Our Price: AUD$31.95 (USD$)* ISBN: 978-1-921456-62-6 Subject: Historical Fiction Publication Date: December 2012

Synopsis
When Bobby Jemarra begins researching his ancestors, he stumbles across an epic tale of discovery. The story begins with a marine soldier, Private Higgins, who was thought to have deserted his post during a sensitive English surveillance mission to claim ownership of Australia before any other 18^th century superpower had the chance.

However, the marine's disappearance is not what it seems, and the so-called deserter is found, badly injured, by two Aboriginal men, who decide - for their own reasons - to rescue him and take him into their tribe.

The rancour of his abandonment is profound within Higgins, which drives him to embrace the tribe. He grows to understand his new family, and over the years, he finds love and builds a family of his own. When an English fleet eventually returns, Higgins is flogged for desertion, but when the truth of his innocence comes to light, it triggers a typically bureaucratic response: the Admiralty ships him back to England, educates him and promotes him to the rank of major.

A world away from his tribal life, Major Higgins falls for another woman, Jane Calder. His educator and mentor, Amelia Plummer, persuades Higgins to return to Australia to confront his past so that he may move on and marry Jane, but things have changed in Australia too, and the major is in for a nasty surprise.

About The Author
Tom Pickard is a local Wollongong theatre identity, actor, director and writer who formed his own Theatre Restaurant Company. Tom performed his shows at the Brighton Hotel in Kiama, and at numerous venues along the South Coast of NSW, before settling in Wollongong's Coniston Hotel at the Stagedoor Theatre Restaurant, bringing almost twenty years of entertainment to the region.

Tom is a Life Member of the Arcadians Musical Theatre Group in Wollongong, his first love. Now in retirement, he is still involved whenever needed. Turning his hand to prose and short stories, The Red Parrot Men Came is his first full-length novel.

From The Book
Bellindipindi told of Jemarra, and how he wished his Elder was with him. The big, red Parrot Men had really frightened him, and he knew his Elder would know what to do. He thought the little black Parrot Man might help him because he had no spear stick to fight with. Jemarra waved to the black-coated Parrot Man who saw a spear emerge from a rock, and it moved in the direction of the Red Parrot Man, who squawked out loud.

"Mister Higgins, Mister Higgins, watch out, watch out!"

Higgins fired a shot which echoed over the sand dunes, scattering birds in all directions. A little cloud of smoke hung over the rock. Jemarra's spear hurtled down and became embedded in the sand.

Tim Watson heard a stifled cry but did not know what had happened to the native.