*APOLLO & THELMA: FAINE'S FLAWED DRAFTING, BLOCKING SONS*

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APOLLO & THELMA: A TRUE TALL TALE

*WRITING STARTS:

*13/1|21 FAINE:"| have just got back from a week in Darwin & have started to write!!!!!!!"*

21 FAINE: "I have written about 70,000 words, so far 23 chapters, I reckon there is about another 20% to go. I am supposed to-must -finish by Easter. Aaaaaaaagh...."*

*COMMENTS:
*THE AUTHOR RUSHING THROUGH THE DRAFT & IN A PANIC OVER TIME CONSTRAINTS. THIS IS A COMMON THEME THROUGHOUT THE BOOK WRITING PROCESS.

*FACTUAL MISTAKES WERE BOUND TO HAPPEN UNDER THIS PRESSURE. FAINE'S HURRIED & UNRELIABLE USE OF PEN & PAPER, WHEN INTERVIEWING THE FAMILY, WOULD COMPOUND THIS.*

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*DRAFT ONE:

*13|4/21- FAINE FIRST DRAFT: "I submitted a draft of the book to Hardie Grant as promised by Easter, they have looked thru it all, I had a meeting with them yesterday, they want a substantial re-write of the last four or five chapters, I have a month to re-do it. It's interesting- the first 2/3 of the book say are fine... They tell me it is like two different books & I have to rework the parts that do not work.! will be back May 19 & will know if they are happy with the re-write by then. I hope to be able to show you stuff by then."*

*COMMENTS:

*SONS WERE NOT SHOWN THE FIRST DRAFT, DESPITE BEING TOLD THEY WOULD.

*WHAT HAD TO BE REWORKED & WHY? THE BOOK WAS ALREADY CONFUSING, ONLY TO BECOME WORSE IN THE SECOND DRAFT.*

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*DRAFT 2:

*2716/21 FAINE 2nd DRAFT: "To bring you all up to date-Early in May I submitted Draft 2 of the manuscript to the publishers.. Last Friday I had a meeting with the publishers. They want me to re-do some of the book, the later chapters, mostly to put more of me into it!... which I was trying to avoid. They have asked me to get them draft 3 (and hopefully the last draft) by the end of August. The revisions will take me the best part of July & August.. ..they said to me "it is a good book but we think it can be a great book, there's such a good story there but you need to bring it out more' & they think that me as narrator instead of spectator will be better."*

*COMMENTS:

  *DRAFT 2 WAS NOT VIEWED BY FAMILY. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THAT DURING THE BOOK'S CONSTRUCTION, NO DIRECT CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PUBLISHER WAS OBSERVED. THE QUESTION, IS THIS FEEDBACK TRULY FROM THEM, OR THE AUTHOR JUST STATING HIS OWN DIRECTION?

*CRITICS OF THE BOOK, SAY THEY DO NOT KNOW WHO THE BOOK IS ABOUT & THAT IT JUMPED ALL OVER THE PLACE. IS IT A BOOK ABOUT APOLLO & THELMA (WHICH IS THE TITLE), JON FAINE, OR THE INDIGENOUS ETC?  FURTHER THE AUTHOR IS THE CENTRAL FIGURE & SEEMS TO BE THE HERO IN ALL ASPECTS. HENCE THE ARTICLE HEADING  IN THE PHOTO SECTION BELOW,  IN WHICH FAINE DEFENDS HIMSELF, “I DON‘T HAVE VISIONS OF GRANDEUR.”

*THE DRAFTING DIRECTION HERE, IS THE PROBLEM THE SONS HAVE WITH THE BOOK.

FAINE IS NOW WRITING, AS A BIOGRAPHY BASED ON HIMSELF. THE SONS WERE NOT TOLD THEY WOULD BE PART OF THIS STYLE OF BOOK. FAINE NOW MUST BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE STORY. NO LONGER IS HE A NON INVOLVED SPECTATOR, WHO IS RECOUNTING INFORMATION.

