
Jonathan Tromane
Author, Artist Copy writer and Creative

Welcome to the Jonathan Tromane website. Jonathan shares his time between writing - short stories, novels and occasionally poetry, and he is available for any copy writing that clients may require. He also enjoys painting, using acrylic paints. On this home page you will find his latest artwork and previews of books written and projects in progress. You can explore further by clicking on the buttons for the support pages. Enjoy your visit to the Jonathan Tromane Web site.
New paintings:
A different perspective of the Hastings Waterfront. Further along from the main jetty the waters edge is lined with mangroves and rocky areas. Jonathan presented this view as a soft sunrise to enhance the picture.

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Moonlight - This is the second painting Jonathan has created featuring a moonlit scene. This time it is a lake within a forest with the moon clearly reflected in the calm waters. There are also three dead trees used to add some extra character.
The dragon - Jonathan's grand daughter loves dragons. This painting was a birthday present for her. It depicts the dragon from the "How to save your Dragon" film series. It now hangs in her room along with an earlier painting of a mermaid.


A short, short story
The structure of a short story is very important. The opening should be short, just one or two paragraphs but they must grab the reader to ensure he or she wants to read more. The story should then move to a crisis point that creates tension or suspense. There can then be a further crisis or crises before a climax, the highest point of suspense, followed by a resolution, end or denouement which provides a satisfactory explanation for what has just happened. The following story of around 1000 words has been structured in this way. Please read, enjoy and try to identify the structural elements.
TRUTH AND FEAR
I felt so cold that sleep seemed impossible. Even pulling the thin blanket up, right over my nose, did little stop me from shivering, despite being fully clothed. I could manage perhaps an hour of fitful dozing and then I would have to get up off the wooden platform with its thin, foul smelling mattress and walk round and round the tiny cell waving my arms, jumping, anything to stay warm. I kept telling myself it was the cold making me shiver but my troubled mind thought otherwise. Visions of what might face me tomorrow when burly guards manhandled me to who knows where, and to what fate. The fear contributed to my shivering. Fear of the unknown. Something I had never experienced before. It terrified me!
*
24 hours before – My name is Yuri Petrov, I am a journalist with an obscure publication known as the Kovietska Truth. It is popular amongst groups of Muscovites who disagree with just about everything Putin does. These people have everyday jobs, some in elite professions; lawyers, doctors even those in government circles, although I have no proof of that, and I dare not try to find out. We have to be so discreet. Just asking questions, even behind closed doors could put one in extreme danger.
The employees of the Kovietska Truth work out of a dingy little office in the back blocks of this huge city. It is carefully guarded and has a secret entrance. A lot of the time we work from our homes and communicate with encrypted emails and burner phones. Our objective is to communicate the truth to the Russian people. The truth about their beloved leader. At least that’s what they think he is. I feel ill every time I see his puffy little face, those cruel lying eyes, and how he has masses of Russian people hoodwinked about his activities. The crunch really came when he launched his invasion of Ukraine in February. So here I am at the Moscow Stadium at a rally initiated by him so he can bullshit the people on what is happening and why. There must be close to two hundred thousand people here. The event officially marks the eighth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea but it is blatantly obvious it is intended to rally the country behind the invasion.
To swell the numbers a number of outlets, including Reuters, have reported that state employees have been ordered to attend. Russia has a history of state employees being coerced to attend pro government rallies. Putin is speaking now and I have my phone on record and held low so the police, who are everywhere, don’t notice. There are many waving flags with the letter Z emblazoned on them. The Z has gone from being a military symbol to being the main symbol for the support of the invasion. As I carefully raised my phone and added some comments of my own to the recording I was thumped in the back and I dropped the phone. I panicked as I reached down to try and retrieve it. It had slid along the ground and I saw someone pick it up. As I pushed against the crowd to try and get it I was confronted by a police officer. He had the phone in his hand; he looked at it and then played with it. The bastard played back my recording. My last comments were derogatory so he seized my arm whilst calling for assistance. In seconds they had me handcuffed and being pushed through the crowd then whisked away in an armoured van. I was so distraught I threw up in the van and the officer spat on me then pushed my face into my own vomit. That’s when the fear really kicked in. Now I am stuck in this freezing cell.
