Flame Tip is a slim collection of short fictions that explore different realities and perceptions arising from the Tasmanian Black Tuesday bushfires of 1967. The pieces in this collection are as diverse in subject matter (infidelity, love, suicide) as they are in length. Despite the horror of one day of infernal terror, these stories reveal nuances of character and place through resilience, empathy, honesty and humour.
February 2017 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Tasmanian Black Tuesday bush fires. Flame Tip will resonate with Australians, fire being elemental in our consciousness, and with Tasmanians in particular who may recognise themselves and their surroundings within the lines of fiction. There is also a universality to the pieces that should appeal to a wider audience.
David Walsh, the controversial and high-profile owner of MONA, has written the foreword and will stock the book. It would sell well in Australian souvenir and gift shops as well as bookstores.
