The Tale of a Hip

The Tale of a Hip is an account of the author’s 80-year life to date, through a period of huge social change, during which, technology has taken over from nature. It is the story of true love lasting six decades, despite the fact that physical aspects of the relationship were less good than they might have been, due to an unsuspected structural problem that only came to light when Pamela and her husband, John, took up dancing in their 40s.

The mystery of Pamela’s shifting bones is unravelled piece by piece, from art-influenced early years in Yorkshire, through the excitement and romance of working in a burgeoning post-war London, to marriage and, later, to obsession with dancing, resulting in back and hip issues for many years.

The Twins’ Twins

Rayn, a self-made businesswoman is in infinite danger of being arrested for domestic violence against Nathanial, her partner. She flees Western Australia and ends up in a hastily agreed house swap at the foot of Muckish Mountain in Donegal, Ireland.
Friendless and alone she becomes involved with 20-year-old identical twins, Isaac and Raphael. The twins play a game where they both make love to her.
Rayn is horrified to find she is pregnant. She plans to have an abortion in England.
Both the twins believe they are the father. Isaac wants her to have an abortion.
Raphael cancels her appointment at the London clinic.
Rayn becomes suicidal. She climbs Muckish to end her life under the Whispering Waterfall.
But this is Ireland. Things are not always as they seem.

There is a Light

Abandoned

Orphaned

Manipulated

Gay

It was no wonder that I became rebellious and resentful. Standing up to all these pressures in my life and faced with my grandmother’s mortality, I reverted to the frightened child I thought I had left behind. I was overcome with anxiety and panic attacks; that paralysed me to the point of contemplating suicide.

The years of abandonment and feelings of futility following my childhood institutionalisation and the early death of my mother from a lifelong illness, manifested themselves in highly emotional and physical ways that made it impossible for me to function in society – so I withdrew.

From within this debilitating experience, I had to find a way through by obtaining the professional help I needed. This is my story of tenacity to live my life with the freedom to make my own decisions.

There was Once a Street in Bethnal Green

Derek Houghton was born and bred in London’s East End, Bethnal Green, when horses and carts were just as predominant on its streets as motorised vehicles. It was at a time when National Health was not even a dream, or any kind of benefit existed, the only benefit available was by taking the “Means Test” (Dole Money) that most East Enders were too proud to take. Poverty was never any stranger to their doors, unemployment was rife, and the pawnshops did a roaring trade. People then could walk the streets in safety, the streets were the children’s playgrounds, where they played unhindered. As hard as times were, neighbours showed great compassion in helping each other. Each street was like a village, where everybody knew everyone else. World War II was to bring about an even stronger bond with each other. Above all, it was the love of a street – “Our Street.”

They Call Me Jake

In this captivating memoir, Jakob, a Welsh-born Australian, takes readers on a remarkable journey that begins with a troubled youth and a life-changing decision. After running into legal trouble as a teenager, his family sends him off to sea on Scandinavian ships, where Jakob finds himself working out of Brooklyn, New York, joining ships engaged in global trade. It’s the era of rock and roll, with an atmosphere of freedom, free-spiritedness, and indulgence. However, tired of the endless partying and constant financial struggle, Jakob sets his sights on a new path.

He travels to England, enrolls in a navigational school, and earns his license as a ship’s deck officer. But his thirst for adventure and reinvention leads him to an unexpected destination - Israel. Jakob’s love for the kibbutz lifestyle and a young woman on the kibbutz captures his heart. However, as war disrupts the region, their relationship crumbles, and Jakob finds solace in a hippie commune on the sunny shores of Eilat. Through ups and downs, Jakob’s journey takes him across continents, from the Canadian Arctic to Thailand and beyond. His tale is one of resilience, self-discovery, and the pursuit of a meaningful life amidst the challenges and uncertainties of a rapidly changing world.

They Never Reigned

British kings and queens are famous today. But many heirs to the British throne never became the actual king or queen due to various quirks of fate. This is their story. The stories include the oldest son of William the Conqueror, who lost the chance to become king because he was off fighting in the First Crusade; the White Ship disaster of 1120, England’s medieval Titanic, in which the sole male heir to the throne, and many others, drowned; an intrepid woman who nearly became queen in her own right four centuries before a woman actually did so; two princes who should have become a second King Arthur; the romantic warrior known to history as the Black Prince; the Princes in the Tower, who were supposedly murdered by King Richard III; the ill-fated Mary, Queen of Scots, beheaded by Queen Elizabeth I after an utterly unfair trial; James, who was born the heir and then was overthrown while still a baby, and was later known as the Old Pretender; a beloved Nineteenth Century princess who tragically died in childbirth at the age of 21; and many more.

