Coronation Baby

Born within weeks of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, Susie’s memoir tells a story of the fast-changing times: from her childhood in post-war Britain, through the horror of Kennedy’s assassination and the Cold War to the battles between trade unions and government in the early 1970s.  Highlighting changing attitudes and the breaking down of respectful society, her personal story is intertwined with the politics and events of the world at large.

For ordinary people, the grey world of the 1950s gave way to the colour and excitement of the 1960s. Television programmes began to reflect the social changes and attitudes of the times, bringing controversy, political scandal and realism into our living rooms. The trials, tribulations and excitement of being one of the first ‘teenagers’ is told with a striking honesty which allows the reader to elate in the author’s joys and share in her challenges.

Despite the changing times, the strict bonds of society were still in place for many young people, and suburban life and leisure were little changed. School, church and seaside holidays formed the backbone of most children’s lives. Those born in the 1950s, growing up in the ’60s and early ’70s enjoyed a golden age of opportunity, social mobility and optimism and believed in the power of society and the Welfare State.

Whether you were there or not, this story will bring to life that ‘golden age’ of British history.

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?

Courage to Face Long Loss

Being with a loved one through a degenerative illness or disease takes us on a journey that requires courage. Rather than an immediate singular loss, we experience ‘long loss’ which includes multiple losses and changes over time. Long loss requires us to face, endure, and adapt to what is happening. Written from a personal perspective of supporting older parents with vascular dementia and episodic delirium, this book defines and applies courage to manage this form of loss.

Included is the wisdom of older adults from Christchurch, Aotearoa, New Zealand, who took part in the author’s doctoral study into courage. Their life experiences in managing adversity, from coping with a bombing in World War II to surviving domestic violence, illustrate courage, grit and resilience – and how to put these into action. Through the sharing of personal insights and knowledge, this book supports the application of inner strength and courage to help stay the course when experiencing the long loss of a loved one.

Court of Demons

What happens when your enemy is the person to whom you are drawn? What do you do when you want your captor more than you want to escape? What happens when you are faced with the ultimate choice; run and live, or stay and die? Whatever happens, you can’t leave a real-life Hell without changing somehow.

In a complex world, where a select few humans know of the dangers that lurk below the surface, it leaves the world fragile. These humans, all members of the secretive organisation of Everest Arch, protect the unknowledgeable normal humans from the anger and violence of the ruthless Demons that live in the mountain beside a small town.

The organisation is full of people who strive to protect their world, but when one person dares to ask the question no one else has thought of, the consequences shake the ground and the two types of people must decide what they really are fighting for.

Cousins, Classmates and a Dog Called Rover

Susan lives with her mum and dad, her two younger brothers and her dog Rover in a remote village in the flat fen county of Lincolnshire. The year is 1956 and life is still hard after the Second World War. But the summer holidays are just starting, and Susan is looking forward to spending long, carefree days with her friends. Then she hears some news that changes her whole life. Two cousins, whose mother has died, are coming to live with her family from the northern city of Leeds. Sharing a bedroom with them is bad enough, but the cousins, called Maria and Juliet, are soon bored with life in the countryside and start to cause trouble at home and in school. A new kitten helps to bring everyone together, but just as things are settling down, a mysterious letter arrives from Leeds. Then a stranger brings some early Christmas presents and Susan wonders what is going to happen next. Will they all be spending Christmas together or not?

Coven Deception

Forbidden romance. Secrets and lies. Supernatural species. The town of Arcane Grove has a lot going on! Meet Brooke Lesley, a seventeen-year-old witch attempting to balance having a normal teenage life with having the impending responsibility of taking over as head of her coven.

One day, when an unfortunate incident reveals to Brooke that she's been at school with a vampire for the last year, the sworn enemy of witches, things get a little complicated. Brooke finds herself feeling an intense, uncontrollable desire she's never felt before; and ignoring friends, family and history, she embarks on a forbidden relationship that could jeopardise everything and ignite a centuries-old feud.

While Brooke battles with her coven and her conscience, she must also find a way to face an evil that threatens not only witches, but the entire town of Arcane Grove. Can she defend her coven, her town and her heart?

Covid and Corona

Today is going to be a fun day! Zoe is looking forward to going to kindergarten where she will play all day with her friends and then later, Granny is going to come to visit her. But suddenly, Mum comes and tells her that none of this will happen today and Zoe has to stay at home! It’s a special holiday for all kids. Two uninvited guests are lurking around the corner – Covid and Corona, a little boy and a little girl. These two tiny creatures can do a lot of damage and things are about to change, and they need to protect themselves and everybody else around them…

Covid-19 Life

The impact Covid-19 has had on the world was something that no one in our lifetime will forget. While living through this, I have documented my experience in this area to help this era and the next to look back and see if my experience is something the human race can benefit from. I want to share my own life with the reader, detailing what I had done daily – to show the positive and negative impacts the Covid-19 crisis had on me. This was something everyone had to go through together – united. Everyone has a different story to tell and this one is mine. If you move forward and read my story, there will be a great deal of heartbreak in my journey. Perhaps you can relate? But one thing is for sure, Covid-19 has taken a great deal of time and that reminds us to enjoy the time we have left.

Crab Apples

The Last Lady De’Ath is determined to keep her estates and villages as they have been for centuries. Her lion and tiger are not going anywhere either. She eventually theoretically sells out to a company that tells her they want to buy up historic sites, but all is not what it seems on the surface, neither in the villages nor in the company.

Battle lines are drawn at the Village Fete and war is waged in the High Court. The village and Lady De’Ath emerge triumphant as victory is based on hidden skills and by not judging books by their covers.

Crack and Other Short Stories

Four compelling and visceral tales – very different in their settings and characters, but alike in their vividness and intensity. 

Crack is about the narrator's peculiar encounter with a man he meets smoking crack-cocaine in a phone box. The Prototype is a send-up to late nineteenth-century gothic horror and tells the story of a woman's mayfly resurrection. Our Fathers takes place on the day after the UK EU referendum and it explores the impacts this event had on many people's personal lives. The final story, Etchings on a Stone Wall, is a surreal tale about four people imprisoned in a monolithic structure, who are taunted by the sunlight that shines down from above the wall.

Bart Lambert’s debut short story collection is an energetic and vibrant read, written in a style that is witty, suspenseful and sometimes even shocking.

Crash-Landing in the Unknown

One stormy night, the curious flower Hugleaf got pulled out with his roots and flew out in the dark night, leaving his peaceful home next to the old wise tree. Hugleaf smashed into Rainspider and together they flew over valleys and crash-landed in a country beyond what they had ever seen. Injured and surprised, they looked around to see only grey, or is it them that can’t see colour anymore? Follow Hugleaf and Rainspider on a journey where they meet serene lilies and scary dragons, in a world where each intelligent flower has something to say and give. Will the grey country regain its colour?

Creatures from Beyond

Jake, a curious teenager from a small town, has a close encounter with extraterrestrial beings. However, he quickly realizes that these creatures are not friendly. Despite his efforts to convince his skeptical mother, Janine, she brushes off his claims until she witnesses the creatures herself. As danger looms, Jake and Janine embark on a perilous journey to find refuge at the hospital.

But the road to safety is fraught with danger, and their fight for survival becomes more challenging than they ever imagined. With every passing moment, the threat to their lives grows more severe, and they begin to question if they will ever make it to the hospital alive.

As they struggle to stay alive, Jake and Janine must face their fears and find the courage to confront the unknown. Will they be able to escape the alien threat and reach the hospital before it’s too late? The answer remains uncertain as they embark on a treacherous journey into the unknown.