Gina Chick, the inaugural winner of Alone Australia, tells the story of her extraordinary, indomitable life in one of the most powerful, moving memoirs you will ever read.

Gina was an undiagnosed autistic kid who had the most blissful, hilarious Durrell-like childhood surrounded by her loving family and a wild menagerie. She was mercilessly bullied at school for being herself, for speaking truthfully and for giving full expression to her connection to the natural world.

She would bring abandoned baby birds to class, chew up their seed and feed them mouth to beak.

Gina literally taught herself how to be 'normal' by observing others and copying their behaviour. When she was 18, Gina discovered she is the granddaughter of legendary Australian writer Charmian Clift, which explains why she's such a brilliant natural writer! Gina explored her sexuality with freedom and joy in the 90s, finding her people in the clubs of Oxford St, where she danced on a podium at DCM. She worked several jobs over many years to pay back a debt she accumulated while in love with a man pretending to be terminally ill.

Gina has experienced celestial highs and abyssal lows, including life-threatening illnesses and the death of her beloved daughter at 3 years old and the subsequent end of her marriage. She has been at rock bottom and learned lessons about grief that will help anyone who has been blindsided by it.