Tuesday 13 August 2024
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
What’s On 
Meet with Shankari Chandran
Date & Time
SMSA members: FREE to attend
Non-members fee: $10 fee at the entrance – Credit card payments only!
Meet with Shankari Chandran, Miles Franklin award-winning author of Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens.
The new novel from the Miles Franklin award-winning author of Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens.
It was a beautiful evening. The wind gathered speed, lifting the frangipanis from the grove behind him, pink and yellow petals defying gravity. Beyond the trees, hidden by the foliage and rows of towering palm trees, the detention centre slept fitfully in the heavy summer heat. The palms blocked the ocean gust that now swirled around him, filling his lungs with the taste of temple flowers and salt. It reminded him of home. He took a deep breath, stepped off the escarpment and felt the red sand rush up towards him.
Arriving in Australia seeking asylum, Fina dedicates herself to aiding the refugees who are held in Port Camden, a remote island outpost. Over time she settles into a life within a community of like-minded people, finding a new family, far from her original home. After she speaks out for those being detained, Fina becomes the focus of a media storm that leads to her arrest, and the threat of deportation.
When a security officer dies under suspicious circumstances, Lucky, a special investigator, arrives to uncover the truth. The mystery is tied to Fina’s fate—and the secrets she reveals will divide the town and the nation.
Safe Haven is about displacement and seeking refuge—but ultimately it is a story about finding home—and the lengths you’ll go to find safety and love.
About author Shankari Chandran:
Shankari Chandran was raised in Canberra, Australia. She spent a decade in London, working as a lawyer in the social justice field. She eventually returned home to Australia, where she now lives with her husband and four children. She is the author of Song of the Sun God, The Barrier and Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, which won the 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award.
Our friends at Abbeys Book Shop will be attending for those interested in purchasing a copy of Safe Haven, EFTPOS will be available. SMSA Members will also be able to borrow Safe Haven from the SMSA Library.
A maximum of one (1) ticket per customer applies. If you would like to bring a friend, please ask them to register through Eventbrite.