Exploitation

In Exploitation, readers are taken on a heart-wrenching journey through the mind and experiences of a frontline soldier. Through intense and extreme pressure, the soldier must navigate their way through the challenges of combat and emerge on the other side. With raw and emotional storytelling, this book offers a unique insight into the thoughts and actions of those on the front lines, leaving readers with a deeper understanding of the challenges and sacrifices of military service.

Drivin’ Daughters and Parkinson’s

“I have Parkinson’s Disease…”

The words kept hitting me like a hammer on my forehead.

Parkinson’s Disease… PARKINSON’S DISEASE… PARKINSON’S DISEASE.

When Marco Preshevski was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, his life fell to pieces. He had just turned 30 years old.

Drivin’ Daughters and Parkinson’s is the remarkable story of Marco’s rollercoaster journey through life before, during and after his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Beginning on that fateful day in March 2001, Marco tells the fascinating story of how Parkinson’s Disease slipped into his life, how it made its presence known and the unending battle he has fought balancing symptom relief with side effect control, using various medications and cutting-edge surgery.

Marco explains in detail the destructive psychological consequences he experienced at the hands of Parkinson’s and the devastating effect this had on his personal relationships. Often going into deep, intimate detail, Marco tells us how Parkinson’s Disease drove him to the edge of his life, until he discovered the reason for his existence on earth.

Told through the eyes of an ‘ordinary’ man, Drivin’ Daughters and Parkinson’s is a fresh look at personal experience of this difficult-to-handle medical condition. Hilarious, wholly inspirational and at times difficult to believe, this book should be read by anyone whose life has been touched by Parkinson’s, by those who want to understand the disease better and by those who want to appreciate the patient’s point of view.

Drawing Breath

A book of memories.

Growing up in the 1950s and 60s, childhood is peppered with untold freedom and strict codes of behaviour. There are fears of not being accepted, not conforming and for those suffering from gender dysphoria, there is nowhere to turn.

A convent education brings Jennifer intense friendships, unrequited love and tussles with belief and disbelief in a higher being. She finds diversion in play acting and searching for adventure in the role of her alter ego.

Emerging from the protective arms of a white middle class family, she confronts the harsh realities of life with a charismatic young man as her cicerone. After four years of teaching bring feelings of inadequacy, of not being up to the job and finding no place in heterosexual British society, Jennifer decides to start afresh and to leave England.

Don't Push Me Out

In the depths of institutional bullying, resilience and fortitude are tested. Across the globe, in myriad professions, individuals face a silent struggle that can shatter confidence, well-being, and personal relationships. Yet, amidst the silent tears and the unspoken pain, there lies a compelling tale of courage and tenacity.

A manager’s duty extends beyond just running the workforce; it’s about leading with dignity, respecting the needs of the business, and valuing every individual under their care. While managers are human and imperfect, prejudice and discrimination have no place in the workplace. Every individual should be assessed based on their worth, integrity, and capabilities, ensuring no room for regret.

As you delve into this narrative, you may find yourself questioning my endurance and wondering how I confronted the adversities thrown my way. I remain eternally grateful for the strength, determination, and blessings that guided me through both personal and professional triumphs. This is my story, unfiltered and real, shedding light on a pervasive issue while offering hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Don't Go Into Town, Tonto!

Born just prior to the outbreak of World War II and inspired by his hero, a Captain of a firefighting vessel, the author joined the Royal Navy at 15 years of age, purely to experience the life at sea as told by his hero and the great wide mysterious world depicted in the Encyclopaedia.

Hugh shares the rigours of the training ship “Ganges”, the excitement of his first war ship in the Mediterranean and several other drafts including being present at the Cyprus Emergency and the infamous Suez Crisis. This was also the time of his coming of age, the pain of unrequited love and the bewildering initiation by an older woman who should have known better.

Life as a merchant seaman followed, expanding his horizons even further, eventually merging with the diaspora of eager sunseekers to Australia in 1963. Worked in a copper mine in Queensland before the sea beckoned once more. Then south to Tasmania and enjoyed a different sea life as a lobster fisherman.

The author shared many unexpected encounters with colourful characters and events which taught him life lessons in an entertaining, humorous and honest manner.

A lusty account of a young recalcitrant, desperate to become a worthy human.

Death by Dementia

You have two extremely active individuals, mid-60s, looking to many more years of future travel, boating, loyal companionship and retirement. How things can change! Not feeling well in one instance, forgetting what one did with the car keys in the other.

A routine unconcerned visit to the GP, subsequent referral to a specialist and in 48 hours your life is in turmoil.

“You have dementia Mrs Mclean, it’s in the early stages and in your case the CT scans have identified Alzheimer’s. No, there is presently no cure.”

We then roll the dice once more. “You have a carcinoid tumour Mr Mclean. Its metastatic and barely noticeable. However, we have made an appointment for you to see a leading professor of oncology who may put you on trial for a new form of tumour suppressant.”

It’s the two words that everyone fears dementia and cancer.

This, therefore, is a deadly personal journey dealing with the many and varied implications of dementia. In this instance it meant caring for my best friend, confidant, advisor, lover and wife of 50 years, whilst fighting my own diagnosis.

Misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, misunderstood and often denied, this killer with no conscience, now mainstream, leaves but an empty shell as a memory.

If you know anyone with dementia, have been diagnosed in the early stages of dementia or if you are caring for a person with dementia, then you should definitely read this story of love, loyalty, passion and patience. A tale of never-ending belief in the future.

Dealing with a Head injury at Nine Years Old

After suffering a severe head injury at nine years old, Henry has embraced the difficulties of his condition. In this book, he depicts what it was like growing up between the ages of thirteen and twenty-five with a small learning disability. His quirky and bold writing style makes the reader engage their critical thinking, as they wonder whether he will win out in the end.

Unlike most memoir writers, Henry chooses not to end his story; he wonders if he will ever need an ending. Brain damage is a tricky topic and Henry certainly isn’t easy on himself. After reading his first-person account of waking up from a coma, the reader may wonder how he has been able to accomplish so much. In the end, and in the light of his parents’ support, Henry will never know how much his head Injury has really affected his life.

Dance in the Land of Bull Killers

In 2011, a wave of protests hit the Arab countries that had been silently living under dictatorships. Al-Buazizi ignited a spark of opposition that swept across the entire region to reach Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria. The ruling regimes responded with more oppression and extreme violence, and the demands for overthrowing these regimes escalated. While reforms were introduced in some countries, other revolutions were hijacked by radical terrorist organizations, which turned the peaceful protests into horrifying conflicts, some of which are still ongoing, like in Syria.

Today, despite war, conflict and displacement, people who initiated utterly overlooked revolutions in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Chile and others continue to create, love and dream of a better future.

This is a story of how a Syrian civil society activist met an Iraqi contemporary dancer facing displacement, war, visa restrictions and global asylum restraints. Akiles and Sirine had to work very hard to maintain a relationship that was the only coping mechanism for two people who had lost their sense of security from being safe in their homelands. Their relationship sprung up in the midst of an armed conflict, and it was extremely challenging for them to stay together due to the ongoing chaos.

Cut with Conviction

The cheetah had been disrespectful of his grandchildren… Enough reason for a 40-kg, 1.4-metre tall Bushman grandfather to track down and kill a ferocious predator with a stabbing spear in solitary combat in the Kalahari Desert, only to suffer near fatal injuries himself--one of many such patients confronting Mr Mike Damp in this wonderful tale of the way it was in a world that now seems so impossibly faraway. A heady mix of one man's adventure through the sort of medical and cultural challenges few modern-day western physicians would ever expect to encounter. This is a story of perseverance and great dedication as well as a reflection of how man's best intentions and tireless efforts can so easily turn to dust and decay. But above all, Cut with Conviction is a love story. Of the despairing love for a continent and its people fast being reclaimed by a heart of darkness as unstoppable as the forces of nature that both nurture and destroy as it washes over the vast plains and rivers and mountains of a lost paradise. Then there is the mix of exhilarating joy and sheer terror in a flying doctor's life in Zululand, of transporting critically ill patients in all weather conditions over some of the most inhospitable terrain, often with little or no navigational aids while a fellow doctor, seated next to the patient in the cramped space of a small plane, desperately tries to keep life going with the aid of basic life-support equipment. Africa is a land of unique and rare beauty that mystifies many with its great contradictions. This story unfolds during the apparent stability of grand apartheid and the turbulent times during its collapse and aftermath. Cut with Conviction is a must-read for all who love adventure, medical issues, flying, travel and Africa.

Covid-19 Life

The impact Covid-19 has had on the world was something that no one in our lifetime will forget. While living through this, I have documented my experience in this area to help this era and the next to look back and see if my experience is something the human race can benefit from. I want to share my own life with the reader, detailing what I had done daily – to show the positive and negative impacts the Covid-19 crisis had on me. This was something everyone had to go through together – united. Everyone has a different story to tell and this one is mine. If you move forward and read my story, there will be a great deal of heartbreak in my journey. Perhaps you can relate? But one thing is for sure, Covid-19 has taken a great deal of time and that reminds us to enjoy the time we have left.

Charles Dickens: A People's Person

Charles Dickens was once described as the first global literary celebrity, and as one of the greatest humourists that England has produced. He was also a passionate advocate of justice for the poorest and most vulnerable in society, and had a lasting influence on political reform and economic justice in Britain. In this detailed but lucid book, Michelle Cottam explores the life, times, and works of Charles Dickens. By charting the course of his life, and examining the major historical forces shaping his childhood, the city of London and Britain, this book sheds new light on the meaning of his work, as well as why he continues to be such an enduring and adored writer. 

Can't Hear Yourself Think

Graham Dalby’s book opens inside Windsor Castle at the ‘Ball of The Century’ in 2000, when he drops so many names it’s hard to keep up. He then takes us through his precariously dangerous childhood from Nigeria, Singapore, and Hong Kong, where he served for a short time as a Police Inspector. The remainder of the book is Dalby’s fast-paced life of Classical Music and Jazz and Swing and is a case-book study on how to manage to quaff Champagne belonging to the rich and famous.

The style is old school Wodehouse/Waugh but the historical interpolations keep the reader in the realms of reality and fact. An incredible story of great anecdotes, laughter, and some tears – but mostly Music, Champagne and Laughter.