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A Story to Tell; A Secret to Keep
Family secrets are never a good thing – or are they?
A Story to Tell: A Secret to Keep is the compelling debut novel by Fiona Rich. This domestic noir is full of emotional depth, that slowly builds suspense leaving the reader hungry to delve deeper into the complex and challenging lives of Tim, Libby and Josh and learn more about the secrets that the family hold. It is a story full of intrigue and plot twists that will keep you guessing until the end.
Each of the main characters have faced something traumatic in their lives, they all have their own dark secret that impacts on them psychologically; a secret that could damage the relationships of those closest to them. But will the choices that each of them make to resolve their personal crisis and overcome their psychological traumas release them from their inner turmoil, or lock them in an endless conflict of guilt and deception?
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A Strange Awakening
This is the story of a young boy growing up and how, although he is not aware of it at the time, he is destined for something beyond his wildest dreams. Since he was young, strange and unusual things have often seemed to happen to him: strangers who appear to know him; dreams and fantasies that merge with reality; and strange coincidences in which the events of his life draw in and interweave with the lives of many around him.
Torn between Australia and England, it seems as though the map of his life has already been laid out for him. But life has so much more in store for him than he ever imagined. Even if it lies beyond his understanding, he has no choice but to go along for the ride.
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A Strange Time in Life
This collection of poetry was written between April 2020 and October 2021, during the various lockdowns and attempts to carry on with life in some manner in circumstances that were very challenging. The poem that started it all was written when I heard that my ex-husband had been involved in an accident while riding his bike. After that I continued to write about my experiences during this period. Being allowed out for exercise, I started walking around local parks and a nearby lake. I photographed the birds and wildlife I came across and, as the seasons changed, so did the colours of the plants and trees, as they went through their annual journey of new blooms and shiny green leaves to the falling brown of autumn. This is what inspired many of the poems in the book. There are other poems that came from memories and thoughts of films and music I had enjoyed. There was a lot of time for reflection and I am glad that I put all of my thoughts down on paper.
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A Stranger's Keep
Michael’s world crumbled the week after his honeymoon; his wife was murdered, his best friend betrayed him, and in his line of work, no trust meant death.
With no one to trust, Michael lived in peaceful solitude, till a stranger stumbled into his home and led him to the truth behind his wife’s murder.
Chased by those who murdered her parents for reasons she couldn’t explain, Abigail found shelter in the house of a stranger, unbeknownst to her, she had just stumbled into the lion’s den.
Could he love her and his late wife together? Could he forgive her connection with the death of his wife? Did they ever have a chance at all?
Life gives us chances, it’s our choice to make use of them, or hold on to the past…
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A Stroke of Luck
The book I present to you has the working title of A Stroke of Luck or a Beginner's Guide to Being Hospitalised as a More-Mature Person and What You Can Reasonably Expect. I believe that it represents a piece of innovative non-fiction, in that it is written with a positive, yet realistic, message about being a 'hospital virgin' at a more mature age. The project has been developed through my own experience of hospitalisation recently, for treatment on a stroke. The concept is conceived via passages of digressions, examples of humour coupled with sharp intakes of inter-active discussions based on the everyday activities of a hospital ward that the reader may not be aware of, let alone expect. It is in this respect that the book is unique: whilst acknowledging that such institutions are full of medics and other professionals by definition, there is also a whole spectrum of 'bit-part' players and 'events' too, which can have either a detrimental or positive impact on the patient's recovery. Their role is examined through character development and astute observation of what actually occurs during a 'confinement': Victor Meldrew can and does 'believe it' he has too! The story itself is chronological: from pre-admission, admission, the period of the stay when time becomes meaningless and thoughts begin to wander to level of absurdity never truly thought possible, to discharge (which in itself seems a 'nasty' word to use along with 'release', terms which come in for a wry comment or two!) and after-care. Primarily, this book is written with the 'over fifties' market in mind specifically, but I would envisage it being an informative read to anyone who is new to the 'hospital game' or is simply filled with trepidation at the possibility of it.
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A Suitcase Full of Boomerangs
A Suitcase Full of Boomerangs is essentially a romp around the Republic of Ireland. Tiny boomerangs are bequeathed to colourful characters encountered throughout the three-week round trip.
Narrated in the first person, the protagonist and two of her sisters manage to have a ball as they traverse the width and breadth of Ireland in a big black jeep filled with suitcases full of boomerangs. This book of travel laughs, mishaps and adventures is a light-hearted, feel-good read, intended to whisk the armchair traveller far away to another time and place – the magic that will always be Ireland.
