Towards a Distant Sea

Released by Indra Publishing October 2005

Synopsis
Paul, a young Australian priest arrives in the Philippines, in 1971, as Martial Law is proclaimed by President Marcos. His idealism exposes him to first-hand experiences of violence and corruption, to injustices, and above all to the heroism of Filipinos during this extraordinary period of Philippine history. And, in his personal life, Paul has to confront the loneliness of the celibate foreign cleric, living alone in the tropical fecundity of Mindanao.

The narrative confronts issues still critical to contemporary society - the misuse of power and the struggle for human rights, issues of sexuality and religion, and the search for identity. The title is suitable for readers interested in political corruption and violence - as prevalent today as in the 1970s; the struggle for human rights - for society and the individual; issues of sexuality and religion - a raw nerve issue in church life; and the search for identity - a perennial quest.

All Mortal Flesh         

Released by Heartsong Publishing March 2009      Reviews

All Mortal Flesh is a collection of stories which explore and navigate the reader through the frailties and quirkiness of the human condition.

‘The hallmark of these stories is their compassionate lack of sentimentality. They have the sophisticated smoothness of a writer who is in command of his art. There is a raw honesty about them that never degenerates into didacticism and the balance between morality and mortality (or perhaps it’s humanity and humanism) is maintained with a wisely observant eye.

While there is a unifying style and sensibility behind all the stories, there is a pleasing variation in their construction, approach and content.’ (Pamela Hewitt)

A man diagnosed with cancer goes on a flower-buying spree while a sculptor is seduced by and elopes with his own statue. A girl makes the most of an encounter with a UFO and a woman returns to her childhood home to search for a vanished father. A man modelling for an artist gets more than he bargained for and a country boy looks for love in the big city.

'John Bartlett's voice is stylish and unusual, addressing provocative subject-matter with lyrical, poetic prose.' (Cate Kennedy, award-winning short story writer)

The Australian settings are realistic and believable, yet transcended by the universality of the themes.