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SAUNDERS, Stavroula

May 31, 2022 | *, *Featured books, *listed, Australian, Family History, Language \ Culture \ Linguistics, Memoir

A Hyphenated Life book Stavroula Saunders Author
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ISBN 978-1-922722-68-3​
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A Hyphenated Life

Lula Saunders has written a heart-warming memoir, which brings to life a migrant experience of living in two cultures in Australian society. From a Greek café in a country town to urban Sydney we accompany her journey, sometimes confusing, sometimes challenging, often amusing, but always enriching. The writing is superb, I envy her that enrichment.

Dr Betsy Wearing
Associate Professor, Sociology,
University of NSW (retired)

Stavrola Saunders author

About the Author

Lula (Stavroula) Saunders grew up in the White Rose Café in the small NSW town of Cootamundra, followed by ten years in the Capitol Café Adelong, on the foothillls of the Snowy Mountains. Her move to Sydney meant leaving behind her café world and moving into a world of words and books; first in a Christian Bookshop, then several years at the University Co-op Bookshop. This was followed by being appointed as the first Cultural Diversity Co-ordinator at the Australian Museum and later at the National Maritime Museum. Other stories for other times.

MCLEOD, Heidi

May 4, 2022 | *, *Featured books, *listed, Australian, Biography, Design, Family History, History, Military
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ISBN 978-1-922803-05-4
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Wilf

A dramatic, true story from 100 years ago that resonates today, showcasing Hope and Heart in times of Hardship, for readers of every age, time and place.

When young farmer, Wilf Fritsch and his mates leave Australia in 1914, to study in Germany, they have no idea of the catastrophe ahead. Their plans are thwarted when World War 1 erupts. Stranded, arrested and imprisoned, they wonder if they will survive the war and ever make it home again. In a treacherous and unpredictable world, friendships form in surprising places, while culture, hope and purpose survive in desolate environments. Their story reveals astonishing aspects of the times, overlooked by history. However, it is the development of the lads into men of character and integrity, and the beguiling array of people they meet, that will enchant all readers. Bound together in brotherly bonds, their remarkable journey of joy and sorrow, horror and humour, spans 6 years and 5 countries, illuminating the power of perseverance and faith.

About the Author

Heidi McLeod resides in Adelaide, South Australia with her husband. A teaching career of over 40 years, three daughters and a foster son, a large extended family, many friends, and her grandchildren have nurtured her fascination in the human journey. In her first book, Heidi traces a portion of her grandfather’s life in the style of a novel. Sourced from diaries, letters, journals, and other primary sources, as well as stories heard first-hand, Heidi provides a compelling, heart-warming narrative. Skilfully crafted with original material, song lyrics of the times and an engaging style, Heidi’s recounting of her grandfather’s experiences is a tribute to all civilians who endured the non-military story of WW1.

 
 

TSOUVALAS, Sophia

Dec 20, 2021 | *, *Featured books, *listed, Australian, Family History, Memoir
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ISBN 978-1-922629-91-3
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A Divided Heart: A Memoir of Loss and Love

Family history. An account of Greek immigration. “May all who read A Divided Heart be reminded, as I was, of events small and large, which have ultimately contributed to shaping the fabric of our lives.” – from the Foreword, Athina Vlahos. In this heartfelt memoir, Sophia Nicolis Tsouvalas takes the reader on a journey through her parents’ lives. Maria and Manoli endured the hardships and tragedy of war-torn Greece during the German occupation and subsequent civil war. Sophia captures their experiences of moving from Mesohoria, a village on the Greek island of Evia, with the Aegean as its backdrop, to a new life in Australia. Their journey takes us through the harsh realities of everyday life in their small village, to the early 1960’s when the family settle in Sydney, a city on the cusp of societal change. Maria was able to release the pain of her past, and Australia was embraced with open arms and gratitude. For Manoli, leaving Greece was a huge wrench and his yearning for his birthplace never waned. A Divided Heart is a chronicle of life, recognising the relationships that define us. It allows each of us to examine our heritage, our identity and where we feel we belong. Intertwined within the narrative of turmoil, longing, loss and ultimately love, are themes of history, traditions, food and culture which will resonate with many. This is a poignant story of the importance of family and wanting to leave a legacy for future generations.

