Bali bombing survivor Hanabeth Luke will be launching her book Shock Waves, finding peace after the Bali bomb, this coming Saturday 27th October as a part of Byron Bay Surf Festival at 9am in the Southern Cross University Room at Byron Bay Community Centre.

Her launch will kick off a full day of workshops and talks on surf writing, surf yoga surfing history and much, much more. Hanabeth and Tim Baker will be giving an introduction to the story and talking about the journey that they have followed in the self publishing process. There will be a question and answer session and music provided by Tim Stokes. The book was dedicated in part to Tom Singer, who was the man who featured in the iconic image as Hanabeth led him away from the flames of the Sari Club. His parents Peter and Megan will be there and will also say a few words. Tim Baker will also be running a workshop on surf writing at 11am and they will be available for book signings in the Community Centre and later at the Artisan markets in the Railway Park.

“My partner Marc Gajardo and I had stopped off in Bali on the way to Byron Bay, Australia. I was on the dance floor when the Sari Club was ripped to shreds by a car bomb, ending Marc’s life, and changing mine forever. I used severed electrical wire to escape over a 12 foot wall and went back in to find Marc. That was when I found 17 year old Tom Singer lying on the ground, and the photograph taken as I pulled Tom away from the flames became the iconic image of the Bali Bombing.

As soon as I could I went back to Cornwall to be with Marc’s parents, organising the ‘Surf for Bali’, with a simple message of peace, raising $12,000 for Balinese Hospital facilities. When the Bali Bomb was used as a reason to invade Iraq, I started to speak my message of peace publicly, which led me to speak with Tony Blair to try and stop the impending Iraq war.
When the war began I had to get away, and found solace surfing the raw waves of Western Australia. This was when I started to write about my experiences and was the beginning of the book that is about to be launched. It has taken me years to complete, requiring me to venture back into the fire and finally face the pain front-on.

I’m now living in Byron Bay, doing a PhD and teaching at Southern Cross University. Life’s good, but I’m really excited to have finally completed this very personal book. ‘Shock Waves, Finding Peace After the Bali Bomb’, has been edited by best selling surf writer Tim Baker who also wrote the Foreword. The book has been published for the ten year anniversary of the Bali Bomb and is now available in paperback on Amazon and in Mary Ryans Bookstore in Byron Bay.”