Lucia Mann is a self-described former "slave" and a former British journalist who founded the North American Modern-Day Slavery Reporting Center. She came to Canada in 1992 to aid the Manitoba government with environmental issues and moved to BC a year later. She became a Canadian citizen in 2000. Born in the wake of World War II in what was then the British colony (Commonwealth) of South Africa, she is of Sicilian and British descent. For five decades she has fought for change to combat "the heinous trade in human flesh." Her novels in the four-book African Freedom Series are inspired by real events.
Based on a true story, her Addicted to Hate relates how parents can often be abused mentally, physically and financially by adult children. In doing so, Mann contemplates the question of nature vs. nurture.
The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland (Aperion 2020) tells the stories of people who lived through El Salvador's brutal civil war, 1980 - 1992, which claimed the lives of more than 75,000 Salvadorans. The families tyrannized by the country's military-led government came mostly from poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers. Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls the human rights violations during and after the "dirty" war between the American CIA-backed government and the left-wing Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front. Throughout it all, many of the characters Mann describes yearn for peace, justice and normalcy. The Little Breadwinner is Lucia Mann's seventh book that exposes accounts of both personal and social injustice.
In Weeping Goes Unheard: Sacred Tears for Indigenous Victims of Racial Genocide (Aperion, 2021) Mann provides an historical record for those unfamiliar with Canada's shameful history in its treatment of Indigenous people. These accounts demonstrate that there can be no peace and harmony unless there's equal justice for all.
Mann's 9th title, Hidden Behind the Mist of Arrow Lakes (Aperion, 2023) is a novel based on real events about individuals with ties to the Nazi era—some born during the war and others after—who adopted new identities in a remote part of BC, cleverly altering one or two letters of their birth or last names. Living inconspicuously, they managed to stay beneath the radar. Mann's new tale weaves together the intricate web of connections between Russia, England, Germany and Canada that illustrates links to the Holocaust’s history. Within its pages lies a harrowing chronicle of unspeakable atrocities that managed to remain shrouded in secrecy until outed by a courageous woman.
BOOKS:
Hidden Behind the Mist of Arrow Lakes: So deep are the sinister secrets that hide in plain sight (Aperion, 2023) $19.95 978-0-9856039-7-7
Weeping Goes Unheard: Sacred Tears for Indigenous Victims of Racial Genocide (Aperion, 2021) $17.95 9780985603946
The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland (Aperion 2020) $17.95 9780985603939
Endless Incarnation Sorrows (Grassroots 2019)
Addicted to Hate (Grassroots 2018) 978-0-9794805-9-1
The Sicilian Veil of Shame (Grassroots 2016)
Rented Silence (Grassroots Publishing Group 2016)
A Veil of Blood Hangs over Africa (Grassroots 2015)
Africa's Unfinished Symphony (Grassroots 2013)
[BCBW 2021]
Based on a true story, her Addicted to Hate relates how parents can often be abused mentally, physically and financially by adult children. In doing so, Mann contemplates the question of nature vs. nurture.
The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland (Aperion 2020) tells the stories of people who lived through El Salvador's brutal civil war, 1980 - 1992, which claimed the lives of more than 75,000 Salvadorans. The families tyrannized by the country's military-led government came mostly from poor peasants, indigenous peoples, and child farm workers. Lucia Mann, who was in El Salvador at the time, recalls the human rights violations during and after the "dirty" war between the American CIA-backed government and the left-wing Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front. Throughout it all, many of the characters Mann describes yearn for peace, justice and normalcy. The Little Breadwinner is Lucia Mann's seventh book that exposes accounts of both personal and social injustice.
In Weeping Goes Unheard: Sacred Tears for Indigenous Victims of Racial Genocide (Aperion, 2021) Mann provides an historical record for those unfamiliar with Canada's shameful history in its treatment of Indigenous people. These accounts demonstrate that there can be no peace and harmony unless there's equal justice for all.
Mann's 9th title, Hidden Behind the Mist of Arrow Lakes (Aperion, 2023) is a novel based on real events about individuals with ties to the Nazi era—some born during the war and others after—who adopted new identities in a remote part of BC, cleverly altering one or two letters of their birth or last names. Living inconspicuously, they managed to stay beneath the radar. Mann's new tale weaves together the intricate web of connections between Russia, England, Germany and Canada that illustrates links to the Holocaust’s history. Within its pages lies a harrowing chronicle of unspeakable atrocities that managed to remain shrouded in secrecy until outed by a courageous woman.
BOOKS:
Hidden Behind the Mist of Arrow Lakes: So deep are the sinister secrets that hide in plain sight (Aperion, 2023) $19.95 978-0-9856039-7-7
Weeping Goes Unheard: Sacred Tears for Indigenous Victims of Racial Genocide (Aperion, 2021) $17.95 9780985603946
The Little Breadwinner: War and Survival in the Salvadoran Heartland (Aperion 2020) $17.95 9780985603939
Endless Incarnation Sorrows (Grassroots 2019)
Addicted to Hate (Grassroots 2018) 978-0-9794805-9-1
The Sicilian Veil of Shame (Grassroots 2016)
Rented Silence (Grassroots Publishing Group 2016)
A Veil of Blood Hangs over Africa (Grassroots 2015)
Africa's Unfinished Symphony (Grassroots 2013)
[BCBW 2021]
Articles: 1 Article for this author
Biographical backgrounder
FROM Focus on Women Magazine:
A white newborn, whose mother is desperate to spare her child the agony of life as a sex slave, is buried alive in the South African dirt and left for dead. After being rescued by a black runaway, the baby girl is raised in a village kraal surrounded by love and inspired by freedom ... until her evil biological father locates her, steals her, and brutally abuses her over many years.
After suffering through such an ordeal, a woman could choose to live a life of mere survival, one that lacks the drive to participate in and contribute to the world around her. We would all understand that person's preference to quietly insulate herself from society. But Lucia Mann chose, instead, to surpass mere survival by drumming up the strength to overcome her vulnerabilities, mobilizing the courage to extend beyond herself, and dedicating her life to freeing others from similar horrific plights.
You will not hear a "poor me" from Lucia Mann. Instead, you will see a woman who, after an excruciating childhood, learned to read late in life, educated herself in several noble professions, and used her journalistic talents to expose dark stories that yearned for sunlight. In 1998, Lucia transitioned from a successful career as a journalist to become a passionate global gladiator. Her weapons of choice have been books and organizations that punch modern-day slavery in the gut.
The first book in her African series, Rented Silence, is based on events in her own life. Lucia's story takes you on a telling journey through post-WWII Africa. Her remarkable characters open readers' eyes to the painful secrets of those times, and inspires them to treasure freedom and justice.
Africa's Unfinished Symphony captivates its readers with stories of the intense conflicts that existed between archaic tribal customs and modern influences in post-WWII Africa. This book immerses its audience with historic African themes designed to jolt readers out of complacency.
A Veil of Blood Hangs over Africa tells the story of innocent women and children who were violently ripped from their peaceful homeland and herded into the filthy bowels of illegal slave ships, not able to anticipate the cruelty that lay ahead of them.
Lucia Mann does not tolerate complacency in herself or in others. She continually prods, exposes, demands, and rectifies until she can declare with certainty that the thrust of her verbal sword has brought down an evil perpetrator and/or rescued an innocent victim. Her resolve is sturdy and vigorous, and her passion is robust and unlimited.
Lucia Mann resides in British Columbia, Canada. You can help her report modern day slavery by visiting www.ReportModernDaySlavery.org, or learn about her books and articles at www.LuciaMann.com.