What's Inside?
A signed book - 'Where the Birds Call Her Name' by Claire Van Ryn.
A candle - Taking inspiration from the scent mentioned in the novel, this scent of Australian Boronia is a beautiful rich and earthy fragrance.
An alcoholic beverage - Distant South Sparkling - Made with a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, sourced entirely from Tasmania, this is a beautifully blended and balanced Sparkling.
or a non-alcoholic beverage - Polka Lilly Pilly De Alcoholic Sparkling - A refreshing sparkling combining notes of citrus and apple. This non-alcoholic beverage is full-flavoured and ends dry with a hint of sweetness and cleansing acidity.
A bookmark - Embedded with Snow Daisy Bush seeds, simply sow just below the surface in a location with part-shade and enjoy lovely little white flowers
A surprise - Coal River Farm Dark Violet & Lavender Tablet - A family owned business based in the Tasmania. This treat is a delicious pairing and is a tasty blend of dark chocolate, lavender and violet.
About the book...
Broome 2023: when Saskia’s free-spirited mother leaves her a caravan in her will, it doesn’t make sense. Saskia is a schoolteacher, tied to plans and schedules, even if they are beginning to feel restrictive. Then she finds clues in the van about her mother’s mysterious past, setting her on a journey to Tasmania with her young daughter Anouk, who shares her late grandmother’s fascination with birds.
In 1968, teenager Greta De Winter seeks solace in the Stanley wetlands, a swamp that attracts all manner of wildlife. Her father is the local councillor and her mother a taxidermist, working to create bird dioramas for the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. But while the De Winter household seems harmless from the outside, a dark secret hides within.
When Saskia and Anouk arrive in Stanley, they search for the missing pieces to the puzzle of Greta’s tragic childhood. In the process of uncovering her family history, Saskia realises that her mother’s final act might also enable her to rediscover who she really is, and what she is truly capable of.
About the author...
Claire lives in Launceston, Tasmania, and has called the north of the state home for most of her life.
Claire is an awarded writer who began her career as a newspaper journalist, but has also filled roles as magazine editor, communications specialist, writing teacher, blueberry picker and shoe fitter.
In 2023, Claire’s debut The Secrets of the Huon Wren, was released. It is set beneath the Great Western Tiers and Mother Cummings Peak in Tasmania’s heartland. This is where Claire was born, and where generations of her mother’s side of the family have lived since they first migrated from England in the 1830s.
In her spare time, Claire likes to go on hikes through the bush, paint with watercolours, read (and read some more!), play card games with her husband and kids, and bake bread.
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