Run Run Run

Maxie the red talking mouse meets Ruby while she’s playing hide and seek. Maxie is being hunted by Milo, a big cat. How can Ruby help Maxie find a safe home? And how can Maxie help Ruby win hide and seek?

This Silken Twist

The phone is ringing as Julia opens the front door. Despite being a capable professional woman, she holds her breath, tries to still her pounding heart, and makes herself quiet and small as she lifts the receiver. It’s been more than a year since she broke away from the influence of an anonymous caller with whom she had developed an intimate relationship. He knows all her innermost secrets. One day soon, when she answers the phone, it will be him. He’ll be back, as cool, calm, and collected as ever, but Julia is a stronger woman now, determined to expose him. The shoe is on the other foot, as the caller – whom she has known as Stephen – is now under her thrall. There are many false starts and uncomfortable moments on a journey she may wish she had never started.

Welcome to Gramtown

Planet Earth revolves quietly within space, while we Earthlings never notice. In Gramtown, the Noun family are so inactive that nothing ever changes.

Watch out! The Nouns are about to have their world shaken up by new neighbours: the Verbs; one little nudge over the garden fence and life will never be the same again.

What tales will be created in Gramtown?

Get ready to dive in – but watch out – it might get messy, especially with Digger and Sleaky!

We'll Meet Again

Amidst the gentle hum of a cherished care home, Joycelyn finds her calling, embracing the tender journey of her residents with love and grace. Among them stands Betty, a beacon of wisdom and warmth, whose bond with Joycelyn transcends the routine care, blossoming into a profound friendship. As the sands of time bring Betty to the gentle cusp of life’s end, Joycelyn grapples with the impending goodbye, a void that mirrors the turmoil unravelling in her own marriage.

As Betty’s days gently wane, she senses the storm brewing in Joycelyn’s heart. Her parting gift unfolds through the pages of her own love story, a tapestry of tender moments, hearty laughter, and the bittersweet tide of heartbreak. Through Betty’s lens, Joycelyn embarks on a poignant journey through tales of love’s enduring strength amidst life’s inevitable ebbs.

From Soul to Soukous (Via Manchester)

As the title suggests this book is a combination of personal musical memoir, travelogue and recollections of a sometime vinyl record and memorabilia collector, wannabe journalist and photographer. It traces the author’s journey both literally and metaphorically across and through a range of musical genres including those discovered during his extensive international travels. From early exposure to The Beatles through to Soul and Blues and on to the more exotic sounds and experiences from across Africa, Eastern Europe and The Middle East to Central America and beyond. However much of the focus here revolves around the Manchester music scene. Whilst there is much here to please the musical geeks with regard to collecting, it is the author’s stories and anecdotes, many involving luminaries from across the musical spectrum that truly engages the reader.

The book includes recollections from notable gigs and concerts including the infamous Derby Hall / Joy Division riot in Bury shortly before singer Ian Curtis committed suicide. This includes postscripts to that gig that are unique and unreported. But whatever your musical taste, this book contains much more. Allowing the reader to share in the author’s emotional and candid roller-coaster ride through his experiences, musical and otherwise, both near and far. From potentially dangerous encounters with Eastern European heavies, dancing on tables at Middle Eastern weddings to communally drinking ‘shake shake’ home brew in dubious African clubs!

With a vast array of unique photographs to illustrate the work, this is a must-read for any self-respecting music fan.

Hettie the Little Dachshund

Hettie is leaving the only home she has ever known to move with her owner, Poppy, and she’s feeling really sad.

But with the help of her friends, she starts to realise the move could bring new adventures and friends.

Together, they help Hettie see that this change might not be so bad after all! Excitement awaits.

The Circle House

We all need a little time away, don’t we?

The Circle House seemed like the perfect place for this group of friends. A beautiful spot to relax, rewind, and enjoy their time together.

Things don’t really go to plan, with a twist you won’t see coming.