Who suspected that the heirs who never reigned are every bit as interesting as those who did reign?

The Baby Spa

The Baby Spa has been described as a ground-breaking technique in child development.

Parents’ hearts swell with pride and joy as they eagerly observe their baby’s first unfolding of awareness during independent water exploration. They experience a sense of overwhelming appreciation for their child as an independent and unique little being with a distinct personality while observing in awe as their baby adapts to buoyancy and total freedom that only by being in water can provide.

When babies are happy, parents are happy—an excellent start to the beginning of a close parent and child partnership and joyous journey of swimming through life.

The British in Italy

The British in Italy is a fascinating exploration of the enduring relationship between the English and Italians, dating back to the times of Shakespeare, Leghorn, The Grand Tour, Florence, and Venice, up to the cataclysmic events of World War II. The author draws parallels between Victorian England’s progress and the Italian Renaissance, particularly the British presence in Italy during the 19th century.

In a unique approach, the author embarks on a journey through Italy, beginning in the Alps and continuing on foot and by bicycle from Monviso to Trieste, then down to Sicily. Along the way, he rediscovers the forgotten Anglo-Saxon characters who played a significant role in shaping Italy’s cultural, artistic, and scientific landscape, such as the true Count of Montecristo, textile industrialists, inventors, painters, archaeologists, botanists, and travelers.

Their stories are intertwined with the author’s encounters, memories, lost friends, legends, and conversations, providing a rich tapestry of Italy’s diverse history and culture. The book is a veritable treasure trove of knowledge and insight, revealing Italy's layers of history and culture from a unique Anglo-Saxon perspective. As Doctor Johnson aptly said, “A man who has not been in Italy, is always conscious of an inferiority, from his not having seen what it is expected a man should see.” This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to discover the true heart of Italy and the enduring bond between the English and Italians.

The Last of the Lucky Childhoods

This is the story of my childhood recollections while growing up in Glasgow. The streets were still for kids and we knew how to make our own fun, though some of the mischiefs we got up to may not be classed as fun nowadays.

If we were poor, we didn’t realise it; if we were ill-treated, we thought of it as normal. Kids didn’t complain in those days (or they got a ‘slap across the lug’). Kids knew their place, we just got on with life and enjoyed it to the fullest.

As Billy Connolly would say: “What I’m about to tell you is true…well mostly.”

If any of my old pals, relatives, or friends recognise themselves on these pages, you’re most likely right…but I have changed the names (in some instances) to protect the guilty!

Things will Get Better

Normal is as normal does – right? Well, my version of normal seemed to be quite unique. Compared to friends I’d always be the one with the hilarious stories. My friends would flock to hear them, tall tales about my misadventures and awkward encounters with men. 

However, at university, these shenanigans began to take their toll. Euphoric highs and dramatic lows were exhausting and had nearly taken my life.

I’m sharing some of these stories which will definitely make you laugh out loud as well as cringe so you can better appreciate that mental health (good or not so good) is normal.

Hold on in there – things do get better.

Thinking reeds

Thinking Reeds is an evocative collection of contemplations, delving into the vast tapestry of human existence and the intricacies of our emotional landscapes. Through ‘Thoughts,’ ‘Second Thoughts,’ and ‘Afterthoughts,’ readers are invited on a profound journey, exploring the depths of love and hate, the complexities of life and death, the shadows of friendship and enmity, and the stark contrasts between wealth and poverty, truth, and falsehood. This introspective compilation captures the essence of the human experience, painting a vivid portrait of our shared vulnerabilities and illuminating the myriad shades of our collective consciousness.

Thirteen Months of Sunshine

Ethiopians have not completely put that historical famine – of ‘Live Aid’ times – behind them and they struggle to understand or to keep up with the Western world, including their ever-advancing technology. Education there is seen as a key to success but balancing developments alongside embedded tribal and superstitious beliefs is not easy. At least now schools have moved from drawing in the dust under a shady tree, into purpose-built structures – with or without resources.  

It was into this environment Valerie was placed when, following the dramatic changes in her circumstances, she made her momentous decision to put her comfortable English life on hold and to replace it with a year in that developing country. At 58, not only did she use her life skills and teaching experience in the northern town of Mekelle, but she lived through a potentially dangerous political time. Valerie used in-country transport to visit some amazing places which included her medal-winning run in Addis Ababa! Partly to record every little detail but also to maintain some sort of sanity, she kept a detailed diary throughout that roller coaster year. This book gives the reader a combination of an entertaining personal read of diaried key events, alongside her own Ethiopian life with its water conservation, frugal diet, wind, dust and much more. Valerie records an honest and sometimes harrowing insight into the little-known everyday existence of Ethiopians.