As the night dragged on and the cold gripped me again I could not raise one positive thought.
*
In March the temperature overnight in Moscow is about minus two degrees. In my cell it might have been about six degrees. All I could do was wrap the blanket around me and keep moving. In my mind’s eye I pictured Putin with his thick rolled neck jumper and heavy parka, looking all cosy as he waffled on, justifying the invasion. The invasion has abruptly changed the world. Millions have fled; a new iron curtain is grinding into place and an economic war deepens as the conflict escalates. It is my job and of those in the world press to report the truth. The only glimmer of hope I have now lies with Ilya, Ilya Belsky, my cohort who had been nearby. Hopefully he got away. As for me, now I am waiting with the fear increasing. The grey morning light filtered through my pokey window as the door crashed open and I was manhandled out of the cell and along a stark stone corridor, no thoughts of escape were possible. One armed guard was in front of me, the other close behind. My heart pounded, my stomach churned as we approached a corner and I saw what looked like a garbage trolley ahead of me. Was I going to be dumped in that? I had no time to contemplate; everything happened quickly. I felt a sharp sting in my arm and everything went hazy. As I gradually lost consciousness, I think I said goodbye to this world and, God knows why, I saw Putin’s face .. and the bastard was laughing.
*
I awoke to the smell of dirty laundry invading my senses, at least I was warm; I could feel movement then a voice, a friendly voice came from my left. “Yuri! Yuri, you’re safe my friend.” I glanced toward that voice and my heart beat faster. It was one of our people, Stepan Semanov. I heard my own voice, husky … scratchy. “Stepan, where am I?”
“You are in a laundry van, on the way to a safe place. Ilya is there. We had guards in that prison, Pavel and Danil. They smuggled you out with the laundry pick up. You live to fight another day. We are close now, there is a plot to overthrow Putin. It won’t be long. The people will soon know the truth!”
I smiled, and as I drifted off to sleep I saw Putin’s pudgy face again. He was outside the Kremlin being pushed into an armoured car. He wasn’t laughing this time. I’m sure I saw a hint of fear in those dark eyes.
***
Projects in progress
The Van Bladen Deception:
When two young boys discover a sealed metal box in a dry lake bed and take it away to see what it contains thay unleash a deadly train of events that places them and various other people in extreme danger.
The events following the discovery attract the attention of ASIO intelligence agent Geoffrey Logan. When he starts investigating what has been happening he treads on the toes of his own boss and attracts the attention of an American billionaire and his associates. That group of high profile businessmen appear to be working on a major project to benefit all mankind but their leader and some of the group members appear to act in a manner that is questionable.
The action takes place in Australia and in the beautiful US city of Seattle.

V Four:
A Melbourne radio talk show host is targetted by a secret group to promote their activities in moving the government to improve the justice system: to make the penalty fit the crime. In doing so they open a can of worms that leads to lethal consequences.

PUBLISHED WORKS

The Twilight Years
The Twilight Years relates Jonathan's experiences working in the Australian Healthcare system as a Caregiver. Jonathan describes the difficulties, pleasures and learning experiences in caring for aged and disabled people in their own homes. During his 10 years in this role he met many wonderful people and helped them manage various medical conditions - Parkinsons, MS. MND, Cancer Cerebral Palsy and more - as they did their best to enjoy their Twilight years.
