Location: Australia
Member Since: March 08, 2015

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Gilbert Van Hoeydonck

Biography

Gilbert F. J. Van Hoeydonck is an Australian writer based in Melbourne.

He grew up in Belgium and studied Dutch and English at the University of Antwerp. In 1978 he took up a limited tenure lectureship in Dutch Language and Literature at the University of Melbourne, where he taught for six years.

After he became an Australian citizen Gilbert worked for the Victorian Government as a policy adviser and project manager in child protection and public mental health services. He participated in some high–profile child death inquiries and helped implement clinical outcome measurement across Victoria's public mental health services.

Gilbert now works as an independent writer. He has published a number of short stories. The Best of Intentions (2018) is his his first novel.

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Smashwords Interview

What's the story behind your latest book?
In the course of my work in child protection and mental health I had come across a number of cases that affected me profoundly. One case in particular stood out. When I stopped working, my thoughts kept returning to the young girl who had died under tragic circumstances. I wanted to weave aspects of her story into a work of fiction, to honour her memory in a small way, and to highlight some of the systemic failings in both child protection (such as the impossibly high caseloads) and mental health. All of this without The Best of Intentions ever sliding into preachiness, because I realise nobody wants to read a manifesto. So it was a matter of grafting my message onto a gripping narrative, supported by characters who were hopefully memorable in their own right.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
With my family mainly. I also try to go for a walk every morning. I find the sounds and smells of the Australian bush soothing and inspiring. As writing can be a solitary business, I also attend some classes in our local community. At present I'm doing Hatha Yoga and watercolours. Since 2016 I have also worked as a volunteer, initially teaching English to refugees and migrants, and more recently with a climate action group.
Read more of this interview.

Where to find Gilbert Van Hoeydonck online

Website: http://bit.ly/gvhWriting
Twitter: @purplezengoat
Facebook: Facebook profile
Blog: http://purplezengoat.com

Books

The Best of Intentions by
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 107,590. Language: English. Published: November 13, 2018 . Categories: Fiction » Literature » Literary, Fiction » Coming of age
Kurt is a disillusioned case worker struggling in an under-resourced child protection system. When he takes on the case of Gecko, a sixteen-year-old with a traumatic past and a shaky future, he is determined to make a difference. But the best of intentions are not enough. Kate Ryan of Writers Victoria described this striking debut as “highly engaging … an intelligent and moving novel.”
Bait by
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 3,980. Language: English. Published: October 23, 2017 . Categories: Fiction » Coming of age, Fiction » Literature » Literary
A camping trip in the Belgian Ardennes takes an unexpected turn when three students cross paths with a fugitive in the forest. As they are forced to make choices, they discover the ambiguity of their own motivations.
Spitfire by
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 3,450. Language: English. Published: November 21, 2016 . Categories: Fiction » Literature » Literary, Fiction » Biographical
Born in Belgium, trained in Texas. The true story of an aspiring pilot seeking to fulfil his childhood dream.
Fate and Asparagus by
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 6,440. Language: English. Published: August 21, 2015 . Categories: Fiction » Adventure » War & military adventure, Fiction » Biographical
As a young boy grows up, his grandfather’s wartime stories become darker and more complex. What really happened on 10 September 1914, when German troops overran the Belgian village of Haacht, and how can we ever make sense of the past?
First Snow by
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 1,530. Language: English. Published: July 23, 2015 . Categories: Fiction » Coming of age
The chance discovery of an old school photo rekindles long-forgotten memories (short story, 1160 words).

Gilbert Van Hoeydonck's tag cloud

1914    1950s    1960s    1970s    adventure    ambivalence    ardennes    australia    aviation cadet    belgium    belgium occupied by german armies    bonheiden    camping story    child protection    delcon    depression    eating disorder    family history    foster care    goal in life    haacht    history 1950s    history 20th century    leukaemia    memories of childhood    mental illness    resilience    short shory    sleet    social worker    spitfire    story about pilot    survival against all odds    true story    war crimes    wildfires    world war one    zen buddhism