2025-15: Sportsball and the power of STORIES.

Posted on October 7, 2025 by mgbauer

Did you catch the game?

I know some people just don’t get sport. Don’t get all the hype and the passion and the over-the-top excitement and adrenaline rush of a big game. Can’t understand the piercing agony that can come with a last minute defeat or the soaring ecstasy of an unlikely last minute victory.

I have no problem with those people.

But I’m just really glad I’m not one of them.

As much as I love books, writing, films and music, none of those things has ever given me anything like the same level of joy or intensity of emotions, that I’ve experienced while watching a game in which I am personally and passionately invested.

For instance, no book or film or song has ever caused me to leap in the air, cheering and roaring my lungs out or left me, head in hands, crushed and deflated.

But many Rugby League games have. Along with World Cup Soccer matches, AFL Grand Finals, Rugby Union Tests, Cricket matches, Basketball games and a variety of Olympic events etc. Cathy Freeman anyone?

And I think a lot of it comes down to the power of STORIES.

While the skill and intensity of the contest brings its own enjoyment, it’s the hundreds of stories behind the contest that elevate it to another level. That give it meaning. That make it something more than ‘just a game’.

For me, particularly when it comes to Rugby league, it’s the backstory of the whole team and club’s journey over many seasons, along with the backstories of individual players and coaches – their highs and lows, their successes and failures, their personal battles and challenges – that draw me in and grip my heart.

Often they are stories of courage and commitment, of disappointment and redemption, of hope and despair. Stories that lay bare an individual’s strengths and weaknesses, not just in their role as players and coaches, but also as human beings.

And on top of all those stories, each spectator and fan brings their own history and stories to every game.

But what’s that you say? There are much more important things in the world today than something as trivial as a game of football – even a Grand Final?

Well, yes. I totally agree. There are and there always will be.

But like it says somewhere, To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.

So I like to to think that there’s still a time and a purpose for shouting for joy or moaning in pain over a contest that at times can feel like life and death, but really isn’t; where win or lose, it all just becomes one more story to tell and where, thankfully, there is always another game and another year on which to pin all your hopes and dreams.

And where despite all the rivalry and at times inflamed words and passions, there is still a final whistle with handshakes and embraces.

Anyway, all that rambling preamble (prerambling?) is just because I wanted to say, as someone who has been a huge Rugby League tragic since I was a kid (Up the Mighty Brisbane Western Suburbs Panthers!) – WELL DONE TO MY GUYS THE BRISBANE BRONCOS! – 2025 premiership winners in both the Mens and Womens competitions. A wonderful achievement that’s never been done before.

What a year! What a finals series! Thanks Broncs and all the teams for the roller-coaster ride of agony and ecstasy and everything in between. I’m just grateful my heart held out. Can’t wait to do it all again next year.

And finally, if you happen to be a ‘Rugba’ League tragic and QUEENSLAND supporter like me, OR if you know someone who is OR if you just want to read what is essentially a beautiful story about love and family, then do yourself a favour and keep your eye out for this book:

MAROONED: A Memoir of Fandom, Fatherhood and the Far Side of the World by DARREN GROTH out in Australian stores May 20, 2026.

If you want to see how sport can be bigger and more important than just a game, I highly recommend that you read Darren’s book. He’s a terrific writer and I’m super proud to have my name on the back cover.

You can check out Darren’s author site HERE where you will also find links to his facebook and instagram pages.

Cheers
Michael

PS: What are your thoughts on sport? Got a favourite sporting memory you’d like to share?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

2025-14: Booky-Type things.

Posted on August 28, 2025 by mgbauer

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged and a few booky-type things have happened.

Firstly I received the lovely news that JUST A DOG will be reprinted in January 2026 with a slightly updated cover. Really pleased about that. Thank you Scholastic Australia! Good boy Mr Moe!

Untitled design – 1

I’ve also had a few very enjoyable school visits.

One was to St Peter’s Lutheran Indooroopilly where I talked to all the YEAR 1s about YOU TURKEYS which they’d all read, as well as RODNEY LOSES IT! and ROBBIT the JOB-HOPPING FROG. Beautiful kids.

Great to catch up there with fab Author, Teacher-Librarian extraordinaire and Social Media star Megan Daley (Raising Readers, The Beehive).

And I got to sign lots of ROBBITS!

My second school visit was to Ambrose-Treacy College to speak to the YEAR 7 boys about their class novel DON’T CALL ME ISHMAEL. I’ve been to ATC many times over the years and the boys are always great to talk to.

