FAKE: UNMASKED.

Trial by Media: Finding Myself in the Fallout

BEHIND THE MASK

What happens when the person the world thinks you are is no longer the person you recognise?

FAKE: UNMASKED is my story — the masks I’ve worn, the mistakes I’ve made, the battles I’ve fought, and the woman I’ve been trying to find underneath it all.

From military service and reality television to motherhood, mental health, and public scrutiny, this isn’t a story about getting everything right.
It’s about being honest. About learning. About letting people see you anyway.

I spent years trying to be the person I thought I was supposed to be.

A soldier. A mother. A wife. A survivor.

Some masks helped me cope. Others became so familiar I stopped recognising when I was wearing them.

FAKE: UNMASKED isn't about proving I'm a good person or pretending I've always made the right choices.

It's about telling my story, owning my mistakes and allowing myself to be seen as I really am.

Meet the Author

Elena Samusamuvodre

I'm a mum, a wife, a former Australian Army soldier, an Australian Survivor finalist, and someone who's spent a fair chunk of my life trying to work out who I actually am — underneath all the labels.

I've had some pretty wild adventures, made a few "what was I thinking?" decisions, laughed at things I probably shouldn't have, and learnt (repeatedly) that life doesn't hand out lesson plans.

I've served my country, travelled to places I never imagined I'd see, and discovered what it's like to have strangers feel very confident about you… without ever meeting you.

I'm also the founder of The Flannel Project, supporting people and families left behind after veteran suicide — work that's close to my heart and not something I'll ever take lightly.

But behind all of that, I'm just a woman who loves her family, her animals, Jesus, and a good laugh — usually at myself, because honestly, it's the cheapest therapy going.

Life hasn't always been easy, and I definitely haven't always got it right. I've made mistakes, faced some hard truths, and spent far too long worrying about what other people think.

FAKE: UNMASKED is my first memoir. I'm not writing it because I've figured life out.

I'm writing it because I'm finally learning to be comfortable with the woman I am — not the woman I thought I was supposed to be.

And if there's one thing I know for sure, it's this: we're all a lot more complicated than we look from the outside.

If you want release updates (and a few behind-the-scenes notes along the way), you can join the waiting list below.