BLOGS
SEX SCENES IN NOVELS
I received a comment from one of my readers that the sex scenes in Mandate needed to be cut back. I'm afraid I don't agree because Magda and Fuad, two of the lead characters, are very sexual people and their first sexual encounter in the book is very important. For Magda losing her virginity is a voyage of discovery. All those feelings she had building up inside, the fears that she would be hurt or let down and the wonder of what it is all about are satisfied three fold to her surprise and amazement. Sex later in her life becomes a release from the stress of executing her foster father's Mandate so it is an important element of the story.
For Fuad it is an opportunity to discover the difference of making love to someone you care about, even love, versus an act undertaken with a professional. Fuad is oversexed and it is important that we know this because it is one of the things that leads to his downfall.
For Geoff Logan it is important as he is lonely and frustrated and the affair with Christine is a critical part of the plot. You will note however, that after the two graphic loves scenes, which are fairly early in the story that sex is glossed over from thereon as the intrigue and dramatic action takes over.
So it depends on the type of story and the characters as to whether graphic sex scenes are included. In a good book they should be handled tastefully and kept to a minimum. I believe I have done that. Sex scenes do not mean a book should be placed on the porn shelf, far from it. I have been an avid reader of Wilbur Smith's great adventure stories over the years and he doesn't pull any punches when it comes to sex scenes. It certainly hasn't had any impact on his book sales, they have been sold by the millions.
"DISCO GIRL" RECOGNISED INTERNATIONALLY
My poem 'Disco Girl' has just been listed among the best poems in the recent "Hungry Hill" (Ireland) poetry competition. The poem is included in this post for any interested readers to view.
Disco Girl
Light striations illuminated gyrating bodies.
The thumping musical beat stretched the limits
of human tolerance, assailing the senses.
Smoke from a hundred cigarettes mingled
with the semi rancid aroma exuded from excited flesh.
I moved trance like in this environment.
A stranger in a foreign country,
A lost soul from the land of Rock and Roll.
Male hunters prowled the floor, hovering,
drink in hand, seeking signs from female prey.
I stepped aside to not hinder their quest.
Couples swayed aimlessly on the dance floor,
never touching, smiling glassy eyed at each other,
transmitting sexual messages telepathically.
She shone beacon like, tall, blond, graceful.
I was mesmerised, wanting her, wondering why?
Why was she here dancing with a short ugly man?
I likened him to Neanderthal times.
She could have been dancing with me. No one noticed me!
It was like watching through a window.
The music stopped briefly, she left the floor
disappearing into the throng.
I followed, hoping for another glimpse, maybe a signal.
There was no sign of her nor the Neanderthal.
It was as though they never existed.
Does the mind play tricks on one?
Creating visions of what we want to see?
Cold night air cleared my head, drying my tears.
In the distance the steady thump of disco music played on,
loud, incessant, invading the night, ringing in my ears.
-----------------------------------------------------------
TALKING SUSPENSE
There are two elements of a story that I believe are key to hooking the reader. Intrigue - creating a mysterious scenario, something at a point in time which is unexplained and you just have to read on to find out more and solve that mystery.
The other element is suspense.
One of the easy ways of creating suspense and the desperate urge to read on is to leave your character in a precarious position, usually at the end of a chapter or segment, and then move to another point in the story for a while before coming back to that character to continue the scenario and perhaps making the situation worse.
Here's an exert from 'Mandate' to illustrate my point:
'Suzanne steeled herself, her heart beating furiously. Her only chance now was to stand up and throw all her weight against the door and then run. Her other option of running to the other side was now gone, she was trapped in the alcove. She also knew that if the door failed to open she was dead because he was an expert at what he did and he rarely made mistakes. He was creeping toward her now, she could hear him breathing, her scalp was tingling and her hair felt like it was lifting. She didn’t hesitate. In one motion she rose, lifting the bar as she came up and then pressed her weight against the door. It didn’t budge.'
GETTING PUBLISHED
If you think writing is the hard part, you haven't tried to get published yet. Believe me writing good material is easy compared to the daunting task of getting something published.
