A Womb With a View

This book delves into the life of the Church of England at a near grassroots level during a period of seismic change. It seeks to capture the essence of experimental ministry during a time of national uncertainty. While it doesn’t provide definitive answers, it explores various possibilities with honesty and humour. The narrative shares the joys and challenges of parish ministry in diverse settings: from the heart of a bustling city to the serene depths of rural Wensleydale, from a sprawling inner-city housing estate to the hills and coastlands of Cumbria. It enthusiastically engages with ecumenical matters and approaches interfaith diversity with a certain naivety.

“Here are the workings out of a practical theologian – a priest working across disciplines, and most powerfully working with and alongside communities.”

– The Ven. Chris Burke, Archdeacon of Barking.

“He created a platform to build on of the largest centres for social action and community activity in the country… Malcolm is courageous beyond belief and a true advocate of his faith and belief in human kind.”

– Mark Law MBC. Chief Executive, BARCA, Leeds.

“I found this lovely book quite a nostalgic read, because it reminded me of the church into which I was ordained nearly 40 years ago. I also found it deeply moving, endearingly honest, and at times profoundly inspiring. Malcolm - who is a natural entrepreneur – manages to tackle some very serious subjects without ever taking himself too seriously and he enables some powerful reflection on the meaning of ‘success’ in ordained ministry without trying to provide to many answers. I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I did.”

– James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle.

Dicing With Death

While there was terrorist-related activity happening somewhere in Northern Ireland daily, Belfast bore the brunt of it, and the two-mile stretch of road between Willie’s home and the school had more than its share. He travelled that corridor of death to and from school every day. In school, he was prepared to put his life on the line protecting the rights of disaffected young people. He tried to keep the older boys out of the arms of the IRA, who would recruit them into the Fianna (Junior IRA), and out of reach of the security forces who would arrest them for petty crimes and then release them on condition that they became informers. He was ready to protect them against all comers. He walked the middle ground, neither on one side nor the other. The police and the soldiers were professionals. They could look after themselves. He did not support the IRA, nor take orders from them, nor allow himself to be used by them. He saw his role as protecting the young people in his care. He was walking on quicksand, knowing that if he put a foot wrong, he could vanish without a trace.

Koalas and Kangaroos

Embark on an unforgettable adventure along the east coast of Australia, starting at South Point, the southernmost tip of the mainland near Melbourne. The journey takes you by train through Canberra and on to Sydney, where iconic sights like the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Manly Beach await, along with countless cultural landmarks. A side trip inland offers the breathtaking views of the Blue Mountains.

Continuing north by road, the first stop is Walkabout Park, where you’ll have close encounters with koalas and kangaroos. In Newcastle, discover the world’s largest coal export terminal.

The adventure includes an immersive Aboriginal cultural experience, relaxing on the beaches of Byron Bay beneath its iconic lighthouse, and diving into the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. A visit inland reveals the stunning Atherton Tablelands, with its numerous waterfalls.

North of Cairns, explore the Daintree National Park, the world’s oldest rainforest, before capping off the journey with a thrilling 4X4 expedition to Cape York, the northernmost point of Australia.

Our Fenland Memories

Step back in time to the 1930s and 40s, where life was vastly different for a family growing up on a Fenland farm in the middle of nowhere. The hard work of farming was a way of life, with no fancy machines to ease the back-breaking labour. Every family member and friend had a role to play, from picking potatoes by baskets to chop hoeing sugar beets. And when harvest time came around, it was dirty work for the adults but great fun for the children - who were happy to help, especially if there was extra pocket money on offer.

In those distinct seasons of yesteryear, winter brought frost that created magical ice crystals on the inside of windows. We learned to take comfort in stone hot water bottles at night, and became experts at dressing and undressing quickly in unheated bedrooms. But would we be able to cope today without electricity or indoor plumbing? Perhaps, but we’d rather not find out.

These personal memories of social history are a treasured part of our heritage, a snapshot of life in a bygone era that needs to be preserved with pride for future generations. In this fast-moving, ever-changing world, it’s important that we don’t forget our Fenland roots. Join us on a journey through time as we reminisce about the joys and challenges of life on a rural farm in a simpler, more humble era.

My Friend’s Place

In this debut book, Robert calls out to the hesitant senior traveller with encouragement and caution.

With the aid of trains, planes and Tuk-Tuks, this senior traveller approaches his seventieth year fuelled with the energy and wonder of his inner child. Full of self- belief, a small pinch of common sense and a huge ego, his adventure to India proves to be a humbling, hilarious, hazardous, and often, emotional experience.

Gradually, as his adventure unfolds, his ego momentarily weakens and fleeting glimpses of his true nature manifests itself, though sometimes painfully. This process has been called ‘finding oneself’, however as the saying goes, the more one finds out the less one knows.

My Parents' Daughter

The mob bullying of an accomplished and expert senior secondary English teacher and Co-ordinator in a Victorian state school in Australia is re-told in My Parents’ Daughter giving a vivid insight into the hellish world of its victim. This first part of Victoria Hartmann’s Memoir is about workplace bullying by her four male principals, plus others, in the new millennium. This otherwise dark theme is re-told with good humour. Victoria’s intention is for her reader to laugh a lot outwardly but be moved inwardly to further discussions about this sinister blight on our democracies; perhaps even be moved to action and further the cause.

