A DARKER SHADE OF PALE
A Darker Shade of Pale: a memoir of apartheid South Africa
Release date 17 April 2018
A Darker Shade of Pale tells the story of life as a person of mixed race in apartheid South Africa. After the National Party gained power in South Africa in 1948, the all-white government took control by legislating their policies of racial segregation under a system called apartheid.
Forced to live among the sand dunes and narrow streets of Council housing estates, through her mixed ancestry Beryl was classified as Coloured, not white enough or not black enough. This allowed the government to shape her life, where she was allowed to live, to attend school, to sit on the train, to work, and who she could marry.
Growing up in council housing estates on the Cape Flats in the 1960s and early 1970s it wasn’t until reaching high school that she discovered a richer life on the other side of the tracks for those classified as white. The stark reality of the inequality towards her skin colour made her question her ancestry and her parents’ acceptance of their classification. She was drawn to joining rallies to fight the government but at home any such discussions were strongly dismissed.
It is a remarkable story of the resilience of her parents, particularly her mother Sarah who recognised that the future for her children was through education. Sarah, faced with many challenges – the death of a young child, a husband suffering ill-health, five children to feed and to keep a roof over their head powered the way forward to increase their chances of a better life should apartheid crumble.
A Darker Shade of Pale is a moving account of Beryl’s family and community life in segregated South Africa – the injustices, humiliation and challenges and finally finding acceptance when she moved to Australia in the 1980s
LIVING WITH PURPOSE
Finding self-love can be enlightening and transform your entire perspective on life. Do you know that you are worthy of love and acceptance just as you are?
For the author, Beryl Crosher-Segers, becoming aware of her worth ignited a fire within her and a burning desire to embrace every part of herself, flaws and all. She learned to silence her inner critic – that voice that constantly planted seeds of doubt and negativity – replacing it with a voice of compassion and understanding.
Each day now, she consciously activates acceptance by acknowledging her strengths and celebrating her achievements, no matter how small. And she reminds herself that she is deserving of love, kindness, and respect.
As she practices this, she can’t help but see a profound shift in her mindset and overall well- being. Self-love has become her anchor, allowing her to navigate the ups and downs of life with grace and authenticity.
You can have this too if you allow it….
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Beryl Crosher-Segers is the author of A Darker Shade of Pale, a bestselling South African memoir about life during apartheid and Behind my Smile: the True Story of an Author, a Broken Spirit and a Healer.
In her writing debut she tells the story of her determination to rise above her earlier life ofinequality and injustice. Beryl and her husband moved to Australia in the 1980s in search of a better life for themselves and their children. She lives in Sydney with her husband, two children and five grandchildren.
TALES OF ILLAWARA LINE
Thrust into a strange new country and far away from everything that was
familiar, Beryl sought solace in the strangest of places: her commute to
work. Her daily trips on the Sydney rail network opened up a whole new
world. It was a far cry from the segregated train carriages she grew up
with in South Africa.
Every day encounters with commuters brought a new adventure –
resulting in many awakenings of self. Confronted with her deep-rooted
anxiety, her struggle to fit in and her constant longing for the people and
place she had left behind, Beryl immersed herself in her new
surroundings.
After spending the first part of her adult life in the shadows, and despite
all of the roles she played in her community where she grew up, she was
now displaced. Her accent was a dead giveaway.
The psychological scars of the systematic human rights abuse she
suffered as a classified-coloured person had manifested into an
overwhelming race to shed the immigrant label. She wanted to be
accepted. Once again, she was faced with living her life trying to be
accepted.
During her daily commute she learned as much as she could from the
locals. It was then that she realised that, like her, just about everyone was
from somewhere else.
‘For many years I didn’t share my story because of that fear of being
rejected. But through my encounters with other immigrants, I refused to
be defined – or confined – by my immigration status. I am so much more
than just an immigrant.
I’ve been an immigrant for the majority of my adult life. There are things
that I’ve learned from the experience, which could help shed some light
on what being an immigrant really means,’ she said.
The Enchanted Dance Academy
The Enchanted Dance Academy follows 12-year-old Mia, a
passionate dancer who dreams of one day becoming a
professional ballerina. Under the guidance of her beloved dance
teacher Miss Jenny, Mia auditions for the prestigious
Enchanted Dance Academy and is thrilled when she is accepted
into the program.
Upon arriving at the academy, Mia is captivated by the rich
history and legacy that previous dancers have left behind. She
stumbles upon a mysterious box of ballet shoes, each pair
belonging to a former dancer at the academy. When Mia tries
on a pair of shoes, she is suddenly transported into the lives of
the dancers who wore them, experiencing their triumphs and
challenges firsthand.
As Mia delves deeper into the lives of these dancers, she begins
to uncover secrets that have been buried for years. With each
pair of shoes she tries on, Mia learns valuable lessons about
perseverance, friendship, and the true meaning of success.
Through her journey, Mia not only discovers the power of
dance, but also learns more about herself and the importance of
honouring the past while forging her own path in the world of
ballet. The Enchanted Dance Academy is a heartfelt story about
the magic of dance, the bonds of sisterhood, and the
transformative power of stepping into someone else's shoes.
BEHIND MY SMILE
In Behind My Smile: The True Story of an Author, a Broken Spirit and a Healer Beryl dissects her struggles with grief; a grief born of the devastating losses of her father and siblings, and loss of place in the country of her birth.
After a lifelong battle with self-acceptance Beryl found the keys to overcoming the stigma of mental breakdown and its sweeping effects. She describes the steps she took to climb back from debilitating fear and what she saw as failure in her quest for mental health.
The book offers a candid and absorbing account of Beryl’s healing journey. She shares details of the intensive work of a clinical psychologist and energy medicine practitioner.
This healing encouraged Beryl to explore her belief in the power of her heritage, the gifts available from contact with her ancestors and traditional healing methods. Having found a true healer, Beryl was able to see the richness of a life free of all manner of oppression — political, psychological, material. This story is essential reading for anyone who knows what it means to hover on the edge, and found a way to dive back into life
SILENT TRACKS
He stole her career dreams. Can she escape before he takes control of her life?
Amelia longs to be a scientist. Her dream comes true when her she receives entry into a scholarship program. Everything is going to plan until she reaches her second year and her life starts to unravel. She discovers that her father, is involved in money laundering. Their comfortable lifestyle is not through his hard work. It is built on dishonesty. She is shocked to discover his dark side, and this betrayal sends her into a spiral of confusion.
Amelia is torn between exposing her father and causing their family financial ruin. When her father calls in the help of a local tutor to help her with her studies, she falls prey to his controlling mind. Suddenly her family feel like strangers.
Everyone has a secret.
Can she survive the betrayal by her father and escape her tutor’s control?
If you enjoy nail-biting suspense, slow-burning secrets and dark domestic noir, you’ll love this chilling psychological thriller.
Secret Harbour
Some of us have those friends who are almost like siblings. All that’s missing is the blood connection for us to be akin.
The quality of our friendships determines the quality of our lives. It’s not wealth that brings joy and meaning to life; it’s the people we cherish.
For Alex, Nic, Leo and Walt, this kind of bond came naturally. From that first day at high school orientation, forging this kind of intimate friendship flowed from a sense of loneliness. Each in their own way craved connection. An unspoken bond holds them together as they battle their way through, adolescence, careers, love life and their relationship with their fathers.
At the age of forty, having settled into their busy careers and active family lives, they discover that they are losing something crucial: their friendship. Other priorities always seemed to come first.
A classic story of friendship and sacrifice, albeit filled with secrets of abuse, injustices and family values.