Hembury Books Publishes Fiction And Non-Fiction Books.
JK Bruce
Originally from England, J K Bruce’s diverse work history informs her powerful storytelling. Leaving school at sixteen, she explored various paths, from filing letters in a bank to walking the wards of Latrobe Valley Hospital as a social worker. For seventeen years, she shared her expertise at a local TAFE college, teaching disability, aged care and community health.
As a novelist, Bruce draws inspiration from her surroundings – her first book, Into the Dying Forest, is set in the vibrant landscapes surrounding her home in West Gippsland. Bruce’s new novel, Pink, set in 1960s Melbourne, is a love story which interrogates themes of Catholic guilt, social expectations of women and the long term impact of trauma.
Currently living on a rural property overlooking a forest, Bruce dedicates her time to writing books, reading fiction and nonfiction, and creating a haven for local wildlife.
Into the Dying Forest
‘I didn’t stuff up the world. Other people did. Gutless politicians. Greedy corporations. Billionaires. People who didn’t care enough. They needed to find a scapegoat, so they blamed old people.’
In a near-future Australia ravaged by environmental disaster, water and other resources are scarce, and society is heavily controlled. Struggling to survive, 16-year-old Raz and his twin sister Lu decide to escape from one of Melbourne’s brutal shipping-container camps.
Accepting a ride from an unlikely ally—the outspoken fossil Gail, who’s on the run from enforced euthanasia—they head towards the Dying Forest. But gangs roam the freeways, government spy drones patrol the skies and shadows of the past linger.
As they hurtle toward their unknown destination, Raz’s dislike of Gail and suspicion about where they are headed intensifies. ‘It’s a secret, and that’s the way it’s going to stay,’ warns Gail. After Gail disappears into the forest with Lola, a member of a motor bike gang, the twins are left stranded, but they find a sanctuary with Billy, a middle-aged farmer. Their peaceful lives are disrupted when they meet the dying fossil Tim and decide to help him. The twins’ courage and ingenuity will be tested as they head into danger and make alliances with unlikely allies. Will these alliances be strong enough to achieve their goals and can Raz’s relationship with Lu survive as their paths begin to diverge?
A gripping dystopian thriller, Into the Dying Forest by J K Bruce is a testament to the resilience of family bonds and the power of hope in a world on the brink, inviting readers to look beyond stereotypes and see the humanity in all of us.
Pink
It is Melbourne, 1966. When 18-year-old Jo Kelly claps eyes on her new co-worker, Ian Miles, she is smitten. As they begin dating, Jo is starry eyed, convinced she is the luckiest girl in the world.
But unlike Jo, Ian is cynical about love. He is twenty-eight, divorced and has a seven-year old daughter. Jo begins to feel that he is unwilling to share his life with her. More problems emerge as the couple must navigate a gossiping workplace, deal with Jo’s religious mother and are challenged by social attitudes which vilify women who are in unconventional relationships.
From the author of Into the Dying Forest comes an empathetic story about the hurdles we must overcome in the pursuit of love and freedom. With grace and compassion, J.K. Bruce paints a picture of a couple struggling against the odds to stay together. While Jo emerges from repression only to battle with guilt and the prejudice of others, Ian must confront the long term impact of childhood trauma which has affected all of his relationships.
Hembury Books is a hybrid publisher in Sydney. We strive to delight authors of all genres. Retain your rights and royalties with Hembury Books.