Brother Fish (123 page)

For most of my books Celia Jarvis has been my principal researcher. She knows I make constant and unreasonable demands, but she never fails me. She has been my friend for thirty years and is a consummate professional who has always given me much more than I have a right to expect.

Then there is Graham Walker, a Vietnam veteran and friend who is an accomplished writer on military matters, who often planned incidents of a military nature that I couldn't possibly have understood. He makes the complex seem simple. I thank him for his guidance, counsel and help throughout.

For information on China and the Chinese I turned to husband and wife team Geoff Pike and Phyllis Kotewell-Pike. Geoff Pike is an internationally acclaimed novelist who is known for his superb narratives and intimate knowledge of Hong Kong and the Orient. Geoff helped me factually, his transliteration and understanding of the idiom superior to mine. Phyllis educated me in the day-to-day ways and lives of the Chinese people, supplied the Cantonese expressions and words I use in the book and diligently checked my narrative for accuracy. I simply cannot thank you both enough.

Mike Munday taught me about the sea and the ways of fishing boats. He helped to create the components of a storm in Bass Strait that could only have been understood by someone who has been through the experience of such a storm. He has a true gift for visualisation and is also a stickler for the facts, a rare and valuable combination.

I met brothers Jim and Duncan McKenzie of King Island on a trip to Borneo and it is to them that I owe the initial idea for this book. For their kindness to me when I visited their island I thank them both. Though I have borrowed topographically from King Island, Queen Island is not intended to reflect on anyone or any aspect of King Island, either past or present.

Three of the characters in my book, the narrator, Jacko McKenzie, and two characters important to the overall story, Johnny Gordon and Pat Brand, are in part based on the lives of three real people: Mr Eric Donnelly, a Korean veteran who was taken prisoner of war by the Chinese; Mr Cecil Fisher O.A., poet and Korean veteran, whose poem ‘Anzac Day, Living with Granny (Cherbourg)' I quote in the book; and Mrs Pat Thompson, some events of whose notable music career form the basis of my character Pat Brand. Thank you all for allowing me to mould hard-won truths, songs and poetry into my fiction, helping to give it veracity and depth.

The following Korean veterans generously told their stories for my benefit and I am most grateful to you all: Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Argent; General Sir Phillip Bennett A.C., K.B.E., D.S.O.; Major General David Butler A.O., D.S.O.; Mr Keith Cameron; Mr R. (Nugget) Dunque M.M., W.O.1; Keith R. Everle; Mr Max Everle; Major Len Opie D.C.M., R.F.D., E.D.; the late Brigadier Noel ‘Chick' Charlesworth D.S.O., Mr Keith Langton; Mr Ivan Petty; Colonel David Manet M.C.; Colonel Colin Townsend D.S.O.; and Mr Frank Willard. Others who gave of their military expertise were Mr George Bindley, Dr Robert A. Hall, Mr Sam Hilt, Brigadier Kerry Mellor, Mr Roy ‘Zeke' Mundine, Mr Bruce Olsen, and Mr Peter Gilbey.

There are the people we pestered more than once and who gave unsparingly of their time: Ms Melba Butler, Executive Director, Harlem Dowling-West Side Centre for Children and Family Services, N.Y., U.S.A.; Mr Graham Earnshaw – Tales of Old China, Shanghai; Mr Anthony J. Harrison – fisheries historian, Tasmania; Mr Rob Henderson – historian, P&O; Hugh Spencer – music history; Mr Charles Updike, genealogist, N.J., U.S.A..

Material from the Australian National Archives on the White Australia Policy was greatly aided by advice from Mr Al Grasby A.M., Australia's Minister for Immigration 1972–74, and Dr James Jupp A.M., Director, Centre of Immigration and Multicultural Studies, A.N.U..

