Tales of Suburban Castaways and Other Stories

A migrant makes headlines as the first Australian to die in the September 11 attacks, but his life achievements are lost in translation. A woman returns home only to find she no longer belongs there. An outsider crosses the bridge that separates 'us' from 'them' with the support of new friends. A hunchback discovers her unimaginable beauty. A fallen Master finds a path to redemption…

Bel Vidal's prose shines as she shares tales of love, loss, hope and strength, in this eclectic collection of fiction and non-fiction works written over the course of 25 years. Characters that range from real, ordinary beings to fallen angels, jump off the page to tell their stories.

Anyone who has relocated to another country – by choice or otherwise – or has experienced a foreign culture, will relate to the desire we share to fit in, while retaining our true identity. Many of Bel's stories explore these themes, while others are enigmatic and fantastical. All are grounded in two overarching needs of humans: acceptance and love. Allow yourself to be carried along on this journey of self-discovery, human frailties, hard truths and transformation.