Times of My Life – Part Two

A sequel to Times of My Life: A Forest Gate Girl, this book carries the reader from a wedding in 1971, to the present day in Wiltshire, spanning 50 years of events that have punctuated the writer’s life up to now. It’s been a whole adventure and education for a girl from a fairly sheltered and strict family background, embarking on married life as a young wife which would soon take her away from the London she had known and loved to following her husband’s career all over the country.

She would eventually achieve all the things she had dreamed of as a child. She would travel the world, meet fascinating people in far-flung places and make lifelong friends. She would have a successful career of her own. She would teach. Her love of music, theatre and performance would lead to one of her most thrilling and satisfying endeavours, running her own musical theatre group with amazing young people and watching them grow in skills and confidence. This memoir revisits those hectic days which tend to get lost in the fullness of time. Treasured old photos bring it all back. 

Most of all, she would have a long and happy married life, and be blessed with wonderful children and grandchildren. There were many adventures and so many reasons to celebrate along the way. But there were also trials and challenges, tragedies and sadness, as there are and have been for everyone, particularly during the Covid years. The best of times always outweighed the bad, however, and the happiest memories will be cherished forever.

Up Long Meadow

Brindley Hosken’s farm, Withan, is a difficult, hilly patch of ground situated on the Lizard peninsula in the south of Cornwall. His land runs down to Frenchman’s Creek. One of the most peaceful, beautiful, and restful spots you are ever likely to find today.

When Brindley was asked to write a farming column for the local magazine, The Meneage Messenger, in 2007, he could not have known where it would take him. Developing a love for writing, his second book, Up Long Meadow, chronicles the history of his farming life over sixty years. As farming has changed from primarily manual, physical work to more tractor-driven he explores how, as a farmer, he has adapted to the changes that have been deemed progress.

His love of Cornwall and especially his locality on the south side of the Helford River shine through in this book, and hopefully will give the reader an understanding of the myriad of different histories and life stories that each farm and farmer have.

Up There

Touching clouds is free, priceless and absolutely exhilarating. To do this, you have to be able to fly. This is the story of a middle-class Melbourne girl, uneducated, lonely in her own family and desperate to find something worthwhile, who eventually discovers flying.

Following a flying career spanning forty years from her first lesson at the tender age of thirty-five, fifteen countries, marriage, divorce, lovers, shootings, robberies and a crazy cast of characters, Up There is a story of how transcending difficulties can lead to amazing things.

An Inside Job

An Inside Job is a gripping story of life as a chaplain inside Lincoln prison, a local jail opened in 1872. Joy Osborne writes from the heart with sensitivity and passion. The reader is drawn into a world which is generally unknown to the public. Following theological training, Joy felt God calling her beyond the church building to work inside the prison walls with some of the country’s most prolific offenders. She shared in the lives of those shunned by society and saw beyond crimes committed to the person’s humanity. Inside the busy jail, it was often ministry on the ‘hoof’, responding to an immediate crisis. Being ready with a listening ear, advice, compassion, an offer of help and prayers when requested were just part of a busy day. The challenges of prison life are portrayed in this book and are felt by the reader as they journey with Joy on an amazing walk through the prison and beyond.

An IT Contractor Life

This book is an excursus of Max’s career in both data and analytics, in general I.T., and the heavy metal underground of Italy in the mid-80s. This dichotomy has characterised Max’s adult life, which is highlighted in the book and everything Max does with his spare time. Sometime filled with sad moments, some hilarious stories and some great advice for I.T. professionals and metal heads alike, it’s mainly the story of a man like you and me who cannot say no to anybody and has a focus and resilience that only a few possess.

Memories of the Way We Were

I stood in front of the headstone which read ‘Rita Rocca Nee Tomlin (15/6/1942 - 21/10/2020)’ and thought, ‘Is this all there is? Her name on a headstone with mine to follow.’I remembered a warm May Day in 1948, when we both kneeled at the same altar waiting for a priest to give us our first taste of Jesus.She, in her white dress, was wondering if the day would yield enough for a new doll and pram, while I wondered if mine would yield enough for roller skates and maybe a new football.I recalled the honeymoon in Jersey in 1963, Miss World at the Royal Albert Hall in 1980, and the ball that followed at the Savoy Hotel.I said, “Sorry girl, I can’t give you a Taj Mahal, but I will write a book, which will hopefully make us more than just names on a tombstone.”