The third visit was to Lourdes Hill College to talk to all the YEAR 8 girls who are also reading DON’T CALL ME ISHMAEL. Such a lovely and fun audience.

And just a reminder that brand new ‘AUSTRALIAN CLASSIC’ editions of all three ISHMAEL books are available now in all good book shops. If they’re not on the shelves just ASK and they’ll get them in! But be quick. It’s the first time in years books 2 and 3 have been available – and they’re even better than Book 1 IMHO.

The big booky thing this year is the celebration of the CBCA’s 80th Birthday. I have the honour of being the CBCA Qld Branch Ambassador for the event. (Which means I think I now have Diplomatic Immunity!).

Last Saturday the Qld Branch organised a wonderful morning of celebration at Brisbane City Hall involving around 20 Children’s and YA authors and a large group of keen young readers. It was a huge success and lots of fun.

Part of my brief speech on the day included this quote from Carl Sagan:

What an astonishing thing a book is. It’s a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person. An author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CBCA! And here’s to 80 wonderful years of supporting, promoting and championing books, reading and authors – with many more to come!

And finally the CBCA are not the only ones who celebrated a birthday.

pxl_20250810_2338087411993645099289482115

Cheers
Michael

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2025-13: Everyone’s a Critic.

Posted on August 5, 2025 by mgbauer

As I mentioned in a recent Blog (2025-11: Writing Tips from a Hairy Man) over the years I’ve recorded quite a few videos for schools, organisations, festivals, conferences and individuals.

In these videos I’ve covered topics such as: my writing career, the writing process and various aspects of particular books of mine. I’ve also responded to specific questions sent by teachers and students.

Rather than have all these videos just sit around on my computer, I decided to share some of the ‘better ones’ (very subjective description). The first couple were posted on that previous Blog.

But wait, there’s MORE!

Below is a video that I recorded for a conference. It contains a reading from the second Ishmael book Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs.

(And just a TIMELY REMINDER – All the three Ishmael books have been recently reprinted so why not update all your old editions or grab the sequels while stocks last – if you’ve been foolish enough not to have read them yet. They’re AUSTRALIAN CLASSICS and they have STICKERS!)

In the scene I read the character of Orazio (Razz) Zorzotto has written a love sonnet that he wants Ishmael to use to win over the girl-of-Ishmael’s-dreams, Kelly Faulkner.

Sadly, when Razz reads his ‘wicked’ poem to Ishmael and the rest of the debating team – James Scobie, Ignatius Prindabel and Bill Kingsley – he doesn’t quite get the reaction that he expects, especially from Ignatius Prindabel.

I feel Razz’s pain! But as any author will attest, you can’t please all the people all the time.

Razz would probably do well to take on board the advice in the following quote. It’s attributed to John Steinbeck.

Unless a reviewer has the courage to give you unqualified praise, I say ignore the bastard.

Cheers
Michael

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2025-12: Normal Transmission Resumed.

Posted on June 16, 2025 by mgbauer

I’m back!

For the past month or so my wife Adriana and I have been on a fantastic holiday in the UK.

As well as a couple of relaxing weeks staying with my sister and brother-in-law in beautiful Twickenham London and catching up there with our English nephews and their gorgeous families, we also spent a fortnight driving over 1400 miles around England, Scotland and Wales.

Along the way we visited many lovely towns and villages, as well as cathedrals, castles, landmarks, monuments etc and of course I took hundreds and hundreds of photos.

And here they all are!

No, I wouldn’t do that to you. You’ve suffered enough just reading my previous blogs.

But what I thought I would do is post some highlights of the trip that have some connection to WORDS, WRITERS & STORIES of various kinds.

Such as …

EEL PIE ISLAND MUSEUM:

Eel Pie Island is a small island nestled in the Thames near Twickenham not far from where we were staying with my sister in London.

The island gained fame in the 1960s as a legendary music venue. Many famous bands, singers and musicians played there often before they hit the big time. They included the Rolling Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Rod Stewart, David Bowie, Deep Purple, The Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, The Kinks and Cream.

We visited the Eel Pie Museum in Twickenham which tells the story of the Island and contains plenty of interesting memorabilia.

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH:

We visited the Wordsworth Museum in Grasmere in the Lake District and had a look through Dove Cottage which is where Wordsworth lived and wrote most of his greatest poems.

I studied Wordsworth and the other Romantic Poets at Uni but I gained a new respect for, and interest in the man here.

