-
Mud and Thunder
Ed Roberts is a young, talented and ambitious midfielder playing for Northtown United, a club buried in the depths of the Football League. A new owner and manager transform its fortunes and steers it into the First Division. Roberts plays a pivotal role in that progress and goes on to represent England before becoming one of the first English footballers to play abroad. This is his warts-and-all story of what it was like to play at all levels – before the advent of the Premier League, the influx of foreign stars, the appearance of the super agent and vastly inflated salaries. He writes, candidly, about some of the men he played with and for, how he didn’t always toe the club line, his failed international career and his off-field relationships. He broaches subjects such as racism, alcoholism, homosexuality and early player power. It all amounts to one of the most honest and compelling accounts yet written by a former footballer.
£11.99 -
Modern World?
Modern World? delves into the entwined lives of two compelling characters navigating the complexities of life. First, we meet a young girl, orphaned by the tragic actions of her own community. The story traces her journey of resilience and self-discovery in a world marred by the darker aspects of human behaviour. Alongside her, we follow the life of a boy, raised by a single mother, as he grapples with the challenges and expectations of transitioning from boyhood to manhood.
Through the lens of these two characters, Modern World? offers a poignant exploration of existential questions, all framed by the author’s insightful perspective. This narrative invites readers to confront the often-uncomfortable realities of life, while also providing a glimmer of hope for understanding one’s place in this fractured world.
£10.99 -
Meg Tyson - Screen Lass
The year is 1862, and Meg Tyson is a screen lass – women tasked with separating the coal mined from the pits out of wastes such as metal and stone. She lives in Morthwaite, a small village in Cumbria, in the northwest of England.
The tiny village is home to Coater Pit, a coal mine, and here, most of the men are colliers and many of the women and girls are screen lasses. That is the destiny Meg has accepted for herself. But one terrifying moment sets Meg on a different path, to a life a world away from Morthwaite.
Little does Meg know that an encounter with the youngest son of the Bensons – Coater pit owners and, essentially, owners of the village – would set her off on a journey that would lead her to Vancouver Island in Canada, where she would get to make a life for herself that she could never have imagined.
£9.99 -
Matthew's Tears
Matthew is born in 1974 and his proud father, Geoffrey, takes him to their family doctor for his first triple antigen vaccination. Within 24 hours, Matthew begins to incessantly convulse. This is a time when no one questions their doctor, their word is sacred.
Nothing can be done to stop Matthew’s fits, and the doctors only say they are continuously causing more and more brain damage.
Geoffrey blames himself and descends into a self-destructive pattern of behaviour, causing his life to spiral downward and out of his control.
£11.99 -
Martinup
The year is 1967 and Martinup, situated in rural Western Australia, is largely unaffected by the sixties revolution that is sweeping the rest of the world. High school is the focus of attention for Brian MacArthur and his friend, Trevor Stewart.
It is so different from primary school. They make their own entertainment in the bush.
Their science teacher, Paul Newton, is on his first teaching post, straight from Perth, missing his girlfriend and sharing a dreadful flat with an outrageous person who works as a primary school teacher. Life is unbearable and conflict inevitable.
Brian has reluctantly accepted the position of altar boy in the local Catholic church. The priest hides a dark secret involving church funds.
The Vietnam War rages on, threatening Brian’s older brother, Roger, with conscription should he fail in his exams at university.
Brian and Trevor launch a hot air balloon which starts a bush fire and causes the deaths of hundreds.
Well, no. But it could have.
£9.99 -
Love That Lasts Forever
Everything was happy and carefree in the Taylor household. Hettie and Jonty enjoyed a privileged life in the Welsh countryside. Then everything changed, arguments and recriminations led to separation and divorce and in a flash, lives and dreams were shattered. As their parents' conflict intensified, Hettie and Jonty were plunged into ever-more desperate situations, struggling with divided loyalties and powerful and conflicting emotions. How can they hold on to a loving relationship with both their parents? What does it take to maintain a bond when someone is trying to tear it apart? As Hettie relives her childhood and adolescence through adult eyes, the truth of her past emerges. What price has she and Jonty paid? Is true love unbreakable? Can love last forever?
£10.99 -
Live. Live. Repeat.
What would you sacrifice for all the riches in the World? Your name? Your face?
Your soul?
Mike had already lost everything when he found himself sitting next to the stranger at the bar.
He listened to an implausible tale, too tall to be true.
What followed would change everything for him, forever.
Money can't buy happiness. But what about ALL the money in the world...?
£8.99 -
Lily
His elder daughter was all he—and a number of other men—found they wanted in a woman, and Lily soon learned to use her good looks and lively personality to the best advantage. But she was also hard-working and practical and, in her lifetime, held down a number of jobs which, in those times, women were not expected to be able to do.
Was it a good life? Depends on what is meant by ‘good.’
Looking back, Lily would probably say there were plenty of good times, and more than a few regrets.
But at least she lived it to the full. In every way. Here is her story.
£10.99 -
Life in a Week
A simple dinner invitation leads a middle aged woman to have blackmail on her mind. Still grieving from the loss of her best friend, Clarissa soon discovers money is actually the least of her concerns. Old friends, new acquaintances, painful memories and fading mental acuity collide to make this a singular week – with far reaching consequences.
Clarissa is inwardly simmering at the way her husband, Edward, is managing their future. Existing in a dual disharmony of crumbling house and marriage, the desire to be transported away from the mundane leads to family betrayals, unearths secrets and puts Clarissa on an irreversible path to vengeance.
£9.99 -
Letters from Rosie
Rosie had been a weekly visitor to the residents of the local retirement home for some years before her visits were brought to an abrupt halt by the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. She missed the visits, as did the residents, so I decided that Rosie should become a virtual visitor instead. Each week, ‘she’ emailed a letter with a photo detailing some event that had happened in her life the previous week, and these were printed and distributed within the home. They were a great success and were enjoyed by the residents, some of whom had never met Rosie and only knew her from her letters. They continued for more than two years. Now here they are for you to read and enjoy.
£14.99 -
Let It Snow
Kat, a teenage girl grappling with a hidden depression, finds solace in the deceptive allure of drugs. Struggling silently, she receives medication from her unaware parents, who remain oblivious to her inner turmoil. However, amidst the darkness, Kat encounters Dominic, a compassionate presence who strives to offer genuine support and bring light into her life. Together, they embark on a journey towards healing and happiness. Yet, as their story unfolds, the question lingers: Will Kat ultimately find the strength to overcome her struggles and discover a path to true well-being? Let It Snow… is a poignant tale that explores the complexities of mental health, the power of human connection, and the search for inner peace.
£10.99 -
Lady and the Tramp and Me
Life doesn’t always turn out the way you think it should, does it?
For instance, what happens when you get a puppy you don’t want? For Simon that answer is simply: nothing good.
His life as a happy bachelor is torpedoed when he reluctantly accepts a puppy of indeterminable breed who names himself Tramp and seemingly never ever stops growing – personality included. Any principles for raising a dog are put to the test, and so is Simon’s state of mind when his sex-life is sabotaged, his sports car rendered useless, and Tramp is spending all of Simon’s money.
And then there’s the women… quite a few of them, but one in particular. The angry one in the park who likes dogs and who wonders if Simon is a stripper because he flashes her his ass. But in reality, he looks like he’s just escaped from an asylum.
And that’s just the beginning…
£9.99