MCSWINEY, Dr John

ISBN 978-1-922722-31-7
PAPERBACK

The Journey of 100 Hidden Hearts

THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP IS THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE WITH YOURSELF, AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY YOU WILL EVER EMBARK ON IS THE ONE THAT CONNECTS YOU WITH YOUR HEART.
– DR JOHN MCSWINEY

A profound program for spiritual connection with your heart, The Journey of 100 Hidden Hearts will help you discover your authentic self, and gift you with the tools to transform your life.

The protective walls you have built around your heart are the same ones that keep you imprisoned.

It is time to find the courage to live a life true to yourself, and not the life others expect of you.

You are invited to take positive action to ignite your soul, live with true joy and fully embrace who you were always created to be.

You are the change you have been looking for, and this book will guide you home to your heart, and your true self.

Dr John McSwiney the journey of 100 hidden hearts

About the Author

Dr John McSwiney is a neuroscience based coach, and author. His coaching and programs are designed to connect you with your heart so you live your best life. He has degrees in Social Science, Law and a Master of Arts and PhD in Philosophy from Monash University. He is also a certified mBIT Practitioner, Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Timline (Matrix) Practitioner and a Conscious Hypnosis Practitioner. Dr John’s mission is to connect every person with their heart. It is his legacy gift. 

HALL, Dr Beverly & Ronald

ISBN 978-1-922803-25-2
PAPERBACK

The Spirit of Pehdzeh Ki

Maintaining a sustainable lifestyle and following traditional values in the face of a barrage of mining and Canadian business interests is quite a challenge.

This book is a comprehensive account of the history, lifestyle and values of a small Slavey Dene community in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The community is located north of the 60th parallel in the middle of the Deh Cho (Mackenzie River) Valley. It is about the history of the Dene people in attempting to maintain their traditional lifestyle and as much as possible sovereignty over their land. The Dene have a long tradition in the north dating back almost 30,000 years. These traditional people have maintained the integrity of their land by respecting what it has to offer. For the Dene life is part of the land and its maintenance is important for the future. The Dene see the land as providing for their people a spirit which became a way of life.

About the Author

This book has been written by an Australia couple who as adult educators first lived in Pehdzeh Ki family years ago with their young family. It gives an account of the day-to-day experiences of this family as they worked in the community. They learned about sustainability and the traditional knowledge needed for survival in a completely different environment to what their experiences were in Australia. In return they set about helping to develop some of the skills and knowledge needed by the local people to operate in a European system. The community were attempting to achieve this without the loss of their traditional values or dignity while maintaining their Dene language.

MCCARTHY, Gerry

ISBN 978-1-922722-74-4
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Gus: the Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon

Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeons were thought to be extinct however a small number were rediscovered several years ago and some were captured for breeding stock, which has led to several groups becoming involved in breeding programs.

Students can investigate native aquatic and land-based animals that rely on healthy wetlands, billabongs creeks and rivers.

How are billabongs and wetlands formed? What causes some animals to become extinct? How do introduced fish affect native fish species?

By reading the story of Gus, students can create a wetlands food web.

gerry mccarthy author

About the Author

Hooked on fishing from and early age, Gerry McCarthy and his dad Martin were regular hopefuls on all of Adelaide’s metropolitan jetties. Interestingly Gerry’s extensive teaching and educational leadership appointments were always situated close to water! In 2015 after forty-six years in educational settings, Gerry established his own teaching business Teachfishsa and South Australian schools took the bait.
Gerry’s passion for all things fish saw schools engage in STEM projects through aquaponics as well as fishing camps and fishing excursions. However, Gerry’s most recent focus as been to help save critically endangered native fish. The story of Gus the Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon (a fish that until recently was thought to be extinct) is shared by Gerry and his illustrator niece Elise Fitzgerald in the hope that others will join the cause and help save fish like Gus. 
Elise Fitzgerald Illustrator Gus book

About the Illustrator

Elise Fitzgerald is a Year 10 student at Mercedes College Adelaide and this is the first book Elise has illustrated. Elise has always loved art and in order to further develop her skills is taking on lessons outside of school. Elise has a preference for oil paintings and portraits.
When not producing outstanding art pieces, Elise spends a lot of time on her other passion gymnastics. Elise hopes to pursue illustrating and other creative avenues into the future.

POLA, Geoff

ISBN 978-1-922337-20-7
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The Shit Fairy

Avril’s feelings for Dan are confusing. Hardened by institutional life, Avril Maguire sees Dan as someone she can use and manipulate. She has no concept of consequences and has difficulty adjusting to the psychological abuses by the staff.

