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How to write creative non-fiction history

Discovering an old photo album from the 1920s, celebrated author and adjunct professor Paul Ashton embarked on a journey to turn historical research into engaging creative non-fiction, blending meticulous evidence with captivating storytelling. Here he shares he insights on the fascinating process. One afternoon my elderly father and niece came to my home for lunch. On their way they had seen something on a council clean up. ‘We thought you might be interested in this,’ said my father handing me a small, brown photo album. I was. The album contained around 100 undated black and white photographs. It became apparent quickly that this was the record of a road trip done in the 1920s or 1930s. A boy, two women and a man had gone on a trip from Sydney up through New England, to Tamworth then to Brisbane and back to Sydney. Shadows in some of the images indicate that they were taken by the man and at least one of the women. The album provided the basis for my first children’s book, Palmer’s Mystery Hikes. One photograph stood out for me. Hundreds of people were gathered somewhere in the bush. In the far left-hand corner in the background was an elevated table covered with a large white tablecloth. With a magnifying glass I could just make out ‘Palmers [something] Hike’. In 1932 Palmer’s men and boys’ department store, in Park Street in Sydney, had established a hiking club to promote the sale of hiking apparel. You bought a ‘mystery’ ticket from New South Wales Railways with which Palmer had an arrangement; turned up at Central Station on Sunday morning; and were taken to a mystery destination. From there you did a ten-mile hike to another station and were then trained back to Sydney. There were five hikes. The third one to the Hawkesbury River attracted over 8,000 people. Turning historical research into believable fiction or creative non-fiction has certain demands. How do you strike a balance between historical research and evidence and the narrative form? This is a big question and will ultimately depend on many things, including the availability of primary and secondary sources and the nature of the particular narrative. But perhaps the most important question is: how do writers use the past to give their work historical dimensions and insights? For me, the most critical element is context. And it’s the thing most missing in much historically based fictional literature. Evoking people, places and periods involves understandings of things such as continuity and change over time, historical process – like colonisation and suburbanisation – ideologies and superstitions. Where appropriate, these should form subtle backgrounds to the narrative. Fiction and creative non-fiction as historical modes of presenting history should also show – not tell. My edited collection, If It’s not True It Should Be (Halstead Press), explores writing history using fictional techniques. As Peter Stanley has written in that book, ‘those who seek to illuminate the past through the imaginative recreation of historical fiction … [are] motivated by the fundamental conviction that what links the fidelity of the historian and the imagination of the historical novelist is that the work of both should be offered and read as if it were true.’ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Paul Ashton is adjunct professor and co-founder of the Australian Centre for Public History at the University of Technology Sydney and adjunct professor at the University of Canberra and Macquarie University. He has authored, co-authored, edited and co-edited over 40 books and is editor of the journal Public History Review. His series of creative non-fiction children’s histories – Accidental Histories – is being published by Halstead Press. Images: Supplied

Books

5 things you HAVE to do if you’ve been scammed

Australians lost almost $300 million to scams in 2016 with 200,000 incidents reported. 45% of these victims were aged over 55. Here’s what to do if it happens to you. 1. Contact your financial institution First things first, you need to stop the money. Most scams involve you giving out your bank details or having them stolen, so the scammers will be able to access your funds. Contact all banks, credit unions or credit card providers that you have accounts with and get them to freeze your accounts. You can also ask them to put extra security measures in place (like secondary passwords or voice recognition) in case something like this happens again. 2. Change your passwords All of them. Even if they are for separate accounts that aren’t linked in any way, it is best to change every password you have. Once a scammer has access to even a small part of your online data, it is frighteningly easy for them to get into everything. 3. Report it to the authorities Your next call should be to the police. You may need to make a statement at the police station so that you have a record for your insurance company or to make any claims of fraud to the bank. Depending on the type of scam, you may also need to report it to the Australian Tax Office, ASIC or another official body. It’s also a good idea to report it to Scamwatch, a government database that keeps a record of all scams going round. 4. Register with ACORN The Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network is a national database of people who have been targeted by scammers. If someone is using your identity to fraudulently open bank accounts or commit other scams, it will show up once you have registered. This gives you a level of protection against any future crimes they could be committing in your name. You can also apply for a Commonwealth Victim’s Certificate that identifies you as a victim of identity crime and helps reestablish your credentials with government and financial institutions. 5. Alert friends and family Some scams will use your contact list from a phone, social media or email account to directly target friends and family. Warn people to ignore any strange requests that seem to come from you. You can also post a general notice on your social media page telling people about the scam as many people will often be hit by the same people around the same time. Have you ever been a victim of a scam? This article is for general information only. You should seek formal financial advice on your specific circumstances.

