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Hugh Watson, Author

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25.01.2022 Home Grown is now available from the Parliament House bookshop.

25.01.2022 Here's a short (500 word) story I entered in 'Furious Fiction' a monthly competition run by the Australian Writers' Centre THE WILL Hugh Watson... Monday ‘Hi sis.’ ‘Oh hi. Been a while. What’s happening?’ ‘Mum’s gone.’ ‘What do you mean gone? Gone where?’ ‘No, I mean, she died.’ ‘Oh damn, really? When?’ ‘Last night. Her neighbour, you know, Mrs whatshername rang me.’ ‘Jeez..that’s awful.when did you see her last?’ ‘Just before last Christmas. I drove down to see her cause we had Christmas at the coast, you know. What about you?’ ‘Oh, it must have been three months, no wait, it was on my way back from a conference in Brisbane in February; I flew in on one of those awful small planes. How did she die?’ ‘Don’t know. When I saw her she looked good.’ ‘Me too so what do we do now?’ ‘I guess we head up there to arrange the funeral. How are you placed? I’ve got the kids’ concert at the school tomorrow’ ‘Oh bugger. I’ve got this case on. High profile client. I guess I can get a continuance family death and all that I’ll fly up tomorrow.’ ‘Great I’ll drive up on Wednesday. Do you reckon we can do the funeral on Friday we’ve got some of Peter’s business partners coming over on Saturday.’ ‘Dunno. I’ll see what I can do.’ ‘Great. Thanks sis. See you Wednesday.’ Wednesday ‘Can you believe this?’ ‘No way. Who’d have thought. I haven’t been in this room since dad died.’ ‘A wall full of the kids’ photos. And clippings about your cases. Looks like she followed everything we did.’ ‘Yeah have you found the will?’ ‘No. I spoke to a Colin Stephens, her solicitor. We can see him after the funeral.’ ‘Not before?’ ‘Apparently not. Is Ben coming up?’ ‘No, he can’t. What about Peter and the kids?’ ‘Oh, we thought it would be too much of a disruption to their schooling, so he’s looking after them. So it will be just the two of us I guess.’ ‘We should see an estate agent. This place will be worth a mint.’ ‘Yeah, let’s do that now.’ Friday morning ‘Can you believe the turnout?’ ‘Bloody amazing. Seems like everyone in town came. Even our old teacher Mrs Symonds.’ ‘Nice eulogy from the Mayor. Didn’t realise how much mum was into the community. Didn’t know she got that award.’ ‘Me neither. Anyway, let’s go and see this solicitor.’ ‘Yeah. I have to get home.’ Friday afternoon ‘Bloody hell! Half to the seeing eye dogs and half to the Salvos!’ ‘Un-bloody-believable! How selfish!’ ‘And we get the family photo albums from when we were babies.’ ‘I’ll look after them.’ ‘No, I’ll keep them. You’ll lose them.’ ‘Don’t bring that up. I’m grieving.’ ‘Yeah right..’

24.01.2022 A short Story (500 words) I submitted to Furious Fiction, a monthly 500 word competition. The criteria were it had to be on Xmas Eve, it had to be 50 years ago or 50 years in the future, the first word had to rhyme with the last and it had to contain the words: 'It was gone in a flash'. THE REUNION Hugh Watson... ‘Twenty five years. Can you believe it? It was gone in a flash.’ ‘I can. Look at us.’ They both laughed. The setting was as it should have been. The Hotel Beau Rivage in Lausanne. A charming young lady playing Mozart as the two middle-aged gentlemen sipped their brandy looking out over Lake Léman. ‘Christmas Eve 1943. A good choice. Even the boat patrols on the lake were celebrating. But swimming across with just an inflatable vest in mid-winter Hans. I don’t think I could have done it. It was months before I heard you made it.’ ‘I was young and fit. Wehrmacht training. I don’t think I’d want to try it now.’ A glance at the snow-covered lake shore made him shake his head as if in confirmation. ‘And in those months so much happened in the fatherland.’ ‘Yes. The attack on the Führer. The invasion of France. But you should know Hans, that the Führer approved and supported our mission and even in his final days he would ask me ‘how go our plans for America?’ ‘I so envy you Gerhardt. I never met the Führer. It was excruciating watching from California as the end drew near.’ ‘As it was for those of us near him. But there was some satisfaction in knowing that our dream was still alive.’ ‘And still is Gerhardt. Very much so.’ ‘Tell me more.’ ‘As you know, I moved very cautiously for the first ten years. There were many post-war immigrants, so I blended in. Philadelphia was a natural harbour with so many people of German origin, so I moved there. I found like-minded people and I cautiously developed a movement. Then I moved to New York.’ ‘What about the FBI?’ ‘We were under the radar with all the anti-communist mania of the 1950s and even this decade. Now they’re more worried about the long-haired hippies in San Francisco.’ ‘What support do you have?’ ‘In the last ten years I have built cells in over twenty states and they are armed and committed.’ ‘And financing?’ ‘There are many who support our cause. The money is there.’ ‘And so. A leader.’ ‘Yes. A leader. It’s here we must play the long game. The time is not right. We need the people to be angry and disillusioned.’ ‘How long are we talking about?’ ‘I don’t know Gerhardt. It could be fifty years.’ ‘Fifty years! The person would have to be young now. Just leaving college.’ ‘They would.’ ‘Do you have anyone in mind.’ ‘I do.’ ‘Will he be able to convince the people?’ ‘It will depend on the times. But I believe so.’ ‘Does he have enough money?’ ‘Plenty.’ ****

