Books

Under My Wing by Elaine Janes

(I put my publisher hat on for this project)

Elaine Janes is a well known Bellarine local who rescues and re-homes chickens and roosters. She has written loads of short stories about her adventures with her feathered friends.  I chose 16 of her stories and have published them in an illustrated book called Under My Wing by Elaine Janes. Readers of all ages love this sweet book. 

You can buy it on Amazon as either a paperback or e book: Under My Wing

2026 NEWS!! The beautiful documentary about Elaine and her feathered family called Mother of Chooks, created, produced and directed by Jesse Leaman, is  continuing to have great success on the international film festival circuit. Congratulations Jesse and Elaine!

'Dancing Into Freedom' by Heidi Giersch with Janet Brown, 2020

 published by award winning Ginninderra Press. 

 To Purchase: Dancing Into Freedom (paper back from Ginninderra Press) or 

as Amazon ebook: Dancing into Freedom

When Heidi Giersch asked me to write her memoir with her, I jumped at the opportunity. We are so pleased to announce 'Dancing Into Freedom' is now published by Ginninderra Press.

Heidi’s unique story of growing up in East Berlin, behind the Iron Curtain and in the shadow of the Berlin Wall,  begins the moment she was chosen to go to ballet school at ten years of age.  Eventually she performed with major East German dance companies. She shared with me her heartfelt recollections of family, life and her career in East Germany. Facing the challenges of the Cold War in that communist society, every person was under the surveillance of the Stasi regime which infiltrated all aspects of social and private life. Heidi's life changed forever in 1980 when she ran away after the final Sydney performance of the  prestigious Komische Oper Berlin Ballet Company's Australian tour. Following her defection, she made her home in  Melbourne where she still lives today.

 'Honouring Carers' (2017 published by GenU) 

I was commissioned to interview family carers and to write this book sharing their real-life stories -  their challenges, their rewards, their wisdoms, their frustrations and their day to day experiences. It was such a privilege to be the writer trusted with these personal insights. The book is published by GenU/ Karingal/St Laurence.   

I Did My Best -  (2008) Ted (Edvard) Snore's autobiography. 

Ted, a Latvian refugee, arrived in Australia in 1947. His life story is full of adventure and an important example of post Second World War migration to Australia. Ted left his notes to his family, and I was commissioned to transcribe and edit them, and then published the book for the family. http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5598943

The Shaded Side (novel,  2003 Edco Services)

Jenny is about to discover the identity of her birth mother. As a baby, she was given up for adoption in Australia during the war-time era of the 1940s when Ellen, a young woman from Footscray, is in her early twenties and a patient of Bellington Tuberculosis Sanatorium. 

"The Shaded Side is fine work, researched and written with a light touch that disguises a good deep grasp of character and dilemma, of pain and sorrow and lives lived on…."
- Jan McKemmish

In The Company of Strangers: former patients of Australian tuberculosis sanatoria share their experiences and insights  (1993 Edco Services) – non fiction book.