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Talon, Windsong

5 star Readers Favourite Review K.C. Finn 

This is the latest volume in a well-established series about a disabled young girl and the condor she raised from an egg. The Talon series is a wonderful and uplifting set of books in which Matica and Talon explore their native Peru and experience the wonders of the world they live in. I was interested in the turmoil Matica experiences at the prospect of having her disability treated during the trip to Australia. Having not just managed her disability but found experiences that she couldn’t have had without it, Gigi Sedlmayer’s character challenges the perception that a reader may have about disabilities being something that the people who have them are desperate to be rid of. Windsong is a marvelous story that children and adults can enjoy, with the beautiful backdrop of the Andes providing the canvas on which the story is painted. I’d happily recommend this book to all readers.

 

The poachers are gone, and the birds are safe. But now Matica is becoming anxious thinking of the upcoming holiday – she does not want to go or leave her birds. But Talon, understanding her misery, is giving her a daydream to easy her mind.

With distractions are coming from all sides, Matica soon finds herself involved in current happenings – the letting go of Elcano’s ashes from the top of the Andes, and near tragedy of Crayn falling while climbing up the mountain. The condors play a vital role in saving the day.

Talon shows Matica the puma and her cubs. But things go wrong and the female puma smells them and attacks. Will they escape the puma?

As a birthday surprise for Matica, Aikon asked the birds to fly with her for the whole day. The birds agree and the thrilling adventures she has now and near misses, with white bones, snakes and spiders.

Talon, Windsong adventures will keep you turning the pages and on the edge of your seat.

More thrilling adventures with Matica and Talon.

 

 

Gigi Sedlmayer

Gigi Sedlmayer

When I started writing Talon, I knew it had to be set in Peru, as only can you find the majestic condors. I sat in the library for three full days, studying everything about the Indians, their culture and about the condors and their habits. At that time, there was not much available in Internet. Now, anything is easy to find.

I wanted to write a story about a handicapped or challenged girl to show others what they can achieve if they put their minds not to the negativity, but to the positivity. The story has turned into a ten book condors series.

As with Matica, I did not have an easy childhood and was always an outsider, keeping to myself. I love birds and I decided to let her have a bird. But then came, what bird? And then the idea went even further. What is if she could fly on the bird? That would be something. But to do that, she has to have a disability and be very small. But again, the bird has to be big as well. And there the condor came to my mind.

I loved the condors. Amazing birds. They are the biggest land birds (vulture) on our wonderful earth. And so the story of Matica and Talon came to existence. I set the scene in Peru, close to the great Andes where the condors live and decided to let her family move to Peru as missionaries from Australia.

My motto was and is: “Teaching Children Self-Confidence through Service to Others.” Children today face immense pressure to fit in with their peers. This pressure is leading to record rates of depression among preteens and teenagers and this to suicide. Parents look for ways to build their children’s self-esteem; however, teens look to their peers and popular culture for acceptance rather than their parents. This puts parents in a challenging situation.

Many children of this age group have issues with acceptance and this is explored and resolved in a positive manner within the storyline of the Talon series. Matica shows children and teens that they can overcome great obstacles with love, patience and a selfless attitude toward helping others and experience exciting adventure on the way.

I wanted to let the world know that, when you put your mind to something and really want it, you can achieve it. Matica was rejected by the local Indians because of her disability. She hated it, but couldn’t do anything about it. As it is in real life. But, and there is always the ‘but’…

Matica was not always happy, even though she tried to be. And so she chose being kind over being right. She had to learn, but she learned it well because if you think that way, you will always feel good about what you do.

Because of my childhood challenges, I had to face being the hero in my own books. And as Mira, Matica’s mum says in my books, ‘Sometimes the worst and greatest problems in life cannot be solved. They can only be outgrown.’

Gigi was born on 19 May 1944 in Potsdam, a suburb of Berlin in Germany. Her family escaped to the West just before the infamous wall went up,  settling in Munich where Gigi studied architectural drafting and met Albert, marrying in December 1967. She worked as a civil draftsperson in various private consultancies in Munich.

Gigi lived in New Zealand for eighteen years then moved to Australia in 1992. Since then, and once her cancer was gone, her writing has flourished. Improving her English as she went, she entered many writing competitions, receiving back positive results.

She now spends most of her time writing, and researching new storylines. Gigi also loves 4×4 touring, swimming, gardening, handcrafts and reading. She also enjoys fossiking, or watching adventure DVDs or going to the movies.

Today, Gigi lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

Available on:

Amazon US, AUS and UK, Blackwells, Barns and Noble, Booktopia, The Book Depository, Angues and Robertson (Bookworld), Fishpond, Gardner's

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