Another book from the prolific Jim Brigginshaw

Two months from his 84th birthday, Iluka author-journalist Jim Brigginshaw’s life is getting busier.

For 60 years he’s been a newspaper journalist and he’s still working – he writes three columns a fortnight for The Northern Star, Lismore, where he was editor for 16 years.

But it’s books that are keeping him busiest: he’s just had his third published in 12 months.

Two were launched in a four-day period.

In 20 years at Iluka, he has written 15 books, seven of which have been published.

During a lifetime as a working journalist, he’s held senior positions at nine major newspapers in three States – Queensland: The Courier-Mail, The Australian, Sunday Mail, Brisbane Telegraph, Queensland Times; New South Wales: Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Sun, The Northern Star; Western Australia: the West Australian.

He is the holder of several journalistic awards, including a national Walkley, and was Australian Journalist of the Year runner-up.
 
His latest book, Out of the Dust, is being launched in Ipswich, Queensland, on December 10.

It is the sequel to his prize-winning novel, Over My Dead Body, which won Brisbane publisher Interactive Publications’ award as Best Fiction of 2008.

The author was born on the Ipswich coalfields in the hungry, jobless days of the Great Depression, the son of a miner dying of lungs destroyed by the horrendous underground conditions of the primitive early Queensland pits.
 
Over My Dead Body tells of a miner’s struggle to provide for a wife and five children, and his determination that his son will work down below only ‘over my dead body’.

But the man dies a lingering death and  the 16-year-old boy, who now has to provide for the family, takes a job in the mine.

The first book ends with him facing the dust and dangers that killed his father.

The newly-published sequel, Out of the Dust, completes the story. It tells of the boy’s efforts to get out of the mine and achieve the ambition he’s been forced to bury below the earth.

On the way to his goal in life, he encounters a war, personal degradation and further tragedy.
 
Jim Brigginshaw’s books are available from him at Iluka (ph 66 466 766 or email shimpusan@bigpond.com).

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1. Local author Jim Brigginshaw turns his hand to fictional history
2. Enlighten Up: Sandy Gandhi’s first book
3. Chinese contribution to the Tweed celebrated in book, exhibition
4. ‘Courageous Australians’ nominations sought for phone book covers
5. Steve Posselt’s book Cry Me A River to be launched on May 4

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Related posts:

1. Local author Jim Brigginshaw turns his hand to fictional history
2. Enlighten Up: Sandy Gandhi’s first book
3. Chinese contribution to the Tweed celebrated in book, exhibition
4. ‘Courageous Australians’ nominations sought for phone book covers
5. Steve Posselt’s book Cry Me A River to be launched on May 4