In 2005, the Gatoli-King family from the UK, recently resident in Javea found itself thrown into unfamilar territory when their son was suddenly admitted to Santa Fe hospital for immediate treatment for leukemia. Their subsequent challenges and ups and downs took place against a backdrop of being forced to tackle the language barrier and unfamiliar culture head on.
Their son, Kenan, tragically died just over three years ago, and his mother, Gina, decided that their story was worth telling, so that her two younger sons would know something of their lost brother, and also that others in a similar situation might benefit from her experience.
Therefore, with the help of family and friends she collected stories and memories and decided to write a book. She was lucky to have a friend in Karen Mullally, ex BBC producer and presenter and now a writer herself, also living in Javea, who stepped in as co-author. By chance the manuscript was passed to Gaile Griffin-Peers, yet another Javea resident, who is also manager of a small book publishing company: "UP Publications".
Gaile and her colleagues fell in love with the script and the book was launched on December 8th at a small press gathering in Javea.
The book is startlingly honest, at times moving, sometimes funny, and full of patois of East London. The title, "Oi, Oi, Saveloy!", is a London greeting -sometimes shouted out by young men to get the attention of pretty girls. It's a hint of what Kenan might have said if he had survived.
Gina will be selling signed copies of her book at a fund raising event on December 11th at Bar Quo Vadis in Javea, and the book is also available online through British booksellers: UP Publications, Waterstones, WH Smith and Amazon, and here soon in Spain through local bookshops and supermarkets.
Thus an idea and dream, born of a tragedy, has come to frution through the resourcefulness and energy of a small group of people here in Javea. We wish the book, and the campaign against childhood leukemia, every success both here and world wide.
http://www.uppublications.ltd.uk/Main/
http://www.oioisaveloy.info/book/