THE BEATLES:

We had a couple of days in Liverpool, one of which coincided with the massive street parade for the all conquering Liverpool Football team. Of course for a Beatles tragic like me it was mainly a chance to visit all things Fab Four.

Those four faces will be forever branded into my heart and soul. As I’ve said before I think the world was a better place when they were around. Their music and words and ideas made it better. They will always have god-like status for me.

I really like this quote from Kurt Vonnegut, another of my favourite writers:

I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, ‘The Beatles did’.

HAY-ON-WYE LITERARY FESTIVAL:

The lovely Welsh market town of Hay-On-Wye is known as the “town of books” having well over twenty bookshops. It is the National Book Town of Wales.

Our trip just happened to coincide with part of their book festival which was described by Bill Clinton in 2001 as “The Woodstock of the mind”. It is the largest literary festival in the UK and it attracts 300,000 plus visitors over 11 days and features a wide range of events with renowned writers, musicians, comedians, and poets. 

We dropped in on two slightly wet and very windy days and saw sessions featuring Stephen Fry, Michael Pedersen, Kathy Lette, Ruby Wax, Susie Dent, Julian Clary and Mark Haddon. All of which were great.

DON’T CALL ME ISHMAEL:

The Ishmael trilogy was published in the UK a number of years back now and although I sadly didn’t find any second-hand copies in any of the bookshops I explored in Hay-on-Wye, we were able to make a very fortuitous Ishmael connection in Scotland.

The planets lined up for us in terms of time and place and we had the chance to catch up with the lovely and very talented Michael Mandalios at our hotel in Glasgow.

Michael had the role of Ignatius Prindabel in Underground Broadway’s musical version of DCM Ishmael. It played to a packed and enthusiastic audience at the Schonell Theater in Brisbane in 2018.

It was wonderful to get the chance to catch up with Michael over a coffee and hear about his life in Glasgow.

WELCOME TO WREXHAM:

I’m a big fan of the multi Emmy award winning documentary series Welcome to Wrexham. Now in its fourth season, it follows the purchase of Wrexham Football Club by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny and their quest to get the team to win promotion to the higher leagues.

So far they have been promoted on each of three consecutive years – a feat never achieved before. It’s a moving, funny, fascinating and inspirational series even if you’re not a soccer fan,

So of course when I saw that our road trip was passing close by to the town of Wrexham, there just had to be a slight detour.

Here are some photos for Welcome to Wrexham fans like me. You’re welcome!

TED LASSO:

From one TV series about a real football team to another TV series about a fictional one – Ted Lasso and AFC Richmond.

Various scenes in Ted Lasso are filmed at locations in Richmond and around Richmond Green. As we were staying at nearby Twickenham it was a short and enjoyable trip to check them out.

Here are some photos for Ted Lasso fans like me. Believe!

THE FIFTH STEP:

In our last week in London we had tickets to a play at Soho Theatre called The Fifth Step starring Martin Freeman (The Office, Lord of the Rings etc etc etc) and Jack Lowden (probably best known for playing the character River alongside Gary Oldman in the fabulous TV series Slow Horses).

It was a brilliant five star production. Funny, poignant and dramatic. And our seats were so close at times we could have reached out and touched the actors.

But obviously, that is frowned upon.

We know that now.

ALEXANDER POPE:

Another literary connection on our trip is with the poet and satirist Alexander Pope. He lived and died in Twickenham which is where we stayed in London and his presence is still felt there in various locations and in street/pub names – and on benches.

PRIDE & PREJUDICE:

We also visited and had a look through the magnificent Chatsworth House in Derbyshire which was the location for Pemberley in the film of Pride and Prejudice (2005), starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden. It is thought Jane Austen wrote some of P & P in nearby Bakewell which we also visited.

CHAINED LIBRARY:

At Hereford Cathedral we viewed the Chained Library.

The library’s earliest and most important book is the 8th-century Hereford Gospels; it is one of 229 medieval manuscripts which now occupy two bays of the Chained Library.

The chaining of books was the most widespread and effective security system in European libraries from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, and Hereford Cathedral’s 17th-century Chained Library is the largest to survive with all its chains, rods and locks intact.

A chain is attached at one end to the front cover of each book; the other end is slotted on to a rod running along the bottom of each shelf. The system allows a book to be taken from the shelf and read at the desk, but not to be removed from the bookcase.

The whole library can now be seen in its original arrangement as it was from 1611 to 1841.

And thus endeth the WORDS, WRITERS & STORIES aspect of our UK adventure.

Cheers
Michael

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments