On the evening of the 28th of January 2019, myself, I sat in the sold out concert hall of the Sydney Opera House, amidst an audience of all ages, as the lights went off and images of the ocean, backed by a cinematic sounding instrumental piece began. As the track reached its climax a burning…
As 2019 draws to a close I've been reflecting on the year; the ups and downs, highs and lows. While it would be quite easy to get caught up in regrets about missed opportunities, or situations which could have been handled better, I do have an overall feeling of gratitude for the year that has…
I was thinking of writing some sort of reflection on Christmas, but then I found this one which I wrote back in 2016. Since it covers pretty much everything I wanted to say, I thought I'd republish it here. Christmas in our culture today is commonly associated with the giving and receiving of gifts. I’m…
Continue reading ➞ The Greatest Christmas Gift in a Most Unexpected Place
Here is an excerpt from my short novel Kingstone. It's actually most of the first chapter. I hope you enjoy it! CHAPTER 1: A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER As the sun began its early morning ascent above the mountains, the small village of Anibar was bathed in a warm golden light and the surface of the…
Across the night, his ears caught snatches of a song. He was too far away to make out the words but it only strengthened his suspicions that what he saw was the re-enactment of some ancient ritual. Closer the procession came, winding its way through the streets and gaining numbers all the time. A bold…
From then on it was a race against time. A strong wind kicked up, propelling him along at a faster speed. But the wind which pushed him closer to the island also brought the storm clouds nearer. With his face fixed on his goal, he willed the boat forward, not daring to look back at…
Since it's less than a month until Christmas I thought I’d share the first part of a short Chesterton-inspired Christmas story I wrote a couple of years ago. I hope you enjoy it and I'd love to hear what you think. To Jonathan Smith XIV, only son of the late Jonathan Smith XIII, life in…
My article "Chestertonian Wonder, Pineapples and the Cross", has been published in the most recent edition of The Defendant, which is the quarterly newsletter of the Australian Chesterton Society. It is a great honour to have some of my work published by the Australian society dedicated to one of my favourite writers! Check it out on…
I've just gotten back from a weekend silent retreat, which is something I'd definitely recommend to anyone. It's amazing how much easier it is to think clearly when you take some time to stop talking, put away your phone, and just experience the world as it actually is, behind all the distractions. Take away our…
A consistent theme which runs through the writings of G. K. Chesterton is the capacity to wonder at the world, and in particular an attempt to rediscover a wonder for ordinary and familiar things by looking at them from a new perspective. In his book, The Everlasting Man, he says that we have become familiar…
Continue reading ➞ Chestertonian Wonder, Pineapples and the Cross
