Secrets From The Dust - Historical Fiction - A great one to debate!

[Jay22]

About Secrets from The Dust:
Set in Australia between the 1960s and early 1970s, this historical saga follows Margaret, an Aboriginal girl who is snatched from her family and brought up by white foster parents in the outback, under the government sponsored assimilation policies. She stubbornly tries to maintain her culture until she can escape or her real parents find her, but then she discovers that she is growing to like many of the customs and material possessions of her captors, producing a crisis of cultural identity. By the time she grows into a beautiful young woman and moves to Sydney to study nursing, she has already suffered the disappointments of unrequited love and the forbidden desire for her foster father. She tries to hide behind the identity of a Southern European, but the highly charged political environment of Sydney and her love for a political activist forces her to confront her true identity.

This novel has a strong potential with lovers of historical/general fiction or “social” novels, those with an interest in other cultures and Australia. It will spark many interesting discussions for reading groups and students of English literature.

The book is available from the links below.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope you will give my novel a try and even leave a review.

Best wishes

George Hamilton
My Website
Amazon author page (US)
Amazon author page (UK)
Smashwords author page

[Jay22]

'Secrets From the Dust is well written, the descriptions of both place and emotion are lyrical and honest. Hamilton does well to capture details and attitudes of the time…'

'Harrowing, beautiful and thought-provoking, Secrets From the Dust is an impressive novel from George Hamilton. With its shocking conclusion it deserves an audience…'
Shelleyrae's full review at Bookdout

[lene1949]

I came to Australia from Denmark in 1983, and I knew nothing about 'the stolen generation' until '07 when our then prime minister made a public apology to them and their families.

I read your first chapter on your site, and then bought your book... Sounds very promising... Thank you!

[lene1949]

It was a great read, but maybe only for Australians... I loved it..

[Jay22]

Thanks Lene. I am glad you loved the book. I have had a similar response from readers in the UK, and a great review from another Australian - Read Shelleyrae's full review at Bookdout

I hope you will consider posting a short review at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and here at Mobilereads.

Thanks again

George Hamilton

[rhadin]

The book description, except for the time frame, reminds me of the outstanding movie, Rabbit-Proof Fence. I highly recommend the movie.

[lene1949]

Originally Posted by rhadin

The book description, except for the time frame, reminds me of the outstanding movie, Rabbit-Proof Fence. I highly recommend the movie.

The book Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence was written by one of the girls who was stolen.. I would love the read it, but can't seem to find it in e-book format.

[Jay22]

'This book was very hard to put down once I got started reading... This book is very well written and the characters are so easy to become connected with. I feel like this book will be enjoyed by many.'
Lynn's full review at Readers Favorite
Lynn's full review at Amazon.com

'Secrets From The Dust is a well written book which pulls at the heartstrings... Thoroughly enjoyable read would recommend it to my friends.'
Rosemary's full review at Amazon.co.uk

'Secrets from the Dust more than lived up to my expectations... the story has encouraged me to search for other stories of Australia...'
Gretchen's full review at Goodreads

[Jay22]

Back in about 1990 the BBC News ran a short report about the Stolen Aboriginal Children of Australia. It’s the type of narrative that fascinates me, and I made a note of it in my stories to investigate file. I started to write a screenplay in about 1996, but decided that I really needed to go to Australia to do more research, and it would be better written as a novel.

I was living in Sydney, Australia in 2002, researching and writing the first draft of Secrets From The Dust when I heard that the film The Rabbit Proof Fence, about three Aboriginal girls snatched from their families, was coming out. I panicked, had someone gotten there before me? I went to watch the film at an Art Deco cinema on George Street. As I heard some in the audience crying, I was quite surprised. Were they aware that what they were watching was a sanitised version of what had really taken place, I asked myself. Had any of them read the firsthand accounts of some of the victims in the Bringing Them Home Report? That experience and listening to the director of the film on TV a few days later explaining that he had made the film in the way he had in order not to put the audience off from going to see it, convinced me that Secrets From The Dust still needed to be told.
Whilst Secrets From The Dust seeks to entertain the reader, it also seeks to inform, and I feel it can only do so by dealing with the truth of what was taking place. To that extent it will take the reader to some uncomfortable
places, but redemption, if there is to be any, can only come from being fully aware of what the human race is capable of.

The Ebook version of Secrets From The Dust is now only $2.99/£1.99/€2.38

George Hamilton

Browsing Rhino

[Jay22]

There are 8 copies of Secrets From The Dust being given away at Goodreads.com. Competition ends 21 May 2011. If you are not already a member of Goodreads you will need to register for free to enter. Enter to win

[lene1949]

If you live in... or know someone who lives in Australia, you should read this book... It's brilliant..

[Jay22]

Thanks for that Lene.

Best wishes

George Hamilton