*THE HUGE ISSUE HERE, IS THAT FAINE AS DISCUSSED, WAS NOT PART OF APOLLO, OR THE SON'S LIFE STORY. HE WAS MERELY A DISTANT EMPLOYEE. EMBELLISHMENTS HAD TO BE INTRODUCED TO BRING THIS STYLE OF TALE OUT. IT SEEMS FACTS WERE NOT ENOUGH.* 

*THERE WAS NO NEED FOR FAINE IN DRAFT 2, TO GO DOWN A STORY CREATION PATH WITH APOLLO. HIS LIFE & ACHIEVEMENTS WERE ALREADY INCREDIBLE & A ROLLER COASTER RIDE.*

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*DRAFT 3:

*1/9/21 FAINE 3rd DRAFT- SONS TOLD THEY CAN FINALLY VIEW THE BOOK DRAFT:

"I am now officially late for Draft 3, it was due yesterday. I am 99% there however & much happier with what it now is. I am hoping to get it off to the publishers by the weekend. If they are (at last) happy with it then I can show it to you all on a strictly confidential basis. You can tell me where I have fucked up & if there are any really serious issues you want dealt with. "*

*COMMENTS:

   *8 MONTHS & 3 DRAFTS LATER, THE SONS STILL HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN THE CHANCE TO FACT CHECK. FAINE ACKNOWLEDGES IN THIS EMAIL, THAT THERE WOULD BE FUCK UPS & ISSUES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

*AT THIS STAGE THERE WAS STILL HOPE THAT THE WRITER WOULD BE TRUE TO HIS WORD.

ALLOWING THE FAMILY TO BE PART OF THE FULL BOOK EDITING PROCESS, WOULD ENSURE IT WAS ONE THEY WOULD BE PROUD OF.*    

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*SONS INSISTENT WANTING NO FABRICATION:  AFTER THIS EMAIL, FACT CHECK BLOCKED FROM FULL DRAFT:

*EMAIL 9/10/21 FAINE: " I understand completely that you do not want in any way fabricate."*

COMMENTS:

*THIS EMAIL WAS SENT TO THE SONS AFTER THEY REFUSED TO GO ALONG WITH THE WRITER'S FAKE STORY, OF THEIR JOINT INTERVIEWS. COLLECTIVELY THE SONS REFUSED THIS IDEA, WANTING NO PART OF ANY STORY CREATION. ONE LIE UNDERMINED THE WHOLE BOOK IN THEIR EYES. 

*AFTER THIS REFUSAL BY THE SONS, VIEWING OF THE DRAFT IS REDUCED TO ONE CHAPTER (AS SEEN IN NEXT EMAIL FROM FAINE). IT IS THE FAMILY’S  BELEIF, THAT THIS DEMAND OF ONLY TELLING THE TRUTH, CONTRIBUTED TO  THEIR EXCLUSION OF BEING ABLE TO VIEW FUTHER FICTITIOUS CONTENT.

*DESPITE THIS, FAINE WAS PERSISTENT, SUGGESTING WRITING THAT THE SONS WERE FALSELY INTERVIEWED IN A JOINT ZOOM MEETING. THE SONS ALSO REFUSED THIS, STATING AGAIN THEY ONLY WANTED THE TRUTH IN THE BOOK. THIS IS, THAT THEY WERE ALL INTERVIEWED SEPARATELY, PAUL IN PERSON, MARK & BRUCE OVER THE PHONE.

*THE BELOW EMAILS SHOWS THE AUTHOR'S WILLINGNESS TO CREATE A FICTITIOUS STORY IN ORDER TO ENHANCE A NARRATIVE. THIS WAS AN UNFORTUNATE SIGN OF THINGS TO COME.

*1/9/21 FAINE: "I have pretended that the three separate interviews I did with each of you because of Covid travel restrictions are actually one chat- as if you were all together.So they are intermingled. Ok?"

