A FORMER Griffith resident has recently self-published a book with the themes based around his life and job experiences.
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Lawrence Del Gigante had always wanted to be an author but it wasn’t until he interned at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters he had an idea worth writing about.
“I sat down so many times to try and create something but without a good concept it was useless,” Mr Del Gigante said.
“I’d almost given up hope.”
Interning for a press agency, Mr Del Gigante was exposed to the political and diplomatic arenas, where his duties including covering meetings of the Security Council on proposed resolutions to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
He describes his book, “Crisis on Kepler” as a space opera informed by bleeding edge technology and the geo-political landscape he was exposed to while at the UN.
He also covered addresses to the General Assembly by heads of state.
“When Barack Obama was moving in and out of the building or even from room to room, we would go into lock down,” he said.
“I came across Bill Clinton once and couldn’t get within 20 metres, let alone past. I had to wait for him to leave with his security detail before I could get where I needed to go.”
Growing up in the area is something that Mr Del Gigante believes had a strong influence in his writing.
The natural landscape we have here is quite unique,” he said.
“I often drew on it when writing the book."
“My mother is a librarian so that was something that was fairly influential in me becoming a writer. I spent countless hours after school in the Griffith City Library waiting for mum to finish work.
“It was far too hot outside so I would just read until it was time to go home.”
Having studied English and Literature at Sydney University, and also having lived in Cambodia, Norway and Indonesia, Mr Del Gigante said he still has plenty left to write about and has begun development of a sequel.
“Crisis on Kepler” is available from Kindle marketplaces worldwide as an eBook.