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.
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BOOKS
Jonathan's first published novel is MANDATE. It is available as an E-Book from leading E book publishers. A detailed synopsis is shown below.
MANDATE
ISBN 978-1-62209-297-0
SOMEONE HAS A MANDATE; SOMEONE IS A TARGET; SOMEONE IMPORTANT!
In the early 1970's whilst establishing his terrorist organisation Libyan terrorist Nadim Jabain's path inadvertently crosses that of a young orphaned Dutch girl -named Magda- whom he takes under his wing, initially as a companion for his unbalanced son Fuad. He soon discovers however that the girl is extremely intelligent and looking for direction. When she becomes intrigued with his activities he decides to train her and bring her into his organisation. She becomes so committed to his cause and so good at everything he teaches her that he sends her to Australia to be his leading sleeper agent there, much to the disappointment of Fuad who has become her lover.
In May 1989, soon after the Australian Prime Minister announces that Melbourne is to host a CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) later that year, an Irish Mercenary named David Roth arrives in Melbourne. One week after he arrives a massive explosion rocks the city and leaves the police and other security forces in turmoil. The explosion is blamed on Middle Eastern terrorists but no one claims responsibility. Chief Inspector Bradley Curtis is assigned to investigate the crime, with the backing of the country's security forces. A struggling young Special Operations officer named Geoffrey Logan and his disabled father also become involved.
Curtis and his team become more and more frustrated as each lead they pursue peters out and they face constant pressure from the powers that be to get a result but the terrorists seem to keep that one step ahead. As time passes the conclusion is drawn that the explosion was some sort of test and a prelude to something bigger. The concern is that the event it will occur at will be the forthcoming CHOGM.
When the CHOGM dates are announced Jabain's adopted daughter Magda surfaces to lead her group on a mission to carry out her foster father's mandate and deliver a body blow to the Western World. As the CHOGM draws near the terrorists have two setbacks that give the police a more solid lead at last. A desperate manhunt then begins to try and locate them before they strike. Geoffrey Logan joins Curtis in the pursuit as again the enemy stays that one step ahead. As each day of the conference slips by the two officers and their superiors are still left guessing as to what the target will be and when they will strike.
The climax is designed to shock, leaving a lasting impression that we live in very dangerous times and that the war against terror will be long and daunting.
THE TWILIGHT YEARS
In January 2010 Jonathan commenced employment as a caregiver . The role involves providing personal care and other assistance for aged people, and other people of all ages with illnesses and disabilities. The other assistance element includes driving people to appointments, home duties, cooking meals for them, providing companionship, respite care, helping with their shopping etc.
This book is about his experiences in this role with a selection of people with a variety of medical conditions. It is laced with a number of emotions, (humour, sadness, bereavement) and is based on his observations of these people as they live their lives in that period after they became ill - which leads to their eventual demise. He has called that period "The Twilight Years". Some of them he has looked after until they passed away, others have moved on to permanent care or were picked up by other organisations. In all cases his time with them has been a rewarding experience. Jonathan says he is continually learning so much about life, about how people deal with debillitating conditions and he has learnt a lot about death itself. Many questions have been raised in his mind over the last few years. The main one being "Is there an afterlife? what happens in the darkness beyond the twilight"?
AN EXCERPT FROM 'The Twilight Years'
PROLOGUE
GO WITH THE FLOW
Claire Barnes welcomed me at the front door of the Barnes family home located in one of Melbourne’s leafy exclusive suburbs. It was my regular weekly respite shift with her husband Trevor. I would spend three and a half hours keeping an eye on Trevor while Claire had a well deserved break from the difficulties of living with and caring for a man with advancing Vascular Dementia.
Trevor was roaming around the house while Claire readied herself for her outing. She was a delightful lady – cultured, sophisticated, elegant and caring. She always made sure she had left me one of her tasty cakes and that I knew where the kettle and tea was. When she appeared she was well dressed in an understated way. Before she left she said goodbye to Trevor and told him where she was going; I wish she hadn’t. It would have saved me from the most traumatic day in my short caregiver career.
“Where are you going?’ He asked.”
“To the Library.” She replied.
“Where?” Trevor was losing his hearing; he possessed hearing aids but refused to use them making communicating with him extremely difficult.
Claire looked straight at him and spoke slowly and loud. “To The Library.”
“Oh! The Library.”
She kissed him and left leaving him staring after her in what appeared to me to be a confused state. Once the front door closed I assumed he would settle down, potter in the garden or the garage where, at that time he did a bit of craft work. No! I was wrong, totally!
He went into his room and started to change his clothes; comfortable slacks and a smart blazer. It was a delightful summer day so sunglasses followed, wallet in his pocket and then he said goodbye to me and headed for the front door.
My thought processes then went into overdrive. My knowledge of a respite shift was that it took place in the client’s own home where the person being cared for remained however Trevor Barnes, although he was not well mentally, at eighty plus years old he was physically fit and very strong.
My efforts to request that he stay home until his wife returned fell on deaf ears, pardon the pun, so I had no option but to tag along to see where he was going. The unfortunate thing about the location of the Barnes home was that it was situated close to a tram line. To my horror Trevor crossed to the other side of the road and headed for the nearest stop. The amazing thing about Melbourne’s trams is that if you need one in a hurry they seem to take forever. I didn’t want one to come along but within minutes one arrived and Trevor hopped on board. He completely ignored the ticket machine and settled in a seat. I sat near him and after two stops, with the aid of another passenger who realized what was happening having seen the Carer ID I was wearing, I miraculously persuaded him to get off the tram. I then attempted to convince him that we should go back home. At this point he realized we had tricked him into getting off and he became quite angry; he blasphemed and pushed me away. I realized then how strong he was and that I had to rethink my strategy. The only problem with that was, I really didn’t have a strategy in the first place. My nonexistent plan wasn’t helped by Melbourne’s tram network either. Within minutes another tram arrived and Trevor climbed on board without the slightest hesitation. This left me with no alternative but to join him and go with the flow. So there I was in charge of an unpredictable man, with dementia and hard of hearing. He had no ticket, I had no change to buy a ticket and the tram company quite often had inspectors, who didn’t take kindly to people who hadn’t paid their fares. When the vehicle moved on every nerve in my body seemed to tense up while I sat there wondering what could possibly happen next! ........