Surface Rust

Aside from not knowing where she came from and the feeling of something missing, the other constant in Jaqueline Doe’s life has been the moving back and forth between the orphanage and various foster homes.

Now she’s landed herself another move, this time to the town of Smithfield Virginia, enrolled for a term in the school’s program for troubled city teenagers. Her plan to toe the line, keep to herself, and just see the term through takes a twist when she mysteriously bonds with her mentor and fellow student, the somewhat clumsy yet handsome Ethan Chase.

Together they discover an old journal apparently written by an immortal, with a cryptic prophecy on the first page telling of the Dark Lord’s return. Sceptical of the journal’s authenticity they decide to read through it and decipher the prophecy. As their friendship begins to lean towards romance, they are unaware that one of the evil beings described within the pages is closing in on them.

Unknowingly and with limited time they set themselves on a pathway, one where Jacqueline will get more than the answers to the questions she has been yearning for. However, they will come at a cost and not just for her.

Riddlington

This story begins with Riddlington Rabbit wanting to see other things happening in a world outside the safe boundaries of his insular existence. As a rabbit, his life is spent, primarily, underground during the day, only coming out at night, under the protection of darkness, to find food.

His favourite Uncle Otto sparks Riddlington’s imagination of exploring, by telling stories of his own adventures. We follow Riddlington as he navigates his way to finding a perfect location, among people and other strange creatures, all living above ground.

We see how he adapts to situations outside his comfort zone; finds a wife who is willing to do likewise; befriends two human sisters; till the land rather than forage; navigate his way up a river; and become disturbed at land damage, urban development, and over population.

When he becomes a Father and witnesses an invasion of his territory, his new-found parental status, requires a reassessment of their living arrangements. They have little food, little protection, and little time.

Will they make it home? Will they be happy home? Will they be welcomed home? Will the youngsters adapt to underground living as Riddlington did to above ground living?

Return to Umbadinga

When Angus McCawtup High School is threatened with closure due to earthquake damage, two pupils come up with a bizarre idea that they present to the headmaster. For Professor Russell Sprout the thought of losing his beloved school and having to spend time with his wacky wife was all too much. As far as he was concerned, any idea was a good idea. The boys put it to the professor that they return to Umbadinga to look for precious stones to raise money for earthquake repairs. Reluctantly, Professor Sprout agreed, but he made one condition, that Miss Van Hyre and Mr Fields go with them as responsible adults. Now there's an oxymoron if ever there was one!

Can they get back through the subterranean portal, especially as they don't know how they got through in the first place? What could possibly go wrong? You'll have to join the adventure and find out first hand...if you dare!

Refugee

Refugee is the final exciting novel in The Sloping Meadow trilogy. This time the principal storyteller is Mahir, a 13 year-old boy who has no choice but to start out on an epic journey from war-torn Syria to try and help his mum and little brother.

In this gripping adventure, he has a series of escapades, including a fight with a large brown bear in Slovenia, and is constantly either greatly helped or really mistreated by the people he meets.

Lucy and her friends find him in Antalya, in the Temple of Apollo, the worse for wear. They agree to help him escape to Northern France with a very daring plan that carries a lot of risks…

This illustrated novel has a non-stop, action-packed story, including insights from others featured as storytellers commenting on war and what it means to be a refugee. It carries a very important message for all who read it and their outlook on war and refugees will change forever.

Rawny

Joy is born into an era of post-war uncertainty, one of the first babies delivered by the newly created NHS. A house move aged ten is unsettling and she struggles to make sense of the world and establish her identity. The novel charts her path through the trauma of the eleven plus and separation from her friends and culture. She experiences bullying and alienation at her new school and is helped by close friends, a supportive family and most importantly the local gypsies who live on the wasteland near her home. Rawny and his family take Joy into their hearts and share their lives and rich culture with her. The close enduring bonds Joy forges at this vital time of life enable her to navigate the difficulties life presents and enable her to find her own moral compass. 

Rag Tag Children of the Gloom

Picture a disparate group of children living hand to mouth in fear of being captured by the alien race that has decimated their homeland. Food and safety is a distant memory. Dirty and feral, with aching limbs and open sores, their only solace is their bond of friendship with each other in an otherwise never-ending hostile environment.

The trials and tribulations faced by this band will leave you breathless as they try to stay ahead of ruthless intruders. The cover of darkness seduces them to take unprecedented risks – risks that could mean death. If you have nothing, what is there left to lose?

