Miracles: A Trio of Island Tales

by Judith Cullen, Ilaisanne Filikitonga Tome, Micki McIntyre (Illustrator)

Welcome to the South Pacific of the 19th Century, full of ancient island cultures and Euro-Western colonialism. In this latest installation of her “Trio Tales” series, author Judith Cullen joins with native Tongan storyteller Illaisaane Filikitonga Tome to share stories steeped in the history of a kingdom, and with an intimate connection to family, and the power of belief. “An Island Miracle – Earth” re-imagines “tuku fonua” and the journey of King Tupou I to this historic act of dedicating all of Tonga to the Christian God, rather than bow to pressure from colonizing foreign powers. “An Island Miracle – Water” recounts how a man of faith places himself, literally, in the path of ongoing sorrow for the residents of the small Tongan island of Falevai. “An Island Miracle – Fire” faces the reality of life on a volcanic island, where life and creation vividly part of the same continuing cycle. When a community of believers is charged with a task that seems completely insane, will they have the faith and courage to believe, when even the island itself seems to challenge them? The “Trio Tales” series are “fiction monographs” featuring three short stories on a single theme, and are intended to be portable, enjoyable. They also make great gifts. You can follow my work; get news about upcoming releases, and downloadable audio files by visiting me at jdcstoryteller.blogspot.com. There you can also find links to follow me on Twitter and Facebook. “Judith knows writing and how to craft a tale so that no word is wasted or added without reason. She writes to tell a story, not to fill a page. And that . . . shows.” ~ Reader Review, A Trio of My Father’s Tales Tales "Stories as well written as this have a way of opening windows…" ~ Reader Review, A Trio of Irish Tales

44 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 8, 2014