The aspiring wordsmith had previously penned a poem or two but thanks to the internet, a novel writing course and a great idea, she was propelled into the world of self-publishing.

‘Deep Water Tears’ is the fruit of her labour. Published last month, the novel has debuted to rave reviews online.

The story follows Rachel, a young girl who can’t imagine life away from her home in the bush and her best friend Darel.

Her childhood is spent learning the secrets of the Australian bush and of the Wiradjuri culture, until her mother intervenes and sends her to boarding school.

“The general theme of Deep Water Tears is ‘to remain true to one’s heart’. My main character, Rachel, had to contend with social issues, parental control, peer group mentality, bullying and personal loss. These are common challenges which remain within society and I don’t believe there is anyone who has not experienced a sense of loss or longing for something of the past, in one form or another. My hope is that Deep Water Tears will help to fuel the healing power of empathy,” Ms Reid said.

After months of research into the Wiradjuri culture and planning, Ms Reid said the story took on a life of its own.

Ms Reid has already written a sequel and there are plans for a third book to round out the series too. 

“Sourcing the Wiradjuri information I wanted for Deep Water Tears was quite challenging at first. However, once I acquired, ‘A New Wiradjuri Dictionary, compiled by Stan Grant (Senr) and Dr John Rudder’, and Mr Grant authenticated and granted me permission to use the Wiradjuri dreamtime stories I found, I was able to focus on the story without further concern. Although a work of fiction, I wanted to ensure that all Wiradjuri content was correct and consistent,” Ms Reid said.

“The response to Deep Water Tears has been wonderful; both within Australia and internationally. Deep Water Tears was only published in February this year, but it already has fantastic reviews from readers from the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as Australia.”

‘Deep Water Tears’ is available at CreateSpace, Amazon and other online booksellers, in both paperback and Kindle. 

To eliminate international shipping charges for the paperback version, it is now also available for Australians only via Australia Post at Ebay, or by ordering direct on 0408 332 990.