In March 2020 my second book Symphony for the Man was due to be launched in Melbourne and Sydney but then the world had other ideas and we all retreated into our homes for a few months. It was a little disappointing but I was grateful to have a home I could retreat to, a family I could spend time with and a job that could continue from home.
If those launches had happened, this is a bit of what I would have said:
In the late 1990’s Chris and I were living in Bondi. I was working in Martin Place and would catch the bus through Bondi Junction every work day. Around this time I attended a writing workshop run by Kate Grenville. Kate encouraged us to keep a notebook, to write down snippets that we saw in our lives or pieces of dialogue we overheard. Or random thoughts that crossed our minds. During this workshop we structured our snippets into beginnings, middles and ends and through this process the outline of Symphony for the Man was formed.
In 2001 Chris and I were living in Amsterdam and Spinifex had agreed to publish my first book, Glory. I remember thinking now that I was getting one book published I had better start working on a second. The first draft of Symphony for the Man was written before we returned to Sydney in 2002.
In 2002 Glory was published and Zeke was born. In 2005 Henry was born and in 2009 Milo was born. To be honest I don’t really remember much about writing during those years. I know I still worked on Symphony for the Man. I’m not sure how or when.
At the end of 2014 Joe and I made a bet to see who could finish their books first and I discovered that a bit of friendly competition and a hard deadline are good motivators for me. I managed to finish a draft of Symphony for the Man that I was happy to show around while I did a Masters in Sustainable Built Environments.
I think it was 2018 before the book ended up in the hands of Spinifex and I’d like to thank Renata, Susan and Pauline for taking the time to give me such encouraging feedback, and for their faith in me and this story. Spinifex asked me to go back and work some more on the story and instead of being discouraged or tired of this story I had been carrying with me for so long I felt pleased to be returning to these two characters who’ve been a part of my life for so many years.
There is one moment in those years of raising children and working and trying to fit in a bit of writing that I want to talk about tonight. I’m not sure of the year. There’s a photo of Zeke and I on the day. In the photo I’m standing on tip toes to be a little taller than him so I’m guessing he was about 12 at the time.
Zeke and I were participating in a bike ride that started in North Sydney and took us over the Harbour Bridge to the botanical gardens. To get to the starting line we got up early and rode to Bondi Junction to catch a train. As we sat on the train with our bikes resting on our knees a man sat opposite us and started to talk.
As he talked I remember watching Zeke’s little boy eyes widened. There was nothing to fear from the man opposite us and he didn’t want anything from us. He just wanted to talk. I remember realising as this man talked that I was sitting in front of a version of my character Harry. This man was younger than my Harry. His story was a little different. But I’ve never forgotten him and I wonder if sitting across from him that day helped push me to finish this book. I’m really pleased that Harry and this story is now in print for all of you to read. I’m pleased to see these characters leave my world and hopefully enter yours.
Ever faithful to Kate’s method I took a line from that man on the train and used it in my book. It’s still one of my favourite scenes. I wonder if you can guess which one?
Sarah
