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Gems, Love, Artists and a Golden Lion
Australia and South Africa 1880-1902
Jeweller Jonty Evans’ passion for gems takes him to Africa at a volatile time. He finds the diamonds he’s looking for and gets given a lion cub. Jonty is held hostage. His experiences in the Transvaal plunge him into questioning everything he knows of life. Soon nightmares haunt him.
On return home, he nearly messes up his love life before it even starts, and he struggles to settle. It is his wife’s father, Luke Lockley from Parramatta, who takes him in hand and points him to some who can help.
He’s recalled to Africa as a liaison and reconnects with his lion, Chimbu, when he saves the life of his security detail.
His life journey introduces him to the most amazing Heidelberg artists, politicians, poets, rebels, and the scapegoat soldier Harry Morant.
Can Jonty bury past and regain the peace he’s lost?
True Characters from History
Our Australian History would be taught in schools, but much of it is now ignored.
On the journey that Jonty embarks on, his path crosses with many historical characters. The first is Paul Kruger, who became the leader of the Boers. Others like the Heidelburg Artists (Tom Roberts, Fred McCubbin, Arthur Streeton and the like) ( Simon is just one of my characters) and then there is Breaker Morant and the other soldiers I have mentioned, including Horace Colless, who was my dad's cousin. Horace was indeed the trumpeter for Breakers Imperial Bushmen, and he later gave dad the silver trumpet. It now resides in the Australian War Memorial.
The character of Jonty is not based on or inspired by any person in particular; however, some of the characters in this story are. As I was writing this story, my young eighteen-year-old cousin Sammo McKay died far too you. Cancer stinks! So in honour of him, I created Jonty's son so his name can live on! Likewise, Allie was Sammo's mum, who died from cancer a few years before him. They are together for eternity in Heaven, but also in my story!
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