Please, Let Me Sleep

Please, Let Me Sleep is a relatable and humorous take on a topic that will surely resonate with readers. As the author candidly shares her experiences, readers will find themselves nodding in agreement and chuckling at the absurdity of it all. In a world where stress seems to be the norm, from mortgages to job insecurity to global conflicts, this book offers a welcome escape from the chaos.Amidst the challenging times we face today, including the COVID pandemic and the rising concerns about school bullying and drug use, parenting can feel like an overwhelming and joyless task. This book offers a lighthearted look at the ups and downs of parenthood, reminding readers that it’s okay to laugh at the challenges we face.The author’s sense of humour and upbeat attitude are evident throughout the book, making it a perfect antidote to the stresses of daily life. Whether you’re looking for a quick laugh or a way to unwind at the end of a long day, Please, Let Me Sleep is sure to leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed, and ready for a peaceful night’s sleep.

Sharpening the Weapons of Peace

Colonel Wilkinson spent 31 years in the British Army with the Royal Artillery, commando and parachute brigades and special forces. In his last job in the army, he was the principal author of the first British Joint Warfare Publication (JWP 3-50 Peace Support Operations). During his military service he gradually came to the understanding that the achievement of peace required a comprehensive approach that addressed the causes and consequences of conflict and not just the symptoms. These thoughts were crystallised during his four years as a senior research fellow at the Centre for Defence Studies at King’s College, London. After King’s College, he was deployed as the international advisor to President Kagame in Rwanda for one year and President Karzai in Afghanistan for two years before supporting the National Security Advisor in Baghdad for three years. More recently, he spent fifteen months in the occupied Palestinian territories before deploying to Somalia for three years to support the President and Minister of Internal Security. These positions have given Colonel Wilkinson a unique perspective of international intervention operations. Many others have written of their observations from the outside looking in, Colonel Wilkinson has had the privilege of being part of the host government looking out. Many may find his observations unsettling!

Mountain People

“You have to love the mountains to live here.” Nevertheless, at seventeen Salva left, returning many years later with Àngels to the family farm. Now it’s a holiday centre.“I was sleeping in the tent. The bear was eating a sheep fifty metres away,” says Mustà, a shepherd who moved to the Pyrenees from Morocco.“Born here… without doctors, without anything.” Josep has never left his mountain village. Once a secretary in Barcelona, his wife María is now the farmer in the family.Five in-depth life stories from the fifteen in Mountain People. Stories of hope in the face of adversity, reflecting our common humanity. Stories that, like the surrounding mountains, will ignite your imagination.

A Bipolar Life Well-Lived

It never dawned on me that I was getting ill, but what was happening to me was very real. Living in a world of make-believe, I was convinced my imaginary visions were genuine. I had delusions of grandeur, thinking I was all-powerful and the centre of everything. But I was not a monster; I was a lost soul. My story involves a struggle with mania and depression in the context of my life in England and France. How, despite my handicap, I held down a job abroad for 8 years and how, after 8 years of marriage to a Frenchman, I supported my daughter as a single parent. My memoir gives insight into living with mental illness. It is an autobiography concerned with memories of childhood, adolescence and adulthood.

Finding Michael: A Journey in Search of My Soul

During his teenage summers, Michael Barnett discovered his passion lay far from the monotonous environment of a UK shipping company office where he observed the disheartened older employees.

Choosing to pursue a love for the outdoors and a talent in mathematics and sciences, he embarked on a civil engineering career that took him around the globe. This first instalment of a two-part memoir spans his life and career from 1943 to 1984, detailing his adventures and professional growth from advanced studies in Chicago to diverse construction sites worldwide, including Samoa, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and more.

Through journal entries and letters, Barnett shares the rich tapestry of emotions and experiences that shaped his journey.

Cancer – v – MND

Amid the chaotic world caused by Covid, Gail receives an expected diagnosis, not having had any symptoms it is a total shock to her. How does she cope with this news and get her head around it, as she is going through her treatment, the bombshell of her husbands illness is added into the mix. Life is certainly different, It’s never going to be the same again, trying to find a new normal, whatever that is, a roller-coaster of ups and downs and emotions. Trying to navigate a path that is so different, sometimes so hard and difficult, yet is now part of her everyday life. An insight into how she reacts to the turmoil of her life, laughter, sadness and love help her cope.