Local author book launch - "Outback Uncovered", a personal struggle with aphasia

Local resident, Tess is not your typical backpacker. At 24-years old she suffered a severe stroke which left her with debilitating epilepsy and damaged the part of her brain that processes language, a condition known as aphasia. Tess, an actress and extrovert, found herself speechless, unable to read and write and subject to fits and seizures.

At 38 Tess, her son Samuel and her boyfriend Bernie left London on a mission to tour Bernie’s homeland Australia. With their trusty campervan Harry and a Dictaphone they crossed the deserts and bushlands for 9-months. The resulting journey is more than a travel blog, it is a story of acceptance, reflection and self-discovery.

This is her story. Tess may be aphasic, but she is never lost for words.

“Tess is a remarkable woman whose determination and zest for life with all its ups and downs shine through in this extraordinary and honest account of her adventures in the outback. A huge achievement, even for someone without aphasia. Tess inspires us all to think bigger and challenge our boundaries” Professor Cathy Price, Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuro-imaging, University College London.

The official book launch is on 6th June and I'm sure if you ask Simon at the Big Green Bookshop, he'll be delighted to get you a copy or indeed get a few in stock.