Beyond the Dragon’s Mouth to the Land of Milk and Money

Embark on an extraordinary memoir that chronicles the remarkable odyssey of a man determined to transcend adversity, conquer racial prejudice, and fulfil his dream of becoming a Chartered Engineer. This captivating narrative traces a history that stretches back to the 1840s when his forefathers, descendants of indentured laborers from India, were brought to toil in the sugar cane fields of a British colony after the abolition of slavery. From this rich tapestry of ancestry to the present day in England, the author’s life unfolds as a testament to resilience.

Spanning continents and centuries, this memoir offers a poignant glimpse into the life of a young boy growing up on a British island colony in the mid-twentieth century. It vividly contrasts the stark realities of a tropical upbringing with the challenges of adapting to life in a temperate climate, from fog and snow to relentless drizzling rain. The simple act of donning thick clothing becomes a novel experience, as does huddling by a Valor paraffin stove in a quest for warmth and cocooning beneath scratchy wool blankets.

As the narrative unfolds, you’ll witness the profound transformation of a penniless immigrant who, against all odds, blossoms into a prosperous family man. His journey is a testament to unwavering determination, resilience, and a remarkable integration into British society, providing an intimate and insightful perspective on the trials and triumphs of one man’s quest for excellence.

Behind the Lines

The year 2020 marks the 75^th anniversary of the German surrender in World War II. The 10^th Mountain Division, the army’s first mountaineering unit, led the Allies to victory in Italy in 1945. Their soldiers are often celebrated for their heroism and ingenuity and remembered for their steep losses in the campaign to defeat Nazi Germany. Yet it has been estimated that no more than 14% of troops overseas in World War II ever saw combat.

Behind the Lines is the story of a 10^th Mountain Division soldier from the other 86%, someone who toiled to deliver munitions and supplies to troops on the battlefront and who documented his experiences in letters home to his wife in Minnesota. Narrated by the soldier’s daughter who, some 70 years later, finally read the correspondence between her parents and became acquainted with them as they were when she was a baby, the experiences of this soldier and of the wife he left behind reveal the day-to-day challenges of their plight, the tensions but also the unexpected rewards of their situation, and the all-too-common prejudices of a tumultuous era often dubbed ‘heroic’. Behind the Lines mines the correspondence to describe the anguish and the longing of a young couple separated by a war that would change the course of modern civilisation.

Before I Forget

Before I Forget is more of a medley than a memoir. It chronicles the affairs of the American University of Beirut during an under studied period comprising and following the Lebanese civil war. In recording his perception of selective periods in his lifetime the author focuses on his AUB experience and documents his text with email exchanges with university officials.

He exposes his personal experience as a student, an administrator and faculty member of AUB during a period that spans over the administration of fourteen presidents (from John Paul Leonard to Fadlo Khuri), several of whom he was closely associated with. During this period, he served in central capacities including: president of the Faculty Association, President of the Worldwide Alumni Association, Assistant Dean and chair of the Senate Steering Committee. In his engaging style the author draws attention to what he considers an association of AUB with US interests.

The book also chronicles the difficulties and strivings the author faced since his family was forced to leave his homeland. It discusses the changes the author experienced moving from Lebanon to the US as a foreign student as well as the lifestyle adjustments he had to undergo when returning to Lebanon after graduation.

Beauty Queens, Frogs and Princes

Growing up in Yorkshire within an idyllic middle-class family, two parents and a younger sister, our life together and adventures, our emigration to Africa and Australia, 10 schools in various regions and countries along the way.

Then came my success, winning the Miss UK contest and runner up to Miss World in 1985, which was aired on ITV, primetime and watched by millions of viewers, that’s when the fun really started.

The press, the public, appearances, TV shows, celebrities, drugs, my move to South Africa, marriage, divorce, modelling, boyfriends, mental abuse, violence, meeting my daughters’ father, the birth of our beautiful baby and the circumstances which changed the course of my life forever, motherhood, affairs, blackmail, private detectives, being a single parent, millionaires, and conmen to mention a few. 

The dating scene, kissing many frogs and my eventual happiness, finding love, and settling down after what seemed like a lifetime of searching.

Baz

This book begins when “Baz” starts his life, growing up with his siblings, growing up through his school, working, and then married life. This shows his life with the highs and lows until just after his retirement.

It is hoped that younger readers will see that they can achieve many things in life, and that many readers will be able to relate their own experiences to the stories narrated in this book.

Autism... A Mother's Story

Autism is a life-long condition that affects how the brain works. It is not an illness and therefore cannot be ‘cured.’ Some may show traits but never be diagnosed as being autistic.

Autism… A Mother’s Story is a heartfelt account of a mother’s journey with her autistic son which spans almost 28 years and covers the huge ups and downs of this complex condition.

This is a memoir that gives hope to those caring for anyone with autism or for anyone wanting to know more about the challenges that face carers and the assistance that is available.

