Congratulations Fiona Palmer!
The Family Secret is my eighth book and another one with a split timeline like The Sunnyvale Girls. In this book, we follow John’s story and how he is called up to the Vietnam war. I researched this well, talking with Vietnam vets, so I could portray his journey realistically. We also follow Kim’s story, set in the current day, who was a secondary character in The Saddler Boys. I had a great time writing this story and working on the serious theme that weaves throughout the pages. So read on for a snippet of some of John’s letters home to his wife Beth.
Fiona
From one of Australia’s favourite storytellers comes a heartwarming story spanning three generations about when to fight and when to surrender – and how new love can heal old wounds.
Kim Richards is a creative woman of the land, a rural ambassador who’s renowned for her contribution to her community. But deep down, she’s lonely. She’s already watched the man she loves falls for someone else, and her dream of starting her own family feels like it’s slipping through her fingers.
Enter Charlie McNamara, an older man who’s arrived in Lake Grace on business. Sparks fly between Kim and Charlie, but he seems to have a hidden agenda and a past life he’s trying to hide.
They’re both drawn to local hermit Harry, a Vietnam veteran who’s haunted by memories from the war. What ties these lost souls together? Can they solve a long-held family mystery and heal fractures of the heart?
Excerpts from The Family Secret by Fiona Palmer
Dear Beth,
Hello my love. Well, here I am in sunny Vietnam. I made it through the flight to Sydney by sleeping a little and thinking of you. At Sydney we boarded a Qantas commercial flight, called the Skippy Squadron, and stopped over in Darwin. I’m getting to see more of Australia than I ever thought I would. We also had a stopover at Singapore before arriving at Tan Son Nhut Airport. Guess I’ll get used to all these funny names and spellings. From there we got on a massive American Hercules plane for a very noisy ride and a rough landing on a short runway at the base at Nui Dat. After the flight I was feeling a little nervous, but I could tell I wasn’t the only one. There were plenty of pale and scared-looking faces.
Nui Dat is right in the middle of a jungle, and even though it’s protected by fences and bunkers, I still felt exposed. Some men were gripping their guns just a little too tightly. I’m sure they were feeling just as scared. We felt like sitting ducks for the Viet Cong. Luckily Lieutenant Colonel Nash, in command of 5RAR – our regiment – came moments later. He told us a bit about the Nui Dat base which is in the Phuoc Toy Province.
Darling, this place is nothing like home. The base is made up of sand bags and scraps of wood and tin. Soldiers in their baggy green uniforms are everywhere, and the Huey helicopters are always overhead. I was taken to my new home, called ‘the lines’ – a row of tents on both sides of a track. It’s a strange place, so different from home and everything I know. A small tent, which I share with three other soldiers, is my new dwelling. Home is still where you are, Bethy. I miss you.
Love, John xxx
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Dear Beth,
Not much is going on here. I spend a lot of time cleaning my gun. They’re not allowed to be loaded inside the wire, which means inside the Nui Dat boundary. I’ve filled a few sandbags, pruned the grass in front of the gunpits and sprayed malathion around for the mozzies. I thought we had mozzies bad back home after the rain, but it’s much worse here. I won’t complain again! I came face to face to my first mongoose too – they live wild in the rubber plantation next to base. They’re like small weasels with a long tail. Every night we attend a compulsory parade, much like the morning one, where we have to take Paludrine and Dapsone for malaria. Sometimes it feels like the biggest enemy we have is the mozzies.
I’ll have to thank Mum for the biscuits and remind her that they do feed us here. It’s not too bad. Tucker is often ham, lamb, roast beef or pork, and the desserts are nearly always jellies, fruit or ice-cream. Lots of dehydrated or canned foods too. We have ration packs for when we go on operations. But there are days I would kill for your vanilla slice.
The heat and humidity don’t make it much fun, especially if we are doing physical work. Judy generally walks around without his shirt, wearing a sweatband around his head.
Everyone at camp keeps a record of the time left until they can go home. The day you go home is ‘a wakey’. So I’ve started my own calendar. I’m now down to 350 and a wakey! Harry tells me I have to get to around 260 and a wakey before I can lose my reo label. It all seems so far off, but as I cross off the days I know each one brings me closer to home and you.
I hope my parents aren’t smothering you too much. Just tell them you need some space if they do. I understand they can get a bit much. Tell Dad – he’ll make sure to steer Mum away if you need.
It’s lights out in five minutes so I best get organised. I love you.
Love, John xxx
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Fiona Palmer. Living the rural life every day, and writing about it.