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Gina Wilkinson Gina Wilkinson i(A109488 works by)
Born: Established: 1970 ;
Gender: Female
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Works By

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2 y separately published work icon When the Apricots Bloom Gina Wilkinson , Sydney : Hachette Australia , 2020 20062000 2020 single work novel

'What would you do if the secret police demanded you spy on a friend in order to protect your family? Three women confront the complexities of trust, friendship and motherhood under the rule of a dictator in this debut inspired by the author's own experiences in Iraq

'At night, in Huda's fragrant garden, a breeze sweeps in from the desert encircling Baghdad, rustling the leaves of her apricot trees and carrying warning of visitors at her gate. Huda, a secretary at the Australian embassy, lives in fear of the secret police, who have ordered her to befriend Ally, the deputy ambassador's wife. Huda's former friend Rania, an artist, enjoyed a privileged upbringing as the daughter of a sheikh. Now her family's wealth is gone, and Rania is battling to keep her child safe and a roof over their heads.

'As the women's lives intersect, their hidden pasts spill into the present. Facing possible betrayal at every turn, all three must trust in a fragile, newfound loyalty, even as they discover how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect their families. ' (Publication summary)
1 2 y separately published work icon Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sky : Domesticity, Danger and Deadlines : Confessions of a Foreign Correspondent in Iraq Gina Wilkinson , Hindmarsh : East Street Publications , 2007 Z1424565 2007 single work autobiography 'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sky is a first-person, narrative non-fiction account of the period the author spent living as a 'dependant spouse' in Baghdad during the final year of the Saddam Hussein regime, and later as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's correspondent in post-war Iraq. It's an account of terror, ambition, and betrayal in Iraq, and how she became the main character in a story she never wanted, or expected, to find. The book looks at the challenges and adjustments she had to make when she decided to abandoned her career, albeit temporarily, in order to support her husband in his new job with the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF. It also focuses on the friendships forged with ordinary Iraqis, despite the enormous hurdles of almost constant government surveillance and the overwhelming atmosphere of fear and suspicion under Saddam Hussein.' (Libraries Australia)
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