Susanna Freymark
Diana Jarman said it took her 13 years to write and publish her first book.
The 76 year old Kyogle resident launched The Philatelist’s Album at Kyogle Library today, Tuesday, February 17.
The back of the book says it is a cautionary tale for the modern world.
The story brings history, destiny and visceral stories of war into a work of fiction that Diana a former teacher and librarian researched extensively.
Here’s the first paragraph that sets the scene for the story:
‘Ollie’s mother had a pelvic basin as broad and capacious as a Jersey cow. It was common knowledge. It was no surprise when, seconds after she shouted ‘the seal has broken’, he arrived slippery and wet on the Post Office floor.’
The post office is the anchor in this story — many characters meet when buying stamps and the post office binds the rural community where the story is set.
Before she came to the rural Kyogle setting, Diana travelled twice around the world before she was 12— in a boat with her mother.
She studied teaching and librarianship at the Australian National University and taught at Goulburn and Nowra.
She moved to a Kyogle dairy farm in 1988.
Kyogle librarian Corinne Hughes said Diana “was always going to write a book”.
The creative spark for The Philatelist’s Album came from two people close to Diana.
One was her father, an avid stamp collector, born in the United Kingdom who lived until he was 96.
The other was her father-in-law Reg Jarman who also lived to 96. Reg was born in Coraki in 1920 and he served in the war becoming a POW.
“Reg never spoke about the war until he was 60,” Diana said.
Diana said it was a challenge to write about the times before and after the war and that period of history.
“It was divisive, emotive and confronting,” she said.
“I cried doing the research.”
Throughout the story, the post office is the central hub despite the book covering 30 different locations around the world.
Jarrah Dundler, author of Hey Brother and part of the organising group for Kyogle Readers and Writers Festival asked Diana about the characters in the story.
“Characters walk on to the page,” Diana said.
With her “massive amount of research”, what was difficult for Diana was what to leave out of the story.
“It’s hard writing about war.
“You can’t put everything in the story — you have to let it percolate through,” she said.
Ollie – who was born at the post office in the opening scene is the main character — he is a stamp collector and one of 14 children.
Read about Ollie and all the other characters in this work of historical fiction backed by detailed research and years of commitment.
Diana will be on a self-publishing panel at the Literary Allsorts Festival in Kyogle on May 15. Keep an eye on the KRAW website for more details.
Diana said she has learned a lot going through self publishing her first book and she’ll share those insights at the festival.
Where can you buy The Philatelist’s Album?
Available for $35—$38 at Clay Corner, Summerland Way, Kyogle or from the Kyogle Museum.
Copies are available to loan at the library.
Diana is currently working on a website for the book.
You can email dpjbookshelf@gmail.com and order a copy direct from the author.