The Bittersweet Voyage of the Golden Ship Hatteras

THE BITTERSWEET VOYAGE OF THE GOLDEN SHIP HATTERAS

By Ira David Wood III

A deeply moving love story

set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

A writer’s loving tribute

to a place, its history, and its people.

“An absolutely beautifully written love story! David Wood writes with the grace of the greats in this compelling novel about life on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Every word and page is to be savored in this historically authentic novel that will make you smile, laugh, sigh, cry, and cheer. The characters are colorful and believable, and perfectly placed in the narrative. This is more than a love story. It’s a rich and lively history lesson from an author who has spent much of his life listening to the people who have lived in this magical place.”

Bill Leslie, composer of ten musical albums and author of the 2008 book Blue Ridge Reunion.

“Love should dance,’ an unforgettable woman says toward the end of this powerful book, David Wood’s timeless love song to the Outer Banks, a book where his words dance. Wood, a wonderful director and actor, once again brings his storytelling art to the novel genre in this fine book. It’s the real thing.”

John Railey, author of the Outer Banks top-sellers The Lost Colony Murder on the Outer Banks: Seeking Justice for Brenda Joyce Holland and Andy Griffith’s Manteo: His Real Mayberry.

Starnberg Series Book 8: Yesterday When I Was Young

In the eighth and final book of the Starnberg set series, no couple escapes the grip of misfortune. From a terrifying cancer scare and a child’s meningitis to a life-altering car crash in distant Toronto and the unravelling of a once-strong love, this year is a true battleground.

As they confront these challenges, their bonds of friendship and support deepen, providing a lifeline through the storm. Amid the turmoil, an older love rekindles: Sybilla’s mother, Emmeline Mertens, faces a family tragedy and rediscovers her first love, the formidable divorce lawyer Magdalena von Reichenbach. Will anyone emerge unscathed?

Go Softly, Goodbye

Sybilla Frank, fledgling star of the new film The Jawlensky Trail, based on Emma Stoiber’s captivating book and directed by the talented Juliette Simon, feels her life is perfect. Happily married to her husband Thomas and ascending the career ladder, Sybilla arrives on set for the first day of rehearsals. An immediate confrontation with her co-star, Hannah Snyman, reveals an unprecedented level of antipathy between the two actresses. A stunt gone wrong unexpectedly brings them closer together, but is it merely a torrid film set romance, or could it be something deeper? Hannah’s commitment issues threaten to stand in the way of a more permanent connection. Immerse yourself in this enthralling tale of passion, conflict, and the complexities of relationships, both on and off the silver screen.The Jawlensky Trail is the seventh instalment in the acclaimed Starnberg series, promising to keep readers captivated from the first page to the last. Discover the depths of Sybilla and Hannah’s journey in this must-read novel.

The Starnberg Series Book 6 – Stay Awhile

With the enchanting backdrop of Lake Starnberg as its setting, the novel features Alexandra ‘Sasha’ Strauss, a young woman of Japanese and German descent, who finds herself on the cusp of love and career. As she tutors the challenging daughter of Marie Nyman and Arabella Cooper during her last year of university, Sasha’s path unexpectedly crosses that of the enigmatic French-Canadian film producer, Dominique Thibault.Dominique, a woman with a mysterious past, is collaborating with the renowned director Juliette Simon on a film located in a run-down hotel on the south side of the lake. Sasha, an aspiring professional photographer, seizes the opportunity to intern as a stills photographer on their set.Amid the glitz and glamour of the movie world, an undeniable attraction ignites between the ambitious intern and the aloof producer.As Sasha and Dominique navigate their growing feelings, secrecy becomes paramount. However, when Sasha is framed by a malicious individual on set, Dominique’s response shatters their delicate trust. Can they overcome the pain and rebuild what they once had, or will their love be lost forever?

Cornelia Street

In the small town of Macleigh, Aurora, also known as Daisy to some, grappling with the haunting legacy of her parents’ tragic murder-suicide, finds an unexpected source of solace in her charming yet suffocating hometown. Enter Rowan Daniels, a reserved cop seeking refuge from his own traumatic past. Their initial encounters are tense, rooted in Daisy’s resentment toward law enforcement and Rowan’s aversion to human connection. Daisy’s animosity arises from the mishandling of her parents’ case, while Rowan is haunted by the loss of his partner in a tragic shootout, leaving him scarred physically and emotionally.Despite their wary dispositions, a gradual bond forms, fuelled by Daisy’s charm and Rowan’s inability to stay away.In a heartfelt journey of healing, Daisy and Rowan navigate their inner turmoil, unravelling each other’s guarded layers. Daisy’s empathy coaxes Rowan out of isolation, while Rowan’s presence offers Daisy hope and the prospect of love beyond her traumatic past. Amid blooming flowers and shared vulnerabilities, a poignant love story blossoms, transforming Cornelia Street from a place of haunting memories into a haven of new beginnings and shared affection. There are only three little houses on Cornelia Street.Maybe, it will start feeling like home again. 

