PURPLE PATCH

Pete Carnes' first memories of life on the Island of Alpha

were of the Island's markets.

To him it seemed a magical place.

It certainly looked different from the rest of the Island.

Here they bartered, that is to say they traded with one another for their various needs. The Alphaen's form of trade is exchanging one commodity for another, item for item.

It is the one place where the islanders seemed to come to life,

to laugh and meet...

The author is a woman of striking contrasts in every aspect of her life. A proud South African with Italian and Irish heritage, she is a lateral thinker with a firm grounding in finance, banking and business, paired with a creative flair that enables her to approach the often daunting world of money, economics and financial literacy with originality and ease. Her writing reflects her versatility as both banker and journalist. She is as confident in a boardroom - managing a company, closing a deal, making a sale or training students - as she is in the kitchen preparing pasta, icing a novelty cake, or embracing her roles as wife, mother and grandmother.
Across her successful and varied career, she has written an entry-level economics book for Grade 10 learners, produced a study guide for banking students, and worked for many years as a banker, marketer, trainer and financial adviser. She recognised early on the need to improve financial and economic understanding from a young age, and she brings a genuine passion for making finance and money management accessible to all. Her insight into economics and financial behaviour is both practical and perceptive.
Maureen's calling is not only to demystify financial skills but also to transform the way people perceive the study of finance and economics. She achieves this through an entirely "out-of-the-box" approach, presenting the fundamentals of money, finance and business ethics through engaging, story-driven narratives that make learning both enjoyable and memorable.