Hell Bound

Alwyn Pretorius is a Year 8 student and South African immigrant trying to find his feet in a Brisbane state high school. He is devastated when he gets news that his father has been killed while finalising a business transaction in South Africa. Alwyn and his family fly back to South Africa for the funeral.

Alwyn Pretorius is a Year 8 student and South African immigrant trying to find his feet in a Brisbane state high school. He is devastated when he gets news that his father has been killed while finalising a business transaction in South Africa. Alwyn and his family fly back to South Africa for the funeral. Like many immigrants, he inhabits two worlds. Facebook keeps him in touch with his Australian friends, while he has to face situations that can never be posted on his wall. He meets the mysterious Mule Edwards and is propelled on a journey that takes him into the heart of the beautiful and dangerous Kruger National Park, on the trail of the murderers. Will he succeed, with the police at their wits’ end?

I am a youth counsellor working in high schools. I’ve worked with hundreds of young people over the years. The majority don’t binge drink, don’t indulge in drugs and realise that you can say no to unsafe sex. The majority of young people are honest and say it as it is. But very few escape the sorrow of grief and loss – losing a loved one, losing a dream, accepting the affects of change. Very few have good role models when it comes to positive coping skills. Can this cycle be broken? Do we have the guts to speak the truth in an environment where lies are the norm, where pretend, photoshop, botox and political correctness distort reality with lots of help from the media? Where what a small minority does is presented in such a way that it colours the view of the silent majority? I studied law, then counselling. I have raised four children. I have lived in South Africa, in New Zealand and now in Australia. I write about places and issues that are close to my heart. I am writing for the responsible majority and hope that these young people will be given a voice. They too have a story. All the countries I have lived in are melting pots of different co-existing cultures. If through my books I can create bridges of greater understanding and acceptance for the differences that are part of our world, I will have succeeded.