For local author Gray Bickley, 16 December was the book launch that almost wasn’t.
With only hours to spare before he was due on stage to unveil his new crime thriller, Contained, he learned that copies of the book had been sent by the printers to the wrong address. For a heart-stopping moment it looked like he might have to cancel the book’s unveiling.
But, as the 73-year-old Peregian Springs resident told his packed-house audience: “Luckily, the address they delivered them to was that of one of my fellow Noosa Writers authors, David Erskine, who’d had his own book launch only a week before mine. David just happened to be at home and, realising the mistake, rushed the books round to me with little more than an hour to spare.
“I guess you could say I’ve been lucky in more ways than one.”
And lucky he is, as he revealed to his audience, speaking movingly of his newfound lust for life following a double lung transplant 13 years ago.
And making every moment count has been his mantra ever since, establishing himself in those 13 years as an acclaimed wildlife photographer, published short-story writer, poet and artist.
Contained is available in most bookshops, price $24.95, from Amazon or from the author at grayham.bickley@gmail.com.
