Our Price: AUD$29.95 (USD$)* ISBN: 978-1-921456-57-2 Subject: General Fiction Publication Date: September 2011     USD$4.99

Synopsis
Stewart, wounded and angry, finds himself abandoned and alone on a remote beach on the east coast of 19^th century Tasmania. Determined to make the best of a bad situation, he decides to travel west as far as he can to the uninhabited coast. It will be an arduous task but one he must at least attempt.

Along the way, he stumbles across sixteen-year-old Irish, shackled and imprisoned in a whalers' camp cave. Stewart rescues her, and the story develops smoothly, drawing the two together in a journey of friendship, self-discovery and suspense.

Theirs is a life of danger mixed with bravery, teamwork, honesty and satisfaction, while their emotional attraction is innocent, open and heartfelt, allowing these two remarkable characters to grow into lifelong mates as they search for a place to call home.

About The Author
Tom Newman was born in Holland near the beach, where the horizon beckoned him to escape the depression and war. As a boy, he talked his way onto a coastal trader as a cook, travelling Europe and the world as an able seaman before joining the Pilot Service.

In the early fifties, after some rough weather and longing for more adventure, he found himself on his way to Australia in search of fame and fortune. Attending university to study literature and the arts, he began writing poetry, and eventually convinced himself to try his hand at novels, reasoning that he had experienced all the love, mateship and adventure a good novel should offer.

Tom currently resides in Bauple on Queensland's Fraser Coast, where he is busy writing a sequel to The Endless Valley.

From The Book
Stewart was determined to show Irish he was capable and willing to see her safe. He would continue west after he did his bit here, forever getting away from the others. He could not live with that scum anymore. What they did to this woman was difficult for him to comprehend. He had not worked out how he was going to do it all or how to go about it, so first, he would get Irish on her way.

Holding the chain and ring in one hand as well as supporting her protectively under his left arm, he guided her out of the cave. Thankfully it was a dark night. They could see the whalers sitting around a fire drinking and eating. It was time to move. Irish was overcome with emotion, realising she was free, although still burdened by a chain around her ankle; she would have to stick with her saviour to survive.

Brimming over with gratefulness, she fell on her knees, put her arms around Stewart's waist and sobbed softly. Only when Stewart told her that the chain was getting bloody heavy did she realise that it was wise to move on. Stewart looked at the surroundings and declared knowingly, 'That way.'