Michael Chalk Author and Publisher

25/09/2025

GREAT RECOGNITION FOR ZACHARY'S CRY

This morning I was advised by Book Viral that Zachary's Cry has been featured on their latest blog.
To read their full blog, click below:-
https://bookviralreviews.com/author-blogs/medical-and-legal-drama-novels/

11/09/2025

REMBERING AIR RHODESIA FLIGHT RH825
Sunday, 3rd September 2025 marked the 47th anniversary of one of the darkest moments of the Rhodesian Bush War — the shooting down of Air Rhodesia Flight RH825, a civilian Viscount aircraft, by ZIPRA guerrillas.
Wars are, by their very nature, cruel and inhuman. Innocent people are caught in the crossfire, and suffering is widespread. But there are moments in history when acts of violence cross a line so shocking, so beyond the pale, that they demand unambiguous condemnation from the world. The destruction of Flight RH825, a civilian aircraft, was such an event.
The tragedy did not end with the missile strike that brought the plane down. Of the 56 people on board, 18 initially survived the crash. Yet 10 of these men, women, and children were subsequently shot or bayoneted to death at the crash site by the same group of guerrillas — or by a sister band allied with them — a crime of deliberate and calculated evil.
History teaches us a sobering lesson here — when atrocities are met with silence, the perpetrators are emboldened. Without loud and global condemnation, those who commit such acts conclude that the world’s attention will quickly shift to newer events, leaving their crimes forgotten. This silence, whether deliberate or through indifference, becomes complicity.
The hand behind the violence must also be remembered. As with so many proxy wars of the Cold War era, Moscow was the puppet master. The missile used was a Soviet-supplied surface-to-air missile (SAM), and ZIPRA guerrillas had been trained by Russian operatives in how to fire it. We do not know if Soviet personnel were present at the launch site, but the hand of Moscow was undeniable. Just as in 1978, we see the same disregard for human life and the rules-based order playing out today — in Ukraine, where Russia once again pursues its goals through terror and violence.
The lesson is clear. Appeasement of such regimes and their leaders does not bring peace — it only invites further and greater aggression. To preserve the values of a just and rules-based world, the international community must remain vigilant, outspoken, and unyielding in the face of atrocities.
This incident is also remembered in my book The Unravelling, which explores the complexities and tragedies of that era. I have also produced a video tribute, Deafening Silence, which you can view here:
https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/video-deafening-silence
On this anniversary, may we honour the memory of those who perished on Air Rhodesia Flight RH825. And may we never allow their story to be forgotten.

03/09/2025

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28/08/2025

EVERY LIFE LEAVES ITS MARK
In today’s Western world, the debate around abortion is usually framed almost entirely as a woman’s right to choose. It is a deeply sensitive and personal issue, and rightly so. Yet what often goes unspoken is another question — what about the rights of the unborn child?

In my novel Zachary’s Cry, this implied question sits at the very heart of the story. Alice Lennox, a frightened young woman, saw abortion as her only way out. When that failed, she gave birth alone in a locked farmhouse bathroom. The child — premature, fragile, and critically injured — was never meant to survive. And yet, against all odds, Zachary clung to life.

His survival forces us to pause. What if Zachary had never been given that chance? Would his story — of hardship, resilience, love, ultimate victory, and the quiet heroism of those who cared for him — simply have ended before it began?

And readers should remember — Zachary’s Cry is inspired by true events. While the characters and details are fictionalised, the core of the story reflects a real-life tragedy that unfolded in South Australia.

Of course, times were different then. In the early 1990s, when Zachary’s Cry is set, abortion access in Australia was far more restricted and clouded by fear, secrecy, and stigma. For Alice, that meant limited options, reliance on informal advice, and ultimately a desperate attempt to conceal her pregnancy and its outcome.

Some would argue that if abortion had been more freely available then — as it generally is today — Alice could have sought safe, legal medical care. That, in turn, might have spared Zachary his traumatic birth and lifelong disabilities.

Others would say that Zachary’s very survival, against every odd, shows the profound value of a life that was “never meant to matter.” Without him, the story would have ended before it began — and the love, sacrifice, and resilience of those who cared for him would never have been revealed.

These are not easy questions. They remain deeply personal and controversial. But perhaps what Zachary’s Cry invites us to consider is this: in the end, every choice has consequences, and every life — however fragile — leaves its mark.

If you would like to find out mare about Zachary’s Cry, click below:-

https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/published-books-zachary-s-cry