Legal

Gluten-free diet can be bad for you if you don’t need it

Many people choosing to go gluten-free are just wasting their money on expensive health foods and could actually be doing themselves damage, according to a new review. The University of Newcastle paper published in the Australian Medical Journal today highlights a recent study from Spain that found only 16 per cent of people who self-reported gluten sensitivity actually showed the symptoms in a proper trial. The sample did not include those diagnosed as having coeliac disease or a wheat allergy. It's estimated only one in 100 people have a confirmed coeliac disease. Lead author Michael Potter said about seven per cent of Australians were avoiding gluten, including a big group which had gastro intestinal symptoms and blamed them on gluten. "Five out of six wheat avoiders are probably not truly gluten sensitive," he said. "The symptoms are usually there for a reason, it's just that gluten is not necessarily the answer." Potter said non-coeliac gluten sensitivity was a "real condition" that had only come to light in the last five years or so. However, a gluten-free diet was right for coeliacs, but not necessarily benign for those who did it for no reason, he said. "It is costly, it's inconvenient and there are even signals in the literature that it may make you more prone to vitamin deficiencies." The review also suggested a gluten-free diet could boost the risk of heart attack or stroke by raising blood pressure, cholesterol levels and body weight. Potter's advice for people who thought gluten was affecting them was to get checked for coeliac disease first. "Self-diagnosis is a dangerous thing to do. Non-specific gastro intestinal symptoms can be due to a whole range of things and modern medicine is able to treat a lot of them. See your GP." He agreed the findings were not good news for the booming gluten-free food industry. "It is big business, there is a lot of popular press touting a gluten-free diet to make you healthier and make you slimmer, but at the moment there just isn't the evidence for that." Christchurch paediatrician, gastro-enterologist, and food allergist Rodney Ford has believed in gluten's non-coeliac impact for years. "There was a time when gluten sensitivity was rubbished by the medical community and they said it didn't exist at all." He said it was interesting that 1 in a 100 Kiwis were now estimated to be affected by coeliac disease, when he was studying medicine the estimate was 1 in 2000. Dr Ford said gluten sensitivity problems were often a slow-burning issue and not easy to pick up in a quick trial. "A lot of my clinic patients who have severe eczema when taken off gluten can take six months to clear of eczema. When you put them back on, it takes about six weeks to come back." He was also more positive about the gluten-free diet when done properly. "It's a way to overhaul your diet. People feel a lot better. You are changing a lot of things, people eat a lot more healthily. They are eating veggies and fruit they didn't have before, and eating less cakes and biscuits. So it's a lifestyle change as well. "Somebody who is eating well and reducing gluten intake, getting fresh fruits and vegetables and going on a mostly plant-based diet is going to be a lot better. "If you swap a croissant for a gluten-free croissant and a bun for a gluten-free bun … you are likely to have a more detrimental diet. You can't blame the gluten-free movement on having a bad diet. Some people not gluten-free have terrible diets." Written by Ewan Sargent. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

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Grandma accidentally buys hilariously inappropriate book for granddaughter

