The Orange Orchard and Other Stories

About the Book

The Orange Orchard and Other Stories is a collection of short stories based on personal experiences from childhood onward. There is one thread running through all the stories, namely the tragedy that everyone has to deal with. “A Happy Hippy in London Town” is a story about my English friend, Liz Stenning, while studying in Sheffield. It was good to see her recover after divorce, but her happiness was short-lived. “The Day Blue Came” was a joyful day. In the absence of both our parents, it ends in disaster. The killing of black birds seems like an omen pointing to the tragic loss of a very young child. I always recall that fairylike child when playing “Willow-the-Wisp” pianisimo on the piano. The visit of a beloved uncle also turns into a nightmare. Our father had disappeared into the dark night just like “The Saint” in one of his favorite 1960s novels. “The Show Must Go On!” used to be one of his favorite quotes. My mother wrote prophetically in her last letter to me that “death is part of life” a few weeks before she died in a tragic car crash.

About the Author

She was born in the district of Mossel Bay, Cape Province, South Africa. There she finished at Sao Bras Junior High School. She attended Essellen Park High School (Worcester) for Matric/A-levels (1972). She enrolled for a BA in social work at the University of the Western Cape (1973). Subsequently, she was appointed as school social worker at Belhar High School (1977), and she also taught vocational guidance and English. She left South Africa in September1980 and moved to the United Kingdom. After following a foundation course, she completed a BA in sociology and political theory at Sheffield University (1984). In March 1985, she got married to Yannis Plangesis (Dr.). She did a course at the School of Modern Greek (Aristotle University). In September 1985, she started teaching English at Olziersky Language School till after the birth of her son, Hector (March 1987). She taught sociology and political theory at City College and European studies and English proficiency at the British Council since 1992. Presently, she continues to work freelance as author and translator/editor of academic books/papers for publication in the United Kingdom and United States. She is the writer of In Search of Liberation (AuthorHouse 2009).