About the Author
David Scott is a playwright, director and novelist – among other things. His career included forty years as a film exhibitor; establishing a horse stud; managing a motel; working in the hospitality industry, and a few other experiences along the way. David’s latest book, Stargazer, is an autobiography highlighting the value of family, ingenuity, bravado, old-fashioned common sense, colourful characters and unfailing good humour. From rural towns in Victoria and New South Wales, to the mountain life in Queensland, the constant has been faithful canine companions, perseverance and a joy for living.
Follow David on Instagram and Stargazer on Goodreads
AUTHOR Q&A
1. What inspired you to write this book?
The original tale (tail) was an account (mostly humorous) about the dogs who have shared my life. Being a member of a writers’ group, I was able to present my story, however they wanted to know more about me – hopes, fears, feelings, etc. Over time I revealed more of myself but there was a lot I wasn’t ready to bring into the light of day. As time went by, extra information was disclosed, but it wasn’t until Simon Ogden, my marvelous editor, asked the questions that fathomed the depths ofmy past – memories I never wanted to revisit, and I am indebted to Simon for that. The story is a tell-all, no holds-barred expose – an honest account of a life well lived and still going.
2. Why did you decide to publish?
Several years ago, I published two fictional novels which were highly successful, but this book, my autobiography, fills me with an optimism I cannot explain. Maybe it’s the honesty? This is the story I was born to write, one many people will identify with.
3. What do you hope readers will get from reading your book?
We all have a story and I hope it will inspire readers to look at their lives and see beyond the surface of what we so flippantly call the ordinary, and marvel at what they have achieved, and the challenges they’ve overcome along the way. Not all things are what they seem; how we interpret them can have a profound effect on our lives.
4. Why should someone buy your book?
An autobiography is a strange animal; so many forgotten feelings, occasions, failures, and successes come to the fore allowing your own critical analysis. Although it took over 70 years to face up to past experiences, the result is an honest account of trying to navigate the best path without the benefit of hindsight. The writer is offering their life lessons as a gift; light and shadow impacts us all, and any chance to avoid the pitfalls is worth considering.
5. Tell me something not in the synopsis.
There is a lot of humour within the story but it is meted with pathos. The synopsis mentions the death of my father, however it was not until the night before Mum’s funeral, decades later, when I was alone in the family home that the loss of family members overwhelmed me. Memories came flooding back, unleashing a host of pent-up emotions as I studied furniture and ornaments that had stayed in place since my childhood, items as stable as the family structure had been. The next day at the funeral service, my distraught sister and her husband followed the coffin from the church while I was walked behind them, alone. A sense of insignificance and loneliness that hadn’t been felt since boarding at Scotch College, swamped me, and my tears flowed unchecked.
At the cemetery, my sister-in-law Betty provided the anchor I needed. She was no stranger to heartache, or that resting place – her husband and three children were buried there. Moving alongside me, she gently took my arm, and leaning into her I found the comfort I needed. Betty understood what it was like to lose loved ones and to be in a quandary about how to proceed.