As generous grandmas are wont to do, one nan in the US decided to buy a little gift for her granddaughter while browsing in a bookstore. She stumbled on a cute, brightly-illustrated picture book titled If Animals Could Talk, and thought her six-year-old granddaughter Emmersyn, an avid reader, would love it. Little did she know, children were not exactly the book’s target audience – in fact, it’s packed with profanity, sexual innuendo and adults-only humour <img width="500" height="348" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/43886/image__500x348.jpg" alt="Image_ (27)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Thankfully, Tiffany, Emmersyn’s mum, had a great sense of humour about the whole thing, taking to Twitter to share her mother’s gaffe with the world. “My mum bought this book for my six-year-old and I just called to ask if she had actually opened the book,” she captioned the photo. “She hadn’t.” Luckily, Emmersyn hadn’t quite gotten around to opening the book, which incidentally is now sold out! Have you ever accidentally bought an inappropriate gift for a grandchild? Tell us in the comments below. Image credit: @Tiffany1985B/Twitter.

Books

What if ordinary women were treated like celebs on the red carpet?

I was watching the film Groundhog Day last weekend and suddenly wondered what the lead actress, Andie McDowell, was up to these days. I searched her name on the internet and clicked on the first news story that featured her name. Aha! A link from the Daily Mail which assured me that McDowell has "a figure that allows her to pass for a woman half her age". May God forgive me, I thought as I continued reading the article. I call it an article but it was really just an overblown picture caption about the star attending the opening of the musical version of Groundhog Day. Some poor human being who had probably once studied journalism had written: "the star looked incredible in the form-flattering number, which fell at a stylish midi-level. Andie's garment boasted a daringly low-cut neckline – teasing at her ample assets while the wrap detailing honed in on her trim waist." This shouldn't have come as a surprise, given it was in the Daily Mail but it still really grinds my gears to see a woman reduced to her age and what she was wearing. Then I wondered what foul descriptions would befall me, should someone ever have the misfortune to spot me out and about. On Monday, Beck Eleven, whooshed from her house to the backyard where her silver yet dusty Nissan Wingroad was awaiting. She appeared to be wearing a hurriedly donned blue dress that may or may not have passed the sniff test. She accessorised with the latest pet carrier cage which was filled with a wailing cat as she headed toward the local veterinarian clinic. About thirty minutes later she emerged and was seen attempting to put her phone in her breast pocket where she discovered that pocket was actually on the inside of the dress. This led to her wearing a look of deep humiliation as she discovered she'd been wearing her stinky overworn blue dress inside out all day. On Tuesday, Beck Eleven, who has the body of a woman twice her age, was spotted with glistening eyes. Her secret? Mistaking a tube of artificial tears that were meant for her cat as balm for her crow's feet. A source reports that Beck Eleven was seen on Wednesday evening wearing her robe at 7pm. The source had dropped off some cheese scones and told us she feared for Beck's sanity as her hair did not look washed and had not been dyed for several months. Beck was sporting a mouse-brown strip along her parting line with grey hairs sprouting through. The robe had possibly been a sparkling white in its day but now gave off a beige hue in the evening light. Thursday afternoon saw Beck Eleven's jaw-dropping curves on display as she tried to squeeze her way into an out-of-season summer dress in a cheeky two fingers up to winter. The stunning neckline was simply created by the top button straining to be done up. Here's a reminder of the time Beck wore a black winter coat that was so covered in cat fur, her friend refused to be seen in public with her until she promised to carry a lint brush around with her at all times. In an exclusive interview, a source informs us Beck is already looking ahead to spring when she will probably need to have a good pluck of errant chin and eyebrow hairs and either lose some of that girth or invest in a whole new wardrobe. We can't wait to see how she fits those ample assets into her clothes otherwise. Make sure you buy next month's issue when we look back with a special sealed section "Six Times Beck Eleven Should Not Have Left the House". Written by Beck Eleven. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Beauty & Style

