Jimmy Barnes In Conversation

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Wed 21 Oct 2020

Australian rock royalty Jimmy Barnes has released his latest work of non-fiction, Killing Time: Short Stories From the Long Road Home and took part in a free online Zoom In Conversation with Debra Oswald on Wednesday 21 October 2020, hosted by Avid Reader bookseller and Harper Collins .



Killing Time follows on from Jimmy's previous and highly successful literary memoirs, Working Class Boy and Working Class Man which honestly reflect his early life growing up amidst family and social violence in Glasgow, Scotland.

In a slight departure from this style of narrative, Killing Time is a selection of short stories to give a snapshot of a series of memorable moments in Jimmy's life.

Notable stories include funny yarns like getting a doomed haircut by non-English speaking hairdressers in Thailand, a madcap misunderstanding in a Japanese ski resort, through to the heartbreaking loss of his beloved dog, Oliver. Animals, he admits are important to him and he feels a natural connection and bond with them. He reflects that his now departed miniature schnauzers Oliver and Snoopy, "loved him without question. They saw the good in me when I couldn't."

For someone who left school in Year 9, Jimmy admits that he was smart but out of control Now, his writing days have a level of discipline, starting at 8am, where he writes until about midday.

During the one hour conversation, Jimmy was open, honest, insightful, reflective and giving of his personal observations of self. Why do readers connect with his work? He considers stories and music to be "markers in your life" when you can hear a song and remember an important moment

He believes that the life lesson of the book is that %%"life can put up red flags which at times he didn't want to see or remember. But it's never too late to look back and learn those lessons. Don't run away from fear. It is better to live with it than run."
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I was already a distant admirer of Jimmy for his music but I left a bigger appreciator of him as a man who bravely lays his heart out for us to bear witness to his heartache and triumph. Clearly, writing brings him energy, joy and inner peace from the personal understanding that only penning stories offers.

For short stories to make you laugh out loud and cry inside, check out the softer side of Jimmy Barnes in Killing Time: Short Stories From the Long Road Home, published by Harper Collins Australia.

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!date 21/10/2020 -- 21/10/2020
%wnbrisbane