Switch-On: from dusk until dawn — progress report
It’s just over a year since the Switchback book launch on 12 December 2021, so it’s high time I wrote a a progress report of sorts.
At the time of the launch you may remember there was quite a drama in that it looked as if we would not have any books ready for the occasion! But the publisher Telllwell came to the rescue and forwarded the book files electronically from Canada to a printer here in Melbourne. With great relief we printed 200 copies. For the first few months, while my son Bruce was busy marketing, we sold them steadily with encouraging comments and feedback.
But then Bruce became so sick (as explained in my last post) and died. Of course no further marketing went ahead for a while. Now I am pleased to report that nearly all those copies have gone, and it will be a print-on-demand sales from now on, as explained on this website.
So many people have asked me: “When is the sequel coming out? We want to hear what happened in the rest of you life.” Well I am glad to say it is well on its way but will take time to complete.
Switchback finished at the point I was about to get married in 1960. After a short, happy and settled spell in England, I moved to Australia with my husband and two little sons in 1967. But we nearly did not make even that due to an extraordinary occurrence on the eve of our departure.
What happened then and how did we travel taking four months to do so? We camped with two babies and two close friends. Who? Which way did we travel and how did all the experiences affect us? What was it like leaving our families, careers and close friends and what happened on the way? How could we afford it—or not? What did we think of Australia on arrival? How had we developed and changed? What were the numerous challenges we faced? How did we fit in with our wonderful welcoming Australian family?
The sequel is to be called Switch-On: From Dusk until Dawn. It covers many aspects of our lives and relationships in this changing, endangered world. Again, as in Switchback: An Inner and Outer Journey I am using my experience and dreams as a psychotherapist in a steady form of self-analysis, and hopefully growth, through challenging times.
I describe examples of living and working in Australia, back in the UK, in the United States, Hong Kong, Wuhan in Central China and Switzerland. The time span covers over sixty years.
Writing, researching and remembering is keeping me extremely busy! It is also cathartic at times and eases the recent pain and aching loss of my son and enthusiastic marketer Bruce. He, his brother Mark and many others live in these upcoming pages.
From personal experience, I can say that, as in life, it is good to know and understand our background for managing and integrating our pasts into our futures. So if you have not yet read Switchback, now might be the time to do so. It may describe some processes for you to apply personally to your own continuing growth and self-understanding. It may also fit in with world affairs—a sort of international preparatory time line set within a memoir.
Given the date, this is coming to you with my Very Good Wishes for Christmas and the coming year. I’m sure we all hope 2023 will be far better world wide.
Thank you all again for your continuing interest,
PS: As this is the last week for sending Christmas gifts, don’t forget Switchback might be a good one for you to send at the last minute via Amazon! Note the ISBNs under “how to buy” in this website. No pressure! I am just trying to increase my marketing skills and definitely still need L-plates and ‘know-how’. G. C.