It’s been some time since I’ve written, and I have some really exciting news for you today.
As you know, I’ve been busy writing the story behind our multi-award-winning ‘Sisters for Sale’ documentary.
The first part of that story, ‘Every Stranger’s Eyes’, was released last December as an ebook.
‘Every Stranger’s Eyes’ was to be launched as a physical book in March. I’ve been delighted with the first copies of the book, which look fantastic.
Unfortunately, our plans were disrupted by the pandemic. Apart from the sneaky first boxful of books that were sold before lockdown began, the physical book has been left unlaunched.
We haven’t promoted the book at all. We haven’t even shared the links with our supporters – until now.
‘Sisters for Sale’ follows the search for my friends May and Pang, who were kidnapped from their homes in Vietnam and sold in China. While I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved with the documentary, there was so much more to the story we simply weren’t able to fit into the film.
‘Every Stranger’s Eyes’ is told in a more personal way, taking you on a journey to see what it is that makes May, Pang, and their hometown of Sapa so very special. It reveals much more of their story and mine than has ever been told before.
It’s a fascinating story illustrating the importance of direct action, and the dangers of losing sight of what you believe in. This edition includes a special message by Michael Brosowski, founder and CEO of Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation.
Here are some of the amazing comments I’ve received from early readers:
“Without a doubt one of the most remarkable stories I have ever read.” – Judith Cooper
“The only human trafficking story that has left me with more hope in humanity.” – Brittnay Mayhue
“Wow! I couldn’t stop reading… It’s fast-paced, moving, well-written – as a writer, I tried hard to find flaws but I couldn’t!” – Sifis Zervoudakis
“Oh My Goodness! It was amazing: I started reading and couldn’t put it down. This story stole my heart.” – Jillian Swisher
The physical book is now globally available via a wide range of online platforms, and all sales support our fight against human trafficking. The links I’m sharing here are those that will give the most support to our own work, rather than sending the profits to third-party sites like Amazon.
You can order the physical book now through Aerio (US), Blackwells (UK), or Booktopia (Australia and New Zealand). If you’d like to buy the ebook, it’s best to order here through our own website.
(Pro tip: if you have friends nearby who you think will also enjoy this story, orders of multiple books seem to be much more cost-effective in terms of postage.)
In other news:
The ‘Sisters for Sale’ podcast wrapped up its first season last month. While we’ve had plenty of wonderful feedback and have amassed listeners all over the world, the podcast demanded a lot more time and energy than expected. I’ve decided to put it on hold for now so I can focus my efforts on our other work. If you haven’t yet heard the podcast, all episodes are still available here.
We’re currently looking for the best way to make the ‘Sisters for Sale’ documentary available online. It has been surprisingly difficult to find a platform that meets our requirements and isn’t Amazon. I’m hoping to have a link to share with you in the coming weeks!
Stay safe, and stay tuned,
– Ben