*3/9/21 PAUL: "However, just consider people that know us, will read book & may ask if this was the case & I don't want to be untruthful. We have not been together since Dad's funeral, so for a lot of people they will question this premise & know truth.

Personally don't think good idea, one untruth getting out makes rest questionable."

*3/9/21 FAINE: "ok i hadn't thought about that but i guess the answer could be it was a virtual get-together not face to face... does that work? the chat with both your brothers was on screen, you were face to face, and they could just as easily have been at same time.’’

*9/9/21 BRUCE: I've recently spoken to Paul regarding your email and the interview with the Anderson brothers in which you would like to "pretend" it was a single interview with all three brothers present?? That does not sit well with me as it never happened.

Anyone who knows the Anderson brothers is well aware of this. Any such, embellishment brings the authenticity of any other information in your book into question. Why not just tell things as they are? Separate interviews. "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story" here is totally unnecessary. It won't make anything any more exciting.” *

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*DRAFT 3 BLOCKED VIEWING:

*11/10/21- FAINE 3rd DRAFT- NOW BLOCKED FROM VIEWING & FACT CHECKING THE BOOK DRAFT:

"The editor is working on the third draft of the manuscript, as explained in my previous email,. They are aiming to get it to the printers before Xmas & then have the launch in March. I attach Chapter 9, which is the one that contains the stories each of you told me along with material from all the other sources I have use. I know it is hard to read one chapter out of context, but i am not allowed to send you the entire book!  They are very protective of the material until it gets published...

I need to know fairly soon if there are changes you want made, so if you can get back to me in ten days I would be grateful."*

*COMMENTS:

*9 MONTHS & 3 DRAFTS LATER, WITHOUT THE FAMILY BEING ABLE TO FACT CHECK CONTENTS. THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS THE BOOK'S "FUCK UPS & PROBLEMS", (AS ADDRESSED BY FAINE IN AN EMAIL 5 1/2  WEEKS PRIOR), WAS NOW REMOVED BY THE WRITER.

*FAINE'S WORD OF TRUST, TO BE PART OF THE WHOLE DRAFTING PROCESS, HAD BEEN BROKEN.

*KEEPING THE BOOK FACTUALLY ACCURATE, REGARDING THE FAMILY, WAS ALSO NOW IMPOSSIBLE, GIVEN THE SONS WERE THE ONLY VALID SOURCE OF HISTORICAL INFORMATION & ARCHIVES. SO MUCH FOR THE AUTHOR'S PROMOTIONAL VIDEO ON YouTube.  (AS SEEN BELOW IN PHOTOS), WHERE HE STATES, "THE TRUTH IS CRITICAL IN WRITING A BOOK."

*FAINE & THE PUBLISHERS, WORKING TOGETHER, EXCLUDING THE FAMILY, HAD CONSTRUCTED THE NARRATIVE THEY WANTED. IT WAS ONE OF FICTION, FALSELY CENTRALISING THE AUTHOR, IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRING THE EMBELLISHED TALE OUT. THIS WAS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE FAMILY'S LEGACY & FEELINGS.

*IT IS THE SON'S BELEIF, THAT THIS ACTION BY FAINE, WAS CARRIED OUT TO PREVENT THEM FROM SEEING THE FICTITIOUS & DISRESPECTFUL CONTENT. HE DID NOT WANT THE NEGATIVE REACTION & THE SONS INEVITABLE EXIT FROM THE PROJECT.

*THE FAMILY WERE DOWN TO EDITING ONLY ONE CHAPTER (CH 9 AS CHILDREN) & PRESSURED TO DO IT WITHIN 10 DAYS!*

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*REASSURANCE EMAIL:

*3/11/21 FAINE: to Bruce- re Ch 9- "I have been revising the comments from my editor as well as you & your brothers..... I am determined that the book about your family & your lives is something you are all proud of & pleased to refer to, either publicly with promotion or privately......Paul sent me 6 pages! of notes, & I have worked thru all that"*

*COMMENTS:

*FAINE IS NOW IN DAMAGE CONTROL AFTER BREAKING HIS WORD, USING THE SAME ON GOING FALSE PLEDGE.

