True South
When twelve-year-old Nell crashes her sailboat into a submerged house in the lake, she stumbles into a treasure hunt that plunges her into a generations-old family feud.
Things begin to take a sinister turn as the adults get involved, and Nell has no choice but to team up with her neighbour and family rival, Charlie. As friendships begin to morph and stretch, can these two unlikely allies end the feud and work out the treasure’s secrets, or will their rivalry lead to one last epic betrayal?
‘This story is a treasure submerged in character, mystery and heart.’ – Nean McKenzie, author of Cryptosight, Xenoflight and Timefire
‘A page-turning adventure, filled with mystery and heart – I adored True South!’ – Anna Battese, author of the P.D McPem Mysteries
‘True South capsizes the notion of a sleepy rural life when friendships (and long-standing grudges) are put to the test in the race to resurface drowned secrets. As much adventure of the heart as high-stakes competition between feuding families.’ – Michael Earp, bookseller and editor of Kindred, Everything Under the Moon and Avast!
Gisela Ervin-Ward writes stuff for kids to read and teaches them how to read it. She grew up on a farm in Western Victoria and moved to South-East Asia to be an aid worker for many years before returning to Australia with her family to live in the Macedon Ranges. She’s now a writer of children’s tales and specialist literacy teacher, teaching neurodivergent children how to read. Gisela loves writing and reading stories with rural settings where children are free to have real adventures. Gisela has had short stories published in the School Magazine, won an Australian Society of Authors Mentorship prize and has been a literacy and learning difficulties advisor for several children’s publications. She also writes educational materials for Sally Rippin’s books. True South is her debut novel. Gisela can be found on Instagram at @giselaervinward or on her website www.giselaervinward.com.
