The Angolan Girl: A True-Life Novel

It's 1975 in Lobito, Angola, where Rosa, Leo, and their children are trapped in their home as militants battle for power. After thirteen years Portugal lost the War of Independence, now civil war rages on. The Carvalho family has given up hope for peace in their beloved homeland. A plan to build a life in Canada sets into motion. But their journey won't be easy.

Rosa takes comfort in the knowledge that her life has never been easy. Memories of her childhood spent bouncing between wealth and servitude, longing for a mother she couldn't know, and a naïve adolescence cut short fuel Rosa's courage to make good on a promise she made long ago.

After five straight days the gunshots have quieted; the time to flee is now. Which would you choose if memories and a change of clothes were all you could take?

Telma Rocha is an avid reader, reviewer, and blogger. She documents and shares her reading and writing journeys on Instagram and is an active member of various groups dedicated to promoting local talent. ​ Telma lives in Southern Ontario with her husband and two sons. When she is not reading or writing, she can be found enjoying the outdoors with her family or sharing meals and laughter with good friends. Born in Angola, Telma immigrated to Canada in 1976 avoiding the turbulent civil war that erupted there in 1974. These events are documented in her first novel, The Angolan Girl. A story about her grandmothers life from childhood through the early stages of the war. Telma is currently working on her second novel, From Far and Wide. A story that takes place on Manitoulin island. Inspired by a motorcycle trip to the island with her husband, it is sure to capture the freedom and beauty of this great Canadian landscape.