Hi, I'm Mark Burton, a Cairns-based Artist, Musician and now Author.

I've designed this site to introduce you to Shaun Mulligan and the inhabitants of his world.

Mulligan's is my first book, a project that became close to my heart as the characters introduced themselves to me.

SO LET ME TELL YOU A BIT ABOUT MULLIGAN'S ISLAND

Mulligan’s Island is a funny, soul-searching Aussie adventure book. One which follows Shaun Mulligan's exploits as he is compelled to leave his island retreat and charge headlong back into civilisation.

Shaun has carved out a reclusive life with his constant companion, McLeod, on the tropical island that he calls home. This peace is threatened dramatically when a letter from his estranged daughter is delivered to him one bright, tropical morning.

From the letter, he learns that his daughter is living in Brisbane in an abusive relationship. She wants Shaun to come and rescue her – be her knight in shining armour.
In reality, Shaun knows that the only armour he has is a beat up old van – if he still has that!
He’d left it with the girlfriend he’d abandoned a year ago.

Would it still be there? And more to the point; what sort of reception would he get when he faced Jo after all this time?

The reunion is not without surprises - after initial hostility - and finally, after an emotional workout, Shaun and his van are reunited.

He hits the road on a journey that will change his perception of himself and those around him.

Hitchhikers he picks up on the way lead him into experiences he would never have encountered on his island, including helping a new life to enter the world.

When in Brisbane, he has to battle his way through traffic - a completely unfamiliar phenomenon - and on reaching his daugher, discovers that he is a grandfather.

He has two people to rescue!

The safe delivery of these ladies is not all beer and skittles though, there are brickbats amongst the bouquets, and some of the bricks leave Shaun a bit less comfortable than he started out.

Being reunited with his daughter dredges up memories that Shaun had managed to bury for many years. Once unearthed, the pain they’d engendered were as potent as when the incident had occurred.

The reason Shaun ran, and hid. The reason he’d become a hermit.

Bringing these memories out into the light, whilst painful, helps Shaun to give them perspective and, unconsciously, fortify him to face a new future, and maybe even – THE WORLD.

If I've had any criticism about Mulligan's Island, it's been about the amount of swearing in the dialogue, which, in this day and age I find a bit odd.
I have endeavoured to make Shaun (despite his obvious eccentricities) as typical a 'bloke' as possible. In fact, by some standards he's down-right restrained!
Even though I'm no stranger to the odd expletive myself, I'm often astounded at how many times some fellas (or indeed women) can fit swearing into a typical sentence, sometimes every second word.
Shaun tries his best not to swear too much in front of 'the ladies', or children, which I admire about him, but when he's with the other blokes - well why would you hold back?
I've been surprised by this reaction to the language in my book. Given how prevalent swearing is in songs, movies and other books I've read, I really didn't see it as an issue at the time. When I brought the subject up with some of my original readers, a few of them said, "was there swearing?"
I've written Shaun as he presented himself to me, and have allowed him his head when it comes to what he says, even when it gets him into a bit of trouble at times.
So, hopefully, you'll excuse our French, and enjoy the story despite the profanity.