Seychellois author presents copy of first book to President Faure |24 February 2017

Seychellois author Anna Rosie Tirant yesterday called on President Danny Faure at State House and presented him a copy of her first novel Echoes from the Oasis published in 2014.

Mrs Tirant, who has been living in England for many years now, is in the process of conducting research to continue the story in a second book which will be entitled Under Stormy Skies expected to be published at the end of this year or early next year.

“I wanted to present a copy of the first book to the president so he gets the chance to read it for himself. It is one thing somebody telling you about a story, you reading somebody else’s review about it but to really appreciate the story it’s good to read it yourself,” Mrs Tirant told members of the press after meeting President Faure.

“It’s a book worth taking time to read and appreciate,” Mrs Tirant said, noting that it is not just a romance type of book one reads when on holiday but it is a romance novel that goes deeper than that; it highlights nice and sad things that happen to people and touch their lives deeply.

Echoes from the Oasis is a story set in the Seychelles of 1912 when poverty, witchcraft reign and where strong religious norms and beliefs are strictly adhered to. It is in this setting that Anna, a young girl just out of her teens, gets pregnant before getting married, becomes a single mother and all the difficulties and pain she has to go through and endure.

Anna is a passionate, nature-loving but rebellious young woman at a time when women are confined to specific roles and expectations, and custom and tradition prevail with reverence…

“The story of Anna is very sad in parts but it is a deep story which is worth taking time to read,” Mrs Tirant said.

While centering on Anna, the story also depicts the Seychellois culture, customs and other aspects of our old way of life which through her writing the author is trying to preserve for generations to come.

She noted that to better understand the continuation of Anna’s story, which this time will be set against the backdrop of the First World War, one has to read Echoes from the Oasis.

Mrs Tirant explained that the same characters will feature in the second book with others to be added along the way.

Echoes from the Oasis are available at the Antigone Bookshop in Victoria.