Jane Messer author

🐦‍⬛ Raven Mother Log #2

Another of my finds from my parents’ house some years ago, is this sewing box. It began to my grandmother Bella and she brought it with her from Berlin to Tel Aviv to Melbourne. I have no idea when my father took possession of it. Possibly after my grandfather W***y died, or my step-grandmother Erica?

Can these precious objects teleport themselves into our lives? Did it want to be found? Bella’s sewing box surely did.

The lid of the box is a fine-beaded tapestry design with metallic lace, lined with a fine velvet and with a press-stud closure which still works.

When I opened it, I expected to find yarn and fraying cotton thread, needles and thimbles. Instead, I found dozens of family photos dating from the early 1900s to the 1940s. Some had clues written on the back in her handwriting. Dates and names, places.

I used these images and their captions as the clues for my research.

These two photos show my grandfather W***y from his Berlin days, and my great-aunt Minna, aged in her early teens.

I’d love to hear from you if you know anything about the flowers represented on the box or information about the age of this box.

🐦‍⬛ Raven Mother Log #1

This is one of the first photos that I discovered from the small trove of boxes and photo albums that were in the back of a cupboard at my parents’ house.

The woman is my grandmother Bella, a woman I never met but whose life and death shaped so much of my own — looking so gloriously happy and relaxed.

She’s alone on the yacht’s bow, the ropes brushing her bare arms, the wind pushing her hair across her forehead. Most likely she’s sailing with friends on Lake Wannsee (Große Wannsee).

This was taken during the good years, before the war, before the Holocaust, before separating from her children and living for many years in Palestine.

This image is on the cover of my book Raven Mother for good reason. Here is my flesh and blood, the ‘rabenmutter’, strong, upright, free. Is that a small smile on her lips?

She left Germany. She crossed continents. She left behind a son.

For years, I wanted to understand my grandmother Bella's story—and the choices she made in the shadow of war.

On 30 June, join me at Waverley Library for a conversation about Raven Mother, a memoir that weaves together family history, Jewish migration, memory, and the search for answers across generations.

📍 Waverley Library
📅 Tues, 30 June, 6:30pm - 8pm
🎟️ Free, bookings essential
Book now: https://shorturl.at/yPJ2A

I'm feeling very unapologetically proud of my daughter on her graduation in Business and Marketing, at UTS. 👏 Studying while also working in a senior role isn't easy, but she nailed it. 🥹 👏

Here we are with her loving brother and step-dad, Martin. ✌️

The cute inset is their sibling portrait from when they were in childcare at the wonderful cooperative Rozelle Community Child Care Centre ❤️

A super special family day for us. ❤️

"I've just come to the end of three very full and meaningful events around 'Raven Mother', and I'm still taking it all in a bit.

Thank you to everyone who came along, listened so closely, asked thoughtful questions, and stayed afterwards to talk. You've been great audience and I couldn't have asked for more!

Writing is such a solitary thing most of the time, so having these conversations in person has felt genuinely special.

And a big thank you to those who helped me make the events run so smoothly, from the organisers and moderators to the booksellers, venue staff, and all the people working quietly in the background. Your care and effort never go unnoticed.

I've come away from these events feeling very grateful, and moved by it all, honestly."

Friends — I’m delighted that my article Fly Away Home has been featured in The Big Issue.

It’s rewarding to see Fly Away Home reaching new readers and opening up new conversations alongside Raven Mother.

Warm thanks to the team at The Big Issue, to the many TBI street vendors, and to everyone who has been reading, sharing and responding so thoughtfully.

If you spot the issue out in the wild, I’d love to hear what you think. Thank you to everyone who has contacted me so far!

💖 Reading these messages from readers has meant a great deal to me.

So many have responded to the book’s mix of personal story, history, and the political, and to its attention to grief, forgiveness, identity, and the way family stories are carried forward across generations. I’m especially touched by the care and thoughtfulness in these reflections.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read, reflect, and write to me. It’s been a privilege to hear from you.

There are no more seats available for the SWF talks, but I've got others coming up soon at the Willoughby Literary Festival, Lane Cove Library, Five Dock Library, Harry Hartog's at Mosmon, South Coast Writers Festival, Melbourne Jewish Book Week, Canberra Writers Festival, and more.

Bookings and details: https://linktr.ee/janemesserauthor

Wonderful news to receive this week. The Conversation has published a book review of 'Raven Mother: War, Family and Inheritance, a memoir'

“There is a beautiful relationship between father and daughter at the heart of this book, and through this journey of writing it, a healing between her father and his long-dead mother that is, to my mind, an incredible gift.”

It feels especially meaningful to see the book finding its way into wider conversations around history, family, memory, and inheritance.

🔍 Read the full review: https://shorturl.at/1Vs2s

There are no more seats available for my SWF talks, but I've got others coming up over the coming weeks and months at Lane Cove Library, Five Dock Library, Willoughby Literary Festival, Harry Hartog's at Mosmon, South Coast Writers Festival, Melbourne Jewish Book Week, Canberra Writers Festival, and more.

Bookings and details: https://linktr.ee/janemesserauthor

I’m thrilled to be appearing at the Sydney Writers' Festival this May. Checkout these two events:

📍 22 May — Close to Home
A conversation led by Michaela Kalowski with myself (Raven Mother) and Katia Ariel (Ferryman: The Life and Deathwork of Ephraim Finch)
Tickets from $20.

📍 24 May — Jane Messer: Raven Mother
A deep dive into the writing of Raven Mother: War, Family and Inheritance.
Free entry.

I’d love to see you there.

Bookings and details for Close to Home: https://shorturl.at/m2Cv5
Bookings and details for Jane Messer: Raven Mother: https://shorturl.at/qKjEW

Thank you to everyone who came along to the Brisbane event at Avid Reader Bookshop.

It was such a thoughtful evening, with the courtyard full of people who truly engaged with the book and its themes. I’m especially grateful to Susan Johnson for such a wonderful conversation.

A very special thank you as well to the team at Avid Reader Bookshop for the welcome and support, and to Karen at Books@Stones Corner bookstore and Dymocks Brisbane for stocking Raven Mother and inviting me to sign copies.

I'm looking forward to more insightful conversations this month
💬 Sydney Writers' Festival : May 22 and May 24
💬 Lane Cove Library book talk, with Cynthia Banham: May 28

More info at my Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/janemesserauthor