After taking centre stage Dick and Ruth Carney have launched their book A Little Piece of Heaven in Narromine.
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Almost 85 people gathered at the library on Tuesday to hear from the couple in conversation with Mudgee-based artist and author Sam Paine about their book.
"I think it shows how important Dick and Ruth are to this community and how well settled in they are after all these years," Mr Paine said.
The Carney's have worked with Mr Paine to share the story of their lives together.
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The book tells the tale of Mr Carney's humble beginnings in Warren, and the trials and triumphs of his time in the shearing sheds during the twentieth century.
Mr Carney discusses his rejection to the Debutante Ball in Warren, but describes finding acceptance in Narromine, a home and long-lasting love with wife Ruth.
Their love is an inspiration and their story is a rare glimpse of mid-century bush life and Indigenous history.
Mr Paine said it had been a "real honour" to work with the couple, and said it was important to share these stories, which may have been forgotten if not written down.
"It's really exciting to be part of it, but also Dick and Ruth are such amazing people, they've been through so much and they're such a joy to spend time with," he said.
"We launched the book at the Mudgee Readers festival about a month ago and it was really exciting to have it there, but it's really great to bring it home and share it with the Narromine people here.
"It's an amazing story I know I hadn't heard before, and a lot of people hadn't heard before, and part of our history out in the Central West that doesn't get told very much.
"So it's a great chance to bring out that story and tell these tales that might have been forgotten if they weren't written down."
The author has been working with the couple since the inception of the stage play working to piece their story together to share, and said the book had been in the works for quite some time.
"We worked on the play for maybe a year and a half to two years, and when we started finishing up on the play we started working on the book version, and so the book let us put in a lot of stories that didn't fit into the play," Mr Paine said.
"Ruth and Dick really wanted something they could hang onto and give to people, and as well it's great to have that record of that piece of history and to have that stored away.
"Lots of libraries and schools are getting those copies now, so it's nice to know that part of history is being preserved."
Zaarkacha Marlan
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
