Justin Sheedy's Blog, page 3

Hot Off the Press! BACK COVER for Author Justin Sheedy’s Upcoming Book “Memoirs of a Go-Go Dancer”

Author Justin Sheedy is delighted to see his upcoming book, “Memoirs of a Go-Go Dancer”, taking shape. Out for this Christmas, “Memoirs of a G0-Go Dancer” is Sheedy’s 4th book and long-awaited sequel to his 1st, “Goodbye Crackernight”, his ‘shared memoir’ of growing up in 1970s Australia – when a child’s proudest possession was not a smart phone but a 2nd-hand bike. “Memoirs of a Go-Go Dancer” (yes, Sheedy’s 1st job out of school) is his portrait of teenage in the 1980s featuring not only all the magic, triumph and terror of being a 1980s teenager but also the world events, issues, culture and Fashion Crimes that shaped the decade.



MEMOIRS OF A GO-GO DANCER! Justin Sheedy’s first job out of school was a symbol of his rebellion against the 1980s – a decade so lame it cried out for any other. Crackernight, the annual fireworks festival of his childhood, was gone. So was childhood. Justin’s teenage would be a search for new fireworks. He would find them. In his legendary schoolteachers, in questioning his elders, in playing rock and roll, in marching against nuclear madness, and in that scariest of all things known to Man: GIRLS. And all that was before he became a Go-Go Dancer! Then the fun really started.

Author Justin Sheedy Featured AGAIN in The Australia Times Magazine!

Sydney author Justin Sheedy has just been featured for the second time in as many months in The Australia Times Magazine. This time for his latest book, “Ghosts of the Empire”. Click the Link Below & see Page 18.
http://www.theaustraliatimes.com/maga...



GHOSTS OF THE EMPIRE – by Justin Sheedy
As the storm of World War II breaks, Mick O’Regan is a peaceful Sydney working-class boy. Yet he and the shining youth of his generation are cursed to enter a world of high-speed life and death. Like first-time Aussie backpackers they cross the planet to save the British Empire, their job on arrival the most dangerous of the War: flying for Royal Air Force Bomber Command.

Based on a true Australian war story only now being brought to life by author Justin Sheedy’s vivid historical fictions, “Ghosts of the Empire” is also a story of young people living life to the full while they can – in a blacked-out world where dance partners, sex and death flow in equal abundance. Though standing on its own as the white-knuckle excitement saga that it is, “Ghosts of the Empire” is the much-anticipated sequel to “Nor the Years Condemn,” Sheedy’s highly acclaimed story of shining young men destined never to grow old.

‘Ghosts’, it is said, are the spirits of those who die violently, tragically, or when ripped from life too young. “Ghosts of the Empire” is their story.

JUSTIN’S LATEST BOOKS, “GHOSTS OF THE EMPIRE” & “NOR THE YEARS CONDEMN”, NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK & KINDLE FORMATS AT AMAZON, AT DYMOCKS BOOKSTORES, AT ABBEY’S BOOKS, GLEEBOOKS, BERKELOUW BOOKS, THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL & THRU ALL BOOKSTORES INCLUDING WATERSTONES & WH SMITH & FOYLES BOOKSHOPS (UK)

Back Cover Blurb for Justin Sheedy’s Upcoming Book, “Memoirs of a Go-Go Dancer”

Rising Australian Author Justin Sheedy’s Latest Book “Memoirs of a Go-Go Dancer” – BOOK COVER HOT OFF THE PRESS!

2014 Fathers’ Day Lead-Up Book-Signings by Sydney Author Justin Sheedy

On the eve of Fathers’ Day 2014, Justin Sheedy will be signing copies of his World War II historical fictions, Nor the Years Condemn and Ghosts of the Empire, which bring to life a staggeringly exciting, tragic and true story of young Australians at war with even LESS chance of survival than if they had been in the trenches of Gallipoli or the Western Front.

Superb Fathers’ Day reading, Nor the Years Condemn tells the story of Sydney Uni Rugby Union player, Daniel Quinn, who leaves his peace time life behind to fly Spitfires against Nazi tyranny in Sheedy’s portrait of doomed, brilliant youth.

Ghosts of the Empire, Book 2 in the series, is the saga of Sydney tradie, Mick O’Regan, who takes on the most dangerous job of World War II: flying for RAF Bomber Command. These are stories in our great ANZAC tradition – only at 400 miles per hour – and until now untold.

Event 1: Berkelouw Books Leichhardt, 70 Norton Street, Leichhardt, Saturday 30 August 2014. Bookings/Enquiries: (02) 9560 3200 or leichhardt@berkelouw.com.au

Event 2: Dymocks Chatswood, Shop 301 Westfield Shopping Centre, Chatswood, Thursday 4 September 2014 from 5pm.

Event 3: Dymocks Chatswood, Saturday 6 September 2014 from 10am. Bookings/Enquiries: (02) 9412 1630 or chatswood@dymocks.com.au

Sheedy looks forward to sharing his passion for great Australian stories with Sydney book-lovers at these in-store events and especially to signing copies of his books for their dear Dads for Fathers’ Day 2014.

