Good Grazing and Other Stories

This collection presents ten short stories, bound together by their connection to New Zealand, whether set within its shores or following the experiences of a New Zealander abroad. Spanning past, present, and even the future (as in the story ‘Good Grazing’), these tales explore a range of moods and themes, from the light-hearted to the thought-provoking.

In the tradition of Shakespearean comedies, most stories here find their way to a satisfying end, though ‘The Magpie’ and ‘Walk a Mile’ venture into darker territories, offering readers food for thought. Fans of ‘The Cone Man’ will be delighted by the return of Norman Humbolt, now grappling with the entanglements of modern politics and social media – with unexpected results.

Two of the stories, ‘Good Grazing’ and ‘As a New Zealander Might Regard Rome’, touch on contemporary social issues related to Māori culture, portraying a hopeful future with a touch of humour. At its heart, this collection is a lighthearted journey into the world as a New Zealander might see it: full of humour, insight, and occasional kernels of truth. Readers planning a trip to New Zealand may even find a glimpse of what awaits, as the real locations described are easily discoverable.

The Dog That Ate Its Tail

A journey beyond the heart of dullness, beyond the mundane and frivolous cries of everyday drama. The essentials ingredients of love, hate, betrayal, and vengeance are present, but do not digress and imagine what these sprightly tales mean cliches, for these Shakespearean diving boards are the foundations for all art. It is a piece of work inspired by the modern life; life that is lived at such a speed that it has become perilous to stop. A life loaded with eccentricities and demands for perfection.

The civilisation that has conjured such divine torment has been sent up the river, beyond the heart of darkness and into the light that is reflected in the eyes mirror. It searches the mechanism of existence and measures the speed at which hope moves through the heart. The tragic humour of insight has been twisted into stories that can be carried about in the head and snacked upon at random.

A Visitation and Other Stories

A short story or two with a cup of tea is an ideal way to relax and escape from the cares of the world. None of the stories in this book are overlong, and all make for easy reading. The subjects are varied, ranging from ghost stories to little slices of life, with at least one drawn from the author’s own experience. He hopes the reader derives as much pleasure from reading them as he did from writing them.

A Rake in the Park and Other Short Stories

Escape the rigours of modern life with this delightful collection of fifteen light-hearted stories. Each tale is crafted to bring a smile to your face and provide a much-needed break from the daily grind. With a humorous and light-hearted tone, the stories take you on a journey across the globe, from the vibrant streets of India and the passionate tango halls of Argentina to the ancient wonders of China and Peru. Explore the rugged landscapes of South Africa, the sun-drenched plazas of Spain, and even venture into the vast expanse of outer space. These charming stories offer a delightful respite from the everyday, inviting you to sit back, relax, and let your imagination take flight.

Nana's Stories

Sharing precious moments together.Step back in time into the world of childhood.A collection of children's short stories, seen through children’s eyes and imagination.The joys of sharing, kindness and curiosity leap from the pages and cannot help but make you smile.  Twelve heart-warming stories for young children.  How a scribble can change into a thoughtful gift withRusty Pickles Making friends and sharing withTwo Red Apples and a Green Pencil How a day at the beach brings unexpected surprises for Terry Tomkins with The Shell Jarand many more to delight.  Enjoy.

Esmerelda Stories from Around the World

Kurumbey and his family lived a simple life on a picturesque island in the Maldives. They spent the long, hot days fishing and playing on the beach by their campfire. One day, they chanced upon an unlikely visitor who would change their lives forever. The family are faced with a challenge: will they be able to show their courage and unity to work together?Thousands of miles away, Chow Ho from Thailand is facing an awful disaster that will affect his whole family. He too was visited by an unlikely visitor. Would he and his family be able to unite to save what was so precious to them?Jetting back to the barren deserts of the United Arab Emirates, Haya, a young inquisitive tribe member must find a better home for her tribe. Will the mysterious visitor help her to believe in herself and take a risk?Esmerelda stories is a collection of short stories showing that when families work together, they can achieve the impossible.

