"Patience is the companion of wisdom."
Saint Augustine
- Frankfurt Book Fair - September 14 2009
- London Book Fair, April 19-21 2010
- New York Book Fair, May 25-27 2010
- Stockholm Book Fair,Sept. 2010
- Beijing Book Fair,Aug 30-Sept3 2010
ABOUT MIRANDA
From Nobel Prize to Ride-on mower
Gunilla Miranda is going to Frankfurt
Money matters, abuse, self development and business development that is a grand mixture of topics that you are writing about in your book “From Nobel Prize to Ride-on mowers”. How did that come all about?
From Nobel Prize to Ride-on mower is an autobiography about my first years in Australia being married to a man suffering from bi-polar disorder, which created many life threatened situations for myself. My son and I many times had to escape our home until we finally could leave for good. At the same time it is an anthem to Australia. Because of my deep love for Australia I did endure many things just to stay here.
But you are not Australian from origin?
Not at all, I come as far away from Australia as you probably can. I’m from Sweden. I have lived 8 years in Australia now and I love it. However, these days I’m probably more a Sw-aussie, since I also appreciate my birth country a lot. I’m about to live 4 months per year in Sweden and the rest in Australia. And of course a bit of travelling in the world in between. I’ve been a journalist for 30 years and travelled the world long time before coming to Australia. In coming here my life changed completely.
Tell us!
I used to live a very independent life and had a successful career, earned a bit of money, had a nice network of friends around me. Above all a family that cared enormously for me. I had for instance my column in 16 daily papers where I wrote about financial matters. In coming to Australia I immediately became dependant upon my ex husband and slowly found myself being completely helpless in his power. I was an abused woman. It took many years to get out of that relationship. Also being an immigrant in a country so far away from Europe wasn’t easy. But my son and I did survive. Today we are having a beautiful life.
That’s great to hear. I must ask you about the title of your book.
Yes, many people are asking me that question. On one level it represents the typical characteristics of Sweden (Nobel Prize) and Australia (a lot of land needing mowing). However, I have a personal relation to the Nobel Prize through my work with the Swedish Academy (Nobel Prize in literature) and in order for me to survive in Australia I hade to mow people’s lawns.
What, mowing lawns?
Yes, a long story that I won’t take up time with now. When you read my book you can see how it all came about.
How did it go?
To start off with not so good but after a while I improved and so did the business. So today we are employing between 50-60 people performing cleaning, security, mowing and a lot of other services.
Wow, that’s a big difference from journalism?
O boy. This has been a bumpy journey. Going from trauma to triumph if you so like. It started off in elation and sank right down to despair and re-emerged with hope.
Who do you think will read your book?
I think there will be many different types of readers. Women who lives in abuse, which by the way travels in all socio classes. If you are downtrodden, in the bottom and need an injection, I hope that my readers will feel energetic, hopeful and maybe guided.
I’ve hard that you also have a club of some sort. Is that right?
Yes, it is. www.gunillamiranda.com It elaborates in depth about abuse, self development, business development and private economy. The later use to me my forte. I have written 14 books about economy so it feels good to be back. I have created 4 different programmes that focus on my subjects. It is a self help programme that takes you from where you are to where you want to be.
Wow, I must look in to that. Strategic Books wishes you the best and I trust that we’ll see you in Frankfurt (Germany) in October at The Book fair.
Thank you. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. It has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl so I’ll be there.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Strategic Books
Portrait of the Month
Obama, The President of The United States
Click the link below to order Gunilla Miranda's latest book with Amazon