*THE ONLY CHAPTER EDITED WITH THE SON'S INPUT, WAS FULL OF MISTAKES. IT CONTAINED MISQUOTES, INCORRECT INFORMATION & UNQUALIFIED OPINIONS.

*THE WRITER PANICKED & HAD ATTITUDE, REGARDING PAUL'S 6! PAGES OF EDITS. THESE WERE NECESSARY, IN ORDER FOR THE CHAPTER TO BE CONTENT CORRECT.

*AFTER HAVING TO ALTER ON SUCH A LEVEL WITH ONE CHAPTER, IT IS THE SON'S BELIEF, THAT FAINE WAS OVERWHELMED WITH THE PROSPECT OF DOING THIS WITH OTHER HIDDEN CHAPTERS. IT WAS EASIER FOR FAINE TO EXLUDE THEM & WRITE WHAT EVER HE WISHED, DESPITE ITS ACCURACY.*     

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*CHAPTER 9 DISTRIBUTION:

*4/11/21 FAINE: "I will circulate Ch9 when in final polished form.... but I caution that I cannot keep bouncing the text backwards & forwards forever.. …The editor is wanting to finalise the text so we can move onto design & captions...aiming for some sort of formal launch in late March in time for Easter."*

*COMMENTS:

*THIS CHAPTER WAS THE ONLY ONE SEEN BY THE FAMILY IN FINAL FORM. THERE WAS NO BOUNCING BACK & FORWARD WITH EDITS.

THE FAMILY READ THE DRAFT, GAVE WRITTEN FEEDBACK & THEN THIS WAS WORKED INTO THE CHAPTER. THIS PROCESS TOOK ONLY 4 WEEKS.

*THERE WERE ANOTHER 6 UNSEEN CHAPTERS, CONCERNING APOLLO & THELMA, THAT THE SONS HAD NO IDEA OF, UNTIL READING THE PUBLISHED BOOK. FAINE COULD HAVE USED THIS EDITING PROCESS WITH THEM, BUT DISGRACEFULLY CHOSE NOT TO.

*THE AUTHOR WAS IN A RUSH & DID NOT WISH TO ALTER, WHAT THE SONS BELIEVE HE KNEW TO BE, A LARGELY FICTITIOUS TALE. THIS WAS AN EXCLUDED EDITING PROCESS, BY AN UNKNOWLEDGEABLE WRITER (CONCERNING THE APOLLO FAMILY). *————————

      *REASSURANCE EMAIL & TIME PANIC:    

*5/11/21 FAINE: "I am sincere in saying how I want to make sure that the book is something you are all proud  of.. time lines are tight.."*

COMMENTS:

*MORE PLEDGES FROM THE WRITER, ON A BOOK TO “HOLD UP HIGH”. BOOK RUSH, AT EXPENSE OF CHECKING FOR, THE EVENTUAL MANY FLAWS.*        

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*TIME PRESSURE EMAIL:

*10/11/21 FAINE: " Thank you for all your time, emotion & preparedness to tolerate my barging  into your lives. I attach what I hope is a final version of ch 9 you are all ok with. I must finish by Friday & am up to Ch 12 & still have 6 more chapters to final edit so I am pretty much under the pump."*

*COMMENTS:

*UTILISING SUCH A SHUT OFF & TIME FORCED WRITING PROCESS, FAINE WAS NEVER GOING TO DELIVER THE NONFICTIONAL BOOK HE PROMISED THE SONS. ONE THEY WOULD BE PROUD TO REFER TO. THIS WAS THE ONLY REASON THE FAMILY WERE WILLING TO TOLERATE THE EMOTIONAL DRAIN, OF THE AUTHOR BARGING INTO THEIR HISTORY.*

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