Tuesday, July 2, 2013

MORE TO THIS THAN MEETS THE EYE

It has been three years since I had a new book out - SALVATION JANE took me a long time to write because I wanted to do justice to homelessness and poverty, the issues  that inspired me to write it. Sounds heavy doesn't it? I thought so too, so I abandoned my soap box, and wrote a story that is a bit funny, a little deep, sad and I hope inspiring.

Canadian writer, Darlene Jones reviewed it - here's what she had to say:  


"On the surface, Salvation Jane could come across as "chick lit." Poke a little deeper and you find a serious commentary on current social conditions in Perth, Australia.

Our heroine, Jane, inherits a hotel from her uncle. Excited at the prospect of instant wealth she arrives to find a derelict building serving as a shelter for homeless men. Hours spent laundering the sheets and towels does nothing to improve her mood so she decides to convert the shelter into a hostel for back-packing tourists. One thing leads to another and Jane finds herself involved in politics--naively playing with the big boys--using the street people as leverage.

For this Canadian reader, SALVATION JANE was an education in the economic conditions of the area, in the plight of the poor, in the culture and language of Australia. Well written and intriguing. You keep turning the pages to see what Jane will do next--sometimes biting your nails as she gets herself into one scrap after another. There are love interests too, not always the best for Jane, but she perseveres. The ending is satisfying and fitting for the story."

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