This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Gisela (Gigi) Sedlmayer was born on 19 May 1944 in Potsdam, a suburb of Berlin in Germany.
Her family escaped to the West just before the infamous wall went up. They moved around in Germany until finally settling in Munich where Gigi studied architectural drafting and met Albert in 1965, marrying in December 1967. She worked as a civil drafts person in various private consultancies in Munich.
Since her uncle was a writer, she tried to write short animal stories herself. Nothing further came of it, but she developed a love for the written word and started to consume books.
In May 1975, Gigi and her husband moved to New Zealand. Because of language challenges, she started a handcraft business. As a specialty, she made colourful parrots of which she sold thousands in a few years.
In 1988, they decided to adopt and became adoptive parents of twin girls the year after. They lived in New Zealand for eighteen years and moved to Australia in September 1992.
Two years later Gigi was diagnosed with cancer. After operations and radiation, she withdrew, thinking that she would probably soon be dead, like her friend who died of cancer, but her two little girls gave her the courage to keep going. After two years, her brain started to work again, so she thought, ‘do something good with your life’.
Albert taught her how to use a computer and she wrote many short stories, one of them was the Talon series.
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
Talon, Flight for Life by Gigi Sedlmayer is the third title in the Talon series and in this book Matica and her father are traveling to Cajamarca to buy food and medical supplies and pick up their family’s tickets to go to Australia. Matica’s parents, Crayn and Mira, are missionaries who have gone to Peru from Australia. Matica has a growth disability and at the age of ten, she resembles a two-year-old. Matica is reluctant to leave Talon and go with her father, but she knows the trip is going to be exciting and adventurous as their five-day journey will be through the rainforest and grasslands. Talon promises to visit her every day and take her on a flight, but Matica is not too sure if he will appear. The forest has its own dangers and scary creatures, and though Matica is frightened, she is also fascinated by the jungle’s beauty. On the way back home, Crayn is bitten by a poisonous spider and nearly dies. Matica turns to her condors - Talon, Tamo, and Tima - for help. Together will they be able to save Crayn?
The story is descriptive and the author makes the scenes and characters vivid and lively. The author’s love for animals is evident. Her compassion for children with disabilities is also tangible as the story progresses. The bond between Talon and Matica is magical and special. The different layers in the plot make the story riveting and a compelling read. The journey, the adventures, and the life lessons learned have been woven together beautifully, making it a positive read. Matica and her condors will make readers smile, and all the other characters in the story complement the main characters and are memorable. It is a story about friendship, love, faith, hope and courage, a story to be enjoyed by young and older readers alike.