Their friendship develops amongst the chaos of her mind, and her past. She inhabits two worlds. One of the sun’s rays, where she is burdened by her disability, and that of the moon’s beams, where she is tucked up tight in bed, free to explore her dreams. It’s through these worlds that Avril discovers a sense of identity and belonging.

The enigma that is Avril Maguire is unique in the complexity of a beautiful mind. Avril’s mischievous giggle is infectious and wills you into a world that is heart-felt and challenging.

ISBN 978-1-922722-05-8
PAPERBACK

The Circle

This is the second book in a series that follows Avril Maguire as she navigates a not so perfect world. At the age of five, Avril was sent to Pleasant Creek. In 1982 she was transferred to Aradale; formally known as Ararat Lunatic Asylum, which housed the adult population. We pick up Avril’s story as the year sees out the end of the 20th Century.

The true origins of the circle come from pagan rituals that worshipped the Sun and the Moon.

Avril knew the power of the circle; it was a symbol of defiance for the little girl that never grew up. She tried to block out the past and imagine her future. The scars on her forearms were a reminder; each one a chapter, a story. Danny Walters is one of Avril’s care workers; their relationship is conditional and one that is renegotiated on a daily basis. Hardened by institutional culture, Avril has no language and is frustrated by the restrictive practices to control her behaviour. Yet she is intrigued by the power she has over Dan.

“Dan thinks I’m all sugar and spice!” Hee

Geoff Pola author The Shit Fairy

About the Author

I was born in Melbourne and completed formal studies to gain a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at the federation University. My interest in psychiatric art lead to chance meeting with Dr Cunningham Dax in 1997 who was cataloguing the collection of psychiatric art from Aradale Mental Hospital, formerly known as Ararat Lunatic Asylum. This was the turning point in my career; I had the privilege of working with people in the disability sector who have fragile and broken minds, plus challenging and complex behaviours.

It was here I met some interesting characters and some beautiful minds filled with dreams and aspirations. I find it humbling to hold the memories of such souls; they will be always cherished and valued.

The Shit Fairy which is subtitled; The Complexities of a beautiful Mind, is a fictional book with contemporary historical elements. We follow the main character, Avril Maguire who has a profound disability. She was brought up in “institutional care” such as Pleasant Creek in Stawell and then transferred to Aradale in 1982, which housed the adult population. The plight of Avril is a poignant reminder regarding the recent Royal Commission into the Disability sector in Australia. I regard myself as a passionate advocate for people like Avril.

Avril story is set in the mid to late 1990’s and we follow her during the transitional period when it was Government policy to close these notorious institutions and integrate residents into social housing. These units were called Client Residential Units (CRU’s). The social expectations were a far cry from a society that had excluded her for thirty-six years.

This is the first book in a series that follows Avril Maguire as she navigates a not so perfect world. Her fear is that she will inflict her will on you! Will you still like me.

GODENZI, Trevor

ISBN 978-1-922722-54-6
PAPERBACK

Full Circle

Trevor Godenzi believes cooking should be an enjoyable experience. The joy of creating meals that ensure friends and family gather around your table to enjoy your efforts, your company, a glass or two of wine and above all enjoy meals that are made with love. Sharing meals that create wonderful memories. Your memories.

 

trevor godenzi full circle cookbook

About the Author

The fourth of five children to Jean and Frank Godenzi, Trevor was born in Traralgon, Victoria, Australia. His interest in cooking developed after leaving home at eighteen to work on an irrigation farm at Coleambally in the Riverina district of New South Wales. Having to cook for himself, Trevor quickly learnt some basic recipes that got him through, even then adapting them to suit his tastes.

Cooking took a backseat for many years while Trevor concentrated on several career moves until finally settling on work within the disability and aged care nursing sectors. Before long though, the cooking urge returned and in 2016 Trevor opened the Gaudenzi Wine Bar (now The Penny).

Six years later, Trevor no longer owns the wine bar, instead moving on to posting recipes in the online SBS Food recipe group. From that and his wine bar, the idea grew for this cookbook.

HOGG, Gavin

ISBN 978-1-922803-03-0
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Hoggie

GIFTED GAVIN HOGG WAS NOT GIFTED BY CIRCUMSTANCE.

Hoggie takes you on the journey of Gavin’s rollercoaster life. In this book, Hoggie recounts how he became a top country cricketer, had his world upturned by severe depression and the resultant alcohol addiction, and then finally recovered to build a new wine business in Coonawarra.

He now faces his greatest challenge.

stephen and terri author fork in the road

About the Author

Gavin, or ‘Hoggie’ as he was affectionately known, started life in a dirt-floored shack on a Soldier Settlement block. He went on to become one of Australia’s most award winning winemakers, taking home some of Australia’s top wine trophies, including the revered Jimmy Watson.