Books

Laila is desperate to escape life in the longhouse in her Malaysian village. Desperate enough to travel alone to Australia to marry Jim a fruitpicker living in Renmark South Australia. Jim hasnt had much luck with women theyre always giving him a hard time. He pins his hopes on Laila changing all that. Marital bliss a new life. But when Laila and Jim finally meet they each discover the reality of the other and things dont go as planned. Handpicked is a subtle and sensitive exploration of the world of the mailorder bride. It is also a compelling observation of words and actions expectations and consequences truth and happiness.

This story of a marriage is one that needs to be told, with its universal themes of transplantation and adaptation.