The Twitterings of Ten Garden Birds

Birds live in their own secret world.

Birds are beautiful little creatures that have the gift of flight – they look down upon us from the trees, rooftops, the church spire and the weather vane, before deciding whose garden to visit this day. They have a marvellous navigational aid allowing them to migrate and then return. They have a short life span. The sparrow’s for one, so ordinary with its mousy feathers, is only 10 months.

This then, is the raison d'être for writing this book.

The Tales of Mr Mouse and Friends

Join Mr. Mouse as he tends to his award-winning garden, makes friendships, meets Hilda his future wife, all the while drinking lots of tea and eating lots of cake. Mr. Mouse is a popular character whose door is always open, who is on hand to help anyone who needs assistance, who will rally around a worthwhile cause and who is highly thought of throughout the woodland community. Each chapter is a short story of its own and set in a season, there are twelve chapters following Mr. Mouse over three years. Read about the woodlands during a harsh winter when the woodlands are covered in six-foot snow drifts, during spring when the season is changing from winter, summer when Mr. Mouse’s award-winning gardens are at their best and autumn when the trees and plants are losing their leaves.

Mr. Mouse with a house on the River Louse will become a favourite bedtime story for your children.

The Gnomes Help To Catch The Burglar And Other Tales

This collection of stories includes several about the adventures of a trio of garden gnomes who come to life and help others. Also, some are about a young boy and his unusual and talented pets and their many escapades and there are some amazing creatures who all solve problems and live their lives outside of the gaze of humans. Mr Fox and his family, for example, get up to mischief while everyone else is asleep and Millie the cockatiel lives in a cage and longs to be free but when she gets the chance, she is not so sure. Underwater excitement comes with Tilly, the trout – who is too brave for her own good. A young Scottish boy called Andrew has the sort of adventures most children dream of with Angus, his pet Highland Bullock to ride on and Jessie, his sheepdog, also plays her part. Maybe you believe in fairies? Find out what happened to old Albert when he met one – or did he?

Children will soon pick their favourite characters and adults will be pleased to know that each story is a self-contained adventure, perfect for a short bedtime story.

The Adventures of Heidi-High-Hat and Bonnie-Blue-Shoes

Take a walk into the secret world of the pixie-folk of Bluebell Wood and meet two little pixie-sisters, Heidi-High-Hat and Bonnie-Blue-Shoes. Look through the tiny window of their toadstool home and see how they live, and if you’re quiet and keep very still, you will see them come out to play. Join them as they meet with their friends and have all kinds of exciting adventures. They will get up to mischief and get into all sorts of scrapes, and sometimes they’ll even need rescuing by their best friend Tommy-Tiddly-Winks, who’s never far away. Come and share their adventures and discover a magical world where the animals, birds and insects who share the wood with the pixies are all brought to life.

Tell Me A Story, Grandad

I wrote Tell me a Story, Grandad as a result of telling a few stories to my grandchildren. They liked them and I enjoyed telling them, so writing the stories down in book form was a natural development. I also knew a talented artist who was interested in being involved in the project.

Tell me a Story, Grandad is a book based in present-day London. There are ten interconnected stories and characters, like ‘Bob’s House in the Clouds’ and ‘My Friend with No Name.’ All invite you to join them in a place somewhere between reality and the world of the imagination. Each story is illustrated by a picture with a specific colour and, like the stories, they are interlinked.           

The book is for children aged between four and eight, yet it is also for readers who are much older than this. I hope the book will be read not just by children, but by parents or grandparents as bedtime stories for their children or grandchildren. Hopefully, mums, dads, nans and grandads will add their own imagination and details so that each story becomes theirs as much as mine.

I hope you and children everywhere enjoy the stories.

Tales from the Broom Cupboard

Joe and Alex have new adventures during lockdown when they discover a time machine under the stairs. With their newfound friends, Flash, a cheetah and Slither, a python, they travel all over the galaxy, past, present and future, meeting amazing people and having a great time as their pets develop magic powers. Meet Mr Leek and the Little People with the boys as they discover new worlds.