24.01.2022 Home Grown is still available at the National Library bookshop.

22.01.2022 At Belchite in Spain, a town left as it was at the end of the Spanish Civil War. Researching for third novel: To Write and to Fight.

21.01.2022 Home Grown is now available at Dymocks in Civic, Belconnen and Tuggeranong as well as the National Library bookshop in Canberra, Muse bookshop and cafe in Kingston, the Hall Gift Shop and Post Office, Booktique in Merimbula, Candelo Books and the Bega Newsagency in Bega and Tathra Newsagency.

20.01.2022 Belchite- still on the Civil War trail. This town was the centre of several vicious battles in 1937-38 as fascists and republicans fought for supremacy in Aragon. Franco declared that it be left as a reminder and memorial (from his perspective for the brave fascist soldiers). Collecting many photos, facts and memories for my yet to be published novel: To Write and to Fight.

20.01.2022 I'm pleased to say that Halstead Press will be publishing my second novel 'The Silo' in early 2021. An horrific death in a grain silo, rural properties mysteriously acquired and a corrupt politician on the move

19.01.2022 Novel 2, 'The Silo' is currently with literary agents for consideration: An horrific death in a grain silo, rural properties mysteriously acquired and a corrupt politician on the move... Novel 3: 'To write and to fight' is set in the 1920s and 1930s. About half-way at present.

18.01.2022 Home Grown is available for sale through Amazon/Kindle in soft copy. Hard copy versions are available from the National Library bookshop in Canberra, Muse bookshop and cafe in Kingston, the Hall Gift Shop and Post Office, Booktique in Merimbula, Candelo Books and the Bega Newsagency in Bega, Tathra Newsagency and HookedonBooks at Batemans Bay.

17.01.2022 ASIO warns of right wing threats. Time to dust off ‘Home Grown’.

16.01.2022 Home Grown in once again available for sale at Booktique in Merimbula. Great place for a coffee too.https://www.booktique.com.au/

11.01.2022 Very excited to do a half-day tour of Barcelona today focussing on the Spanish Civil War which is at the heart of my third novel: 'To Write and to Fight'.

11.01.2022 Hugh Watson gets a grilling from Philip Williams regarding his novel 'Home Grown' and whether it is fiction or non-fiction (one year ago). Still available at Amazon/Kindle, the National Library and Parliament House.

06.01.2022 Home Grown available on Amazon/Kindle. Tell your friends as daily this fiction becomes non-fiction.

05.01.2022 Come and join us on Saturday 28th March at 7pm at Smiths Alternative in Canberra for our last Canberra gig before our 25th Anniversary Tour to the US West Coast. Please share this.

04.01.2022 Comment from Admiral Chris Barrie, AO, former Chief of Defence: 'It is racy and hard to put down!'

02.01.2022 Home Grown still available on Kindle. Limited signed hard copies available for $25 + postage. Contact [email protected] with heading HARD COPY HOME GROWN

02.01.2022 Enjoyed the interview with Tim Shaw on 2CC on Monday.

01.01.2022 HOME GROWN IN THE CANBERRA TIMES http://www.canberratimes.com.au//ganggang-tolstoys-epic-ou

01.01.2022 Interview about Home Grown with Sophie Longdon on ABC South Coast on Monday 1st February at 10.30am.