Kensington and Norwood writers group

JUDY FANDER

Judy Fander's first book “The Mineral Detective” was launched in August 2007, five years after her retirement from a teaching career in South Australia. Before she left from Blackwood High School, where she was a teacher-librarian, she had already decided that her first retirement project would be to write a book about her talented second husband, Hans Walter Fander.

She met her new husband through their common interest in music. For many years they sang in the Adelaide Chorus. They also shared a common interest in China. Her first husband was a Sydney born Chinese. Hans had been raised in China, in Shanghai and Beijing.

His tales of life in China during the nineteen thirties and forties fascinated her. He had been a choir boy at a Cathedral School in Shanghai. Being bi-lingual in German and English, he had been involved in British intelligence in Germany, during the Cold War. His early life had been one of struggle and adventure, yet he had succeeded in his chosen profession, and had run his own successful business for over thirty years.

In spite of all setbacks, personal tragedy and starting with nothing, he was now a respected consultant to the mining industry.

“I really enjoyed finding out about my husband’s life” Judy said. “There were family photographs, documents and letters which were really useful. But the first thing I did was to interview my husband. He was very patient with me, as I went over and over the details.”

She found people she contacted during the research very helpful. People in US and UK sent her relevant books without asking for any payment. That was heartwarming.

A keen photographer, one of his crystal photographs has been used for the cover of “The Mineral Detective”.

"The Mineral Detective" may be purchased through the secured shopping area on Writing Right

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