Jakarta

Army Intelligence Captain Jack Smyth received a “dear John” letter from his wife that she was leaving him for another man. His main concern was for his six-year-old daughter, Samantha, so he immediately left his post for Australia to sort out the mess. Whilst in Australia, Captain Smyth attended a seminar on “The Tribal Warriors” and was surprised to see the main speaker as Major Brett Shaw who was his leader whilst serving in Afghanistan. This then led to his meeting of Elizabeth Shaw, Brett’s sister, and this changed his life forever.Whilst visiting Jakarta in Indonesia on behalf of the government, Jack was kidnapped and brutally treated by a communist cell. The story takes you on a journey through the darkest reaches of Indonesia with Jack held captive in a remote mountainous area by a hillside tribe. His love for Liz never faded throughout this ordeal however Liz was reunited with an old flame thinking Jack was never to be seen again.Liz and Jack’s paths cross throughout the story, but circumstances keep them apart time and time again.

All I See Is You

Lennie Adams is a stage manager and aspiring director working in London’s West End. While employed on a dubious revival of Noël Coward’s nostalgic play Private Lives, she meets renowned classical actress Melanie Blaine. The beautiful woman is imprisoned in an unhappy marriage to a TV soap star.

Their mutual attraction leads to a tour romance. Back in London and struggling to maintain their affair, reality intervenes and a dramatic traffic accident triggers Melanie’s repressed guilt. She spirals into a breakdown.

Lennie wants to help Mel heal, if only she’ll allow it. Or will Melanie’s anguish overwhelm them both?

Join this stirring backstage drama of two creative spirits grappling to overcome ghosts from the past.

All I See Is You

Lennie Adams is a stage manager and aspiring director working in London’s West End. While employed on a dubious revival of Noël Coward’s nostalgic play Private Lives, she meets renowned classical actress Melanie Blaine. The beautiful woman is imprisoned in an unhappy marriage to a TV soap star. Their mutual attraction leads to a tour romance. Back in London and struggling to maintain their affair, reality intervenes and a dramatic traffic accident triggers Melanie’s repressed guilt. She spirals into a breakdown.Lennie wants to help Mel heal, if only she’ll allow it. Or will Melanie’s anguish overwhelm them both?Join this stirring backstage drama of two creative spirits grappling to overcome ghosts from the past.

I Found Him on the Internet

What brings a respected 65-year-old Professor of musicology to look for a partner on the internet site? What awakens love between her, a woman whose family came to the country from Romania, and a younger-than-her Kurdish television technician? What constructs this love and what destroys it? Not what you would expect. The first story, an internet site prize winner, tells about it.And how does a Jewish religious Professor of Slavic Studies get involved in a mad love affair with an English Brigadier of aristocratic family, a race driver, who comes to a conference of Slavic Studies in Bath as a spy? How much she is ready to sacrifice for this love, and why does it melt away? This is the contents of the second story.

How Can I Be Sure?

Thea Doukas is on a downward spiral, attempting to recover from a broken heart after her lover Leonie Brandt marries Pia Hartmann. On the rebound, she goes from affair to affair, until she finds some peace staying with Suzanne Weigl and her wife Beth in their house on lake Starnberg. A dilapidated house next door is up for sale and Leonie suggests they buy it together. Thea is doubtful she can ever live so close to Leonie and Pia, until she meets Leonie’s best friend Emma Stoiber. Winter sport dominates the area, and Emma is on the German biathlon A Team. Thea is immediately infatuated, but Emma has a boyfriend. A full-blown crisis erupts when an intimate photo appears in a scandal newspaper. They separate, their expectations too difficult to reconcile. A slow-burn romance between two women from very different worlds. This is the fourth book in the Starnberg series.

Torn Between Two

Molly and Lucy are best friends, but Molly has a secret.She is torn between telling her best friend and keepingher promise.Lucy has recently returned to the village followinga disastrous relationship.When Alistair knocks Lucy off her horse,he finds himself instantly attracted to her.Alice is desperate for Alistair to marry and provideher with a grandchild.Bertie’s arrival in Dorset changes everything,nothing will ever be the same again.

The Choosing Time

Whatever Clare wants, she gets. And that includes angel man, Lucien Griege. Clare doesn’t care if he is in love with someone else. She is determined to have him. Clare travels back in time to destroy his relationship with his angel woman, Azaela White. Will she succeed?