It seems each time I’m writing a book, old photos are a big part of the research and these lovely black and white ones are just a handful of quite a few I kept near as I worked on, The Proxy Bride.
The courageous women who were proxy brides and who banded together to keep their farms going after their Italian husbands were interned during WW2 was a story I wanted to write for such a long time. Nonno Anni initially mentioned it to me many years ago. He spoke with such admiration for the women and how tough they did it. This stayed with me and as time marched on, I didn’t want the story to be lost.
To everyone who’s embraced this book – thank you. I’m very grateful. xx And to those who’ve contacted me recently saying they’ve been unable to find a copy in bookshops, (yes, they’d sold out!) I’m very happy to say they’re available once again, both in stores and online. (If you don’t see a copy in a bookshop you’d like to buy it from, they can order one in for you that should arrive within a week or so.)
Again, thank you for your kindness surrounding this book. It felt the time was long overdue that ‘proxy bride’ was no longer only said in a whisper – a long-hidden part of Australian history. These women were incredibly brave and strong and your recognition of them is giving them a voice too – grazie infinite! ❤️ Zoë x
Zoë Boccabella 