No Standing Room Only

No Time for Second Thoughts

A geneticist working at the forefront of genetic cloning is confronted by the desperation of a woman to have her husband’s child before his premature death. After failing every available fertility treatment, Droshky and Janson initiate the cloning of Rex to implant a genetically cloned foetus in Alexis’ uterus. Zev, and Malcolm, friends of Janson, together hatch an idea to create a colony where women can incubate cloned babies. Alexis’ baby is born, and many join the colony at Woomera under the trio’s control, their fates inextricably linked to the cloning of genetically superior people.

The words of Nostradamus and others act as a fated guide. A fast-paced story designed to make the reader think about human development and the inevitable nature of life. By weaving ancient morality with modern day technological themes together form a story that questions the boundaries of science. A psychological narrative based on potentially devastating ramifications of human genetic cloning.

Nomadness

Always visions of other lands haunt my ravaged mind and the ghosts of old lovers swirl in the fog of my brain. Habits and routine are my captors, the jailers that speak to me of bounds, fences and walls, yet my soul flies on the wild wind, searching for a home. I long to burn across new terrain like a meteor crashing through the dull and nebulous layers of this tired earths’ atmosphere. When shall I walk among the foothills of the Old Gods and feel new breezes blow through this shattered mind? To set the senses reeling and lose myself in the swirling fog of new emotion.

Everything is growing, bursting out of itself like an explosion and creatures mass and swarm at some silent command. Is this the hand of God stirring his pot of wonders?

And then the storms and the wild winds, the constant rains although warm- still crazy and without reason. All of nature here spinning and weaving, screaming in the minds of men. Here is the torrent,  the onrush of life, the lesson to be learned, easily given and so readily taken up by poets and dreamers. Wild living, careless exaggeration, wonders of creation, the Psalms of the fields and forests.

Listen then, listen to the songs and hear their frantic message, for there is a force greater than any man can know that is flowing faster than an avalanche. Eye and limb, branch and spore- nature has gone mad and man is afraid because the spirits of old lives are whistling in the wind.

Norman Smith's Sojourn

Who is Norman Smith and what happens when a very conservative city accountant suddenly finds his holiday plans in South Africa with his long-suffering wife, Mrs G, made uncomfortably complicated by the fact that he has been ‘persuaded’ to act on behalf of MI6 whilst overseas, gathering information and delivering a mysterious envelope to contacts within the country?

Written in first person, and taking the form of a report to the Director of MI6, the story takes the unlikely undercover agent Norman Smith through a series of adventures whereby he discovers some uncomfortable truths about the nature of South African society and its politics. He also comes across some unusual characters that seem drawn to him and know more about his mission than he does.

Not Another Word!

Lacey and Lloyd Jordan begin a journey no young person should have to embark upon. Their father is serving a ten-year prison term, their mother abandons them.

By the time Lacey is out of foster care, she has been in six foster homes. She has three foster siblings who are missing under mysterious circumstances, each at different times.

She has lost contact with her brother. He ran away from their foster home to search for the missing teens. No one has heard from him since.

A story of perseverance, mystery and suspense, this tale has more twists and turns than a rushing mountain stream.

Not Exactly Friends

Ageing actor, Charlie Wallace is jolted back to a post-war past to find lost loves and friendships from his tough and brutal schooldays and a summer spent at Connaught Hall – whose consequences follow him today.  Protected by his schoolboy hero, Christopher Mountjoy, Charlie’s infatuation with Christopher’s sister, Isobel leads to the discovery that brother and sister have a darker side. Friendships can be fickle in a world of make-believe, where fact and fiction blur.

A passionate encounter with the girl has consequences too, when the actor is forced to abandon the stage. Past and present again collide and more events from long ago return with implications of their own. Can Charlie keep his memories safe and will he ever be reconciled to what took place at Connaught Hall that summer?

“Peter Fanning’s pleasure in language, literature and the theatre shines through this gentle, sometimes dramatic, story of growing up and falling in love in the 1940s. A sympathetic study of the agonies of self-discovery, it has romance, charm and a glorious English setting."

- Heather Neil, writer and critic, Literary Editor Times Educational Supplement.

Not for the Telling

A minor road accident led to a chance meeting of two new undergraduates, whose origins, study paths, and potential employment proved to be so contrasting. War was out of the question at the time, but when it arrived it enabled both women to devote their interests to a common objective. One found her metier in the air. Though discouraged by the exclusion of women from flying in the air force, nevertheless she seized a golden opportunity to fly in the service of her country. Her wartime record was distinguished and record breaking. Meanwhile, the other was recruited into an anti-espionage service designed to curb the activities of those citizens who were bent on crippling the national effort, if and when war actually came. The ensuing wartime enabled both women to excel in their respective duties, one in the physical sense, the other surreptitiously. On leaving university their ways had taken them apart, through unexpected adventures, trials, tribulations and various love matches, but a second sheer chance in their lives brought them together again, after losing each other and forgetting their former friendship.

Notes from a Restricted Land

Have you ever wondered how your life would be if you were forced to exist in a place called Restricted Land? Many of you are unaware of this mysterious location and the reasons why it remains unknown to you. In this seemingly fictional and implausible country, its inhabitants are burdened with harsh realities and endless suffering. Their simple aspirations for life and freedom are unattainable due to the oppressive environment in which they reside.

In Notes from a Restricted Land, freedom is constrained, life is limited, and the expression of femininity is an ongoing struggle for the women trapped within its borders. These individuals are merely puppets manipulated by an oppressive government, unable to embrace their true selves. Rather than allowing personal growth and individuality, the dogmatic regime enforces strict conformity upon its citizens.

The situation in this restricted land is far more intricate than a mere collection of rules; it represents a system of dominant beliefs that devastate the lives of countless individuals. While regulations can serve a purpose, the oppressive beliefs upheld in this country shatter the hopes and dreams of millions.

Nothing Left Behind

When faced with your own mortality, when death is imminent for you and all those around you, what would you do differently? What would you regret? How would you raise your child? How would you face your final hours? These are the questions Brennan, Joel and Eve are faced with, when thrown into a world of limited days. Plagued by a nightmare, Joel cannot decipher, he is desperate to do what is right by his daughter. Brennan believes he has nothing to show for his life and, now when it is too late, he is overcome by bitterness and self-loathing. And Eve’s agoraphobia and anxiety is wearing thin as another part of her is desperate for life.

The reader is plunged into our characters inner worlds, as fate drags them together in the final days, submerged with both despair and hope, devastation and love. And what of your worldview; your beliefs, philosophy and politics, where would it lead you when you come to stand face-to-face with death itself?

Now Who's Talking? 1

Discover the animal kingdom as you’ve never seen it before! In this charming and witty book, with words by Des Lynam and illustrations by Bryony Hill, creatures ranging from squirrels and butterflies to baby hedgehogs and tiger cubs finally get a chance to speak for themselves, revealing their quirks and habits in a way that’s sure to delight readers of all ages.
Whether you’re a die-hard animal lover or just looking for a good laugh, Des and Bryony’s unique perspective is guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face – and every so often, perhaps, tell you something you didn’t know about our winged and furry friends.
‘Quirky in the best possible way. Putting words into animal’s mouths is no easy thing, but that is exactly what Des has managed to do. It talks to us of being human – and also of being animal – but expressed in a way that we can relate to. And the illustrations take the words to another level: a perfect match!’
Jonathan and Angela Scott
(aka The Big Cat People), award-winning photographers and conservationists

Now Who's Talking? 2

Are you ready for round two of Now Who’s Talking? Des Lynam returns with more animal antics in this second collection of conversations, once again illustrated by Bryony Hill. This time, they’re heading to the farm and the zoo to eavesdrop on an even wider variety of animals, ranging from ferrets and turkeys to flamingos and crocodiles.
Just as in the previous volume, Des gives voice to the animals in a way that mirrors their behaviour in the real world, while at the same time offering some intriguing insights into their interactions with us humans. As ever, Des’s words are perfectly complemented by Bryony’s imaginative yet realistic drawings.

‘Full of charm, novelty, and wit – just like the man himself.’ Susie Dent
‘I loved Des’s voice. It was always one of my favourites to imitate (“Wine ’em… dine ’em… Lynam”). Now the old master’s found a whole range of voices and applied them to the birds and animals in his garden and beyond. Whimsical, witty, imaginative –  and great fun.’ Rory Bremner

Nusantara

After dropping out of university, getting a job as a storeman, doing drugs and then splitting up with his wife, Jack, in a fit of depression, joins the Australian Army and is sent to East Timor at the height of the troubles. He “volunteers” for a mission in Indonesia, where the United Nations, with help from the US Navy and the Royal Marines, are trying to rescue a group of foreigners, mostly Europeans, being held hostage by the local rebels. Jack completes his mission only to become the victim of misdirected revenge.