Community Nursing Stories

An evocative memoir that paints a rich historical picture of life as a district nurse in a close-nit rural community setting in the mid-1970s and 80s. The author presents a fascinating set of memoirs that capture the essence of a district nurse at this time.

Presenting the challenges of coping with a young family to live and work as an outsider within a community, winning trust, and respect, whilst adapting to the challenges of working in a rural community, before days of central heating, mobile or in some circumstances house phones. The memoirs present a series of heart-warming, encounters, portraying a picture of a committed nurse, becoming a community champion and visionary pioneer in the development of much needed community services.

The stories of engagement with all-age community members present a strong historical context of the nursing role. In some ways very different to current nursing practice, reflecting the evolution of nursing and development of nursing, medical and technological knowledge to underpin the principles of knowledgeable, empowered, and informed practice.

Condemned

What happens when the “Circle of Life” goes horrendously awry?

Murder- we see it splashed across the tabloids all of the time. We try and escape reading about the horrors of appalling crimes by clicking out of such articles or by physically closing our newspapers. It’s easier not to think about it; it’s best to scroll down to another article; it’s better to turn the page.

But what if you don’t have the option to “turn the page” and escape the atrocity of murder? What are you supposed to do if you’re Susanna, blissfully ignorant at home until you receive the phone call on that devastating night, telling you that your son has been murdered? What are you supposed to do if like Susanna, it’s your child’s smiling face splashed across the tabloids with corroding words like “Murdered”, entwined with his image? Who are you supposed to turn to, when like Susanna, you are the mother who has to face her son’s killer in Court?

Susanna is facing the unendurable; the extent of her agony is incomprehensible. As a result, people don’t really know what to say to her. People appear to tire of the strained small talk and silences; one by one, those around Susanna are retreating.

It is time for Susanna to reclaim her voice and finally be heard. 

The very least that we can do is listen.

Confessions of a Justified Hooker

Harrowingly honest and strangely uplifting, this is a courageous testimony written from the soul of a unique, if not peculiar, woman whose tale transcends political and legal struggles. So tragic, yet tremendously inspiring, her feats of strength take you into the dark heart of modern Britain that perhaps you have never seen before. It is a heartwarming fight of a gracious mother, desperate to get her son the medical care he so vitally needs, whilst his father seeks only to exploit him.

When faced with the greatest challenges of her life, she ventures a most ghastly and terrifying path to an uncertain future. There, her legion of clients become her unexpected support group. In them, she finds solace, exhilaration and, most importantly, healing. Rising from the ‘grime’ of Gorton, Manchester, Sandra breaks convention and rises into the sheets with the rich and powerful. Holding nothing back, the illicit encounters and rampant rendezvous, be they Premier League stars or Irish VIPs, all are weaved in. The layers of sacred promises, illicit secrecy and hidden intimacy are peeled back to reveal pleasure and purity. In the melting pot, her boudoir, those who have tasted her pleasures, become her story, her journey, her life…

Keep Calm and Kinky On.

Connect the Dots…

A political crime thriller, set on the beautiful Caribbean Island of Barbados.

The Head of Government is shot on his return home from an official visit overseas. Who is behind the assassination attempt and how will they benefit from undertaking such a dastardly act? What’s at stake for several individuals, should the Head of Government die or be unable to recover sufficiently to lead his party into the next general election? An entertaining, fast-paced novel about politics, power, prestige, and personal gain. Ambition and greed play their role in the intrigue, as national law enforcement and security agencies, led by Barbados Intelligence Bureau (BIB) operatives, seek to find those responsible. The pursuit is relentless, at times unconventional, but always legal. The culprits may surprise you. Will they be brought to justice? In Connect the Dots… the twists and turns are many along the way…

Consequential Urges

Pablo (From Til Death We Do Part) is still fighting to come to terms with the excruciating loss of two wives, but in his ongoing frustration, he starts to resort to violence, something he has formerly eschewed his entire life. He is a strong and powerful man, and seems to be in control to start with, but even so, he is conflicted within himself and seeks the help of a psychologist to help him understand and control his urges. However, the law of unforeseen consequences visits him with devastating effect, and he soon finds his actions snowballing beyond anything he intended or could have imagined and before long, he shockingly finds own life in the balance. Can fate send him a surprise guardian angel to salvage him from himself and his own folly?