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A Suitcase Full of Koalas
A Suitcase Full of Koalas is a modern, edgy travel book set to test your wits and memory for detail. Gallivanting around London and somewhere distinctly south of the great capital in a sleepy seaside village, the author finds herself handing out tiny furry koalas to the English, to the Polish, to the Italians, in fact to anyone who cares to accept the little fellas as a gift from Australia. In her moochings over a month, she manages to meet a myriad of characters from all walks of life who practically jump off the pavements, à la Mary Poppins and Bert, and into the book.
This is a book about life and living – about the human condition and quest for feathering one’s own nest. As John Donne observed, ‘No man is an island’, but sometimes we yearn to embrace solitude and sit with ourselves and a good book. A Suitcase Full of Koalas will inevitably tickle your fancy and have you laughing on every other page. But that’s a good thing, isn’t it?
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A Suitcase Full of Olive Branches
Would it really be out of the question for the coach to make a slight diversion? We heard that this tour was headed for the Northern Lights. That’s why we took it, but now we can’t seem to find those Northern Lights anywhere on the itinerary. Any idea why that would be the case? Now you are curious about this book, right? Let me enlighten you. This is a book about Italy and her beautiful northern lakes.
While travelling on a tour coach on a round trip from Milan, tiny olive branches are handed out to perfect strangers in an effort to let the Italians know that their country is not considered number one in the world in terms of World Heritage and Culture for nothing.
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A Suitcase Full of Opals
If you are ever lucky enough to receive an invitation to a wedding in Poland, make sure you RSVP… ASAP. It happened to me. I was invited and travelled to Poland along with 50 other Aussie guests. I knew nothing about Poland. Nothing save the fact that every Polish name seemed to end in ski, ska, or sko. Australia’s highest mountain – Mount Kosciusko, was named after a Polish explorer. If you’d like to find out more about the natural wonders of Poland, the heritage sites, the beautiful, wide landscape, and why so many travellers choose to go to the land of zloty and pierogi, then this book has been bookmarked for you. The laughs, the landscape, the characters, the sheer beauty of it all. Come travel with me and find out for yourself what all the fuss is about.
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A Summer's Tale
An adventure about the various animal characters in A Summer’s Tale in the beautiful setting of Snowdrop Hall, home to Lord and Lady Badger and their children. The adventure is full of fun, full of imagination, loveable animal characters with lots of magic, suspense and intrigue, as well as music, a memorable experience for all, but above all, a beautiful story that will draw the readers both young and old to be part of the amazing adventure and to join in, especially with the songs.
As always, the book has a strong conservation theme, this book is interlinked to the author’s other books. But the main message is that the book gives enjoyment, hope and happiness to all. After all, we are all children at heart.
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A Survival Story of Michael and Natlik
Michael’s holiday on a tiny offshore island in Papua New Guinea, where his uncle owned a copra and cocoa plantation, was like an exciting dream. It was there that he became friends with Natlik, his uncle’s house servant who taught him to spear fish, recognise poisonous plants and corals and to light a fire without matches.
However, an incredible boating and fishing trip with his uncle suddenly turned into a nightmare when disaster struck. Michael was left floundering in shark-infested waters off the coast of Southern New Ireland. When Michael failed to return home from the fishing trip, Natlik, using his sharp powers of observation and tracking skills is faced with a risky and dangerous trip across sea and through jungle to try and find his young friend.
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A Tale from a Promised Land
This novel tells the story of three generations of an Australian-Sri Lankan migrant family. After a bomb explodes near two leading schools in the city of Colombo, he persuades his wife that for the sake of their children they must leave and start a new life in Australia. After her mother passes away, her father — a retired school principal — agrees to join them in Australia.
The novel identifies the travails that beset new migrants from traditional conservative Asian backgrounds to a western oriented materialistic culture, which now accepts migrants from multi-cultural and multi-lingual backgrounds but expects the new arrivals to assimilate and integrate with the society of which they now form a part.
This novel provides deep insights into socio-cultural and psychological barriers encountered by a first generation of Sri Lankan migrants after their arrival in a new country. Through the combined interactions of a few protagonists, the novel depicts the struggles of socio-cultural adjustments, gains and pains of a South Asian migrant family who try to adjust their lives in a country with western socio-economic and cultural values.
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