Reviews & Testimonials
Jessica Williams, Issue 10
The Miggy Tree isn’t like other books. In fact, it was never meant to actually be a book, but rather a personal piece of poetry from a son to his mother. As circumstances changed though, it became a heartfelt project to honour the memory of its author.
The Miggy Tree is a book that would have meaning for anyone who has given or received it, but for Julie Buxton it was one of the most heartfelt gifts she has ever given.
Jason Steger, April 28, 2007
Julie Buxton has published her first book and lovely it is, too. It’s called The Miggy Tree and is a poem written by her husband, Karl Yeomans, on the occasion of his mother’s 50th birthday in 1996. But Karl never saw the book. He died of cancer a year ago today. His poem was read at his funeral and Julie says many of his friends were amazed. “It was a side of him they hadn’t seen.”
In the few weeks after Karl’s funeral, Julie decided to publish the poem for her mother-in-law “at a very sad time” and so that their young son, Marlow, would have something of his father’s in the the future. Julie found illustrator Anna Walker close to home - she is her sister’s sister-in-law. “She did a wonderful job and the sentiments match the poem so well. People wonder whether Anna knew Karl because of the match.”
The book was launched a couple of weeks ago and is available at Readings Bookshops or from Julie’s website, miggytree.com.au. Julie says she ordered a fairly small print run, which sells for $24.95. But she is talking to Hardie Grant Books about a publishing deal that will mean a second, significantly larger print run later in the year along with wider distribution.
And why does The Miggy Tree appear under the Klaussen Publishing imprint? “Klaussen was Karl’s nickname for Marlow.”
