With the successful release of ‘The Girl from Munich’ in September, I turned my focus once again to the sequel. I’ve been busily writing away and researching mid twentieth century Australia. I’ve been discovering so much about the migrant experience of the 1950s and 60s, delving into the communist threat of the Cold War and ‘Reds under the Beds’, investigating the Labour Movement and Peace Movement and discovering the role of Australians in the Vietnam War. Australian politics was also intriguing especially as we move to the early to mid-1970s. It’s a fascinating period to study, a lot more involved than I realised. I particularly love looking at the social changes, the role of women at that time and the gorgeous and sometimes outlandish styles in clothing, architecture and interior design.  I can’t wait to weave all the incredible historical facts and information into Lotte’s story. Best of all, the wonderful treasure chest of my grandmother’s keepsakes has left clues to her and my grandfather’s experience in coming to Australia and the life that they forged for themselves here. It was anything but simple. I hope that it will enrichen the story with an authentic perspective and help to make it a fascinating read. I’ll keep you updated with my progress in the New Year.

Here’s a little overview.

Lotte and her family arrive in Australia as immigrants in 1956. They have come through the chaotic and difficult post war years in Germany. Work prospects for Lotte’s husband beckons them here at a time when Australia is in an economic boom. It is the land of ‘milk and honey’, where they can give their children the future they have always wanted for them. They hope to extend their family and live the Australian Dream, to finally have a home of their own. But their hopes and plans are not realised in the way that they expect and they struggle to find their place in a country they now call home.