Beneath the Smiling Moustache

Author
Belinda Lara Robinson

Belinda Lara Robinson was born in Sydney in 1968 and from a young age was determined to see the greater world outside of her childhood home in Macquarie Fields, Australia. In adulthood this drive took her around the world, and she travelled extensively through the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Britain and the United States.

Everywhere she went, Belinda was determined to experience and empathize with cultures different to her own. In her early twenties, she saw the warmth and generosity of a foreign culture first-hand when she was cared for by Turkish people after being struck by a bus in Istanbul. The memory of that time stayed with her and forms a key part of her memoir, Beneath the Smiling Moustache.

Belinda was a fighter with a heart of gold. She was passionate and thoughtful and determined to share the lessons she’d learned from her travels along with her innate joy and positivity in life.

‍Beneath the Smiling Moustache is Belinda's legacy and was brought to publication by a group of devoted friends and family determined to see Belinda’s dying wish become a reality after she was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer in 2018.

Belinda died on February 7th 2020, leaving the world with a heart-warming story of human kindness and fortitude in the face of adversity.

February 2020, after fighting a brave battle with a rare form of cancer.

Belinda's dying wish was to have her travel memoir - Beneath the Smiling Moustache - published.

Editor

Michele Perry

The Manuscript Appraisal Agency provide professional appraisals, editorial services and mentorship opportunities for authors, agents and publishers.

They employ over 30 highly qualified editors, who cover a wide range of genres and who are vastly experienced in the publishing industry. You can find more about them at: manuscriptagency.com.au.

We were privileged to be paired with Michele Perry from the agency, who was immediately drawn to Belinda's words. Being a 'nomad' of sorts herself, she felt a bond with Belinda and knew that she had to help Belinda tell her story. It also helped that she had had similar experiences in her own travels and was a girl from Belinda's 'era'.

The Manuscript Appraisal Agency were honoured and deeply appreciative of the chance to work on this project and bring Belinda's story to life. Michele thanks Belinda for being beside her, in a special way, as she edited her words.