Author Tabitha Bird has recently published her debut novel A Lifetime of Impossible Days, which is based on her personal experiences of healing from childhood trauma. Having been diagnosed with Bipolar 2, Tabitha’s story is creative, unique and already in reprint due to high demand.
The Queensland novelist says it was her relocation to Boonah in the Scenic Rim which was pivotal in publishing her novel with Penguin Random House. “It wasn’t just a tree-change,” Tabitha explains. “It was a ‘free-change’ – we were leaving the city in search of a simpler, quieter life but for me it was also a very important step in my journey to becoming a published author. I was leaving the city to find out who I was if I stopped being afraid of simply being myself.”
Mrs Bird said that her novel is a work of adult fiction heavily dusted with magic. It draws deeply from her own personal experiences of healing from childhood trauma. “My personal journey of finding healing, the journey of writing my book and the journey of my fictional characters have all been profoundly impacted by a simple decision to move to the country,” she said. “It was so exciting to see my book A Lifetime of Impossible Days in stores around the country and to meet so many fellow story lovers at my signings and events.”
Having always longed to live in the country, moving to Boonah was the first of many steps in Tabitha’s self-discovery. “My personal journey of finding healing, the journey of writing my book and the journey of my fictional characters have all been profoundly impacted by a simple decision to move to the country,” she said. “My fictional characters also found a home to love in the middle of this small town,” said the mother of three. “I used the landscape, weather, and the seasons to illuminate what was happening for my character’s inner journeys throughout the story.”
The story’s characters are based on Tabitha’s observations and life in Boonah, as she also includes notable landmarks from the area. “The local post office also features prominently, though you may argue that Australia Post is perhaps not quite as magical as it is in my book,” Mrs Bird said.
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