Instead I want to share the great good news, especially for those of you who were counting down with me on the great race to meet the 1 July deadline, that my editor, Kate, at Harper Voyager US, has now read the Gathering<\/strong><\/em> manuscript I submitted last Thursday and is tres happy, so it’s full steam ahead for that March publication deadline. WOOT! Rejoice with me—but now, holiday! And then straight onwards to Daughter of Blood <\/em>(note: working title.)<\/p>\n —<\/p>\n On June 23<\/a>, I published the first “peek inside” Tales for Canterbury,<\/strong><\/em> an anthology of short fiction put together by Cassie Hart<\/strong><\/a> and Anna Caro<\/strong><\/a> and divided into three sections: Survival — Hope — Future. The anthology includes a range of short stories donated by both national and international authors as a fundraiser for the Red Cross Christchurch Earthquake Appeal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The “peek inside” involves featuring the first paragraph ‘or so’ (if the paras are very short, but within the bounds of fair use) of some of the stories over the next while.\u00a0 I do hope it will encourage readers to not just take my word for Tales for Canterbury\u2019s <\/strong><\/em> quality but also to give it a try for themselves.<\/p>\n I began with my own short contribution, The Fountain<\/strong><\/em>, which appears in the Hope<\/strong> section of the anthology. Today I am continuing with another short story from the Hope<\/strong> section, Tim Jones’<\/a> “Sign of the Tui”<\/em><\/strong>:<\/p>\n .<\/p>\n First Brian was going to meet me at the airport, then he said he was too The further east we went, the worse everything got, till I felt that I I squared my shoulders and hefted my pack. Better get this over with.<\/em><\/p>\n Brian was in the back garden, pacing around on grass grown to a length He saw me and closed his hand over the phone. \u201cPut up the tent,\u201d he There were so many things I could have said to that, of which \u201cPut it …<\/p>\n To read more, of both Sign of the Tui<\/strong><\/em> and all the other wonderful stories comprising Tales for Canterbury<\/strong><\/em>, and support the Christchurch earthquake recovery effort, consider purchasing your own electronic or hard copy edition of Tales for Canterbury, <\/strong><\/em><\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/TalesforCanty.jpg\" "\\"TalesforCanty\\"")
<\/a>Tales for Canterbury<\/em>: A Peek Inside “Sign of the Tui” by Tim Jones<\/h3>\nSign of the Tui<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Tim Jones<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nbusy. I ended up taking a shuttle into town. Nothing I\u2019d seen on TV,
\nnothing I\u2019d watched on YouTube, could prepare me for the reality: the
\ncity I was born in, demolished by earthquake and aftermath.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nhad been transported out of Christchurch and into Afghanistan. It was a
\nhot day, the nor-wester arch hovering over the plains. Sweat chafed my
\narmpits and thighs. The shuttle bobbed and weaved down cracked streets
\ntowards my parents\u2019 house. \u201cHere you are,\u201d said the driver, and dropped
\nme in front of the rubble.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nmy dad could never have abided. He was on his mobile, running his
\nbusiness by remote control, keeping his team in line.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nsaid.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nup yourself, you prick\u201d would have been the mildest. I said nothing and
\ngot my tent out of my pack.<\/em><\/p>\n