Ass’ series

BRAVE JUSTICE

by Clancy Tucker – winner of three awards in the

National Literary Awards: 2006, 2007 & 2011

 

After weeks in Thailand following the death of her fiancé, Sam returns to Australia, having indirectly cracked a global paedophile and child trafficking ring, taught eight Thai kids to swim, and established a home for homeless Thai kids – Baan Mick. An old friend of her father’s, Kitty, has secretly purchased her current office and two adjoining properties for Sam to repay a debt Kitty owed to Sam’s father in the 1970s. Sam throws herself into work, organises renovations, becomes involved in a sexual abuse case against a high-profile swimming instructor, Duncan Reith, and initiates a class action involving 60 clients.

Reith is arrested and granted bail but flees to Cambodia. Sam alerts the Chief of Police in Chiang Mai, Thailand and Reith is arrested and extradited to Australia. Criminals attempt to rescue Reith in-flight, but Thai police escorts overwhelm the criminals who are offloaded in Malaysia. With a mass of evidence, Sam is ready for trial until a leading barrister is killed and Sam is almost murdered by criminals. Now she has two bodyguards, but the DPP asks her to be the Leading Counsel in the case against Reith, learning that nine of Reith’s victims have committed suicide.

Negotiating a class action with the two rich owners of the swimming centre, Sam offers one of them sad, personal news but pushes both men for a fair settlement. Appearing in court with her young clients, Sam calls on police and forensic experts to provide credible evidence, her brave clients tell their sad stories and describe how they were groomed and how the abuse affected them. Duncan Reith is Sam’s last witness, but she has explosive, personal evidence to present to him.

Will the rich owners of the swimming complex compensate the victims? How will Sam honour the nine victims who have committed suicide? What information does Sam have on Duncan Reith?

Bold Journey

Bold Journey by Clancy Tucker (Clancy Tucker Publishing) PB RRP $15.00 plus $3.00 for postage Australia

ISBN 9780994601025

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

The story begins in 1954, when the Agnelli family set out for Australia on an Assisted Migrant Scheme. The positives and negatives of their decision are cleverly woven into a delicate and moving story of migration, with themes of friendship, family, bullying, assimilation, and the huge impact the kindness and generosity of strangers can have on people’s lives.

Cat Ginelli and ‘Fozzie’ Agnelli have been friends since childhood after meeting on the ship. Their years of friendship, togetherness, learning, discovery, and shared grief, is slowly transformed into something powerful, but unspoken. While life leads them along different and distant paths as they grow, the emotional ties between them remain unbroken.

Will they finally come together at the official function put on by Amnesty International, or will the story of their life together end due to those words unspoken?

The struggles and challenges the Agnelli family face are the struggles of every migrant family of the post-war years. The courage and determination of they have to adapt and succeed reflect the characteristics of migrants of that era, and many of those of today.

Through his work, Tucker again seizes the opportunity to bring into focus, issues that he is passionate about. He addresses the humanitarian need of countries ravaged by war and poverty, with the intention that it will ‘stir the conscience’ of his readers, and the world in general. He makes reference to the Vietnam and Korean wars and their futility in a significant way.

This is an interesting and well-constructed novel which is historically valuable, in that it reflects on the how and why, Europeans left their homelands for a better life, what they found, and what they did with what they had.

Clancy Tucker has created lovable characters and moving scenes. He has presented a wide view of migrant life. All this is folded into a story of love, hope and sacrifice. Suited for ages 8-80 years, it also shows the multi-faceted lives of post-war Australians through dialogue, varying voices and points of view.

‘Kick-Ass’ Tyler

‘Kick-Ass’ Tyler by Clancy Tucker (Clancy Tucker Publishing)

PB RRP $15.00 plus $3.00 postage in Australia

EBook $3.00 via Clancy’s blog

ISBN 9780646940571

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Another fantastic piece of work by Clancy Tucker, ‘Kick-Ass’ Tyler is Book 1 in a series about a gutsy fourteen year-old girl called Sam Tyler. She is smart in mind and mouth, but is still grieving for her father who was killed two years ago. This grief won’t allow her to accept Max, who has filled her dad’s place.