What will these four encounter, and can they endure?

Sovereignty, Servitude and Sorcery

For a century, the Kingdom of Talamholean has known peace. But without war to occupy them, the influential elite have plunged the realm into disarray with their petty power struggles.

Jack Sweep, a lowly guardsman uninterested in politics, has reluctantly become a pawn for the sinister Warlock’s Council and the enigmatic Eva Valmarque. His closest friend, Lyndsey Carter, stumbles upon whispered plots and schemes, uncovering ever deeper layers of corruption.

Victoria Lionsgate, a journalist seeking to expose the powerful, must tread carefully in her quest for the truth. As she digs deeper, risking more each day, Victoria wonders – is her search for justice worth the cost?

Through an unlikely friendship and shared adversity, three ordinary people discover that the influential cabal ruling Talamholean hides dangerous secrets. Some truths are worth fighting for, but taking on the inner circle means placing a target on their backs. If they hope to prevail, Jack, Lyndsey and Victoria must stand together before unchecked ambition drags their realm into the shadows.

Triumph of the Imagination

These poems seemed to write themselves over twenty years, until I was about forty years old, a time when I was teaching and bringing up a family of very lively nippers.

The nippers have now developed into very effective leaders!

This is my response to ‘Triumph of the Will’…

Triumph of the Imagination.

They are best read in sequence at about a third a session, I suggest. I hope you enjoy them.

The Cigarette-Flavored Tea and Strindberg

The alley is quiet. The light of lanterns illuminates the ground. A vague shadow trembles inside a car at the end of the alley. Reza approaches the car within a few meters. Suddenly, the car door opens, disrupting the balance of the alley. The equilibrium of raindrops and the balance of Reza’s motorcycle wheels. He is close to hitting the ground. He stops. In front of him, in the darkness, a shadow gradually takes shape and becomes like the figure of Shahab. Shahab is furious. His hands firmly grab Reza’s collar and slam him against the wall. The veins on his neck are bulging. Adrenaline in his blood tightens the muscles in his arms. He screams. Curtains are pulled back from the windows. Light spills from inside the houses into the darkness. A few people look outside. Reza is wandering. He wants to distance himself from Shahab. A punch is enough to keep Shahab away from him. He keeps Shahab away from himself. Defeated, Shahab moves towards the car. Something catches his throat, and he stifles his breath. He does not want to share his Tabasom with anyone else. The car swerves crazily towards Reza. Reza gives way. The car disappears. The alley is quiet. The cold and sets in under Reza’s skin. The corner of his lips is burning. Rain wipes away the thin blood streak on his lips. A long horn sound comes. The sound of an accident… the sound of silence… Curtains are drawn. The memory of the alley is forgotten. Few memories twist and sit on the body of the wall.

Fantastic Max

Take a look inside the amazing world of Fantastic Max. He is a five-year-old boy who sees the world in a very unique way. Fantastic Max’s brain is a little different to most children’s brains, and that can make things tricky for him sometimes.

Whilst Fantastic Max may find talking hard or some noises too loud, he can always rely on his trusty backpack, which is filled with special objects that help him with the things he finds hard. There are also lots of things that Fantastic Max is very good at thanks to his super special brain and even though he is different, he is still… well… fantastic!

365 Mindfulness Wisdom

365 Mindfulness Wisdom is about gaining deep understanding and insights that arise from the practice of daily mindfulness. It involves gaining a clear and insightful perspective on the nature of our experience, one’s own thoughts and emotions and the interconnectedness of all things, especially nature. This wisdom will lead to a more compassionate and wise way of living, where you will be better able to face challenges, connect with others, make informed decisions, care for your wellbeing and achieve health and happiness.

I invite you to kick-start your day with a positive thought and give a few moments for contemplation with the daily reflection. Give yourself permission to find a quiet space for meditation, where your mind can take refuge from the hustle and bustle of life.