Author Justin Sheedy Lauded by Alma Mater

Sydney author Justin Sheedy shares one thing in common with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott: They attended the same school. Sydney’s famous Saint Ignatius College Riverview. This week Sheedy is proud to have been lauded by his alma mater in its influential Ignatian Magazine on the publication of his latest book, Ghosts of the Empire .



Critically acclaimed author of Goodbye Crackernight and Nor the Years Condemn Justin Sheedy (OR86) is back with a new book, Ghosts of the Empire …

As the storm of World War II breaks, Mick O’Regan is a peaceful Sydney working-class boy. Yet he and the shining youth of his generation are cursed to enter a world of high-speed life and death. Based on a true Australian war store only now being brought to life, Ghosts of the Empire is a story of young people living life to the full while they can in a blacked-out world where dance partners, sex and death flow in equal abundance.

Both Ghosts of the Empire and book one of the series, Nor the Years Condemn , are currently available through all good bookstores and are stocked by the Australian War Memorial.

A DANCING Excerpt from my Next Book, "Memoirs of a Go-Go Dancer"

1985.

Though early December – the beginning of summer in Australia with nights balmy to hot in Sydney – the nights in Melbourne were still mercifully cool. Cool enough to dress up and hit the town. Which Germaine and I did on that very first night. And when we hit it, I realised Melbourne had something Sydney did not.

Nightclubs.

Sure, Sydney had nightclubs but not the kind that welcomed two kids under the legal drinking age with open arms – perhaps because, as was clear from the first establishment we entered, the emphasis here in Melbourne wasn’t on drinking but on dancing.

Stepping down into the ‘Groove Tube Café’, a whole dancefloor full of people going coolly berserk to "Stepping Stone" by The Monkees, on the walls and on the dancing people were revolving cartwheels of colour, each wheel of numberless coloured spokes all intermeshing with others in perpetual harlequin-shaped motion.

‘This is AWESOME,’ I sided to Germaine above the music.

‘As it should be,’ she returned close to my ear. ‘Sydney’s got natural beauty. Melbourne...’ She shook her head. ‘So we make beauty.’

‘I can’t believe this!’

‘Believe it,’ she flowed. ‘Sydney, you’re fine if you like the one thing that every club in Sydney is doing. Here there’s so many clubs there’s always one doing what you like. I like Go-Go. And here it is...’

Go-Go Dancing! And here indeed it was... Just like in the black-and-white photo in the school library except exactly 20 years later and in colour and I’d just stepped into the photo. The people weren’t just dancing like fools (not that there’s anything wrong with that); here there was a definite style, just like in the still photo from 1965 except here it was moving and, man, was it moving. Some of the dancers were better than others but their style was a mix of mania and grace, a fusion of passion and poise only ever seen elsewhere in Flamenco dancers.

But then Stepping Stone finished and a song began that I had once heard for the very first time through Steve, one he by now famously hadn’t thought I’d like...

HHEOWWWWH!!!

"I Got You" by James Brown meant one thing only. I spun to Germaine.
‘Dance?!’

For the second time that day she put out her hand to me. Though this time I didn’t ‘take’ it, as such...

I grabbed.

"MEMOIRS OF A GO-GO DANCER" WILL BE THE SEQUEL TO JUSTIN SHEEDY'S WARMLY-RECEIVED FIRST BOOK, "GOODBYE CRACKERNIGHT". FULL BLOG POST AT SHEEDY'S CRACKERNIGHT.COM HERE...
http://crackernight.com/2014/06/22/a-...

2 Major Radio Interviews for me today re my 1st book!

Audio of my ABC Radio 702 Sydney breakfast interview this morning re breaking news on Crackernight (iconic Australian fireworks festival) being brought back. Was interviewed in context of my 1st book "Goodbye Crackernight". Click the Link below to listen! (Download Audio). ABC Radio write "We spoke to author Justin Sheedy, author of "Goodbye Cracker Night", who claimed he had enough fingers left to pen the book." http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2014/05/a...

And 2nd Interview in 1 Day! On 2UE Sydney Dicko & Sarah Show! Click the link to listen (from 13 Minutes 50) it begins. http://media.mytalk.com.au/2ue/audio/...

FULL AUDIO of Major Radio Interview with Author Justin Sheedy re his latest: GHOSTS OF THE EMPIRE

CLICK THE LINK!
http://crackernight.com/2014/04/23/me...

Major Commercial Radio Interviews for author Justin Sheedy

TOMORROW morning Thurs 14 April at 9:30am Sydney time it will be my privilege to be on the Bob Rogers Show, Sydney Radio 2CH, to promote my book-signing event at Dymocks Chatswood this Saturday from 10am. Click the Link to listen live anywhere in the world! http://tunein.com/radio/Easy-1170-s8786/

Plus my much-hoped for interview with legendary Australian independent thinker & broadcaster, Clive Robertson, in ON! This Monday night at 9:40pm Sydney time, Radio 2UE, on the "Author! Author!" segment of Robertson's nightly program. I even get to do a 2-minute reading from my latest book "Ghosts of the Empire" . Listenable Live from anywhere in the world at the Link...
http://www.2ue.com.au/cliverobertson