
Tomah, Wisconsin Aug 27, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - Author John Burgess delivers a captivating memoir with Life, Luck and Lessons Learned, chronicling his remarkable journey from a family farm in Northland, New Zealand, to becoming one of Australias largest meat exporters. The book blends humor, hardship, and hard-won wisdom, offering readers a unique perspective on resilience, entrepreneurship, and the rewards of taking chances.
This latest release is a continuation of Burgesss 2020 debut, Life, Luck and Liaisons, which recounted his formative years, schooling, and early sailing adventures in the Pacific and Asia. Life, Luck and Lessons Learned picks up the story as Burgess leaves New Zealand in 1965, seeking broader horizons in the United Kingdom and beyond.
Burgesss journey takes him from meat trading in Liverpool and London to emigrating to Montreal, Canada, in 1970, where he mastered the intricacies of the North American meat market and even crossed paths with the Mafia. The knowledge and confidence gained abroad led him to Sydney, Australia, in 1971, where he launched his own meat export company. Under his leadership, it became one of the largest in the nation, with a turnover exceeding $100 million a year.
The memoir is more than a business success storyits a chronicle of personal determination, navigating life-threatening illnesses, and exploring cultures across Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, and numerous European countries. Burgess recounts these experiences with honesty, warmth, and an eye for the human connections forged along the way.
About the Author
John Burgess was born and raised in rural New Zealand and initially set out to follow a farming path. His career took an unexpected turn, leading him to work in the UK, Canada, and eventually Australia, where he built one of the largest meat trading companies in the country. Alongside his entrepreneurial success, Burgess is a seasoned traveler with a wealth of cultural experiences that enrich his storytelling.
Inspiration Behind the Book
My book is unique in that it involves incidents and experiences that belong only to me. Obviously, there were times when other people were also involved, but the actual story is mine alone. I was destined to be a farmer in New Zealand but through a series of unique circumstances, I ended up as a meat trader in Australia. After I left New Zealand in my mid-twenties, I worked in the UK for four years and Montreal, Canada, for one year, before going back to New Zealand. I quickly decided that the prospects for me to set up my own business were much better in Australia and I moved to Sydney in 1971.
My story incorporates farming experiences in rural New Zealand as well as establishing and developing a trading business with a turnover in excess of $100 million a year. I overcame life-threatening illnesses. I visited and write about my time in Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, and many of the countries across both Eastern and Western Europe. I felt that I had a story that could inspire others to test their abilities, meet their challenges, and succeed as models for their families and friends.
He has promoted his books through radio interviews with Emmy Awardwinning host Kate Delaney, TV interviews with Logan Crawford on the American Spotlight Network, appearances at local and international book fairs, and through active engagement on social media.
Life, Luck and Lessons Learned is now available through major online retailers or you may click through this link https://www.amazon.com.au/Life-Luck-Lessons-Learned-Burgess/dp/1835430376#detailBullets_feature_div

Source :Prime Seven Media
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3 day's ago
Acclaimed horror novelist and U.S. Army veteran Vanessa M. Chattman returns with a chilling new supernatural tale that promises to haunt readers long after the final page. Her latest novel, BENEATH THE OAK, delivers a gripping blend of psychological terror, hidden family secrets, and ghostly suspensecementing Vanessa M. Chattmans reputation as one of the most compelling voices in modern horror.
Set in the quiet isolation of rural America, BENEATH THE OAK follows Alyssa Ward, a grieving woman forced to confront the shadows of her past when she returns to her childhood home after her mothers sudden death. What she expects to be a simple homecoming becomes a descent into a generational nightmare. The massive oak tree looming behind the houseonce a symbol of comfortnow pulses with an eerie, oppressive presence. At night, whispers seep from its roots, and ghostly silhouettes gather beneath its branches, watching, waiting.
As Alyssa sorts through her mothers belongings, she discovers a series of journals revealing a dark family curse tied to the ancient tree. For generations, the Ward family has been tormented by a spirit bound to the oakone that selects a single family member to keep beneath its roots. When Alyssa begins experiencing visions of a young girl calling her name, begging for release, she realizes the curse is awakening once more.
The deeper Alyssa digs into her familys past, the more the veil between the living and the dead unravels. The spirit beneath the oak soon reveals its true identitysomeone Alyssa once knew, someone she unknowingly abandoned. To break the curse, Alyssa must confront buried memories, longforgotten guilt, and a supernatural force determined to claim her as its next offering. The battle becomes not only for her life, but for her soul.
Vanessa M. Chattmans signature styleatmospheric, emotionally charged, and rooted in psychological horrorshines throughout BENEATH THE OAK. Known for her ability to blend haunting imagery with human vulnerability, Chattman crafts a narrative that is both terrifying and profoundly intimate. Her exploration of grief, memory, and generational trauma elevates the novel beyond traditional horror, offering readers a story that is as thoughtprovoking as it is chilling.
With a growing body of acclaimed work spanning supernatural fiction, psychological thrillers, and cinematic screenplays, Vanessa M. Chattman continues to push the boundaries of the genre. BENEATH THE OAK stands as one of her most powerful works to datea haunting reminder that the past never truly stays buried, and some spirits refuse to be forgotten.
BENEATH THE OAK is now available through major retailers and online platforms. Readers seeking a gripping, atmospheric, and emotionally resonant supernatural horror experience will find themselves captivatedand hauntedby Vanessa M. Chattmans latest masterpiece.
Amazon.com: BENEATH THE OAK: A NOVEL: 9798248707652: Chattman, Vanessa M.: Books
BENEATH THE OAK: A NOVEL by Vanessa M. Chattman | eBook | Barnes & Noble®
BENEATH THE OAK by Vanessa M. Chattman on Apple Books
BENEATH THE OAK eBook by Vanessa M. Chattman - EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States
Source :Author Vanessa M. Chattman
This article was originally published by IssueWire. Read the original article here.