TRESNA: Gate of Love is the first memoir in her series, Chronicles of a Balinese Priestess. Full of hope, courage – and even a touch of black magic – Frances’s memoir is a vivid, inside account of the unexplored beauty, culture, and food of the “real” Bali in the early 2000s, before the age of digital nomads and Instagram influencers.
But more than anything, it is a love story.
Written with heart-wrenching honesty and good-spirited humour, her journey leads us through dense jungles of emotion to dreams we didn’t know could become reality.
Are you a dreamer, a romantic, a workaholic
or on the precipice of life?
This story is for…
Long before her incarnation, Frances was a Canadian Internet start-up founder fighting burnout in both her love life and career.
Escaping for a week to Bali on her way to attend her umpteenth wedding as a “single,” she was looking forward to a vacation not a vocation. But then she meets Adi, an unassuming young Balinese man who shows her a side of Bali most tourists never get to experience.
Here begins her life-changing journey of transformation, rebirth – and love – that would one day bring her through the temple gates.
What Readers Are Saying
“I could NOT stop turning the pages. I laughed, I cried, I felt angry, I felt surprised! This book is an anthem for freedom, bravery and stepping into the unknown. The imagery is so vivid that you feel like you're right next to Frances as her path unfolds. If you've never been to Bali but have always wanted to go..reading this book will give you a beautiful impression of the lesser-known gems the island holds…I cannot recommend TRESNA, Gate of Love highly enough!!! and I can't wait for the future ones :)
— Anthea Taeuber, Goodreads reader
“I could tell you that Chronicles of a Balinese Priestess is like a cross between Eat, Pray, Love and Crazy Rich Asians — and this first volume definitely has elements of both — but really, it’s deeper than that. This is a book for anyone who is “supposed to be” a certain way, professionally, socially, romantically, whatever, and wonders if they’d be happier doing something wildly different. This is, after all, about a dotcom executive from the West who will wind up becoming a Balinese priestess…
— Justin Bernod, Goodreads reader
“TRESNA is a Balinese adventure that evolves into a more profound journey of self-discovery - one filled with humor, hope and inspiration. Part travelogue and part memoir, the author balances evocative descriptions of countries, cultures and customs with her personal reflections on her own values, priorities and aspirations. Above all else, though, it's a story about love - about overcoming the preconceptions and misconceptions that can make love so complicated, and that is what really makes this such a compelling read.
— Marnie Koroluk, Goodreads reader
Frances has unique and magical insights about Bali’s rich culture; she lived within the confines of a real Balinese family compound as a Pemangku, experiencing a sacred side of Bali unseen by tourists (Ritz Carlton Bali, March 2001)
Golfing at Handara, March 2001
Sayan Terrace, Secret Trip to Bali, May 2001
Upgrading from an Audi to an Adi
La Lucciola, October 2001
Yosh and Marie's Wedding, October 2001
Begawan Giri, June 2002
Le Meridien Golf & Spa Resort, December 2002
Jimbaran Beach, June 2002
Mom meets Adi, December 2002
Learning to be Balinese, September 2002
Bapak and Adi, September 2002
Working on a special project, Nov 2002
Follow Frances’ Journey
