It may have taken Mike Straker 44-years to write his first novel but the Thirroul resident is thrilled the end result was good enough to sell in a book store.
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The Global System is a thriller following the journey of Sonia Stringer with kidnappings, vengeance, murder and a love story intertwined through its pages.
“The story’s about weaknesses of humans when it comes to things like money and greed and ego, how they can corrupt a worthwhile cause,” Straker said.
The writer began penning the story in 1974 after getting his first typewriter from Gunnedah’s local newspaper, in the state’s north east.
“Between occupation and raising four children and a family ... it went away for a year or two,” he told the Mercury. “Then I’d pull it out and do a bit here and there. When I retired that’s when I really got stuck into it.”
In that time Straker lived in various regions around the state for work – from Newcastle to Griffith, to Leeton, Goulburn, Gunnedah, Parkes and Orange. Before he finally settled in the Illawarra around a decade ago.
Now retired with 10 grandchildren, the 74-year-old believed taking his time to develop his first book lead to a rich, in depth plot.
“News events – like the [war in the] Middle East – and things like that did influence me in some of the events that I put in the book,” he said.
The Global System can be found in paperback at the Collins Booksellers store in Thirroul. It can also be purchased online through Amazon in paperback, hardcover or eBook. It is self published through Xlibris.
Straker has already begun penning his second effort – a political tale surrounding a group of aliens who tell earth they are ready to destroy themselves.
He’s not sure when it will be ready for publication, though he’s hoping it won’t be another 44 years.