As the River Runs

In the Kimberley region of Australia, water is plentiful, but in the city, it is precious and political. Government minister Michael Money has cooked up a secret plan to bring water from the monsoonal north of Australia to the south, but he needs to find out what opposition he might face around the river valley. He sends his chief of staff Kate Kennedy - young, focused, and well-versed in power play - and political fixer Jack Cole on a 'fact-finding' trip. Ex-greenie Dylan Ward is their guide; well-regarded by both the mining industry and Aboriginal elder Vincent Yimi. Dylan is unaware that he has been compromised until their journey takes some unexpected turns. As they travel through the wild river country, Kate begins to see Dylan in a new light. When she changes sides to be with Dylan and safeguard a precious and sensitive area that she has so quickly come to love, her political edge comes into play. As the River Runs is a powerful ode to one of Australia's most stunning regions. The story is written by Stephen Scourfield, who knows the landscape intimately and writes with red dust in his veins. The book is hopeful for change, both in people and in government policy, and is highly relevant, covering issues such as: water shortages, the environment, resourcing remote communities, solar power, politics, Aboriginal culture, mining, etc. [As the River Runs is a loose sequel to Scourfield's previous novel, Other Country (ISBN 978 1 74258 503 1), which sold 7,000 copies. Other Country won the Western Australian Premier's Book Award in 2007, was shortlisted in the Commonwealth Writers Prize, and was longlisted for the 2009 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Scourfield is also a recipient of a United Nations Media Award.]