If you enjoyed these books, you'll love these ones

We think you’ll agree that curling up with a good book has to be one of life’s greatest pleasures. But do you feel sad when a good book comes to an end? Well, you’re not alone. If you want to ensure that each book you pick up is a good read then one of the best ways to discover a new book is to go for a recommendation based on what you’ve enjoyed reading before. <a href="http://www.betterreading.com.au/book_list/the-top-100-if-you-loved-this-book-then-youll-love-this/" target="_blank">Better Reading</a> does a “Top 100 books” that readers vote for and here is a list they compiled to help you pick your next book based on what you’ve loved reading before. 1. If you enjoyed this: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman… You’ll enjoy this: Burial Rites by Hannah Kent 2. If you enjoyed this: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee… You’ll enjoy this: Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey 3. If you enjoyed this: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn… You’ll enjoy this: Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson. 4. If you enjoyed this: The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan… You’ll enjoy this: Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. 5. If you enjoyed this: The Secret History by Donna Tartt… You’ll enjoy this: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt 6. If you enjoyed this: Personal by Lee Child… You’ll enjoy this: Life or Death by Michael Robotham 7. If you enjoyed this: The Secret River by Kate Grenville… You’ll enjoy this: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel 8. If you enjoyed this: The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons… You’ll enjoy this: The Lavender Keeper by Fiona McIntosh 9. If you enjoyed this: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion… You’ll enjoy this: One Day by David Nicholls 10. If you enjoyed this: The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough… You’ll enjoy this: Barra Creek by Di Morrissey