23/08/2025

WHY STORIES FROM THE PAST STILL MATTER
One of the enduring truths about literature is that stories from the past — especially those rooted in history—whether strictly factual or fictionalised — have the power to shape the way we see the world today. The more we learn about the past, the more it challenges us, provokes us, and ultimately influences the way we live.
Writers have long understood this. Some of the most important books ever written are those that bring real events vividly to life: Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl, which captures both the innocence and the anguish of a life hidden during the Holocaust; Alex Haley’s Roots, which forced a reckoning with the legacy of slavery; or George Orwell’s 1984, a warning about the dangers of unchecked central government control. These books are not just entertainment. They stay with us because they reveal truths we might otherwise ignore, and they remind us of lessons we cannot afford to forget.
That is part of the reason I chose to write my first two novels, The Unravelling and A Moment of Madness, as historical fiction. Both are set in southern Africa during the 1970s and 1980s—a time of immense political upheaval, racial tension, and personal sacrifice. Though fictional, the stories are woven against the backdrop of real events, and my hope has always been that they prompt readers to reflect on the struggles, compromises, and humanity of those who lived through that era.
My most recent book, Zachary’s Cry, also sits in the historical genre but is different again. Inspired by true events, it is a reminder of how personal stories — sometimes heart-breaking, sometimes uplifting — can illuminate broader questions about justice, truth, and compassion. Fiction allows us to step into the lives of others, but it also challenges us to think about how we might act if confronted with the same dilemmas.
In a world that is often obsessed with the present, history gives us perspective. It teaches us humility and warns us about repeating old mistakes. By reading about what has gone before—whether in memoirs, novels, or narrative non-fiction — we are reminded that our choices matter. The past is never as far away as we think.
That, to me, is why learning about history — whether through fact or fiction — is so important. It sharpens our understanding of who we are, and it can guide us in the kind of people, and societies, we want to become.
If you would like to learn more about my books then click below: -

The Unravelling - https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/books-published-unravelling
A Moment of Madness – https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/published-books-a-moment-of-madness
Zachary’s Cry - https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/published-books-zachary-s-cry

08/08/2025

Lovely unsolicited review about my recently published book, Zachary's Cry, by my friend, Gwen Meyer.
Thanks Gwen. Much appreciated. I am glad you enjoyed it. Was it your travel companion on your recent trip to Malta and Greece?

01/08/2025

📣 EXCITING NEWS

For the first time ever, all three of my books are now available to read FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

✔️ Zachary’s Cry – A powerful legal and medical drama inspired by true events.
✔️ A Moment of Madness – A political thriller set in 1980s Zimbabwe.
✔️ The Unravelling – Historical fiction exploring Rhodesia’s collapse and the personal lives caught in the fallout.

If you're a KU subscriber, don’t miss this limited-time opportunity to dive into all three.

https://www.amazon.com/author/michaelchalk

If you are not a KU subscriber, or would prefer to purchase a paperback copy, click the link below.

https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/where-to-buy

⏳ Available in KU until 31st October 2025 only!

26/07/2025

“He was a newly arrived doctor trained in Zimbabwe. He followed protocol. The baby was left catastrophically injured. Can overseas-trained doctors really be trusted in Australian rural health settings?”

That’s the confronting question at the heart of Zachary’s Cry.
Set in rural South Australia, the story begins with a birth no one was meant to witness. A young woman hides her pregnancy, gives birth alone, and refuses help from the on-call GP — Dr Clive Cloete, newly arrived from Zimbabwe. He does what medical protocol demands. But the consequences of that decision stretch across decades.

This is not a simple story. It’s about medical ethics, legal blame, and the quiet strength of those who step up when others can’t.

If you’ve ever worked in medicine, lived in the bush, or wrestled with questions of medico-legal accountability — this book might strike a chord.

🎥 To watch the introductory video: -
https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/zachary-s-cry-promo-video

🛒 To buy the book: - https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/where-to-buy

15/07/2025

Zachary’s Cry is OUT NOW!

Order your copy today and be moved by this unforgettable journey of love, failure, and second chances.

To purchase your copy, click on the link below.

https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/where-to-buy

06/07/2025

Zachary’s Cry launches Monday, 7th July

It’s been a long and emotional journey to bring this novel to life.
Zachary’s Cry draws on real events and wrestles with questions of justice, truth, and the quiet strength it takes to raise a child who was never meant to survive.

In this short video, I share what led me to write the story and what I hope readers will take away.

It’s personal — and I’d be honoured if you’d watch it.

🎥 Watch the video: https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/zachary-s-cry-promo-video
🛒 Order the book: https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/where-to-buy

At its heart, Zachary’s Cry is about human frailty — and human resilience.

It’s about the wounds we carry, the ones that threaten to crush us, and the redemptive power of love, honesty, and grace.

Thank you for walking this road with me. Tomorrow, Zachary’s story begins.

01/07/2025

A LIFE WORTH FIGHTING FOR

Every milestone Zachary reaches is a victory. Every smile, a quiet triumph. This is a story of love, loss — and the will to survive.

A child abandoned. A doctor blamed. A foster family's quiet heroism. And it all begins in rural South Australia.

Michael Chalk’s powerful new novel, Zachary’s Cry, launches 7th July 2025.

Pre-orders for the digital edition are now available via Amazon/Kindle global stores. Paperback edition available from 7th July.

To receive new updates, complete the Blog Subscribe Form at:
https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/blog

27/06/2025

SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S BEAUTY & ISOLATION

A child abandoned. A doctor blamed. A foster family’s quiet heroism.

It all begins here — in South Australia.

From the rugged cliffs of the Yorke Peninsula to the stately streets of Adelaide, Zachary’s Cry brings South Australia vividly to life.

Michael Chalk’s powerful new novel launches 7th July 2025.

If you wish to be advised of new updates, make sure you complete the blog Subscribe Form on my website: -

https://www.authormichaelchalk.com/blog