From Dingle With Love

Paddy Doyle is an extraordinary man. Born during a terrifying storm that isolates his home (Milford Farm in the Irish Republic) from the outside world, the priest who delivers him plays a crucial role in Paddy’s upbringing and mentors his affinity with the sea. When, at the age of 21, he leaves the safety of Ford Farm to work in the UK’s construction industry, Paddy’s life is never the same again. He saves his supervisor from a potentially fatal accident, crosses swords with his employer and drifts from one company to another, before Shaun Cullerton, MD of Eureka Construction offers him a job that shapes the rest of his life.

From the discovery of a half brother, a sexual proposal from a wealthy (and insistent) widow, an old flame who desperately needs his help, to a company takeover, a torrid affair with the new boss’s vivacious wife, another new love interest, karma and regret, ghostly experiences, assassination attempts, a kidnapping and a chilling situation on Paddy’s wedding day, this is a racy, steely read, bursting with twists and turns that will stay with you a long time after reading.

Contemporary fiction at its most thrilling, exciting, dangerous and captivating, From Dingle With Love is a multi-genre novel that will have you gripped from the prologue.

From Doctor to Guinea-pig

Alex was born on a Greek island and moves with his parents to Congo-Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo). He studies medicine and goes to work in a hospital in the bush with his teenage wife. Faced with seemingly unsurmountable problems he works wonders and moves to Kinshasa for the comfort of his family. He is a man married to his work, he contracts AIDS and fights the difficulty of announcing this terrible news. Truly philanthropic, he offers his body to science to test the various drugs that are created to treat this new virus. You will be fascinated by his medical exploits, and be torn between him and his wife both struggling to face the problems that life presents to them. A story about life, faith and our approach to death.

From Ground to Glass

Join us on a journey of discovery through the wines and spirits of the Old and New World with From Ground to Glass. This book is not a textbook, but rather a guide for those who already have a love of alcoholic beverages and want to learn more about them. With over 65 years of experience in the industry, the author shares their knowledge and insights, highlighting the best quality wines and spirits at user-friendly prices, made with environmentally sound practices and minimal intervention. Follow along as we explore the world of alcohol, from the UK to the Middle East, Far East, Australia, South America, Europe, and India, and learn from the author’s experiences, including the founding of the Hong Kong Wine School. Join us and Alfie the cat as we delve into the delicious world of wine and spirits.

From Heart to Mind to Words

Indulge in a poetic journey that unravels the essence of self and the enigmatic human conundrum, beckoning you to embark on a path of profound self-evaluation. These poems serve as mirrors, reflecting perspectives uniquely tailored to each reader’s individuality, fostering non-judgmental introspection on a deeply personal level.

The author draws from life’s observations, ingeniously crafting verses that encapsulate universal questions and fleeting glimpses of potential answers – questions that resonate with every soul who encounters them. With each verse, the reader is compelled to transcend the ordinary negativities that shroud their true selves, paving the way for unhindered and retrospective analysis of their actions and motives.

The fluidity of the writing beckons the reader to be wholly present, free of distractions, and beckons them to reflect with unfiltered honesty. Each piece becomes an invitation to explore profound inquiries: Is this me? Do I recognize myself in these lines? Should I take action? Or, at the very least, can I become better?

From Innocence to Arrogance

From Innocence to Arrogance is the most authentic British crime novel on the market today. This book takes the reader on the journey in first person as Cyrus Johnson lives his day-to-day life.

Every 15-year-old is somewhat the same, what makes Cyrus so different is his mentality and decision-making. Read this! It will open your eyes to a world you never knew existed right under your nose. The information to live this life is here, but after having it, would you still want to?

From London To LA

There are road trips and then there are road trips.

Nearly 2,500 miles east to west across one of the biggest countries in the world along one of the most famous roads in the world firmly puts Route 66 in the ‘you really need to do this’ category.

From London To LA is much more than just a travelogue. Not just a commentary of the journey itself, it also explores the history of places visited along the way as two blokes from London discover the big cities, the small towns, the real wild west and some really quite bizarre curios that couldn’t belong anywhere else other than along Route 66.

Full of information, observations and British humour, From London To LA is a must-read for anyone who is interested in travel, history, geography, Americana and, of course, the Mother Road herself.

Or if you just want a jolly good read…

From Navy Blue Knickers to the Driving Test

This book required a lifetime of experience and sixteen years to write. Mind you, there was an eight-year gap in the middle when the author had to return to full-time, salaried employment. The chapters are presented alphabetically, so in theory it is possible to take any chapter, and read it in its own right. Once a reader has read all twenty-six chapters, he or she will have a sum of all the parts: a completed ‘jigsaw’ of Hal T. Strapel’s story. Truth or fiction? Let the reader decide.