​

About the Author

Sophia was born in the small village of Mesohoria, in the south of the island of Evia. In 1962, at the age of four, she migrated with her parents and sister from Greece to Australia. She grew up in Sydney but has lived in Adelaide for thirty-five years with her husband, Con. She has two sons and two adorable grandchildren.

Due to the vagaries of life, she has only travelled to her homeland three times over the years, yet it is a place embedded in her heart and soul, and where she feels a complete sense of belonging.

Sophia has a Bachelor of Arts from UNSW and a Diploma of Education from Sydney University. A passionate teacher of languages, she has taught Greek, French, German and English to school students and adults for over forty years.

She has been an avid reader all her life and enjoys walking, aquarobics, volunteering at the Greek Evian House in Adelaide, cooking (especially traditional Greek recipes) and looking after her grandchildren

​

 
 

FARAIMO-DAKUNA, Jennifer

Dec 16, 2021 | *, *Featured books, *listed, Children's Books, Family History, Language \ Culture \ Linguistics, Short Story Collection

tokelau necklace jennifer dakuna
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ISBN 978-1-922452-58-0
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The Tuluma

Tokelau is in the South Pacific Ocean located 3,335 kilometres North, North East of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Historically and traditionally Tokelau had four atolls: Fakaofo, Atafu, Nukunonu and Olohega. Unfortunately, today, Tokelau now only has three atolls.

THE TOKELAU NECKLACE is a story giving voice to the traditional and contemporary story of wearing a Tokelau artefact called the pa (fishing lure) necklace or commonly known as the kahoa (pendant).

As a New Zealand born Tokelau person, I observed my father keeping this tradition of making the pa and gifting them to relatives. May you as the reader, be blessed now with knowledge imparted to us through out our generations as to the significance of the pa.

Alofa atu – Jennifer Dakuna-Faraimo
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ISBN 978-1-922452-58-0
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The Tuluma

Written by: Jennifer Faraimo-Dakuna
Illustrated by: Anitelea Sakaria
Translated by: Opeta Faraimo

Tokelau is located 3,355 kilometres North, North East of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Historically and traditionally, Tokelau had four atolls. Fakaofo, Atafu, Nukunonu and Olohega. Today, Tokelau now only has three atolls. The Tuluma is a based on a true story. I grew up in a home with lots of Tokelau artifacts, in Porirua, New Zealand. I did not understand the significance of these artifacts until I became an adult. I hope you and your family enjoy reading this book written in English and the Tokelau language.
–Jennifer Dakuna

About the Author

Jennifer Faraimo-Dakuna is from Fakaofo, Tokelau. Her parents are Tolo and Petesa Faraimo.

Born and raised in Porirua, Aotearoa New Zealand, Jennifer enjoys eating Tokelau food. Her favourite food is coconut apple and coconut crab.
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ISBN 978-1-922452-31-3
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Voices from the Village

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the traditional Indigenous owners of the land and regions of:
• Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, the people of Gooreng Gooreng, Bailai and Gurang tribes
• Blackwater, Central Highlands, Queensland, Australia—Ghungalu people
• Cranborne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, the Mayone Balluk clan and the Boonerwrung and Kulin nation.

We acknowledge your elders, your leaders and communities, both past, present and emerging.
We acknowledge that it was on your traditional lands that we found rest and revitalisation in compiling this book and for which we are profoundly grateful.

Voices from the Village, a Pasifika anthology is a collection of poems and short stories from 39 Pasifika storytellers and writers. Our age range is 90 years young is to nine years old. Represented in this book are those who identify with the following islands: Tokelau, Cook Islands, Samoa, Fiji and Aotearoa, New Zealand. It is from this Pasifika village we proudly share our stories.
Short stories edited and compiled by Jennifer Faraimo-Dakuna and Leiana Matapuku Foua

