Isla's Song Love of a Child

Melbourne, Australia, it is 1955. A four-year old child, Isla, is seated at a piano.

She digs out her scrunched sheet music from her school bag, flattens it out and places it before her. She looks about an unfamiliar room, where windows frame the wild unforgiving landscape of the Orkney Islands, before resting her tiny fingers on the old upright keyboard. Little did Isla or her father know of her mother’s secret plan to abduct Isla from her home, her friends, family and everything that made her feel loved and secure.

Isla’s Song, set in the heady folk music days of the 60s, is a story of choices, betrayal, love, stardom, eternal hopes and a child’s love. Each chapter named after a Joni Mitchell song to flavor and enhance the adventure. From one act of kidnapping, a little girl reveals to us how the gift of music and a commitment to manifest can really make dreams come true.

Darren Mort is an expert on family law, divorce, and separation, having specialized in this area of law as a Barrister for over 30 years. He was also awarded Barrister of the Year in 2022 at the Australian Law Awards. Darren is also a professional actor and producer. His recent short film – Degree of Separation – a story about family violence – won multiple international awards. He is a director of To Be Loved Network – a charitable foundation that produces resources for children navigating conflict in parental separation and divorce (www.tobeloved.org.au)

Foreword
1. Overture
2. Both Sides Now
3. Borderline
4. I Think I Understand
5. Born to be Wild
6. Dog Day Afternoon
7. Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow
8. Go Tell the Drummer Man
9. Let the Wind Carry Me
10. Big Yellow Taxi
11. Chelsea Morning
12. Night in the City
13. I Won’t Cry
14. Just Like This Train
15. This Place
16. Good Friends
17. Last Chance Lost.
18. Wild Things Run Fast
19. The Wizard of Is
20. Judgement of the Moon and Stars
21. This Flight Tonight
22. In France They Kiss on Main Street
23. The Circle Game
24. The River
25. Come to the Sunshine
26. If
27. Conversation
28. A Melody in Your Name
29. Not to Blame
30. Nothing Can Be Done
31. The Priest
32. Blow the Candles Out
33. Shine
Author’s Thoughts
About the Author