Apple Cores and Mandarins

A few weeks after celebrating his 50th birthday, the author’s life was turned upside down. He faced contracting a life-threatening disease whilst on a trip to China. He collapsed on the flight home and was rushed to the hospital in London, placed in an induced coma for six weeks and ventilated as his lungs had stopped working. Facing a cruel recovery package, learning how to walk and talk again he was hit with the devastating news that his beloved wife had breast cancer. Dealing with the trauma of watching her battle the cancer, being told she had defeated it and then unexpectedly dying after three weeks from having stomach pains. This book outlines his life, medical struggles and battles with mental health. It also outlines practical ways to cope with mental health and trauma.

Anyway... I Forgot to Tell You!

Medicine can be both fascinating and terrifying.

This statement can be applied equally to those who practise medicine, but also to the ‘lay’ person who observes from afar but eventually, and sadly inevitably, becomes enmeshed in it. Usually as a reluctant patient.

Erik Hagen has been practicing medicine for the last forty odd years. He has been involved in country General Practice, Emergency medicine, Retrieval medicine with the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia and also in motor sport medicine at both the national and international level, especially in the fields of Formula One and World Rallying.

This collection makes up the second volume of short stories, the first being “Imperfect Recollections; Memory Fragments from and Ageing Medico”, published in 2020.

Some of the stories are just that – stories; but some of the subjects are possibly more reflective than the first book, attempting to examine the questions that confront us all.

Perhaps that kind of musing afflicts all of us who have fewer years ahead than behind us or perhaps it is just that we are vain enough to imagine that we have something worth saying.

Anxiety is Not Me

Life would be easier without anxiety but it also wouldn’t have anywhere near as much depth.

Ever feel like you’re different because you suffer from anxiety?

Ever feel like no one understands you and your actions?

Are you seeking guidance on how to coexist with the condition or maybe you have a loved one who suffers from anxiety and you would like to understand them better?

As you navigate your way through the shedding of old beliefs, old habits and the old you, I am here to aid the uncovering of your new form.

The journey will be rocky. It won’t always be pretty but it will be magic and I’m so excited for you.

Raise the questions. Awaken your spirit. Set your soul on fire with purpose. And you will walk away belonging.

Learn to love yourself wholly and bring your shadow self into light. Discover the endless positives and possibilities of living with anxiety without allowing it the power of taking the driver’s seat.

Delve deep into these pages and allow yourself to become completely open-minded and vulnerable and you will unlock a new, brighter perspective of life with anxiety. If nurtured correctly, it can create such awareness that we otherwise wouldn’t have the sense to feel. When you focus your attention, it can be a great gift.

This is my story – the journey back to myself. The raw, the real, the messy and the chaos of everyday living with anxiety, written to promote the normalisation of mental health and offer you exactly what you seek. Support, comfort, advice and above all else, a new perspective on life with anxiety.

Always remember, YOU ARE NOT ANXIETY.

Angel O’Clock…

On the edge of mortality, a profound transformation occurred within Matthew Johns. They came to a realization: events they once believed simply occurred to them were, in reality, orchestrated milestones leading them toward a greater purpose. The introduction of a soulmate in their life acted as a beacon, illuminating their newfound spiritual path.

Delving into this spiritual realm, Matthew Johns cultivated a deep and intuitive bond with The Divine. Their blossoming psychic understanding opened a sacred dialogue with Spirit, unveiling profound truths. Through their exploration of Angel Numbers and numerology, they discerned that Time wasn’t merely chronological, but a divinely orchestrated symphony. In this grand tapestry, ‘coincidences’ have a role, but it’s synchronicity that wears the crown.

Join Matthew Johns on a journey of discovery, where the wisdom, love, and guidance of Angels and the spirit-realm continually shine through. By embracing this presence and seeking its signs, readers are invited into a majestic dance choreographed by the Divine – a harmonious blend of destiny, partnership, and co-creation. In this world, Spirit Guides are ever vigilant, always ready to lead the way. All one needs to do is reach out and trust in their unwavering guidance.

An Apprentice's Life

My book is about my Engineering Apprenticeship which was during the years 1960-1966. My apprenticeship was in the Royal Ordnance Factory in Woolwich, the ‘home’ of the Royal Artillery, and the biggest gun being made at that time was the 120mm Tank Gun. The smallest was the 81mm Mortar. Included in my book is my life outside the factory, and some of it is set in beautiful parkland where my mates and I would get up to all sorts of pranks. There is included on my part an attractive woman down the canal.

All Because of Daisy

Terence Roberts came to live in Ireland as a middle-aged working man in search of something. He took a gamble when he could have easily stayed comfortable and resigned to the only life he knew. On reflection, he didn’t really know himself as he approached his 50^th birthday and he couldn’t see a purposeful future. Everything had been lost amidst the pace and chaos of urban living and life’s natural disappointments. But in rural Ireland, he found himself in a totally different world, finding what was important in his own life whilst rediscovering innocence and hope. Through unique characters, both human and in the field, he was entertained, educated and inspired.

All Because of Daisy was written initially for his family and close friends to help explain why he left them to come to live in Ireland and why he stayed. Thanks to his new environment and eye-opening experiences, he begins to make sense of his own life, his past, present and future. He also concludes that while modern-day life is far from simple and is emotionally expensive in many ways, it can also be beautiful and priceless when seen through fresh eyes… but to do that, sometimes you have to take a gamble.