It shows how Victoria’s employer – the Department of Education, plus associated bodies, dealt with Victoria’s injuries and complaints. It questions accountability and equity or rather the lack there of. This memoir tackles head on psychological bullying and spot lights the notion that authority does not equate to honesty thus our need for external checks on governmental power brokers. The memoir’s intention is to enlighten and demands justice and change leading to prevention. It is a courageous effort by a courageous woman who owes everything to her genetics and upbringing. Please note that all names are fictitious but the content word for word true.

Take a Seat

This book encompasses the fascinating 40 year journey in life of someone who just wasn’t your average practicing GP, but someone whose passion and drive were to use his skills and medical ability to bring quality of life to every patient that crossed his path.

He thrives on challenges in every situation and circumstance. Wherever there was a medical need, however big or small, he would jump to take it on! Whatever the complex medical condition was, in whatever culture or country he was operating in, whether in a war zone, an aircraft carrier, an Aboriginal township in Australia, or a community GP practice in Essex, he thrived and wanted to make a difference!

Many of the episodes in this book have been the catalyst of the diverse and interesting career, which have kept many a dinner party enthralled, amused, admired and envied.

Every memoir depicts the enthusiasm and need of the author to achieve the overall ambition … ‘to bring a quality of life’ to all humans that needed his medical help in the best possible way… and to give the reassurance and empathy to make them ‘feel they matter’ and ‘quality of life is essential and priceless’ whatever the circumstance prevails!

Tales from Greece: Part 1

Follow the Williams family as they explore the Greek Islands and become engrossed in the sights and sounds. Your emotions will swing from humour to sadness to hope as you become involved in the highs and lows of family life, you will laugh and cry as you watch a mother’s struggles with memories and the need to move forward with hope.

The Long Road to Freedom

People in my position must often ask themselves what the answer is? How did I get here? At what cost?

And how did I finally come out on the other side, into a world where the grass is green and smells fresh. And where life is worth living and relishing for every last facet of its existence - a place where utopia can exist for the simplest of men.

It is ironic that what finally triggered my debut book was being handed the psychiatric report on our youngest daughter’s suicide.

People always say that inside every good journalist is a book, and I always joked that that ruled me out in that case.

But then I thought about what everyone is looking for - the secret of a happy life. And this story is about the journey that it took to get there.

We will never be able to bring her back. Obviously. But we can take massive strides towards rebuilding a family that was once so strong, and bringing it back to a time when laughter really was the most valuable thing we had.

You will laugh and you will cry in equal measure, and hopefully somewhere along the way you will be inspired.

But what you could not do, no matter how you tried, is make any of this stuff up.

Through the Eyes of a Security Operative

The author, T Mogford, after working within the security sector for over 25 years wanted to write this book to give the public an insight into the work and things that they see on a day-to-day basis within this industry. From his time working as a doorman to eventually working as a Crown Court Security Supervisor, it is filled with insights of the author’s years working in this environment and in his opinion how two days are never the same, where one quiet day could turn very volatile on the turn of a sixpence. ‘You just never know who is going to come through the front doors’ is just one of his sayings. How he works on the front line with his staff so they are the first point of contact. The author explains the qualities you need to be able to do this work to the best of your ability. Terry has written this from extracts from his diaries that he has kept over the years as well as from memories.

What's The Worst That Can Happen?

In 2006, I was told by a spirit guide that I would write a book. Yes, I see spirits. “That sounds good but what story had I to tell? Tell the story of how you came from the slums of Glasgow, pushed away your gifts of ‘sixth sense’ and rediscovered them as an adult.” Okay, from the slums of Glasgow to discovering that you’re a psychic in your late forties sounds good but the part in between might sound uninteresting. “Think about it,” I was told, “You will soon be given the opportunity to write.” My life was to follow two paths; communicating with spirit and learning to replace fear with love. My guidance came from two sources; spirit and dreams. My childhood had been a ‘lie’ and I came to realise that much of my adult life was a ‘lie’ also. I wasn’t quite the person that I thought I was. During my childhood I had been the victim of abuse from an adult who I trusted. Unfortunately, I continued with this habit as an adult and would have difficulty facing up to anything. I had two options: run, as I had been doing, or face the truth about myself. I opted for the latter. Today I do not acknowledge negativity. I learn from every experience and think positively. It does help somewhat when the guidance that I receive is ‘out of this world!’

Driving in Reverse - The Life I Almost Missed

Author Lindsay Wincherauk is down on his luck and headed for midlife collapse. Working two dismal jobs to pay his trendy Yaletown rent, grieving the sudden loss of two friends and family members, and dumped by the love of his life – Lindsay looks for the nearest exit. He decides on a whim to escape to Europe with his buddy Dave. By a twist of fate, his life turns completely upside down when he attempts to renew his passport and discovers he’s the main character in a dark family secret.  Reeling from the shock, Lindsay grabs his bags and blasts through 11 countries in 31 days. Wincherauk’s story moves at breakneck speed as the author describes his flight through pain and madness, spinning into surreal side trips where he meets an inferno of wild characters. Back in Vancouver, while driving a suicidal man to work, a light goes on and Lindsay knows what he must do: write his story. He’s come precariously close to self-destructing and knows that until the hidden pieces of his life are uncovered, something would be missing. Writing his way through the dark chapters, with wit and candour, he breaks through to the other side – “reborn”.