Rose By Any Other Name

342 Pages·2006·1.01 MB·English

by  Maureen McCarthy

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M A U R E E N
M c C A R T H Y
m e
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First published in 2006
Copyright © Maureen McCarthy, 2006
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior
permission in writing from the publisher. TheAustralian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act)
allows a maximum of one chapter or ten per cent of this book, whichever is the
greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational
purposes provided that the educational institution (or body that administers it) has
given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act.
Allen & Unwin
83 Alexander St
Crows Nest NSW 2065
Australia
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.allenandunwin.com
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
McCarthy, Maureen, 1953- .
Rose by any other name.
ISBN 978 1 74114 909 8.
ISBN 1 74114 909 6.
I. Title.
A823.3
Cover and text design by Tabitha King
Cover title font is Marcelle by www.stereo-type.net
Set in 12/16 pt Baskerville by Midland Typesetters, Australia
Printed and bound in Australia by Griffin Press
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For Patrice and Ramonawho saw me through the bleak times.
Thanks for all the love and laughter, the walks, the meals and the
talk.
Thanks to Vince, too, for his love and support.
And special thanks to my son Patrick, a surfer, a musician and a
Law student to boot, for sharing all you know about the great sixties
and seventies bands and musicians and for introducing me to some
of their present-day counterparts. Thanks for passing on your passion
for the ocean, Pat. It gave me inspiration for this novel.
Warm thanks to Erica Wagner at Allen & Unwin for her belief in
me when I had none. And many thanks to Eva Mills too, for her
enthusiasm for the project, and for her meticulous attention to detail
throughout the editing process.
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’
Im Rose.Rose Greta Patrice O’Neil. Rose. Not short for Rosemary,
Rosa or Rosanne. Just Rose. The name is an embarrassment. I’m not
beautiful or delicate or sweet smelling. I’m not even pretty.
So it’s Rose. My father told me that they took one look at me
when I was born and decided on Rose because I was pink and
crunched up, and I exuded an air of superiority. Well okay, thanks,
Dad. But I’ve seen the photos and I don’t look anywhere near as
superior as my three older sisters. Hilda. Cynthia. Dorothy. All of
them were stunners and they still are. He said it to make me feel
better. He is a barrister. They know how to use words.
I never expected love to come when it did. Nor the way it came.
Nor the complete mess it made of my life. I wasn’t hanging out for it
either, like some people. My life was fine. Great family. Excellent
academic results. I got on with people in my own way and I had a
best friend to laugh with and bitch with.
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