About the Author
Fra was born to Nod and Peter in 1950’s London and grew up in England, Spain, the US and Wales with her two sisters Caroline and Hilary. She spent much of her time from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s living and working in different parts of Africa, including Malawi, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She also lived and worked in Mumbai, India, with her husband Valentin and son Sebastian. She now lives between London and a farm near the River Elbe.
Fra was as much a field worker and researcher working for Oxfam, as a Social Scientist focussing on gender policy and planning and the impact of macro policies on the poorest. Always an avid letter and notebook writer, this is her first novel, born of the need to tell the story of her Ethiopian son, Bedilu Haile, and honed by evening workshops in London, foremost with creative writing teacher and writer, Anne Aylor.
White Hyena is based on a true story from Ethiopia in the 1980s. It carries universal experiences of love, loss and trauma as well as the joyous moments we all treasure in life. It is a story of individual experiences relevant to the overwhelming themes of today: the impact of climate change, the horrors of conflict and war, displacement and famine. However it is also a story of resilience, creativity and ambition, and of the incredible bond between friends, neighbours and family, underpinning our will to survive.
From Northern Ethiopia to Global Readers
The book was self-published through Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon, in March 2023, and is available for sale on Amazon. White Hyena has received excellent reviews, including from Ethiopian, British, European, South African, Indian and American readers. It is praised for giving a strong sense of place. It is thoroughly researched and is in effect an historical novel. One, particularly discerning, Ethiopian friend wrote: ‘White Hyena is based on true events that I partly witnessed. It transported me back to the Northern Ethiopia of the 80’s and 90s and the Addis Ababa of that era. Well documented. Well done Fra.’
Roman Tewolde, an author and bookseller in Addis Ababa was so moved by White Hyena, that we have had 1,000 copies printed for sale. The book is now available in Book World stores around the city of Addis Ababa. The British Council in Addis organised a Book Launch in July 2024. Further readings are expected to take place in Addis Ababa in January 2025.
All royalties are being donated to Mesgana Child and Family Development Association a small local NGO, working with rural women and their children.