Conspiracy of Ravens

On a Leicestershire battlefield in 1485, the course of British history changed. One man, a minor Welsh noble, was instrumental in effecting this change, enabling the establishment of the new Tudor dynasty. This little-known historical figure was Rhys ap Thomas, who claimed descent from Urien Rheged, one of the knights of King Arthur. Born in Carmarthenshire in West Wales, he had spent his early years in Burgundy with his father, in exile, as had two other men, Henry Tudor and Richard III. The three young boys were to meet many years later on the battlefield, where the lives of all three would change forever.

This is the story, set in the turbulent period of the Wars of Roses, of Rhys ap Thomas, whose claim to fame would be ‘the man who killed Richard III’.

Contemplation and Other Poems

This book explores a fresh interpretation of everyday subjects through poetry. The author hopes it will help instil a way of seeing everyday events differently, or, at the very least, make you curious and help you form an opinion about them.

Conversations with No-One

What do quarks and bosons have to do with faith? What does having a binary brain do for our sense of morality? Are the decisions we make in our life an expression of free will or simply the mysterious determined directives of creation? Are we self-determining creatures or just puppets?

Conversations with No-One is a collection of poems which trace the journey of one man, beginning in the seminary yet leading irrevocably into the worlds of neuroscience, quantum mechanics and genetics. It recounts a desperate search for personal meaning and purpose which turned into a three-decade long conversation with our humanity, from Gilgamesh’s search for immortality to Milo Wolff’s theory of the wave structure of matter. It reflects upon a journey through the wonder and horror of human existence, listening to the stories as they wrote our history, listening to the authors as they grappled with what it meant to be alive and conscious, to hear ourselves searching for answers to the questions which burned in our hearts and minds, to marvel at our remarkable ontology.

Conversations with No-One is a poetic, theological redaction of our self-apprehension informed by modern science, a view which challenges the very foundation of our cultural identity yet is in complete harmony with it. It is an invitation to ‘religare’, to go over again, and a reaffirmation of the ancient maxim ‘nosce te ipsum’ – to know yourself.

Cooking in the South of France

Marcia Öchsner is a Le Cordon Bleu (Paris) alumni with experience in various restaurants and teaching. During the past twenty years, together with her family, she has travelled around the world and lived in many countries, such as Brazil, Germany, Portugal, Malaysia and Australia, but it is with France that she identifies herself. Cooking in her kitchen in the south of France is her passion, which she often does between long walks.

Corona Virus: Is There a Word from the Lord?

The current pandemic (Covid-19) has left many wondering: ‘is there a word from the LORD?’  

The Psalms deal with features of everyday life from pain and suffering, fear and failure, through to victorious success and prosperity. Understanding the Bible, especially Psalm 119, is essential to making sense of living in the aftermath of the Corona Virus. This alphabetical Psalm deals with the blessing known by following after God’s ways, recognising the temporal world and reflecting upon eternity. Its central message points to the promised Messiah – The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the fulfilment of the Psalm and urges all mankind to wholly trust in Him for salvation.

Cotton-Pickin' Southern Belle

You are a rich Southern Belle who has never had to work and everything is great, or is it? What was your life like before the riches? What did your ancestors have to do to achieve such wealth? What sacrifices were made on your behalf?

Coucoubeuh and the Treasure Hunt

Coucoubeuh was feeling bored during the summer holidays, until the day he came across a rather unusual map. With the help of his friends, he sets out to solve puzzles and find clues that will lead him to the treasure. An adventure he won’t forget!Coucoubeuh is a new series of books for children. Exciting adventures encourage young readers to develop a love of reading and to discover and learn the English language.