ROCK

Computers seem to have a mind of their own: without touching keyboard or mouse what I wrote before just disappeared. So if it shows twice, forgive my computer.
On 5 May the Dutchies here in town will have a big festival to celebrate Holland Liberation Day in het Art Quarry. I don't feel Dutch at all any more, am a Kiwi by now, but still have a very soft spot for 5 May. So when someone suggested I have a table there with some of my books, I accepted.
I'll have a stack of some of the books which were published last year, but also a new one, coming out now: ROCK: A collection of my short stories, including some award winners. 18 All told. And also a booklet of 10 happy and not-so-happy memories of the war years: EEMSSTRAAT 11 hs. a limited edition of 25 copies, put together of the festival.
So I'll have for sale, signed at the spot:
CLONE (the last few copies bought off my publisher after my book sold well, but he went broke). $35
languageland, 80 poems by the poet-in-exile Elisabeth Augustin, which I translated into English. $45
LIKE A GUARDIAN, my memoirs. $45
And now of course also ROCK for $20, and EEMSSTRAAT 11 hs for $18
Now all we need is good weather and happy, rich customers. I need the money, but even more importantly, there's no point in writing if nobody reads it. Then I might as well stand in front of a mirror and admire my clever and sensitive words.
And that rock on a beach of the book cover? A radio station not far from Wellingon had advertised for short radio stories. I submitted my story ROCK and got an unfriendly rejection: 'What the hell is that all about?' I then entered the same story in the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association competition.  An international panel of three judges, and over 3,000 entries. ROCK was a winner, got broadcast several times on National Radio and on a number of overseas radio stations. I have made the story a little bit longer for the present book.
Enjoy!  <:}