A Note from the Author

The Gift of Time began in 2019, during a week of self-isolation after I caught Covid.

I had always wanted to write a book. I had carried that dream around for years, waiting for the right time, or enough time, or some perfect moment that never quite arrived.

During that week, I thought about J.R.R. Tolkien creating The Hobbit from stories he made up for his children. That idea stayed with me. I wanted to create something for my own children, not just a story they could read, but proof that a dream is something you can choose to follow.

So I started writing.

It has taken six whole years to finish The Gift of Time. Much longer than I imagined. But that feels right for this book, in a strange way. It is a story about time, courage and choosing what matters.

I hope my children see that in it.

And hopefully, this is just the beginning.

Mo van Vuuren