Books

These two words make you rethink retirement

Nobby Kleinman is an award-winning ex financial planner who developed <a href="http://moneyrules.com.au/" target="_blank">Money Rules</a>, a personal money management program which anyone can use. This is a question many of us often ask ourselves. Although few believe we would drastically change much, it is the most telling when the day of retirement comes up and the ensuing years of time. The line is drawn in the sand. This is the time for most when the income stops. For those who have been saving their money, this is the day when the tide of income starts to flow the opposite way. Although not immediately evident, as one year passes into another, the drop in the account balances becomes ever more noticeable. Within a short matter of years, what seemed to be a secure and sufficient lump sum has become a much smaller pile and it is just dwindling and draining away. It won’t matter anymore what you do to try and stop it from eroding, you will be overcome by how quickly it will just slip through your fingers, never to be replenished. Just like a dam in a drought, you will be exposed, financially naked and emotionally stripped bare. Trying to stay afloat, you exhaust all your avenues of selling personal assets which were once prized possessions. You have cut back on all the expenses such as heating as you go to bed early in order to stay warm after having a meagre supper of soup and toast. It’s lucky that you kept that old tv because the internet is too expensive to use as your television. Your phone is the most basic you can get and your only means of connection to the outside world. Your clothes and a few pieces of furniture are what you live in now. It broke your heart when you had to sell the family home in the suburb where you had lived for so long with great neighbours, but it was such a valuable asset and you needed the money. Like many, you had become asset rich and cash poor. This was a better option than the reverse mortgage they tried to convince you to take, because you wanted to leave something for the kids rather than a debt. But there is only so much that you can reduce in your life before you find yourself living on the street. You had downsized to a much smaller place, but it is so far way that even the family only visit during holidays. Your major concern is wanting to be close to community facilities, especially hospital and medical assistance, because you are not as young as you used to be. This is where you are going to be spending the last days of your life. Although the sun rises every morning, it is just the beginning of another long day filled with despair about how you are going to fill in the time. Thank goodness the government helps out with the pension! Imagine if only… given your time over again You lived your life by the rules. But those rules were set by other people for their benefit, not for yours. If you knew then what you know now, what would you have done differently? The government set rules, the churches set rules, the courts set rules, the employers set rules, the schools set rules and even society set rules. But think back to those who were considered outlandish because they seemed to break the rules. Think about those who self-promoted themselves globally and lived by their own rules rather than those imposed by others. OK, so maybe your personality isn’t that of Richard Branson, or the Kardashians or Madonna or others who stand out in the world. But what if… What if you hadn’t listened to the rules or perhaps even just bent them somewhat to suit your own needs rather than those who imposed them. What if education only got you so far and inspiration and imagination had fired up your creative juices. Who could you have become? What would you have invented or what business would you have started? How could you have changed the world for humanity sharing your brilliance? How many people would have benefitted? There are so many people who are changing the world every day and yet they are human beings just like you. They get dressed in exactly the same manner and move forward just by putting one foot in front of the other. How would your life have been different if only… Right now you have experience that you can pass on to others. You can be a mentor to those who follow. As parents teach and train their children, so too can you guide and direct other people to be rich and successful in their lives to become potentially rich and famous. All because they listened to a new set of rules. The world changes every day. Taxis will be replaced by self-owned drivers in Uber. Hotels have competition in Airbnb. The horse and cart were replaced by the car and petrol engines will be replaced by electric vehicles. Even in the financial world, there are changes taking place. Consider the use of smart phones to pay for everything just like a credit card. Banks as they are today will become outdated. Yet with all these changes in technology and lifestyle, people will still remain handcuffed to rules. One of the most draining is money. It is simply a method of exchange, just a tool. But this very tool in any form controls the masses. When financial institutions lend money they tell also set the rules by which they want those funds repaid. Most people follow those rules and will pay dearly for the privilege of getting a loan. But given the opportunity of hindsight, how many would follow the same path knowing what they know once they are old enough to know better? The average of people in America, Canada and Australia is 47% who reach retirement with a mortgage debt. Once the income stops, and the lump sum is paid out, how long do you think the remainder is going to last? The first half of this story is not imagination other than what people should consider may happen to them. Debt is amongst the greatest problems of the western world and by the time anyone gets to realise it, the tide will have come in just like a tsunami washing over a generation of retired baby-boomers. It won’t stop there. The benefits which should have flowed through to the following generations will also have been washed away and the financial expectations of inheritances will be evaporated. Coping with debt during the working years is one thing, but without storing away enough for those years after work has stopped is the most dangerous time approaching the global economy. Governments have been aware of it for more than 50 years with economic modelling. They know the number of taxpayers is declining to support the older generations. Ultimately, the responsibility rests purely with each individual. If you know now what lies ahead, what will you change in your life? Don’t wait until you get to retirement only to find out you still have to pay out debts. You must start immediately. Financial planning is not just about insurance and investment. In fact, while insurance is important, until you have paid off all existing debt, your only investment should be in yourself. Look at your situation now and be honest with your future. How much have you saved? How long did that take? How long will that last? If you pay out your debts right now, and how much do you have left? There is a much faster way to pay off debt and create wealth, just on your current income. Learn how to that and teach it to your children and your grandchildren, because neither the banks nor the government are going to. When you get to retirement, what you have to live on is what you do for yourself. Share your thoughts in the comments. Learn how to master your money, create your wealth and retire early, just on your current income. Find out more in Nobby Kleinman’s latest book <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/mr-ebook-spend-and-grow-rich/SpendandGrow-Rich.pdf" target="_blank">Spend To Grow Rich</a>. Related links: <a href="/finance/retirement-income/2016/08/72-hour-money-saving-trick-that-will-change-your-life/">The secret, simple money saving trick to cut out splurging</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/retirement-income/2016/03/seniors-investment-income-suffering/">Seniors relying on investment income are suffering</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/retirement-income/2016/07/what-are-additional-sources-of-income-in-retirement/">What are additional sources of income in retirement?</a>

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How to write creative non-fiction history

5 things you HAVE to do if you’ve been scammed

Gluten-free diet can be bad for you if you don’t need it

Grandma accidentally buys hilariously inappropriate book for granddaughter

What if ordinary women were treated like celebs on the red carpet?

If you enjoyed these books, you'll love these ones

These two words make you rethink retirement

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