Life in a Week

A simple dinner invitation leads a middle aged woman to have blackmail on her mind. Still grieving from the loss of her best friend, Clarissa soon discovers money is actually the least of her concerns. Old friends, new acquaintances, painful memories and fading mental acuity collide to make this a singular week – with far reaching consequences.

Clarissa is inwardly simmering at the way her husband, Edward, is managing their future. Existing in a dual disharmony of crumbling house and marriage, the desire to be transported away from the mundane leads to family betrayals, unearths secrets and puts Clarissa on an irreversible path to vengeance.

Letters from Rosie

Rosie had been a weekly visitor to the residents of the local retirement home for some years before her visits were brought to an abrupt halt by the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. She missed the visits, as did the residents, so I decided that Rosie should become a virtual visitor instead. Each week, ‘she’ emailed a letter with a photo detailing some event that had happened in her life the previous week, and these were printed and distributed within the home. They were a great success and were enjoyed by the residents, some of whom had never met Rosie and only knew her from her letters. They continued for more than two years. Now here they are for you to read and enjoy.

Kirna

Do you believe in reincarnation? Maybe you will after reading this tale.

KIRNA links the modern with the ancient in a tale of mystery, kinship, love, betrayal and vengeance.

The story connects two time periods and two key players – Sam and Prince Suryaveer; read on to discover the many adventures they experience.

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.

Hatrack

In the time of Cromwell’s rule, young and out-of-work Navy navigator, Charles ‘Soap’ Karma is tricked into joining the cunning and oftentimes comedic crew of the Blunderbuss, a pirate ship captained by John Dunsworthy, set to sail from England to Cuba.

Along the voyage, he quickly makes friends, enemies and a few in between, as he experiences the true highs and lows, that come with the life of a pirate.

Emile Zola's Ark

Émile Zola (1840–1902), prominent leader of French Naturalism in novels and drama, was also an environmentalist, way ahead of his time. He had a great love and respect for animals of all kinds and shapes. Throughout this book, you will discover his love from the smallest creatures: ants, spiders, bugs and frogs, bats and rats, all the way to birds, rabbits, cats, dogs, donkeys, cows and bulls, horses, and even zoo lions. The stories, which are partly fictional but mostly realistic, clearly show his love of and admiration for most animals. In the process of telling them, he inter-mingled some humorous episodes. Who wouldn’t laugh at the description of Gédéon, his donkey, getting drunk after savoring a bucket of red wine and raising havoc in his stable? And who wouldn’t cry at the death of a dear pet? The stories in this book have been gathered after reading his complete works (fifteen volumes of more than 18,000 pages of Émile Zola: Oeuvres Complètes, edited by Henri Mitterand, the most eminent scholar of Zola’s works, professor emeritus at the Sorbonne in Paris and at Columbia University in New York City, in the ‘Cercle du Livre Précieux’ edition).

Dog's Conundrum

Dog has a problem. His beautiful world is in crisis – again! Should he let events take their course, or should he interfere?

This book is an invitation to see planet Earth through the eyes of Dog and Mother Nature, from the era of the dinosaurs, though times of plenty, to our current and future crises. Who’s to blame? Is it us? Is it them?

This magical read takes us on an insightful journey where individual stories from around the world blend and unfold as Dog’s intimate understanding of the big picture grows. Despite the gremlins, can humans recognise what it is really that matters? Will the warmth and humour of the sprites be strong enough to help people rediscover the wisdom in their souls when faced with fear of losing everything they hold dear… or will Mother Nature not be prepared to wait any longer?

The best and worst of human nature is exposed here. Our assumptions are challenged as this book digs deep into ideas which will resonate with many.

Dodgson’s Dodo

This is the story of six characters, all birds. What begins as a quirky woodland tale evolves into a challenge to the mismanagement of the environment by humans, and their abuse of power over all other species. There’s banter between the birds, information about the natural world, there’s serious debate and there’s satire. It’s fun and it’s thought-provoking.

The title refers to the fact that Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) immortalised the otherwise extinct dodo in ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’. The dodo was yesterday’s bird, but what will be the fate of tomorrow’s birds, of tomorrow’s humans and of our fragile, suffering planet?

The hero of ‘Dodgson’s Dodo’ is a feisty rook, Rachel, who plays a smart role in this fascinating, imaginative and beautifully realised story. All the birds are real characters, and everyone reading it will be both entertained and better informed. It’s witty and memorable, but above all it’s topical and relevant. Its message is urgent.

“It should be prescribed reading for high school Biology students.”    Anne Kendall - retired high school science teacher.

Destiny Ruled by Mind

There are no evil people, the same as there are no virtuous ones. Everyone is born with an inherent sense of good as well as with the evil reflected from the society. There are weak, strong, and extremely strong people. The existing conditions surrounding him impel a weak person to display all his weaknesses, while a strong person demonstrates his positive side despite adverse circumstances. And all the while, the strongest person creates his surroundings himself.

Don’t allow your fear to shatter your faith because it’s the struggle between fear and faith that determines one’s fate. And the outcome of their battle is one’s destiny.

Many can be kind when things are fine, but it’s important to show how kind you are when you have a reason to be resentful or bitter. Satan was an angel before his fall. It is the fall that proves if one really deserved being at the top.

And There's A God Who Is Close By

What is the meaning of our existence? From a human perspective, life may seem chaotic and full of contradictions. However, these contradictions are not at odds with each other, but rather they complement one another. Life doesn't recognize individuals, it recognizes our souls and our presence in the world. The days turn into nights, and the nights turn into days, and in an instant, light and darkness become one.

Our purpose as three-dimensional beings is to be awake and aware. But we often get lost in our own world and forget the essence of life. To gain more insight and understanding, it’s better to start from the surface. We must accept where we are and delve into the subtlety that the surface holds. By exploring the depths of the surface, you will find peace within yourself, from your body to your actions.

In these letters, I hope to awaken humanity to the realization that without contradictions, there can be no peace. By accepting our contradictions, we can find relaxation in our bodies and behaviours, and ultimately find reconciliation with our inner selves. Remember, you are a God.