In response to my first blog, Kim mentions Australia Day. I am interested to know where readers stand in the debate about the date. Some passionately believe that it should be celebrated on another day, one that recognizes the indigenous people as the prior custodians of the land. What does Australia Day mean to you? Is it a celebration, or is it, as others call it, Invasion day? What would be an alternative date, or should it remain as is? Whatever date chosen, I think that we are, as a nation, the sum total of our narratives and stories. It is through stories that we express our uniqueness. By sharing them, we discover both that which is unique and different, and what we have in common. As Carl Jung said, ‘We all have a story to tell, and the denial of that story can lead to despair.’ With the emergence of great indigenous novelists, such as Alexis Wright and Kim Scott, and writers from many cultural backgrounds, we are finally beginning to hear many stories and points of view that had previously not made it to the mainstream. I call these our hidden narratives. One of the stories I recount in ‘Sea of Many Returns’ for instance, is of the anti Greek riots that took place in Kalgoorlie on the night of December 16, 1916. A mob of up to 2000 trashed the Greek managed cafes and oyster bars, fruit shops, tobacconists, and other small businesses. I first heard of the incident from descendants of Ithacans who worked in those businesses who left town because of the riots. Except for several recent specialist histories, the incident is rarely mentioned in accounts of Australian history. In order to recreate the riots in the novel, I read the Kalgoorlie newspapers of the time, and there it was, a blow-by-blow description published on the following day.  I was also keen to weave in the broader historical context so that we can try to understand, rather than merely pass judgment on the incident. I wonder what other hidden stories remain to be brought to light, both of darker episodes in our history, as well as the many positive tales. Like all nations we are composed of many shades, an interweaving of the lighter and darker tales. We need both to comprehend who we are as individuals and as a nation. This also raises the question of the relationship between history and fiction. In recreating the riots for example, I was anxious to be true to the events of that fiery night. This included a lot of research on the broader history, so that when I came to insert the fictional characters, I would have some idea what they would be feeling and thinking during, before and after the riots. The broad research enabled me to better put myself in their shoes, and hopefully do more justice to both the factors that triggered and fuelled the riots, and the reactions of those who were caught up in it.