South East Writers
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South East Writers
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When Tony Quinlan dies while rescuing a woman from floodwaters, those who loved him are forced to confront the man they thought they knew. Through a series of linked stories, Did You Know Him? uncovers the private griefs, buried memories, family wounds and quiet acts of love that shaped one man’s life — and asks whether we ever truly know another person.
Did You Know Him? by J. A. McLaughlin is a layered collection built around the death of Tony Quinlan, an experienced SES volunteer who dies during a flood rescue. Rather than telling Tony’s life in a straight line, the book circles around him through the memories of those closest to him — his father Robert, mother Jean, best friend Doug, lover Helen, daughter Michelle, sister Gemma and wife Marie. Each chapter adds another angle, slowly revealing that no single person truly knew the whole man.
At its heart, the book is about memory, regret, family silence and the private lives people carry beneath ordinary appearances. Tony is seen as a son, friend, rescuer, husband, father and lover, but each person’s version of him is incomplete. His death becomes the event that draws old wounds to the surface: Jean reflects on motherhood, lost dreams and emotional distance; Doug relives the trauma of Tony’s final rescue; Helen is forced to confront a love she never fully resolved; Michelle begins to question what secrets her father may have kept; Gemma becomes the one who sees much of the family complexity; and Marie’s story reveals the quiet loneliness of a marriage that had long ago stopped speaking honestly.
The strength of the book lies in the way it treats Tony not as a hero carved in marble, but as a complicated man loved differently by different people. He is generous, active, capable and brave, but also flawed, restless and emotionally divided. The question in the title — Did You Know Him? — becomes the question facing every character. They knew pieces of him, but not the whole. Which, inconveniently, is how most of us are known. We each leave behind a few witnesses, some receipts, and a lot of unfinished explanations.
South East Writers (SEW) brings together people who share an interest in writing, from enthusiastic amateurs to published authors. Through regular meetings, feedback and encouragement, members work to improve their craft while producing writing across a wide range of genres and styles.
South East Writers Inc. — known as SEW — was established in 2017 with a clear purpose: to educate, support and raise standards in the craft of writing and the broader creative arts. From its beginning, SEW was intended to be more than a social writing group. It was formed as a not-for-profit creative community where writers and other creative people could meet, share ideas, receive constructive feedback and continue developing their skills. The organisation welcomes people from all areas of writing and storytelling, including novelists, memoirists, screenwriters, editors, illustrators, designers and anyone with an interest in creative expression. Its membership reflects a broad mix of experience, from emerging writers to published authors and creative professionals. SEW’s core purpose has remained consistent: to foster a supportive and constructive environment where writers of all levels can grow in confidence, improve their craft and stay motivated. Through regular meetings, workshops, guest author talks, writing programs and general association, members are encouraged to write regularly, exchange ideas, learn new techniques and support one another’s creative development. Since its establishment, SEW has continued to provide a place where creativity, practical knowledge and shared experience can come together. It remains a hub for writers and creatives who value encouragement, honest feedback, skill development and the ongoing practice of storytelling. Check out our website at southeastwriters.org
A series of short stories by SEW Authors
Voices Unbound brings together a lively collection of short stories from South East Writers, showcasing local voices across memoir, fiction, humour, reflection, drama and imagination.
Each story offers a glimpse into a different mind, memory or world — sometimes funny, sometimes moving, sometimes unexpected, but always personal.
This anthology is a celebration of creativity, community and the simple power of a well-told story.
A collection of short stories, some new and some of my favourites
Warm, observant, nostalgic, and unmistakably Australian, this is easy reading for anyone who enjoys a good story, a wry smile, and a reminder that the road still has plenty of surprises left.
A Cruising Misadventure
When Ranine became seriously ill in Rome, Ian had to navigate the crisis with little Italian, too much luggage, and no real idea what would happen next.
Told with warmth and dry humour, this is a story of love under pressure, kindness in unexpected places, and the strange absurdity of surviving a disaster far from home.
Life, Death, and the Bits In Between That No One Talks About
Life Support is a darkly funny memoir about emergency surgery, ICU, medical indignities, and the strange things that become amusing only after you have survived them.
How the emergent cyclical double helix model of adult human bio psycho-social behaviour juxtaposes with new age thinking
The Secret to Inner Peace brings Dr Fritz Heckler’s peculiar wisdom to the serious business of being human, blending humour, psychology and philosophical mischief in a search for calm amid the usual internal chaos.
How the emergent cyclical double helix model of adult human bio-psycho-social behaviour confirms the current understanding of Einstein's theory of general relativity
Relationships is Dr Fritz Heckler’s cheerfully questionable exploration of the strange connections that hold the universe — and occasionally people — together. From cosmic entanglement to misplaced car keys, this collection blends quotes, jokes, anecdotes and philosophical mischief into a book that is either deeply meaningful, deeply meaningless, or quite possibly both.