When her school mate Zoran is kidnapped and held to ransom, Sam’s life changes drastically. Sam now needs Max’s help. Her investigation into the missing boy’s life gives her a sense of purpose. It fires her up. The kidnapping gives birth to a new relationship between Sam and Max. The shift in Sam’s character is brilliantly built up.

Together with her friends Neve, Tina and Jason, Sam creates a committee to help the police find Zoran. This leads to their community being brought together by the school children to keep the search alive and vivid in people’s minds, and find the missing boy. The group also discover inside themselves hidden strengths that give meaning to their life.

Never one to shirk the hard issues, Clancy Tucker has again addressed powerful themes.  The main one here is missing children. It is tied to threads on teen suicide, bullying and its lasting effects, domestic violence, grief and loss.

This story is fast-paced and full of mystery and as always, comes with strong messages full of optimism and hope. It is aimed at the 8-80 year age group and I can’t wait for Book 2!

Mister Rainbow

Mister Rainbow by Clancy Tucker (Clancy Tucker Publishing)

PB RRP $15.00 plus $3.00 postage ($6.00 for overseas post) E-book $3.00

ISBN 9780646938943

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Multi-talented Clancy Tucker’s second novella calls attention to environmental polluting, issues facing return soldiers specifically those of the Vietnam War, and the bonds of friendship. These three themes are strung cleverly together to form an adventure story with a fishing background. Clancy, a vigorous champion of disregarded causes, again presents points of importance through a strong narrative.

Dead fish have been found floating in the river and the EPA is collecting samples of the water. Toby and Maddie are fishing partners and this is cause for concern as they have just lost a friend to what the locals are calling Mill Flu.

Toby is smart and resourceful; curious and an adventurer. There are places that are out-of-bounds to the two children because they hold dangers. Toby is careful but is challenged by limitations. On one of their fishing trips they venture into a forbidden area with traumatic results.

Johan Bolt is an old loner. Few people know anything about him as he lives in an old shack close to the river with minimal material possessions. It is to him that Toby runs for help when Maddie falls into the river and Bolt saves her life. They keep this happening a secret, but Maddie becomes seriously ill as a repercussion of ingesting polluted water.

A string of events brings the three characters together after Toby finds Bolt unconscious behind the shack, and with quick thinking, saves the old man’s life. He discovers secrets about Bolt that have been kept for years and that leave him ‘gob smacked’. His ingenious mind is always turning up new and sensible ideas. This, combined with his discovery about Bolt, will change all their lives for the better.

A terrific read that skips along quickly. It will suit reluctant readers, mostly boys, and others from 8-80 as the chapters are compact and the story fast-paced, intense and full of action. All Clancy Tucker’s books can be purchased via his daily Blog. :http://clancytucker.blogspot.com.au/ or through Morris Publishing Australia http://www.morrispublishingaustralia.com/ All the photographs on covers and within the books are taken by Clancy Tucker.

Sheeza

Sheeza by Clancy Tucker (Morris Publishing Australia)

PB RRP $18.00 including postage E-book$3.00

(Overseas $21.00 including postage)

ISBN 9780646935843

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Danny has an artificial limb and wears glasses. He’s the perfect target for bullies and ‘Mad Dog’ Fletcher is out to get him. Danny can’t play sport so longs to have a dog.  Towards this end, he has been doing odd jobs for the lovely oldies in his area, and saving every penny.

He doesn’t want any dog, he wants a Kelpie, to train and enter into the sheep dog trials at the Agricultural Show. He has read every book he could find, and watched every video available in preparation for the moment he gets the go-ahead from his parents.

Joey is Danny’s best friend, confidant, and protector when things get rough. Joey is optimistic, lovable and daring. He balances Danny’s smart and responsible side well which makes for a perfect friendship.

