Sailing Through Life...

When Nick Ardley asked for a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, the aftershocks of a prostate cancer diagnosis were momentous. Frightened, he said he was too young to die. Petrified, he understandably broke down. But all was not lost: his family and the boat shared with his wife were soon at work repairing his life.

A life-long sailor, the salt marsh fringed waters of the greater Thames estuary had always enthralled, and it was to them he went for healing. It’s a place where in the free flow of a saline breeze his mind cleared, and he began treating it all as just another little illness. Like a cold, he said, knowing full well it wasn’t! Sailing up the River Thames, he announced to his wife his choice of the medical directions offered. Later, after mooring off Gravesend, both cried together.

Ardley’s treatment overlapped the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the serious stuff was done and dusted. The pandemic brought new trials. The couple were frighteningly threatened by a fellow yachtsman who disliked an Ardley web blog … the horror of that summer has remained fresh.

Throughout the telling of Ardley’s tales, his story, sailing with family and friends, country walking and living life, he has maintained a normality. Perhaps a familiar story, but it comes with a warning: Men, get yourselves tested before it’s too late!

So, onwards he goes, sailing through life…

Salt in the Wounds

Caught between an international drug smuggling operation and murderous local gang warfare, Peter Barker must find a way out from the international web of violence and intrigue he finds in Nigeria and Brazil.

Faced with threats from all sides, he uncovers more and more of the complex plot as the tentacles reach out to threaten not just him in Lagos but his family back in UK. Drawn into ever-increasing levels of violence, Peter realises this new job will lead to certain disaster and he must find an escape route before it is too late.

Sam's Search for Superpowers

Sam has always wanted to be a superhero but is having a tough time figuring out what his superpower is. With some help from his Mum and a new friend called Joe, Sam soon finds out that he has the best superpower of all. Join Sam and his friends as they find out what it really means to be a superhero, and how helping others can be the best superpower in the world.

Sammi – The Jelly Poodle

Sammi the Jelly Poodle is going to have a great day at the beach! She is going to meet and play with a bunch of new friends, and have a perfect dream on the way home.

A charming short children’s story sure to delight and bring a smile to your child’s face.

Sammy Skunk Gets An Invitation

Sammy Skunk doesn’t get an invitation to Maureen Mole’s party because he’s smelly and different, so he decides to make himself smell very nice and he gets given an invite. But when the smell wears off will the other animals accept him as he is?

Sammy the Spaniel

The beach could be an exciting, thrilling and sometimes a little bit of a scary place to a small puppy;  the ground on the beach tickled and felt odd under his paws and there were strange little creatures that seemed to scurry sideways, but Sammy didn’t like them as they could nip your nose and that hurt, he also thought the water tasted very odd and made you very thirsty.  

Welcome to Sammy’s world, which he shares with the twins Steven and Sarah. Join him during this first year and discover with him that there is a much wider world outside the cottage and the beach;  where life is one big adventure to be shared and enjoyed with the twins, but at the end of the day, it is warm, safe and filled with love and laughter.

Sammy the Surfing Seal

One winter’s day, two old surfing mates decide to ditch work and go for a surf. After all, your worst day in the surf is surely better than your best day at work, right? As they paddle out and begin shredding the perfect offshore conditions (to their surprise) they’re joined in the line-up by a little brown creature with long whiskers, a tail and doe eyes! The two old mates had heard many legendary stories about Sammy the Surfing Seal, yet neither of them ever thought they’d be lucky enough to see him ripping in person! Sammy’s cutbacks, airs and re-entries were better than any professional surfer and his speed, balance and grace left the two old mates rather inspired.

However, just as the surfers and their furry new friend were enjoying the most gnarly surf of their lives, a menacing creature crashes the party! He has an ominous look in his eyes and he is hungry for an entrée and lunch. The two intrepid surfers looked like a tasty morsel indeed! How will the three friends escape? Will this be their last surf together? Or will Sammy the Surfing Seal come up with an audacious plan and save the day?

