The Night of the Red Tide

A compelling story for readers of all ages, The Night of the Red Tide follows the adventures of Lily, a highly energetic miniature Australian shepherd, and Kai, an extraordinary wandering albatross. These two unlikely friends meet on a magical night in California and travel across the world to escape the Great Pandemic, in a quest to reach Ireland and fulfill Lily's dream of becoming a working sheepdog.

Accompany Lily and Kai on a thrilling journey that will stretch your imagination, taking you to faraway places inhabited by prolific wildlife and free-roaming farm animals, including Galapagos, Tristan da Cunha, and subantarctic South Georgia, as well as the spectacular Irish land of Connemara.

Illustrated with captivating photographs of remote landscapes and animals in their natural habitat, this story will make you more aware of the need to preserve our precious planet and its endangered species, many of whom are fighting for survival in an increasingly threatened environment.

About the Author

Gabrielle O'Flaherty, author of The Night of the Red Tide, was born and raised in Ireland, later moving with her family to Cambridge, England, where she pursued a career in fashion while studying at the College of Arts and Technology.

After working in Paris and London, she emigrated with her husband to California, where she raised three daughters in San Diego, and became an accomplished artist and sculptor. She now lives in the small surfing town of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, near her daughters' families and their numerous pets (including Lily, a miniature Australian shepherd).

Gabrielle inherited her passion for the sea from her mother, and her love of writing from her father. She enjoys international travel, frequently revisiting her home country.

The genesis of her new story was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which inspired a burst of creativity. Being housebound and unable to travel, she channeled her intense emotions into writing a series of poems, making a highly acclaimed digitized photographic collage honoring essential workers, and conceiving this story. The idea came to her one night while watching a massive red tide that had invaded the local beaches. Astonished by the luminescent blue waves breaking on the shore, she fantasized that that a giant albatross might land there and take her daughter's restless dog Lily to Ireland.

By writing this story, she was able to travel across the world with these two unlikely friends in her imagination. She invites readers of all ages to join her on this adventure.

The primary editor of the book was Gabrielle's husband Ken, who also assisted in acquiring the photographs to illustrate her story, some of which became montages designed by her to fit the narrative.

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