Audrey Garratt Releases TWO YEARS APART

Some memories do hold special places in a woman's heart. For author Audrey Garratt, two years in the far-flung villages of landlocked Zimbabwe built such memories. Immensely inspired by the stories she took part in and the people she met, she aimed to share the experience in her poignant memoir, "Two Years Apart - A VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENT IN AFRICA" (published by Xlibris NZ).

Between 2002 and 2004, Garratt made one of the biggest decisions of her life - to leave her husband and family behind and follow her inner compass. She took up an assignment with the New Zealand Volunteer Service Abroad. This organization supported her to work in Zimbabwe during a difficult time in the country's history. For a heart that sought adventure, her dreams were indeed realized for the whole experience became life-changing for her. Using diary entries she religiously wrote each day, accompanied with illustrations made on-the-spot and some drawn from memory, she chronicles her time in the far African country as a volunteer, conveying lasting memories of the people she met and her experiences working with and living alongside them.

The book captures social issues tied up to the social web of the country until today including the endemic HIV AIDS and how the virus impacts the lives of the people who are left vulnerable to its mercy. Yet, more importantly, it relates personal experiences that reflect the aspects of humanity seen and felt in the midst of devastating circumstances, the unrelenting spirits who continue to fight and find beauty in every day, and how all these helped the author realize certain truths that she could never have found otherwise.

Written with fervor and deep passion for following the dictates of the heart, this memoir encourages readers young and old to pursue the desires of their hearts which were suppressed by fear of the unknown. This testament of triumph is a beckon for many who never found the courage to take a leap of faith. Re-echoing a timeless advice that has guided thousands of travelers, dreamers and life artists in their own sojourns, Garratt says:

"Listen for and follow your inner voice. Grasp each opportunity that comes your way that helps fulfill your dream. You will be surprised and delighted as you realize the potential that lies within you."

"Two Years Apart"
By Audrey Garratt
Hardcover | 6x9in | 538 pages | ISBN 9781499097405
Softcover | 6x9in | 538 pages | ISBN 9781499097399
E-Book | 538 pages | ISBN 9781499097412
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author
Author Audrey Garratt was born in the seaside town of Kaikoura. She showed artistic abilities at a young age, dabbing in drawing and painting, and finally making a career of teaching art. She taught for 30 years at primary, secondary and tertiary levels in New Zealand, Canada and finally with the New Zealand Volunteer Service Abroad in Zimbabwe. She and her husband, Bruce, were married in 1966, raising their five children in Wellington and later in Levin. Her colorful works in oils, acrylics and stained glass are in many homes within New Zealand and overseas.

Xlibris Publishing New Zealand, an Author Solutions, LLC imprint, is a self-publishing services provider dedicated to serving the needs of Kiwi authors. By focusing on the needs of creative writers and artists and adopting the latest print-on-demand publishing technology and strategies, we provide expert publishing services with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound and full-color formats. To date, Xlibris has helped to publish more than 60,000 titles.For more information, visit xlibrispublishing.com.au or call 0800 443 678 to receive a free publishing guide. Follow us @XlibrisNZ on Twitter for the latest news.

To post a comment, you must register and login.