By Matthew Sims
Altona North’s Mariam El Houli has picked herself out of periods of homelessness and depression, as well as fleeing from the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War, to tell parts of her story to the world.
Released in April, her debut novel The Olive Tree has reached the number one spot in the world and adult fiction categories on Amazon and talks have begun to adapt the story into a film.
The book tells the story of 16-year-old Nisma, who lives with her family as an Islamic Palestinian in Israel and makes a new friend, Hannah, who is a Zionist.
Nisma must discover that in a country shrouded by corruption, bigotry and segregation, love and compassion is her best chance at survival.
Mrs El Houli said parts of the story reflected her own journey, including fleeing from Lebanon with her husband in 2006.
“It (war) is not the fairy tale people see it as,” she said.
“Children pay the ultimate price.
“What unites them is poverty.”
Mrs El Houli obtained a Bachelor of Literature and Composition from Griffith University.
“I wrote The Olive Tree a few years ago,” she said.
“I’ve always had a passion for writing.”
Mrs El Houli said the book also symbolised her re-emerging from the depression she experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I decided I was not going to spiral,” she said.
“It’s been a big accomplishment to touch people’s hearts in a few words.
Mrs El Houli said she was in talks with a director and production companies about making a movie based on the book, with plans to film the movie in Turkish and enter it in the Cannes Film Festival.
On top of writing her second novel, titled Souls of the Devil, her other endeavours have included working as a business coach, entrepreneur, skin care label founder and mother of five children.
Details: www.mariamelhouli.com
