'BOLD JOURNEY'
- NEW RELEASE -
G'day folks,
Time to release my next book - BOLD JOURNEY. So, what's it about you may ask. It's a story based on my experience and knowledge of migrants who made the ultimate sacrifice. Yep, those who left their country to start a new life in Australia. Many have done exactly that, and so many have been successful in many different ways - business, politics, sport, medicine, farming etc.
ORIGINS OF THIS STORY
For many years I worked with migrants, and I was always impressed by their work ethic and love of family life. Working with them also inspired me to travel the world, to see exactly where they came from. Well, I certainly did that - many times over, and I'm still travelling. This story is about an Italian family, but it could well have been about a Greek family, or countless other nationalities that have made Australia their home.
HERE IS THE BLURB:
When
Severino Agnelli and his family migrate to Australia from Italy in 1954, his
son, ‘Fozzie’, meets a beautiful girl, ‘Cat’ Ginelli, on the ship, and they become
friends. The Agnelli and Ginelli families love Australia, work hard and forge friendships.
Cat becomes a nurse and Fozzie a journalist, but tragedy strikes when Fozzie’s
brother is killed in the Vietnam War, and Fozzie spirals into depression when
his dad dies. Cat pleads with him to write the book he’s wanted to write –
‘Bold Journey’.
Fozzie
flies to London, writes his book, and travels to Italy where he sees Cat
interviewed on television, working as a nurse during a famine in Ethiopia. Inspired
by Cat, Fozzie heads to Ethiopia to report on the famine, and his passionate reports
are syndicated worldwide. Cat is unavailable, but Fozzie leaves a crucifix with
her colleague; one Cat made for him in 1954. Returning to London to fight for
the Ethiopians, he is hospitalised with meningitis, and Cat flies from Italy to
keep a secret vigil by his bedside. Fozzie recovers, and Cat leaves London to
get on with her life.
Attending
an International Awards ceremony, Fozzie is stunned to win an award for Humanitarian Journalism. Minutes later,
Cat is awarded an honour for Exceptional
Courage. Will Cat accept her award? Will she and Fozzie finally meet up? Who
nominated them for their awards?
ISSUES INCLUDED IN THIS BOOK:
Families, migration, Italy, Australia, Ethiopia, the Vietnam War, bullying, settlement, shipboard life, death, friendships, mateship, loyalty ... And a touch of romance along the way.
A FEW EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK:
"My
parents stood proudly on the dais as Mr Thompson took control of a situation
that I thought had been destroyed by three bullies. One last gift remained. I
could see it, and wondered what it was. When the teacher called Cat to the
front, I anxiously handed my final gift to her and waited nervously as she
unwrapped it. With a broad smile, she slowly unravelled the package to reveal
the same papier mache’ kitten I’d spent hours creating. It looked as good as
the day I’d wrapped it, and I gawked at Mr Thompson. He winked at me and
pointed to Cat. Overwhelmed with her gift, she spontaneously kissed me on the
cheek. Then, when she took me by the hand and stood proudly beside me, the
dining room cheered. The clapping and cheering finally abated and our wonderful
teacher stepped up to the microphone with one final wish for everybody."
"It
was six in the morning, and Rex Monaghan had taken his first telephone call for
the day. The senior manager of Tip Top Bakeries had received a call from one of
his best workers. With a broad smile on his face, he walked into the large,
unusually sombre canteen, grabbed the microphone and made an announcement.
‘Good
morning. Today is a great day at Tip Top. Fausto is alive and well. Thank you.’
The employees screamed with joy at his announcement. Rex Monaghan switched the
microphone off, waved to his workers and returned to his office to ring his
wife with the good news. Although weary from searching all night, he was happy
to know that Fausto had been found safe and well. He was also proud that more
than fifty of his employees had spent the night searching for Sev’s kid."
"Sergio’s
death encouraged me to take more interest in the war in Vietnam, needing to
find a logical reason for my brother’s death. I read the newspaper every day,
talked to my teachers about the conflict, and spent many hours in our school
library, learning all I could about a country called Vietnam. However, the more
I read and learnt about the war, the less I found a justifiable reason for my
brother being there in the first place, let alone dying there.
That
made me angry, and I attended five anti-war marches in Melbourne; known as
Moratoriums. My parents had no idea that I had attended the marches. I wagged
school, caught a train to Melbourne, and changed my clothes in a toilet at
Flinders Street Station. After each march, I changed back into my school
uniform and arrived home at the normal time so no one was suspicious.
However,
after the second Moratorium, I was called into the principal’s office to
explain my absence from school. Ordinarily, you needed a note from your parents
for any day of non-attendance. Rather than make up a story and lie, I decided
to be brutally honest with the principal, Brother Callan. It worked. Brother
Callan was dead against the war, and totally understood why I had attended the
biggest anti-war marches in the world, and I clearly recall what he said and
did when our meeting had concluded.
The
tall Christian Brother shook my hand and hugged me. ‘Take care, Fausto. I’m
with you in spirit … And I’m so sorry about Sergio’s death. Just keep me
informed,’ he said, and winked at me. I could tell by his eyes that he was
passionate about the futility of the Vietnam War; any war."
"Every
moment I had, I prayed for Fozzie’s recovery, hoping his wonderful journalism
for Ethiopia would be repaid by a forgiving God. Hour after hour I spent by his
bed, often falling asleep, but waking at some weird hour to return to the
nurse’s home to catch up on sleep. Regular calls to Uncle Angelo in Santorini
had provided hope and inspiration. Angelo had always been bright, cheerful and
positive, and I recalled my first telephone conversation with him after I’d
left Santorini for London. It was a powerful call; Angelo expressing his
gratitude for the gold cross and chain I’d left on his pillow. In a short space
of time, I came to admire the man and realise why Fozzie had so much respect
for him. I also learnt why he loved Fozzie.
When
Fozzie finally regained consciousness, I wanted to walk in and hug him,
grateful that he’d survived a dreaded disease. Instead, I resigned my position
and became a tourist, visiting all the major tourist spots in London. I needed
to get on with my life. So did Fozzie."
Clancy's comment: My last book was about abduction. This book is very different, and many folks will relate to this story. However, it really is a disguised romance. So, if you are keen to be involved with an Italian family who made the ultimate sacrifice, head up to the right-hand side of this page and grab a copy. Bold Journey, like all of my books, comes as a paperback with a matching bookmark, and also as an e-Book.
Grazie tanto ... Auguri
Sono ...
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