The Cowrie Shell

Jackie Taylor found a lucky cowrie shell on the beach, but was she wise to give it away to a man with secret desires?

Life was full of promise for a young woman at the beginning of her working life. But Jackie Taylor could not foresee the troubled future that lay ahead of her. As a young adult embarking on her teaching career, she found herself in the far north of Western Australia. Port Hedland is a mining town, and alcohol was an integral part of her social life there. Managing a balance between socialising and work was a challenge; however, it was there that she started to make lifelong friends with other young teachers-the Heddy Crew. And then along came a young traveller, a red-headed man who was destined to become a big part of her life.

Robbie Macpherson was a fun-loving, Scottish-born resident of Australia. He had a presence that demanded attention, and Jacqui certainly couldn't ignore him for long. But two years in Port Hedland was enough for Jacqui. On her return to Perth to take up a new teaching position, Robbie got in touch, and a romance began that quickly led to marriage. Jackie gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, and her dream of a happy family life had become a reality. Or had it?

'Beware of men who drink,' her mother warned and Jackie was determined to listen to her advice. However, she hadn't seen the signs. And when her child suddenly collapsed, Jackie found herself in a downward spiral.

Set in Western Australia from the mid-1970s to the 1980s, this is a poignant tale of a woman in a heartbreaking relationship and her courage in the face of adversity.