Those who helped with pertinent information are: Australian War Memorial Library (especially its store of personal accounts) – Canberra; Ms Margaret Aldrich – Princeton University, N.J., U.S.A.; Mr Ian Barnes-Keoghan – Bureau of Meteorology, Hobart; Mr Mark Bolourchi – Caviar Club, U.S.A.; Mr John Brooksbank – Hobart Marine Radio; The Help Desk – The American War Library; Mr Anthony Bruno – Crime Library, U.S.A.; Ms Elaine Camroux McLean – Library Enquiries Team, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, U.K.; Mr F. ‘Jack' Casey – President, Korean Veterans Association, Vietnam Veterans Federation; Mario Cordoma – Cordoma Grape Marketing; Mr Owen Denmeade – religion; Dr Anthony Freeman; Mrs A. Gliksman; Dr Michael Gliksman; Mr James Graham; K.T. Jackson; Ms Killy Lau – calligraphist; Dr Irwin Light; Mr Nick Mauger – Qantas Customer Care; Mr Thomas McCarthy – historian, Correctional History, N.Y., U.S.A.; Mrs Lexie McClenaghan – author; Mr Bill McKenzie – drug & alcohol counsellor; The Mitchell Library; Ms Ann Parker – Senior Advisor, Government House, Hobart; Ms Kaye Paletz – New Jersey State Librarian, Law; Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery; Ms Jovee Tiee – Tri-Counties Genealogy & History Centre, N.J., U.S.A.; Mr Stewart Williams – President, Parrot Society of Australia; Mr Geoffrey Valentine – abalone diver; Ms Heather Wade – Archivist, Booth Library; Chemung Valley Museum, N.J., U.S.A.; Mark Woodhouse – Archivist, Elmira College, N.Y., U.S.A.; Mr and Mrs Victor and Yana White – Russian advisors; Ms Libby William – Department of Fisheries; Messrs Morrie, Kevin and Paul Wolf – cray fishermen, Lower Channel; Ms Carol Wonders – horticulture; Tippy the cat – lap sitting and typing %3#*& (example only).

The Penguins: A book is a long and arduous process. A year is about average to make one happen, six months is stretching things, three months is lunacy and two months is chaos. My book family at Penguin Australia have had just two months to get this book out for Christmas. I cannot begin to thank them. My thanks for her patience, help, advice, wisdom and for not panicking, Clare Forster, my publisher.

Then there were Bob Sessions, Julie Gibbs, Anne Rogan, Lyn McGaurr, Katie Purvis, Carmen de la Rue, Tammie Gay, Tony Palmer, Nikki Townsend, Deb Brash, Peter Blake, Lyn Amy, Beverley Waldron, Gabrielle Coyne, Dan Ruffino and Sally Bateman, my publicist.

To my new editor Rachel Scully, who carried my novel and her pregnancy for almost the same period of gestation, my sincere thanks. One's editor is literary mother, father, friend, counsellor, teacher, mentor and partner, and Rachel has been all of these.

Finally, my own partner, Dorothy Gliksman, who was the first to see what I wrote and to correct, punctuate and offer suggestions. She put up with me, fed me, protected me from the telephone and allowed me to work undisturbed for months on end. She is also one of my very diligent proofreaders. No author could possibly ask for more from a partner.

The author and publisher wish to thank all copyright holders for permission to reproduce their work.

‘Poor Little Rich Girl' – Noël Coward
Copyright © The Estate of Noël Coward.

‘Mrs Worthington' – Noël Coward

Copyright © The Estate of Noël Coward.

‘On the Sunny Side of The Street' – Jimmy McHugh / Dorothy Fields (50% share)

© 1930 Cotton Club Publishing/EMI April Music Inc.

Used by permission of EMI Music Publishing Australia Pty Limited

(ABN 83000 040 951) PO Box 481, Spit Junction, NSW 2088, Australia

International copyright secured. All rights reserved.

‘Can't Help Lovin Dat Man' – J Kern / O Hammerstein

© T.B. Harms Co/Universal Music Publishing P/L

All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

Reprinted with permission.

‘Too Young' – Sylvia Dee (50%)

“Too Young”, Lyrics by Sylvia Dee © Edward Proffitt Music (USA).

All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

“Too Young” by Sidney Lippman and Sylvia Dee

© Aria Music Co. All rights reserved.

Used with permission of Campbell Connelly (Australia) Pty Ltd.

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