Gunner's Island

Gunner’s Island is a post-war novel that will engage dog lovers, military veterans, history enthusiasts, and undoubtedly anyone who is all three. Set in the small town on a tiny Canadian maritime island, the story unfolds with the return of World War II pilot Linus, following a plane crash that left him irrevocably altered. Linus is grappling with PTSD and acclimation back into civilian life, when he is mysteriously befriended by Gunner, a full grown and affable Newfoundland dog.

With a wide array of detailed characters and scenes that jump between flashbacks and present life, Gunner’s Island is both a drama and comedy. It is earnest yet jocular, weighty yet wholesome, and meant to set sail the reader into the story as effortlessly as its northern ocean waves.

Hartsfield

Prepare to be captivated by the intriguing tale of Jane Clair, a woman harbouring a secret she dare not divulge to her enigmatic employer, John Ronald. In a desperate bid to preserve her job at Hartsfield, a place upon which her very livelihood depends, Jane must leave behind her cherished loved ones – Charlie, her childhood sweetheart, and her devoted grandfather – and venture into the enigmatic realm of Hartsfield. Little does she know that her life is about to undergo an unforeseen twist within the confines of this mysterious estate.

Haunted by the possibility of joining the ranks of the countless housemaids carelessly dismissed by John Ronald in the past, Jane must navigate her new role without prior experience in the world of housekeeping. Will John Ronald succumb to the allure of Jane’s beauty and captivating personality? Can she escape the fate that has befallen others who failed to meet his exacting standards?

Prepare for a journey brimming with friendship, love, and heartbreak as Jane’s path intertwines with the magical realm of true love. Delve into a world where secrets and desires collide, where the bonds of loyalty are tested, and where the ultimate power of love can transcend all obstacles.

Heart over Time

Heart over Time encapsulates the sense of intrigue, of appointed times and of personal election that permeates the writer's work throughout. Marie Barrett's poetry and prose has a 'Jacob's ladder' type feel to it, the journey of life winding and rewinding itself with new revelations revealed in old themes. From her first book, The Witnesses, which was written under instructions from the words in a dream: ‘Write about your experiences in London and call the book The Witnesses.’ a follow-up to Over the Boundaries, in which a wide spectrum of emotions are confronted. In Heart over Time, eschatological concerns are particularly to the fore, stemming most poignantly from the recent death of her husband. The internal rhythms of the speech of her soul find a companion in nature and in the silent workings of the seasons and the universe and have a hypnotising effect that draws the reader in its wake to a state of shared metaphysical being.

Hidden Words

‘Perspective of danger changes when reality floods through the dark. 

It takes wild events of immense forbidden love for Christopher to realise he’s been living life all wrong.

Christopher has to make serious changes in order to become the person he’s always wanted to be. 

Unfortunately, his biggest enemy is always close in his mind.’

Hobbo on Life

In this first in a series of humorous poetry collections by Hobbo, he takes a quirky look at the absurdities and foibles of life from a Yorkshireman’s point of view. Sometimes he takes a walk in someone else’s shoes and occasionally he is assisted by his black Labrador Dauphy, who has his own perspective to add, Hobbo will brighten your day, shorten your journey and leave your fellow passengers wondering what you are chuckling about.

Beware though, Hobbo on Life delivers a sting in the tail now and then. What starts as a giggle, may take a sudden turn and leave you pondering the real meaning of life. 

If you are browsing for a serious book of traditional poetry, or a literary masterpiece to help you look intellectual, then put this little gem down and search elsewhere. If you want a laugh, something to talk about with your friends, and an easy read that will lighten your mood for the rest of the day, you have found it. Happy reading. Enjoy!

Holes in the Ground: War and Ore

When Thomas Longois Lefoy is sent to Tangiers to investigate a German plot involving Moroccan phosphates, he uncovers a sinister Soviet Union involvement in the Asturias miners’ strike of 1934 and its unforeseen consequences for Andoni Arriola, a Basque metallurgist. As he delves deeper into the case, he finds himself caught in a web of intrigue involving the Spanish Civil War, the injury and death of British intelligence agents, and the protection of Britain’s interests in the iron and copper mining industries. As he travels from Tangiers to Gibraltar, Huelva, and Bilbao, he witnesses the devastating effects of civil war and the destruction of open-cast mining. Along the way, he encounters Heinrich Rathenau, a German industrial chemist seeking refuge, and becomes embroiled in a dangerous game of espionage and political maneuvering that reveals the high stakes of international trade and the human cost of war.

If Cows Could Fly

Ever seen a flying cow, a horse that knits, or an eel that rides a bike? Well, welcome in to a world where your fantasy and imagination can bring them all to life.

This set of humorous poems, mainly concerning the strange things animals may get up to, are suitably illustrated by the author's whimsical drawings.

Infiniti

Like many other books, this book is about a journey. But unlike other books, the destination of the journey is the point where the parallel lines meet. The narrator is locked inside the book. The only way he can get out of it is by persuading one of the other characters in the book to finish off the writing process for him. But before he can do this, he has to make a journey.

On his travels, there are a number of waypoints where he must stop and collect materials which are pasted into the book. When the book is completed, he can leave the book by delivering it to the individual whom he will meet at the point where the parallel lines meet.

This journey, which is accomplished across his lifetime, takes him from the birth of Christ to the near future, with the author bending time by complex double time schemes, riddles and mathematical formulae. Every waypoint appears incredible at first, but we are in the world of weaving narrative into fiction but not fantasy. Every one of the waypoints is historical fact.

There is no trickery. The narrator does indeed take us to the point where the parallel lines meet. It had been staring at us in the face all along.

Isaiah’s Mountain

May 1901. Jo stands alone, ready to meet her fate, as British soldiers come thundering up the dusty track of her farm. She has not raised a white flag, it is pointless; the British are burning homesteads to the ground. Choked by the acrid smell of farmlands and livestock, blazing in the valley, Jo struggles to find her voice and the words she needs to save her home.

A strange twist of events transports Jo back to a time when, as a young teacher in the tiny Karoo town of Kweek Valley, she was drawn into the troubled world of a boy named Lukas Bester. A time past when nothing was as simple as it seemed and the truth lay silent and festering beneath the surface of the pious community. A time when she was Joanna Shepherd, an entirely different person…

If she is to survive, Jo has to find the words which uncover the truth as she navigates her way through grief, betrayal and the violence of war.

Joint Enterprise

On a winter’s night, in a grubby alleyway, in a northern town, Josh, a 17-year-old A Level student, is found stabbed to death.

The police investigation soon focuses on the four people who were in the alleyway with him that night – Josh’s girlfriend, Naomi and three members of a local gang, involved in drugs and violence.

The three gang members are charged but the police start to look more closely at Naomi. New evidence emerges which seems to point to Naomi.

Could Naomi be complicit with the gang? Is she a victim or a suspect? Or are the police looking in the wrong place? Soon her lawyers become Naomi’s only hope of a life beyond this nightmare.

An emotional exploration of the impact of a murder on family and friends combined with the roller coaster ride of twists and turns which make for a high-profile criminal investigation and trial.

Jupiter

The story of Isaac Marcu Moritz and the great affliction of his childhood caused by a lightning bolt launched by Jupiter, god of the sky, the father of gods and men, and the patron of Rome. 

The bolt kills his aged mentor whose knowledge of history and languages is transferred to the traumatised mind of the boy. He is plagued throughout his life by visions and torment of Rome’s ancient rulers and gods.

Growing up on the family farm his skill in the capture of flies by hand learned by watching his grandmother’s action while at the packing table leads to success in rural land sales and a posting in a university entomology research program of hand-fly-capture. He establishes Snap-Zap-Solutions with the aim of eradicating the pestilence to improve the human condition.

Will he ever understand himself enough to empathise or forever live in abeyance wondering who or what is really driving his life?

Kaleidoscope

Come and marvel at how life at large can be encapsulated into a microcosm in the form of poetic license.  Let this book be your companion when seeking to have some me-time and to chill out in your own chosen surroundings.

Or, discuss Mallory’s poems in more depth with others. Poetry can truly dazzle and serves as an equal alternative to the excitement of reading novels.

The beauty of poetry is the choice given to read any extract to another appropriate age group that can introduce them into this wonderful genre of literature. Similar to music, the titles stay with the reader and will, in virtual speak, stamp its date and location to induce its messages across the wide spectrum of what everyone likes to imagine or likes to encounter.

Poetry is the perfect treat or gift for anyone who would like to travel on a magic carpet away from the madding crowd. Soothe yourself instead - in contrast to an edge of seat thriller novel or film.

Enjoy!