A novel by Basia Clarke

A Spelling Mistake

a powerful story of friendship, identity, and the ties that bind us across a lifetime

Available now in paperback and Kindle eBook

A Spelling Mistake book cover: two women walking a dirt road, seen from behind

Some friendships begin quietly…

Others forge in moments that change everything

Two women. One lifelong friendship.

A Spelling Mistake paperback cover

About the Book

Krystyna and Anne seemingly have nothing in common. Their meeting at a Catholic school in Sydney’s inner west intertwines them forever as they navigate their journeys from childhood to adulthood. Raised in families marked by silence and unspoken history, the girls grow up side by side as Australia moves through decades of social and political change.

As adults, each woman is confronted by long buried family secrets. Krystyna is drawn to Poland to uncover the legacy of war and displacement, while Anne’s search for truth leads her to the remote opal fields of Queensland, where questions of heritage and abandonment demand answers.

As their paths take them far from home, their friendship remains constant and is a quiet enduring force in lives shaped by change.

A Spelling Mistake is a story of identity and courage where friends face the past so they can move forward.

Buy the Book

Krystyna & Anne

Krystyna

The daughter of Polish migrants, Krystyna is intelligent, outspoken, and shaped by her family’s wartime past. Driven by curiosity and justice, she spends her life searching for truth and belonging.

Anne

Quiet, thoughtful, and resilient, Anne grows up in a struggling Indigenous-European family in Sydney’s inner west. Her search for identity uncovers long-buried family secrets.

Together theirs is a powerful story of friendship, identity, and the ties that bind us across a lifetime.

From post-war migration to the new millennium

Spanning 50 years from inner-city Sydney to the outback of Queensland and the post-war landscapes of Poland, A Spelling Mistake explores:

On the far side of the world, two girls discover where they belong.

Let A Spelling Mistake take you on an unforgettable journey of friendship, identity and family history.

Get your copy
Basia Clarke, author of A Spelling Mistake

About the Author

Basia Clarke

I was raised in Sydney to parents who sought refuge from war torn Poland.

As a typical baby boomer, I have seen many changes in the world as I have navigated my life’s journey. The experiences of being a first-generation migrant child and the expectations that came with that role allowed me to see life from many different perspectives. It also gave me an understanding of how culture moulds an individual and how different cultural norms can conflict.

In my working capacity, I was a high school Economics, Legal and Business Studies teacher, teaching in a variety of schools from single sex male and female to comprehensive in the public system. In retirement, I also taught all boys in the private system. I found that telling stories to illustrate the facts I was trying to convey was what engaged my students and story-telling became one important tool in teaching.

My teaching career was enhanced by my involvement in the family business, which gave me the opportunity to visit the remote opal fields in Australia. It was here that I was able to interact with diverse groups of eclectic miners from many different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. These interactions differed vastly from any interactions with wealthy overseas buyers who regularly visited the opal fields on their yearly buying expeditions.

In addition to my dual careers, I volunteered with many different organisations. I was involved in the scouting movement for nine years and later became a charity mentor and team leader for troubled teenage girls. I was a crisis support worker for Lifeline for over five years and in this role, have helped train and mentor many young applicants. This was an especially difficult time during lockdown.

I raised three beautiful boys who are now men of whom I am immensely proud. Their unique personalities and experiences coupled with their different friendship groups and interests have shaped my perspective about the complexities of life. Further experiences with my grandchildren and their desire to be told a “story” always challenge me to entertain them in this manner.

Retirement from full-time work does not necessitate retirement from life. I belong to Cronulla RSL swimming group that meets four times a week for ocean swims regardless of the season. I now have time for extended overseas travel and do so on a regular basis.

I hope that my first attempt at writing a story as opposed to orally telling a story will bring joy and interest to the readers who I would like to engage.

Basia Clarke2026

Get your copy of A Spelling Mistake

Available now on Amazon in paperback and Kindle eBook.