Pages in a life

Pages in a Life charts the encounters in courtrooms, council chambers and sports fields that helped to start a young journalist’s career. His journey reflects his work in a vibrant and lively town in the Nottinghamshire coalfield and a path filled with laughs and surprises, taking in everything from the cricket star Harold Larwood to the notorious ‘Black Panther’ Donald Neilson.

Reflections of a Country Boy

A book for everyone brought up in the 1950/60s and one which every modern-day parent should read and then pass it on, or read, to their children. It is a light-hearted book, but with serious implications at times, of the upbringing of a young boy, the author, on a North Lancashire farm, and of his life experiences gained. It portrays traditional farming as a way of life of the time, in which every family member was expected to contribute in some way, shape or form, for the smooth running of operations. It also covers the author’s introduction to the many and varied country pursuits and pastimes which he enjoys to this day.

Sometimes hilarious, sometimes sombre, but never boring, the author transports us through the many and varied situations he encountered in his formative years. By today’s standards, the freedom he was given by his parents, to roam and explore the area surrounding his home, would not be countenanced. More’s the pity, for a better upbringing and stress-free way of living for a youngster would be hard to envisage.

Ships, Trips and Rites of Passage

This is a true-life story of a young man’s life in the Royal Navy during the early 1970s. The book provides insight into what life was like for young men joining Her Majesty’s Forces at that time and of the journeys that followed during a five-year period. The book takes the reader through basic naval training and to far-flung places visited aboard HMS Albion (RO7) “The Old Grey Ghost”, a 22,000-ton Centaur-class Light Fleet Carrier, until its decommission. The story relays the difficulties and struggles of one young man and his decision to leave a career after moving to shore bases. The book offers a historical perspective of the Royal Navy from the eyes of a rating and a world much different from today.

Solo Travel Fun with Multiple Sclerosis

This small autobiographical record of a few solo trips on two walking sticks to Asia, Australasia and the Caribbean takes a look at the spirituality of travel, the travel of spirituality, and the humour in all of it.

It could rightly be said that nothing I experienced was dramatic in comparison to the truly exciting and/or scary human events daily found on the Internet and in TV programmes, but my journeys achieved something greater. They allowed me to grow.

When I was first diagnosed, I was advised to expect immobility, and was counselled to accept stasis; instead, I went around the world and I am still smiling at it. I hope that you will follow me if you have recently been visited by disability.

It is often said that laughter is the best medicine, to which I would now add that travel is the best laughter and the richest religion.

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!’

Wounds That Never Heal... 'Broken'

The events of this story are true. It begins when the author was 11 and first learnt that she had been adopted. At 19, she walked out on a wonderful family, with a husband who loved her deeply and gave her three beautiful babies. She turned her her back on them and climbed on a train to London to find her birth mother. Being innocent, she had no idea that she would soon be homeless and sleeping on park benches in Hyde Park and mixing with drug addicts, eventually working for the Maltese Mafia, who employed her as a striptease dancer in their clubs in Soho. She eventually lived with one of these Mafia men who always carried a gun and she was slowly groomed into that life. She was not allowed to go to work without being followed or watched by this violent man, although she was besotted by him. He would beat her or slap her for no reason and still she stayed. She finally escaped the violence by walking the streets yet again with nothing except the clothes she wore. Terrified, she picked up men for sex to earn money and finally met a man whom she married and who took her back to her hometown. She had witnessed violence and murder and endured violence herself, but now she is in her golden years. She has gone through four husbands, two of whom tried to murder her and almost killed her, but she can now put the truth out there for young women who are thinking of running away to London, believing the streets are paved with gold. She can assure them that they are not. Her experiences were heartbreaking, violent and soul-destroying, but she is still here to tell her story...

A childhood that could hardly be remembered, teenage years that were unforgettable, then came the unknown: fear, physical and mental abuse, pain, terror and beatings, drug abuse and going yet again into the unknown, resulting in rescue and contentment and peace... No one should travel the path I took...

This book is a must-read and should be given to any young person thinking of doing what I did... JUST DON'T, as only heartbreak will follow. It followed me and still does. That's why I remain BROKEN.

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”.

From Rehab to Life

Whether in or out of trouble, please say this serenity prayer on a daily basis: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." Thy will be done.