The five novellas of the Duo Ex Machina series are full of song lyrics I wrote to go with the stories. Some are by the two-man band Duo Ex Machina (comprising the two lead characters, Frank Capriano and Milo Bertolone, who are also boyfriends). Others are by their friend, Gabriella Valli, and yet others are…
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Cover Reveal: Duo Ex Machina – Kiss and Cry
I’m delighted to reveal the cover for my upcoming fourth Duo Ex Machina novella, Kiss and Cry. Set in 2014, Kiss and Cry sees musicians and life partners Frank Capriano and Milo Bertolone facing new challenges. Milo is taking part in a celebrity ice dancing show for charity; Frank is a busy music producer. They’re…
Read moreAustralian Music: 2014
Over on my Patreon, I’ve started posting cahpters for the fourth Duo Ex Machina book, set in 2014. Kiss and Cry brings Frank and Milo five years on from the events of Number One Fan: Frank is a successful producer and Milo is concentrating on raising funds and doing work with his Foundation. I’m inventing…
Read moreResearch: A home in Carlton
When Duo Ex Machina‘s Frank and Milo first appeared in a story, they’d just returned from Amsterdam – they were kinda big with the Dutch – to attend a funeral in Fremantle. They had no home but a hotel. By the second story in 2004, they were on a publicity tour, and still no home…
Read moreMelbourne Research: Brother Baba Budan
This cafe, at 359 Little Bourke St, Melbourne , is named for the man who reputedly first smuggled coffee beans out of Yemen (and consequently brought joy to the world). A version of BBB appears in the first chapter of Number One Fan. The cafe isn’t identified by name in the story, but the cosy,…
Read moreCover Reveal: Duo Ex Machina Book 3 – Number One Fan
I’m delighted to reveal the cover for my third Duo Ex Machina novel, Number One Fan. Duo Ex Machina Book 3: Number One Fan It’s 2009 and Frank and Milo are in a new phase of their music career. They’re not where they thought they’d be: the violence they’ve witnessed and been subjected to has…
Read more2018: My writing year – and my year to come: 2019
On the brink of a new year, I’m looking back on 2018 with satisfaction and maybe a smidge of exhaustion. 2019 looks to be just as full of writing challenges and delights! In case you missed anything, I’ve summarised my writing year below – and teased with some of my upcoming projects for 2019! Thank…
Read moreNarrelle’s summer reading reclist
While not everyone gets a break over summer, it’s always a good time for a reading recommendations list. And given I managed to read (as of 24 December) 159 books and novellas in 2018 (let’s see if I can make it 160 by NYE), I thought I’d share some of my favourites with you! Seasonal…
Read moreUpcoming rewards for my Patreon supporters!
My first six months on Patreon have gone really well, and I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me there to write fiction! The second of the Duo Ex Machina novellas, Sacrifice, will wind up its chapter-by-chapter posting soon, and will then be prepped to go to all my supporters there as an ebook!…
Read moreLocation: Hardware Lane
This post first appeared on my Patreon for my Fly By Nighters supporters on 6 April 2018 My first confession is that this image is not actually in Hardware Lane, which runs parallel to Elizabeth Street (between Queen and Elizabeth Streets) starting at Bourke Street and going through to Lonsdale. Between Lonsdale and Little Lonsdale,…
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