Stolen

A young girl strives to find her place in a world of half-truths and hidden conflicts. 
Annese Laffer struggles under the weight of a punitive classroom, her only solace the untamed bush of early colonial South Australia. There she forges a secret friendship with an Aboriginal girl, Kiani. 

When Kiani and her entire family vanish overnight from their creekside home the local landowner, a fellow Quaker and friend of Annese's family, claims exclusive rights over access to the scarce water supply. Annese begins to question the integrity of her community's actions but is told that the changes are for the best.Confused, and now even more isolated, she finds a mysterious letter in a discarded notebook and is accused of theft. Her already struggling family is torn apart and Annese's loyalty and courage are tested to the limit. 

Stolen captures both the optimism and the hardship of early colonial life and tells a story of survival against the odds.Approximately 83,000 words.