Author shares challenges, experience in life
AFijian author has shone a light on her life journey to allow readers to discover how brief experiences can change lives. Even losing your best friend (husband) along your life journey can be a learning experience.
Ms Tuinabua, a mother of four children, hails from Kiuva Bau, Tailevu with maternal links to Navuniivi Ra is a testament that sharing your story can inspire others.
She has worked extensively within the tourism industry in Fiji, Los Angeles and New Zealand. She is now working at Church Unlimited.
In her writings, Ms Tuinabua shares the treasures she uncovers along her journey.
The stand-alone book “Jewels in the Crown” explores why certain brief experiences can jolt, elevate, and change us, how we can learn to create or learn from extraordinary moments in our life and work.
She prays her book will bring light to those dealing with loss, grief and life’s difficult challenges.
Journey
Her journey as an author started after the death of her late husband Anare Senibulu. This is when she started doing reflective writing. When she lost her husband to cancer, nine years ago she uncovered lots of different jewels along her journey alone with her children.
“When you face adversity and a crisis the biggest determination is how you respond to it.”
Challenges
Ms Tuinabua said she started writing chapter eight and had to change the topic and then started writing it again but it wasn’t flowing.
The challenges of her journey as an author didn’t stop there, she lost both of her parents one year
after each other during the global Covid-19 pandemic.
In April last year, she returned to Fiji to see their resting places where she also decided to concentrate to reunite with her family once the borders opened.
But earlier last year, she also lost a good friend and colleague that was close to her and she decided to park her book editing process to grieve.
Book
She said her favourite part of writing the book is being able to use her reflective pieces along the way in different chapters which included poems.
“Right now, it’s one day at a time with getting Jewels in the Crown out.”
She said her book covers some of her experiences growing up in Fiji, however most of it was in Auckland where they have lived for the last 17 years, a city they have now called home.
“My e-book is available and all proceedings go to Dilkusha Orphanage.”
Ms Tuinabua said the best part about being an author was receiving overwhelming feedback and encouragement regarding the book .
“I prayed before I wrote this book daily over the 17 days I wrote. The wisdom of God to help me write as I shared. I believe this has been so key in getting this book written,” she said.