San Diablo, The Devil’s Haven

They had all heard the rumours about the place of course, but they had dismissed them as jailhouse myth and bullshit, a place where the prison doctor would pronounce you dead, and you would disappear from heart and memory, and enter into Hell on Earth as the warden’s guest in San Diablo the devil’s haven.

The Devil’s Haven is set in the middle of the baking hot desert. Hidden far from public view and scrutiny resides the top-level, top-secret super-max correctional facility, a warehouse of sorts for the very worst of the worst of humanity’s dregs and gangsters, those sentenced to death for their heinous crimes, those that no one would miss.

Through twists and intrigue, it soon becomes clear that all is not as it seems at San Diablo, neither is the hyper-sadistic warden, nor his new guest the bizarre and enigmatic high-profile inmate en route to the hell pit, or the mysterious CIA super agents entirely as they seem at the Devil's Haven, San Diablo.

Sanjog A Novel

1946, Dehra Dun, India. The Radcliffe line is drawn and the largest mass migration in history is taking place. 1960, Nairobi, Kenya. A young man is starting a new life as an immigrant Indian with his young family. 2017, Halifax, Canada. A society wedding is bringing family, friends and foreigners together who have not seen each other for years. Three countries, two rivals, two female abductions. Set against a backdrop of post-partition India and Pakistan, 1960s' Kenya and modern-day Atlantic Canada, this tale follows the story of two families, united by heritage, torn apart by hatred. It retells the tragedies of partition violence and the fight to restore human dignity when all is lost. The story of families ripped apart and long-lost buried secrets finally culminate in an outpouring of pent-up grief and injustice that must be avenged. The plight of two women, bound together by history, yet torn apart by time. Sareeta desperately trying to reunite her family against the tides of bygone generations and migration. Gori trying to claw her way out of a poverty, inflicted on her by circumstance and revenge. Women so similar and yet so wildly apart that the idea of any reconciliation seems to be beyond reason. Accented with family recipes handed down through three generations, Sanjog - A Novel will take you back in time to one of the most turbulent events in human history and bring you through a story of love, malice and redemption.

Santa Remembers All Good Kids

Santa Remembers All Good Kids reminds readers that good morals begin at home, and it starts with teaching kids how to do the little things with ease that they otherwise wouldn’t want to do by exposing them to examples from other children around the world.

Helping kids understand that material things are less important than moments spent with someone is significant. It also encourages more communication between the child and the parent. Lastly, it teaches kids how relevant goals are and how good behaviour is valuable in achieving any goal. Parents and carers often find it challenging to get kids to do things that would help them in their health or other areas such as brushing their teeth at night time or in the morning – putting their toys away, taking their medicines, doing their homework, etc.

Santa Remembers All Good Kids is about a little girl named Mary, who decides that she would love nothing better than to spend some time with Santa Claus because she believes that time is the greatest gift of all gifts during Christmas and she believes that Santa will grant her wish. It also includes 14 stories of kids all around the world—from Spain to Italy to Germany—who are well-behaved and receive toys from Santa as a reward. In addition, it serves as a learning and educational tool for all kids.

Santa's Last Call

Santa’s Last Call is for all children on the cusp of transition from childhood to adolescence set within the context of the age-old traditions of Christmas. It is also for parents who will want to help with the journey from the magical thinking of childhood to a more mundane reality while at the same time dealing with their own memories and feelings which come when a child begins to grow up and move on. This might be a little more tricky when there are siblings to consider and there is also the challenge of the peer group who will all be at different stages in the process.

If more proof was needed, Santa’s Last Call offers reassurance that you are not alone and that Santa is both mindful of his responsibilities and is here to help.

Santa's New Suit

A magical Christmas-read for all the family and a real festive favourite.Santa needs a new suit, a marvellous magical whistle and flute. All the elves have their say - they even paint Santa's sleigh. The suit they design makes Santa look like a real wizard; it can protect him from any blizzard. The suit looks so different from before, the coat almost reaching the floor. The elves decide he needs new boots and a hat, and soon see to that. Santa thinks the suit's a winner and enjoys broccoli and sprouts with his dinner. Read on to see that by putting a coloured ribbon on your tree, you can let Santa know how you want him to be.