6-14th October is Queensland Mental Health Week here in Australia.
In my writing, I take a particular interest in exploring various human experiences and perspectives, using my writing to help to share people’s stories in the wider community.
Since its publication in 2011 I’ve used my debut novel The Wilted Rose to help raise awareness for a number of mental health causes.
The Wilted Rose is a fictionalised account of my family’s struggle with mental illness during the 1960s and 70s.
The story depicts the rise and fall of ambitious young woman Sarah Ross, whose pursuit of a nursing career in the 1950s is challenged by tradition and religion. After Sarah’s mental health deteriorates, her dedicated husband Jack adopts the role of her carer, and their daughter Grace must survive adolescence through great adversity, before their family finally receive a definitive diagnosis for Sarah’s condition. The Wilted Rose is a moving story of passion, heartache, and unbreakable family bonds.
Kate Kelsen 
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