Jane C.:

“In ‘Turning Thai’, I think a very vivid picture of Thailand is presented — it all sounded very exotic to me sitting in dull old middle England. Lots of well-described local colour and all fluently articulated. The author met up with some colourful characters and gives an honest appraisal of how they affected him as a traveller in uncharted territory. There is definitely an eye for detail and the sights, sounds and smells leap off the page. I had a good laugh at the cockroach episode, which sounds very callous of me, but it resonated with me as I had a similar sort of experience in Sicily with a very large spider.”

John H.:

“I found ‘Bilious Belligerent Bowels’ highly entertaining, particularly when Hal was describing the attentions of the nurse and her colleagues.

Charlie H.:

“I found ‘Queenish Quirks’ an intriguing and easy read that connects cultures in a relatable way.”

Lee F.:

“I enjoyed reading ‘Lust for Lingerie’. It sounds voyeuristic in itself! As a man who spent his working life in ladies knickers I can see the author is knowledgeable!”

Johnny B.:

From Sitzkrieg to Blitzkrieg

I’d seen chaps killed before, of course: Tuppy Horton was the first; accidentally garroted by his own braces, whilst playing ‘Cowboys and Indians’ back in 1922. There had been raw terror in poor old Tuppy’s bulging, bloodshot eyes as he dangled by his neck from that apple tree, while the rest of us just stood and gawped. Then there was Stiffy Plantagenet; who was knocked down on the tennis court at his home, by a motor car driven (in reverse) by his inebriated Aunt Agatha – I seem to remember that Plantagenet was absent from school for quite some time before it was announced by the Headmaster that old Stiffy had finally shuffled-off his bucket, kicked his clogs, and popped his mortal coil.

I have just remembered another one, too: Benjamin Alistair Drayton, who drowned in Tatlock Pond (whilst I warmed my palms on his sister Millicent’s bare breasts in a nearby thicket). I didn’t actually see him drown, of course (having, as I did, my hands rather full at the time), but I watched Mr Mulgrew and Constable Pinchworthy fish Drayton’s lifeless, floppy corpse from the stagnant water afterwards.

This was the first time that I’d seen a chap killed so horribly though; a shell had exploded nearby and shrapnel had completely smashed Simpson’s face in; his belly was torn wide-open, and his wet, shiny innards spilled out onto the brown earth. (Needless to say, he did not live for long.) I paused for a moment, drew a deep breath, and then vomited so hard that my backside trumpeted loudly. (“Pffrrrt!”)

From the Heart

Two women from different walks of life meet up in London.

One who is divorced and nearing her 60s, starts over in a new country, away from the States, with a new career. The other in her 40s, a policewoman who is nonchalant about love after falling in and out of love.

Both women think that they are “over the hill” and have got used to just living their lives. They have a chance encounter and find they are instantly attracted to one another. Going through the “will they, won’t they” when it comes to staying together.

A heart-warming and heartfelt story. A realistic love story that is emotionally charged. A love story that knows no bounds – sexuality, colour, or age. We all carry baggage and it’s how we adapt and fit another person into our lives once we fall in love.

Loving anyone requires faith that the person won’t crush your heart. It’s very painful. It requires hope, optimism, and living in the moment. No one is bound to us. They come and go on free will. The very fact that they chose us out of free will to be with us is wonderful! We too have free will to learn, grow and love without being chained down with promises. We don’t know what the future holds! 

From the Leader's Chair

Kenneth Sillito is internationally recognised as one of Britain's most distinguished musicians. Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, he studied with David Martin at the Royal Academy of Music, and in Rome with Remy Principe. His first major appointment was as associate leader of the newly created English Chamber Orchestra in 1960. He was subsequently appointed leader and remained with the orchestra until 1973, during which time he established a worldwide reputation as both director and soloist. In 1967, he founded the Gabrieli String Quartet, which swiftly established itself as one of this country's leading chamber ensembles. With the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, which he joined in l980, Kenneth led and directed innumerable distinguished recordings and performances until his retirement in 2012. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy in 1971 and awarded the highly prestigious Cobbett Medal in 2017 by The Worshipful Company of Musicians for his services to chamber music.

From the Mountain to the Waterfall

Come one, come all

Lace up your boots

It’s time for the hike

Side by side

Or single file, if you like

Pack your bag

With new & the old

The familiar, yet unfamiliar

Dress for the cold

Off on the journey, sticks in the ground

The guide leads the way

No map to be found

One foot in front of the other

The sun up ahead

The path unfamiliar

Companions, friends, lovers

Waiting to be led

From Wellies and Chapped Legs to Brogues

Ten-year-old David’s life is not easy, living in dire circumstances with his alcoholic mother in a wreck of a home. His one true friend is Rebecca, the other children tolerate or make fun of him.

Following an accident, he is befriended by Hobo, who moves in and out of the village with his belongings in a pram.

When David’s mother dies over the Christmas period, he spends time at Rebecca’s home and is then taken into care. He escapes, seeks solace with Hobo and together they escape the village, and in time, David is sent to live with Hobo’s brother on the South Coast, where he learns Hobo’s story.

Here, David's life changes completely, but there are still setbacks and challenges along the way before he returns to the village and his life becomes entwined once again with Rebecca.