Quest for the Ancient Torah

It’s 1942 in the occupied city of Prague. Jewish people are being transported out to Theresienstadt and times are hard especially when a high-ranking German SS Commander is assassinated. Karl Rozenburg realises his fate and seeks the help of the Novak family to procure a treasure that is of importance to the Jewish people. The Novaks embark on a quest which proves to be complicated, requiring skill and cunning to follow the trail.

My Teacher's a Robot!

With wide, cold eyes, a clenched jaw, and superhuman strength, something's not right about new teacher Miss Ironside.
Will quickly realises... she's a robot!
One by one, his classmates are being brainwashed after school.
Will and his friends must act fast to save everyone before it's too late!

My Story

Just as things are about to go well for fifteen year old Lizzy May Morrison, her life is turned upside down when she receives some devastating news. What will happen and how will she resolve matters when, together with her friend Joe, they uncover a troublesome secret? 

Supported by a friendship with the enigmatic Catherine Van der Hayde, there are hints of a mysterious past but her abrupt departure causes Lizzy May to make a discovery that underpins a tale of extraordinary escape, heroism and adventure. Sometimes you have to do the wrong thing for it to be right. 

This is a delightful story of an evolving romance, but not before Lizzy May has to confront her fears and seek meaning for the deeper questions of life. With an engaging manner of dialogue, this intricate novel set in the 1970s is both entertaining and refreshingly unpredictable. 

Deep, resonant and poignant My Story has the capacity to appeal to both young and older readers.

Mission Brazil

In the picture-perfect town of Willowmill, Texas, nothing much happens. Analise loves her quiet, normal life. Her friends, her house, and her church are all she could ever ask for and more. Little does she know, her life is about to take an abrupt turn to the south. Never in her wildest dreams would Analise imagine how her world was about to change. The path ahead will be fraught with twists, turns, and miles of treacherous rainforest. This path will lead her on a perilous mission to bring the best news ever told to the far reaches of the Amazon Rainforest. The journey will test her courage, strength, and determination. Will Analise have what it takes to be a missionary in the Amazon Rainforest, or will she be stretched too far? Does she have the guts to move forward even when she feels stuck? Only time will tell how far she can go.

Mangrove Sands, the Enchanted Seaworld and Beyond

This book is a sequel to Mangrove Sands. It aims to inspire and educate children who, either by fate or disability, have difficult starts in life. Each chapter provides a human life lesson including; learning about other cultures, taking responsibility, how to handle bullies, encouraging goals, environmental awareness, friendship, and human qualities.

Based on an island in South East Queensland, Australia, four children who have difficult starts in life are chosen by Parlow the pelican to experience a better life in the Enchanted Sea World. A magical ingot and tunnel is the only way into this magical world beneath mangrove sands where the children are mentored by Dugong tutors and experience many exciting adventures with their talking animal friends.

In this series, the adventures continue when the children learn about a new culture after meeting a 10-year-old Aboriginal girl, Wanjee, who is chosen to join them in the Enchanted Sea World away from her horrid alcoholic foster parents. The children learn of a new language, symbolic art, dreamtime stories and bush medicine.

Amidst playing didgeridoos, throwing boomerangs, flying on swings attached to whistling kites, the children escape bushfires and meet Toddalick, a giant green healing frog who takes the children on the ride of their lives to help stop an environmental disaster.

Mangrove Sands, the Enchanted Seaworld and Beyond is full of enchanting adventures, life lessons and magical moments. It aims to provide hope, inspiration, respect and education of other cultures to children around the globe.

Love You, Love Me

‘Love you, love me,’ she grinned, ‘Jess, remember to have your head in the stars and your feet firmly on the ground.’

‘And dance in the rain.’

Jess, Crystal and Sophie had been friends since primary school but becoming a teenager brings its own challenges as the girls soon discover. At an age when life offers more opportunities and with it self-doubt and insecurities, Jess and her friends navigate the school social, an out-of-control party, underage drinking and family dynamics whilst trying to make sense of growing up. Throw in Steve, the mysterious charismatic new student that sells drugs that cure headaches, Vincent, the perfect date and Jake, a persistently annoying guy, and life becomes more interesting.

Will they individually find the courage to ask for help as they deal with bothersome boys, self-harm, anxiety, confusion and overwhelming conditions? Or will they together discover through friendship, family and first love that no one is perfect?