Melinda Brown is an Australian Aboriginal Ngunnawal woman. She has a Masters in Aboriginal Healing and Trauma.
Despite an early life marred by moments of sheer despair and the agony of domestic violence, somehow Mel found the strength to survive. Then, as a young mother, she unlocked her ancestry’s secrets without realising the challenges that came with identifying as Aboriginal in Australia.
Shades of Me follows Mel’s journey as she redefines who she is and how she sees her place in the world. As Aboriginal families are being torn apart, this is a story of one woman’s fight to keep them together – one family at a time. And how, in helping others, she finds her true path in life.
Mel’s memoir is not just one of black or white or even a single shade in between: as she has discovered in her work for the community, everyone’s story is different; hers is simply Shades of Me.
Mel Brown is a former manager of the ACT Aboriginal child protection unit and holds a Masters in Aboriginal Healing and Trauma. She has spent over 20 years providing Aboriginal counselling, spiritual healing and well-being programs for Aboriginal communities across Australia.
“Monica Smit is one of the great heroes during the pandemic.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jnr.
Outsiders report on Sky News
Oct 3, 2024: “The judge said my case wasn’t a ‘public interest’ case…I beg to differ…and so does all this media coverage. It should not cost this much to pursue justice! I am appealing…www.monicasmit.com/appeal
A Current Affair: Anti-lockdown activist wins court case but forced to pay police lawyer fees | A Current Affair
A prominent anti-lockdown activist fears she will be sent bankrupt after she won an unlawful arrest case against police but was then made to cover the police legal bill of almost $250,000. (Broadcast September 24, 2024).
August 2024: The Light Newspaper featuring Monica Smit.
Order your own copy or find out how to distribute here
Monica Smit has been on the front line of Australia’s freedom movement since August 2020 when she founded ‘Reignite Democracy Australia’. She hit the international stage after spending 22 days in prison for refusing to sign draconian bail conditions after being charged with incitement. “My crime,” she said, “was publishing an anti-lockdown protest poster on social media. Yes, you read that correctly.”
During her recent tour across Europe, over a five-month period, Monica met as many freedom lovers, groups, and organisations as possible. She is currently touring Australia and runs global campaigns and projects. See projects here.
“I stripped my soul to the bone; there is nothing left unsaid. I just pray it’s not in vain and inspires someone…” Monica Smit.
Follow Monica Smit on Social
New Release
It’s Tough Being a Snail by Simon Phelan, illustrated by Meg Dunne
Being a snail can be tough! We don’t always fully understand the trials and tribulations of being a snail in this modern world. Step inside to discover the perils of snail life in the 21st century.
Dr Mel Burr-Dixon is a Bible College Lecturer, Biblical Counsellor, and Professional Supervisor. She has a Bachelor of Secondary Education, and Masters of Education, Theology and Counselling, and a Doctorate of Counselling.
Christian Church Book Launch
A few words from our author, Dr Mel Burr-Dixon after launching A GRATEFUL HEART at her local church – July, 2024.
“It was a delightful event. The presentation focused on the faithful love of our good and kind God who desires the best for us. Living life with a gratitude mindset enables us to live abundantly well in terms of our physical, emotional, relational, financial and spiritual health. Attendees shared their own stories of the impact that gratitude has had on their own lives. A few people even approached with tears in their eyes, thankful for the timeliness of the message.”
Free Information Session: The Rise of Jung in Me by Dr Toula Gordillo
Dr Toula Gordillo-Jungian psychologist/author-The Rise of Jung in Me
The Rise of Jung in Me is Dr Toula’s second book and her origin story. She writes about how she became more conscious of her unconscious adolescent patterns as an adult, and how she now treats adolescent mental/behavioural health in youth and their adult carers through STORIES & IMAGES. Her teaching and counselling method is called Story Image Therapy (SIT®), and its spin-offs SIT Education and SIT Shadow Work™, are grounded in research, are evidence-based, and have been continually refined and improved over the past fourteen years. The Rise of Jung in Me also includes six case studies as a practical demonstration of SIT Shadow Work™.
JULY Book Launch
Our author, Dr Toula Gordillo, recently publicly launched her second book, The Rise of Jung in Me at Glenview Gardens Function Centre. With over 30 attendees, the event was both a free information session and book unveiling. The information was very well received.
At the end of the event, several participants said that they wished to attend a SIT Shadow Work workshop scheduled for later in the year. The Rise of Jung in Me was published in March and it is the story of healing Dr Toula Gordillo’s own adolescent wounds through SIT Shadow Work, as well as the stories of six young people whose lives were also transformed through the practical application of Story Image Therapy and SIT Shadow Work.
If you are interested in attending a SIT Shadow Work workshop visit our author at
Dr Toula Gordillo – Author – Clinical & Jungian Psychologist
The Frankfurt Book Fair
Hey there! Let’s talk about the Frankfurt Book Fair, one of the coolest book events around.
Since Feather Knight Books published Denise Main’s spy fiction novel, Mission: Angela in 2022 she has made her mark on the literary world through her writing workshops, speaking engagements; and her interview that crossed international borders.
Selected by a top literary critic in 2023, Mission: Angela was featured prominently in the Frankfurt Book Fair last October. The opportunity to showcase Mission: Angela at the world’s largest trade fair for books was a tremendous honour for Denise Main, and her publishing team at Feather Knight Books.
The exposure has greatly contributed to Denise Main’s international recognition, and this remarkable achievement is a testament to the author’s talent and the captivating nature of her work. It also highlights the exceptional quality of the author’s writing and the universal appeal of her story.
Virtual Interview with Denise Main
Discover the enthralling world of ‘Mission: Angela’ with Denise Main at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2023. Dive deep into intrigue and adventure during her exclusive virtual interview at Bookmarc Alliance. The mission awaits, are you ready?
The Jake Hunt Series: Block 33 Book Launch Queenscliff
One hundred keen Jed Hart fans gathered at 360Q restaurant in Queenscliff on the Bellarine to launch Jed’s latest novel, Block 33, the second book in the Jake Hunt Series. The first in the series, Without Warning, was published in 2020.
How do you launch a book? There’s no blueprint so we called in Michael Scott a veteran of the microphone on the Bellarine Peninsular, to act as Master of Ceremonies, and the regionally famous Yea singing group, The Four Fathers, to entertain between courses.
The mood was upbeat, the food provided by Barry Iddles and his team was excellent. The singing called for encores and audience participation.
Michael interviewed Jed and the discussion ranged from writing discipline, to getting shot down in war time, and making love during an earthquake. This fascinating insight into the writer’s craft left the audience wondering how much of the Jake Hunt Series is fiction and how much actually happened.
It was a special night. Caroline Mullarkey from Feather Knight Books, publisher of the Jake Hunt Series, spoke after which there was a stampede for books. Without Warning, Block 33 and Jed’s children’s book Zac’s Magic Legs and the great toilet roll heist of 2020 were sold and signed by the dozens. All titles are available from featherknightbooks.com and selected bookstores; both paperback and digital versions from amazon.com.au.
The third book in the Jake Hunt trilogy, Just Reward, is currently being edited in New York and will be published soon.
We can hardly wait.
Rocco and Friends by Tori Jeffress
Scroll to Meet the real-life pet characters