Fenuafala, Fakaofo, Tokelau—Photo Credit Fono Gaualofa

About the Authors

We would like to express our immense gratitude to all the writers who contributed to this book. We acknowledge your families, the elders, the villages, the island nations from whence you have come. This book is intended for a Pasifika-based audience. In some stories, writers have written in their mother tongue. Therefore, we have not provided a glossary of terms. It will be assumed that you can read and understand languages from the Pasifika nations. If not, now is a great time to learn a language from another Pasifika nation.
Voices from the Village is a small response to the lack of written stories from the hearts and minds of the people from the Pasifika. This book attempts to capture ‘voice’ and ‘talanoa’ of her peoples.
Like a village, we have organized the book in order of the age of the writer. So, if you are looking to read writings from a younger writer, head towards the end of the book and if you are looking for a mature voice, start with the beginning of the book.
We purposely did not want this book to be organized in genre groups. We wanted the reader to engage first with writer, then if you wanted, you could read a little longer into their story. There is no pressure or expectation for you to read this book from start to finish. Many of our readers would probably flick through the book and see if they know a writer first, then start there.
Many of our writers have included a photo and profile to accompany their writing. Voices from the Village brings you 60 Pasifika writings from 40 Pasifika writers. We hope you find a familiar face or identify with a village or Pasifika island.
May the stories of the people from Tokelau, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Aotearoa New Zealand not be silenced. We write to tell our story because this is our legacy.
We write to express to our children, grandchildren the echoes from our parents, our elders from generations past.
We write because we were born to write.
Alofa atu, Meitaki Maata.

WESTFIELD, Drew

Apr 19, 2021 | *, *Featured books, *listed, Australian, Autobiography, Family History, Melbourne, Memoir, Victoria
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ISBN 978-1-922527-43-1
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Until The End

Set on the beaches that stretch along the far north-eastern reaches of Tasmania, ‘Until The End’ is a story of the bond between two brothers that has been forged on family separation. They journey together through personal disappointment, teenage wildness, emotional struggle, and eventually the loss of the older brother’s life to suicide.

A gripping read that delves into the depths of the aftermath, the devastation that it has on the family, and the distance it takes the younger brother on his own journey.

About the Author

 
This is the first story written by Drew Westfield, who grew up in suburban Launceston, Tasmania. This story follows Drew around with a move to Brisbane, a return to Launceston, Hobart and eventually Melbourne. Drew has since dedicated his life and work to improving the physical and mental health of himself and now those around him after the experiences that he shares in this novel.
 

SELOCHAN, Viberto

Apr 19, 2021 | *Featured books, *listed, Design, Family History, Melbourne, Social Sciences \ Politics \ Government

Author David Alomes' new book The death of Violence
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Author's Interview

ISBN 978-1-922527-80-6
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The Portuguese Lady’s Earrings

The Portuguese Lady’s Earrings covers the rich tapestry of the de Oliveira Evora family. Their rise to power and wealth began with their role in the Portuguese Empire, the Church predominantly through Jesuits, and with military regimes. Jewish money financed the family’s business from the spice trade to trading people and ownership of sugar plantations in Brazil.

In 1940, Portugal was under the dictatorship of President Antonio de Oliveira Salazar who was ambivalent about Jewish refugees flooding Lisbon. Sitting on the Atlantic, the City on the Tagus from where explorers launched the ‘Age of Discovery’ became a perfect port to flee from the Nazis.

The Establishment de Oliveira Evora family remained well entrenched in the business community and to a lesser extent with the Salazar government. It, however, maintained a strong relationship with the country’s centuries old established, successful and integrated Jewish community.

Follow Lia Maria who entwines herself with Tascha, a Jewish architectural student from Odessa; Olga Sara, the child of Tascha and Lia Maria, who is reared by her great uncle in Sao Paulo, Brazil after her mother disappears in Madeira; and Olga Sara’s son Carlos, born out of wedlock, who is sent to boarding school in England.

The Portuguese Lady’s Earrings elaborates on the secrecy that surrounds the family’s historical relationship with the Jewish community and indeed Olga Sara’s heritage.

About the Author

VIBERTO SELOCHAN moved to Australia from England. After completing a PhD at the Australian National University, he worked as an academic, intelligence analyst and an Australian diplomat. He is a business executive and entrepreneur. He published and edited books and wrote for Australian and Asian newspapers and magazines and is a public commentator. His philanthropic activities include micro finance. He lives in Melbourne.