Based on all the research I have done, these days you really need an agent to approach publishers on your behalf and for that to happen you first of all have to impress an agent with your very best work. It needs to be extremely well presented and ideally the type of story, genre etc that there is a demand for.
Also bear in mind that beside you there are thousands of other ambitious writers out there trying to be published also so competition is fierce.
If you have a dream that once you have written what you believe to be the next bestseller and that once you have presented it to an agent or publisher they are going to snap it up and present you with a lucrative contract - think again!
I relate the possiblity of the above to your chances of being the next Brad Pitt or Cameron Diaz in the world of movies. It's that hard unless you are very very lucky to find someone who likes your work and can do something about it.
So my advice is to not dream about the dizzy heights of success too soon, start slowly by entering competitions, try a few agents, magazines that publish short stories and poetry etc. don't expect to make pots of money until you make a name for yourself and with lots and lots of hard work you might make it one day but be prepared to be rejected and disappointed many times.
A couple of years ago I subscribed to a web site called firstwriter.com. They have lists of agents and publishers based in all major countries of the world and can also send you details of various literary competitions that you can enter. There is an annual fee for the service but it is well worth it. They also have a newsletter with lots of tips on various elements of writing and publishing. Their web address is shown below.
http://www.firstwriter.com
Good Luck and my best tip is to Never, Never, Never Give Up!!
THE GERM IDEA
What should I write about?
Whether you are writing a short story or a full length novel there has to be a starting point, it's called "A Germ Idea" and you don't have to look very far to find one. Germ Ideas are all around you. Pick up the daily newspaper and you'll find heaps.People who have suddenly disappeared, robberies, sports heroes who are having a battle trying to beat a drug habit, movie stars in three way love triangles - the list goes on and on. Or maybe someone close to you is having personal problems - being harrassed at work, battling a crippling disease, having difficulty controlling a rebellious teenage sibling - and more. What you have to do is pick up on one of these scenarios, create your own characters, develop and expand the story and at the same time make it interesting by adding additional crises, emotion, conflict, a climax and an ending that makes sense and satisfies the reader.
When I decided to write my novel Mandate I had already made my mind up that I was going to write about a terrorist attack at a Government meeting so I started collecting newspaper articles about the last CHOGM and everything I could find about terrorists. My Terrorist leader is actually based on a real person (he has since passed on) These newspaper clippings were invaluable in developing the story. With the advent of the internet however things have changed and it has now become a major tool for my research.
How long should my story be?
Once you have your germ idea don't start off by planning to write a story that is going to be 20 pages long or 10,000 words or there about. Work out a structure - a beginning, a series of crises, a climax and a denouement then start writing. Don't distract or bore your readers with too much detail or deviations from the main theme - tell the story, let it unfold as you envisioned it. When you have finished the first draft leave it for a few days and then re read it. You will see it from a new perspective. It is then time to start the hard work of honing it until you are totally satisfied with it. Good writing and good luck!
GETTING INSIDE THE HEAD OF YOUR CHARACTER
I just finished reading "Wire in the Blood", the book written by Val McDermid on which the successful BBC TV series was based. "Wow" she did a great job of getting into the mind of a serial killer.
It is so important when writing to try and get inside your characters and see the world through their eyes, to try and anticipate how they would react in specific situations. Exercising good judgement with their reactions can quite often guide the story onto a different path to what you may have anticipated. Many times when writing Mandate I had to stop and think if character A did that then character B would surely react this way .. and now I have got to change a few things to get a more logical progression of events.
I think I managed to get inside my character in Bright Moon. It must have impressed the Lion Lounge for them to choose it as one of the stories in their latest book. Here's an exert from the story to illustrate what I'm talking about:
"I felt a very strange desire building within me and for a while I was unsure of what it would make me do or how I should handle the situation. Should I boldly move into the open and confront him? I decided to err on the side of caution and wait to see what he did next before planning my move. My natural instincts seemed to be working overtime and I felt sure that within a short time the answer would come to me."