Mick McCoy has written three novels with the latest, What the Light Reveals (Transit Lounge) published in March, 2018.
About What the Light Reveals:
‘A story about an Australian family facing the ruin of both bonds and belief. Atmospheric, intensely original and utterly unforgettable.’
M. J. Hyland , author of Carry Me Down (short-listed for the 2006 Man Booker Prize) and This is How
The first two were published some time back: Burning Sunday (Sceptre, 1999), which was short-listed for The Age Book of the Year, and Cutting Through Skin (Sceptre, 2001).
About Burning Sunday:
‘It’s consistency of tone, its preciseness and faultless structuring combine to create an unforgettably tense atmosphere. McCoy is utterly confident, writing with a conviction and ease that suggest more years at the typewriter than he could possibly have had.’ Tegan Bennet, Sydney Morning Herald
‘McCoy manages to relate a tale that, in one way or another, will resonate with us all, adult or teenager alike. It is – to its great credit – a very real and moving story.’ Matt Condon, Sydney Sun Herald
Before the books, I did a Ph.D. in exercise physiology at Melbourne University, and worked for seven seasons as the head of player conditioning at AFL club Richmond. Go Tiges!
You might have noticed the gap in that publication history. Between the books I founded, built and successfully sold fitness2live, an online health and wellbeing business.
A weekly Saturday morning talk-back segment on ABC 774 extended across five years, while print journalism appeared in The Age, Financial Review Magazine, The Sunday Age, The Qantas Club Magazine, The West Australian, Business Review Weekly and more.
What the Light Reveals has been a long time coming. It’s publication signals a return that will stick.
Mick McCoy 
Good to have you back!
Is Evatt referred to?
Hello Stephen, Thanks for the enquiry and sorry for the low reply. No, Doc Evatt is not referred to. Cheers, Mick
Mick. I have read it. It was very good. Car accidents happen under totalitarian regimes as well as anywhere else. Not all law and order issues under a dictator are political. No doubt speed tickers had to be handed out under the Third Reich etc.
I have already forgotten the name. Was it Bernice Morris? An intriguing story. The Morrises went from literary life at Mallacoota to befriending Donald McLean in Moscow. Wow.
A great heritage. And you have renewed it.
Cheers
Stephen Holt
Hi Stephen,
Bernice McCoy grew up in a small house in Chandler’s Creek, out the back of Cann River. She was my father’s big sister. She met Dave Morris after she moved to Melbourne to study and practice nursing. A factual account of her life with Dave can be found in her book: Between The Lines. It tells the real thing – my What the Light Reveals is fiction on very many levels.
Cheers,
Mick
Mick – I recently read your “What the Light Reveals”. A great read. Although familiar with the case of Dave & Bernice (and long ago read Bernice’s “Between the Lines”), your book was very evocative and nicely historically-grounded. Well done.
Thnks very much. Glad you enjoyed it.
Mick. There are some letters from Dave Morris to E J Brady in the NLA. Also a little memoir by Bernice. Cheers.
Thanks Stephen, I saw the NLA letters while researching … and I mentioned Bernice’s book earlier – is it the same one?
Yes. They also bumped into Donald Maclean in Moscow didn’t they?
My understanding is that Bernice actually had a brief intimate relationship with McLean and brought back to Australia a gift from him (although my informant could be mistaken). I prescribed a chapter from her memoir when teaching the Cold War at VU. Phillip.
Both Dave and Bernice were friends of Donald MacLean. I don’t know anything about any intimacy between Bernice and MacLean – I’d have thought it unlikely.
Bernie Taft told me about Bernice and Donald McLean. He may have been mistaken but I doubt it. Anyway, it’s water under the bridge now.
They lived in both Beijing and Moscow no? I forget where they lived first. China’s split with USSR caused the move.
They lived first in Beijing, then Mosocw. My understanding is that it was the restrictions placed on foreigners in Beijing that caused the move to Moscow, although I could be wrong