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‘Living In Hope’ is a distinctive memoir by Stolen Generations survivor Frank Byrne in which he tells the story of his life-long search for his mother.

A collaboration with ‘Bringing Them Home’ counsellors Gerard Waterford & Frances Coughlan, the memoir manuscript was completed within months of the author being diagnosed with terminal cancer. The author launched the first three chapters of this manuscript as part of the Inland Writer’s Series (IWS) by Ptilotus Press at the NT Writers Festival in May 2017. He passed away on 20 October 2017. It was a dream of the late author to publish his full life story. The manuscript for this complete memoir, including the chapters that remain unpublished due to the author’s death, has been submitted to Ptilotus Press for publication.

The first three chapters published in the Inland Writers Series have already one Best Non-Fiction Territory Read Award 2018 by the NT Writer’s Centre and the Most Underrated Book Award 2018 by the Small Press Network. It has been used as an education resource by schools such as the Centralian Senior College (Alice Springs) and was selected for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation distribution program in 2017. Since November 2018, NewSouth Books (UNSW Press) has distributed the book to over 60 outlets across Australia and New Zealand. It is has received national acclaim in the media including by The Age, ABC Radio National, Indigenous X and more. The Indigenous Literacy Foundation honoured the book on the 2019 anniversary of the national apology to the Stolen Generations. It is an exemplary showcase of literary excellence from a First Nations writer in the NT.

BUT in order to publish the complete memoirs, we need to raise $40,000 for production and press operational costs! Support us in any way you can to bring the complete memoirs of Mr. Byrne to the world and for us to keep supporting books by the community for the community to the community!