Jame Mclean - Author

I became a Jame Mclean fan from the first page of his initial offering "The Greatest Life never to be lived", and his books since have only enhanced my admiration and enjoyment. It does of course help that I hail from regional Australia which allows me to relate more readily to Jame's subject material, but this is by no means a pre-requisite to enjoy his stories.

His work to date has somewhat of a dark undertone with some challenging themes arising from the pages but it's those themes intertwined with a uniquely Australian flavor that put the stories in the thriller class but retain that rare earthiness and believability. This book sees a different direction for Mclean, moving from fiction to an anecdotal account of life in the Queensland bush as evidenced in his own life. Once again he has managed to entertain; capturing the essence of life lived in remote and small Australia in a lighthearted and fast paced format.

This book is part of the continuing development of Jame Mclean the author, a journey which has at this point in time thrown some very unique and thoroughly enjoyable work.

I get the feeling the best is yet to come.

Shane Webcke 2010

Above: Tiny & Lefty during better times.

Above: Lantana Wool Shed
Left: Endless stock pads during drought times.

While my stories are varied, my goals remain constant – to entertain, to surprise and to challenge you as a reader. I want to encourage you to read on, to turn the next page or reach for the next book, and to consider, that 'fact isn't always stranger than fiction'.

My first two novels – 'The Greatest Life' and 'Dog Trap' – tackle the great question of 'what if?' on many levels. They are based in the world that I call my own, a world filled with 'close calls' and 'near misses' that, at any time, may result in the sacrifice of the things that are the most precious. Life on the land is not so much about location, or lifestyle, but of existence.

'The Silver Dagger' is a work of pure fiction, with characters drawn from my over-active imagination. The protagonist is evil incarnate. His random acts of brutality carry incredible power, but the locations are real – and in some people's lives so too is his motivation.

'When Blood's Enough' is written now, about now and in a world that most of us find to be real and confronting. With the world's finances dissolving around us and the longest drought in history testing man and beast alike, a family in the vast outback is left wanting. Sold up and set to be cast off; the family plots a revenge that well take them further than any of them had ever intended. In a world wind journey from outback regions of three states of Australia to the eastern coast and back again, some things in life, such as kinship and devotion will be surely tested.

Under the heading of 'Faction', half fact and half fiction I offer in this year 2010, 'Mad As Country Folk'. A collection of stories, some seen and some heard as they have been told and re-told throughout the finest country in the land. This is Volume one and will undoubtedly be followed by more, as the mad stories and wild recants of life in the bush and living on the land will surely never end.

In coming years I will be publishing more of my work, including novels, short stories, snippets known as 'One page warriors' and poetry. I plan to release a new novel as often as I can and to spread 'outback fiction' and Australian stories as far as possible.

Enjoy. Happy reading.

Jame