Seychellois author Rosie Tirant, who lives in the UK, has presented a copy of her new novel to the Seychelles high commission and the Seychelles Tourist Office in London.

Ms Tirant said she hopes that her book, entitled Echoes from the Oasis, could be used to complement all the marketing work that the country is doing to promote the destination.

She first handed over a copy of her book to Tinaz Wadia, the regional manager for UK and Ireland at the Seychelles Tourist Office, following which she presented another copy to the Seychelles high commissioner in the UK, Marie-Pierre Lloyd.

The novel, which is based in Seychelles starting 1912, came out in May this year. Ms Tirant said even if her work is fiction, the life of Seychelles back then – the beauty of the islands, the culture, history and connections with the rest of the outside world – are very prominently featured.

“Echoes from the Oasis sets the foundations and shows what life was like for all islanders, women in particular. No matter their status or wealth, it is the women who form the backbone of this story,” she explained, adding: “this period in our history comes to life, as the joys and struggles play out, entwined into a family saga-cum-romance under the tropical sun”.

Both high commissioner Lloyd and Ms Wadia thanked Ms Tirant for her book and for supporting the country with such a novel, which depicts life on the islands in the early 1900s.

Ms Tirant has also forwarded a copy of her new book to Minister Alain St Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture, who said that the book does credit to the beauty of Seychelles and also life on the islands.

“I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and would recommend it as being a good read,” Minister St Ange said.