Debbie Terranova's Blog, page 4
June 21, 2019
What happened on the homefront during WWII? Meet me in Townsville on 6 July 2019 to find out.
[image error]
To make a booking to this free event, go to – https://whatson.townsville.qld.gov.au/events/festival-of-stories/author-discussions-with-debbie-terranova.
May 1, 2019
“Under the Skin 4” – SLQ Fellows’ presentations about the world wars
[image error]On 29 March 2019, I was honoured to present some findings of my project, “Queensland Women and War: a multicultural perspective of the experiences of female civilians during World War II”, at a public event at the State Library of Queensland.
The full event, featuring all four Fellows was recorded, and is now live on the SLQ website.
As the final speaker, my segment about women in internment in Australia is in Part 2 (after Dr Martin Kerby) and it commences at the 22-minute mark.
The three case studies presented are about ordinary civilian women who were “locked up” in the Tatura Internment Camp in Victoria for the duration of WWII. One was a German from Murarrie, one was an Italian from Innisfail, and one was a Japanese from Cairns.
March 26, 2019
An invitation: hear about my “Women and War” project for SLQ
Preserving Queensland memories. Image: SLQ
Are you curious about what happened during wartime in Australia?
Follow the progress of the 2018 Q ANZAC 100: Memories for a New Generation Fellows Elaine Acworth, Dr Anastasia Dukova, Dr Martin Kerby and Deborah Terranova as they bring to life memories and experiences of Queenslanders during the war.
This free public event is at the State Library of Queensland, Cultural Centre, Stanley Place, South Bank, South Brisbane.
Friday 29 March 2019, 2:00pm to 4:00pm.
To book a place, click here. Hope to meet you there.
March 9, 2019
From Brisbane trainee nurse to U.S. war bride.
Locket showing Elvie Geissmann and Roy Bridges, the U.S. serviceman she would later marry.
How different was the life of a young woman in Australia during World War II? Personal diaries are a wonderful way to rediscover the day-to-day activities of our past.
In this 1941 diary, twenty-year-old Elvie Geissmann records her first year as a trainee nurse at the Brisbane General Hospital. She has had to trade the comforts of her childhood home on Tamborine Mountain for cramped nurses quarters at the hospital, where she will train for three long years. Her first months are not easy: she bucks at the discipline, gets into trouble, and spends way more than she earns. But, above all, she perseveres.
To read more, go to my guest blog post on the State Library of Queensland website.
Finally, a suggestion. If you’ve inherited personal diaries about life in Queensland and don’t know how to preserve them, consider donating them to the collection of the State Library of Queensland.
December 9, 2018
The War Diaries of Nurse Taylor
The war diaries of Nurse Taylor: 1941-1944
In 1941 a young Brisbane nurse began recording the events of the war in these dainty little cloth-covered notebooks.
For four long years, while working and studying, she never failed to note what happened.
Like to read more?
Go to my guest blog post for 10 December 2018 at the State Library of Queensland.
November 14, 2018
Read history this year
[image error]
Secret shame or wartime security?
Learn the shocking truth about civilian imprisonment in Australia during WWII.
Great gift idea for the history buffs in your family.
Buy a copy direct from the author and have it autographed.
Read history this Christmas
[image error]
Secret shame or wartime security?
Learn the shocking truth about civilian imprisonment in Australia during WWII.
Great Christmas gift idea for the history buffs in your family.
Buy a copy direct from the author and have it autographed.
Author talks coming soon
[image error]
Secret shame or wartime security?
The shocking truth about civilian imprisonment in Australia during WWII.
Meet author Debbie Terranova in Brisbane
Dymocks Chermside – Saturday 24 November 2018 – 9.30am to 2.30pm
Dymocks Indooroopilly – Saturday 1 December 2018 – 9.30am to 12.30pm
March 5, 2018
Queensland Women and War research project
[image error]In July 2018, the State Library of Queensland awarded me a research fellowship for my project, “Queensland women and war: a multicultural perspective of the experiences of female civilians during World War II”.
For the project I am seeking to capture and record the lived experiences of women in Australia during the period 1939 to 1945. My particular interest is in those adversely affected by wartime national security measures, such as migrant women who were arrested and interned due to their nationality, associations, political or religious allegiances.
I am also interested in the roles that Australian women played during the war in both the military and the civilian workforce, e.g. the Australian Women’s Land Army, munitions manufacturing, administrative work for the US Army.
If you, or anyone you know, would like to discuss or contribute to this important piece of research into our recent history, please contact me on 0404 012 505 or email terranovapublications@gmail.com.
Meet Brisbane author, Debbie Terranova.
One of the best parts of being an author is getting out and about and meeting readers. I’m delighted to announce my upcoming bookstore tour of Brisbane in March 2018. I would love to meet you and have a chat about … well … anything, really.
The main focus of the tour is my new release, ‘Enemies within these Shores’, a historical novel about life on Australia’s home front during WW2. In particular the book reveals little-known facts about the internment of ordinary civilians of German, Italian and Japanese origin in the name of national security.
All appearances are from 9.30am until 12 noon.
Saturday 10 March – Dymocks Indooroopilly
Saturday 17 March – Dymocks Chermside
Saturday 24 March – Dymocks Garden City
Saturday 31 March – Dymocks North Lakes.
Do tell your book-lover friends and anyone else who might be interested in the WW2 era in Australia. Hope to see you soon and happy reading!
