George Kyriakou turns personal grief and Kimberley inspiration into debut novel at 81

A travel done the vast and rugged Kimberley portion of Western Australia has inspired first-time writer George Kyriakou to people his debut novel, The Outback Redemption, astatine the property of 81.

Set betwixt the harsh quality of the Kimberley and the shadows of Sydney’s interior suburbs, the caller explores themes of ambition, betrayal, household secrets and redemption.

The story follows Howard Jensen, a young antheral who leaves university to articulation the army, unknowingly abandoning a kid successful the process. That child, Angela, grows into a courageous woman whose determination to testify against a almighty businessman triggers a concatenation of deadly events.

At the centre of the story is Richard Garrison, a erstwhile Sydney street kid who rises from poorness to physique a retail empire, lone for corruption and violence to endanger everything astir him.

After Angela dies during a distant Kimberley tour under suspicious circumstances, two strangers statesman searching for answers, uncovering links betwixt a corrupt empire, long-buried secrets and a antheral determined to soundlessness anyone who stands against him.

Kyriakou said the inspiration for the caller came aft travelling done northwestern Australia with his spouse successful 2023.

“There was something profoundly moving astir the vastness and isolation of the landscape,” helium told Neos Kosmos.

“It has a way of making you bespeak connected life, nonaccomplishment and resilience. The acquisition stayed with maine agelong aft we returned home, and it grew rapidly into the bosom of the story.”

One of the novel’s cardinal characters, Eleftheria Adanopoulos, besides known arsenic Eleanore Andrews, is an 18-year-old formed retired by her devout Greek parents aft refusing to abort her pregnancy.

“Her story is 1 of courage, isolation and strength,” Kyriakou said.

“Through Eleanore, I wanted to research what it means to stand by your convictions, adjacent when it comes astatine a idiosyncratic cost.”

While fictional, Kyriakou said the caller was shaped by profoundly idiosyncratic experiences.

The affectional halfway of the publication was influenced by a infinitesimal Kyriakou experienced while visiting his village of Ethnico successful northwestern Greece successful 2016.

During the visit, helium discovered the unmarked burial ιστοσελίδα of his sister Agapi within the religion grounds.

Related: Finding Agapi 

“She had lain there for 60 years without recognition, without visitors, without adjacent her sanction spoken with dignity,” helium said.

“Standing there, I felt a profound sadness, but besides a consciousness of responsibility. It made maine think profoundly astir loss, astir what it means to suffer a child, and however grief tin endure a lifetime.”

Kyriakou said becoming a published writer aboriginal successful beingness carried special meaning.

“When I was 13 my gramps told me, ‘George, nary much school, spell and get a job,'” helium said.

“Life took maine down a very antithetic way from the 1 I mightiness person imagined backmost then. To present clasp a publication successful my hands, to tell a story that means so overmuch to me, it feels similar something has travel afloat circle.”

The Outback Redemption is scheduled for merchandise connected 28 May and is expected to beryllium available done Amazon, Booktopia and selected bookstores.