When Danny sees the physically-challenged pup in the pet shop, he knows it’s the one. They bond immediately and training the pup, which he names Sheeza, is a breeze. They end up winning the sheep dog trials at Wanganui.

It’s when Sheeza is stolen that everyone joins the hunt to find her. Who could have taken her? Where can she be and will she ever be found? Posters, Current Affair programs, truckies with two-way radios across Australia and an informed public, set out to find and reunite the dog with the boy.

This is Clancy Tucker’s second novella. He’s a writer who loves to get his teeth into difficult themes and always manages to weave several issues into one story.

A well-researched book, Sheeza incorporates detailed information about working dogs, their training and habits. I loved this story. It kept me reading without stopping until the end. As usual, there are fantastic characters - humans and animals, bad versus good in people, and problems that are overcome due to a tight community and strong friendships. To never give up is a powerful message that flows through all the issues addressed.

A Drover’s Blanket

 A Drover’s Blanket by Clancy Tucker (Clancy Tucker Publishing)

PB RRP $35.00 including P&H (overseas postage additional) E-book $3.00

ISBN 9780646922713

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This is the brilliant sequel to the wonderful historical fiction book Gunnedah Hero. A Drover’s Blanket begins with fifteen year old Gunnie at Wiralee Station with his uncle Wirra Danson. After reading the historical documents left to him in his grandfather’s will, Gunnie’s attitude to life changes completely. He knows now that he belongs at Wiralee which has been in his family since 1848. Gunnie’s dream of publishing the historical documents in book form is finally realized.

The neglected Swenson Station, Molly’s old home, is up for auction.  Attending a clearing sale there teaches Gunnie more about his great-great-grandfather Smokey and his love in life, Molly Jane Swenson. He also meets Artie, Molly’s brother who was born after she left home after being battered by her father and ostracised by her family, to join Smokey at Wiralee. Gunnie finds a journal written by Molly in 1910, in a pile of books untouched for years, and makes a deal with the hard, cruel, and unscrupulous Brett Swenson. Gunnie tries to buy the old horse Molly Jane, a direct descendant of Molly’s horse Dusty for Wirra, to keep the line going.

But things start going wrong from the time Gunnie arrives at the farm. Wiralee, the new foal is stolen. Jenni, Gunnie’s best friend, is returning home when her plane goes down. The portrait of The Wiralee Queen is taken from the farm house along with Molly’s journals.

Then, Wirra is diagnosed with a stomach tumour just when he has found a woman to love. Gunnie thinks his presence has brought this on. There are decisions to make and courage is needed. But does Gunnie have what it takes? Who stole Molly’s picture and journal? And will the Aboriginal workers find Jenni?

The story is told in a switching sequence between Wiralee Station – Present Day, and the entries from Molly’s journals, which reveal Molly’s point of view, emotions, love for Smokey, and her back story. We can feel the deep love Smokey and Molly shared; how the drought destroyed her father (along with many other farmers) causing him to sink into deep depression and become a cruel and violent person. We also view the type of family the Dansons were: strong, loving, family oriented, philanthropic, and with an unbreakable bond with the land and its Indigenous owners.

Clancy Tucker has used the diary entries to present historical events which inspire and educate. There is reference to the massacre of Aboriginals in Coniston, 1928; the Wave Hill walk-off, and finally, Wattie Creek. These milestones in Australian Indigenous history are beautifully knitted into the story in a stirring and emotional way. They became starting points for further research about our Australian outback pioneering forebears. This is an excellent series to challenge the mind of young readers of the 8-80 age groups and send them resourcing the history of our early pioneers, whose strength, resilience and humanity inspires.

Magic Billy is the next book in the series, but there will be several exciting individual titles by Clancy Tucker available before that is released.

Available as paperback and e Book via Clancy’s blog: http://www.clancytucker.blogspot.com.au/p/books.html and Morris Publishing Australia:

http://www.morrispublishingaustralia.com/a-drovers-blanket.html

Pa Joe’s Place

Pa Joe’s Place by Clancy Tucker (Clancy Tucker Publishing)

PB RRP $25.00 plus postage E-Book $2.99

ISBN 9780646572208

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Boo is a Thai girl, the youngest of seven children and seven years old. Extremely bright, courageous, optimistic and mature in her outlook, she always sees the best in every person and situation. Accepting of her circumstances, she obediently leaves her family, home, best friend and dying father, and sets out on a journey over 1,000 kilometres to Songkhla in the south, to be cared for and educated by Jesuit priest Pa Joe along with his other 155 orphans.

She finds another father, a new family and friends, and the opportunity to become something wonderful and experiences the greatest adventure of her life, which includes helping survivors of a train wreck, catching criminals, and meeting strangers whose lives she touches in significant ways.

This deeply moving story is inspired by and dedicated to real people: Boo Nawigamune, and Father Joe Carey who for 50 years, against great odds and with the help of many compassionate and generous people, cared for children he found on the streets of Thailand.  

Clancy Tucker has mapped out a superb social, cultural, and geographical picture of Thailand, and used it as background to his story. Tucker’s intimate knowledge of the country and the people gives an added richness and realism to every page of a story filled with inspiration and love.

Gunnedah Hero

Gunnedah Hero by Clancy Tucker (morrispublishingaustralia.com)

PB $30.00 (plus postage and handling approx $5)

ISBN 78-0-646-55733-5

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Gunnedah Hero is a book that will be remembered long after its reading. It’s an Australian historical, fictional adventure presented in two parallel stories set in the past and present. It showcases the effects of drought on the lives of the farming communities and the landscape, as it profiles the drastic measures taken by desperate farmers to save their stock and land.

Fourteen-year-old Gunnie Danson is faced with a real challenge when he has a school assignment on the drought. He knows nothing about the subject. But a weekend at the cattle farm Wiralee Station that has been in the family since 1848, and a manuscript in a box left to him by Smokey, his great, great grandfather, will change his life forever.

As Gunnie begins to read the manuscript, little by little he uncovers Smokey’s life, including the greatest challenge he faced when he drove their remaining one hundred cattle during the harshest drought up the long paddock in1910, to save Wiralee Station.

The central story is told in lyrical prose in Smokey’s words. The language reflects the poetic style of the era used in poems and story-telling. This coming-of age-story about a boy with courage, resourcefulness and resilience plays out amidst other sub-stories of Australian pioneers seeped in their own grief, loss and a struggle for survival.

But it is not a dark tale. The story is filled with light and hope; with impressive characters that coloured the early landscape with their escapades and adventures. Some carried terrific stories along with news to the lonely drovers they encountered. Others brought danger and were a threat to the solitary traveller. A recurring point that flows through the book, is the relationship between the drovers/farmers and their animals – mainly dogs and horses, and the crucial, often life-saving role they played.

The poetry that the author has included gives another dimension to the prose with its relevance and humour. These poems are again singular sub-stories which portray other lives; where life becomes the focus, no matter whose life is portrayed.

This is a perfectly crafted, exceptionally well-written book which has been self-published. It comes highly recommended by the reviewer.

Writing Historical Fiction: Gunnedah Hero

Historical fiction is a personal favourite of mine and today Buzz Words Books has the privilege of participating in the Gunnedah Hero blog tour. Author Clancy Tucker gives us an insight into why and how he writes historical fiction:

G’day. Sadly, very little Aussie history is taught in our schools today, yet I can still rattle off dates and facts that I learnt in primary school. Before I wrote my Aussie historic adventure, Gunnedah Hero, I contacted a very senior person in the curriculum branch of the Victorian Education Department, wanting to know what Aussie history was taught in our schools. The answer I received was stunning, ‘Not much at all. Kids find it boring.’ That comment inspired me to write a story that contained hidden historical facts within a great yarn.


I believe we need to pay more attention to our extraordinary past. We have such a rich tapestry of events – discovery, early settlers, the Rum Rebellion, the Eureka Stockade, the Wave Hill Walk Off etc. We are only where we are because of those who have gone before us, and my book, Gunnedah Hero, pays homage to their efforts. I write historic Australian fiction because I have a fascination with, and appreciation of, Australian history. Hopefully, this book will inspire teens to read more about our past, and maybe realise how well off we are today.


This book contains two stories in one – 1910 (Smokey) and 2010 (Gunnie). Readers will find wonderful connections between the main protagonist, Gunnie, and his great-great-grandfather, Smokey ‘Gun’ Danson. Although they are 100 years apart in the story, they are both fourteen-years-of-age. Gunnie’s full name is Gunnedah Swenson Danson; named after Smokey who became known as the ‘Gunnedah Hero’ in 1911. Also, Gunnie’s middle name is the maiden name of his great-great-grandmother, Molly Jane Swenson. Gunnie wears both names with greater pride after he finishes reading an extraordinary manuscript left by Smokey in the attic at Wiralee Station – the story of his epic journey up the long paddock in 1910.


Throughout the story, there are wonderful moments where Gunnie admires the spirit of Smokey and appreciates how tough it was for our pioneers. Being the same age as Smokey was in 1910, Gunnie appreciates the resilience, dedication and integrity of his great-great-grandfather – alone with cattle in a drought, coping with all sorts of disasters along the way without modern technology or luxuries. Reading Smokey’s story at Wiralee Station makes Gunnie realise how much hard work has gone into making Wiralee the most drought-free station in Australia.

Gunnedah Hero is suitable for anyone from 8 to 80 years-of-age. Already, senior citizens have acclaimed it as having a realistic, honest, and detailed account of the life and times around 1910. The sequel, ‘A Drover’s Blanket’ is finished and I am currently working on book three, ‘Magic Billie’. Gunnedah Hero is Smokey’s story.  A Drover’s Blanket is Molly’s sad story. Magic Billie will be about Smokey’s closest mate, a wonderful Aboriginal drover he met on the ‘long paddock’ during one of Australia’s worst droughts in which Australia lost 19,000,000 sheep and 2,000,000 cattle.


Writing, or bossing words around, is an absolute pleasure for me. I climb into my character’s heads and provide the reader with a realistic view of each character. How? I choose real people I know to be my characters. That way, I know exactly how they will react to certain situations and can easily describe their anger, reactions, speech, laughter, humour or fears; even the scar on their face, a crooked tooth or a slight limp.


Reading books provides something unique that movies, DVDs and mobile phones do not – the use of your imagination. It is my job as an author to incite that imagination, keep my readers enthralled, conjure up a situation or a scene, and leave my readers wondering what will happen next.


At the bottom of my letterhead is a comment I truly believe, ‘Books are cool. They take you away to awesome places.’


Clancy Tucker

Gunnedah Hero is available as a paperback from http://morrispublishingaustralia.com and http://clancytucker.com.au

EBook available from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/114638

and Google ebooks: http://books.google.com.au/ebooks?id=30aI67LULpQC&dq=Gunnedah%20Hero&as_brr=5&source=webstore_bookcard.

GIVE-AWAY: As a part of this blog tour, Morris Publishing Australia and Clancy Tucker are giving three eBooks to readers of the blogs. Go to http://morrispublishingaustralia.com and use the form on the Contact Page. Fill in your first name, email address, and put Blog Competition and your preferred eBook format in the message. (Choose from ePub, PDF, Kindle) The winners will be drawn on January 31st, 2012. All winners will be notified by email and their eBook will be attached.

Paperback Price Slashed: From 14th to 31st January, the price of the Gunnedah Hero paperback will be slashed to $25. Go to the website http://morrispublishingaustralia.com and choose the Buy Now button under Discount copy text. The usual postage charge will apply.