The Highwayman and Don Quixote

When my grandmother insisted that the Hetheringtons were descended from a long line of highwaymen who operated in the north of England, I was never quite sure if it was true or merely a product of her vivid imagination. Intrigued by this family legend, I embarked on a journey of discovery, scouring the Internet for any traces of our alleged criminal ancestors.

To my surprise, I stumbled upon the records of William Surtees Hetherington, an ex-miner from Newcastle who served in the Royal Navy before turning to a life of crime. His story took a tragic turn when he was executed for highway robbery in 1821. Could this be the forebear my grandmother spoke of? As I delved deeper into the archives, I uncovered a wealth of historical material that brought William’s tale to life.

A local publisher and campaigner against the death penalty for robbery had written a pamphlet containing first-hand accounts of William Hetherington’s trial and execution. Contemporaneous articles from local newspapers and magazines further enriched the narrative, providing a vivid backdrop for my novel and the basis for the judicial process that sealed William’s fate.

From this point on, I allowed my imagination to take flight. I portrayed William as a dreamer, a trait that seemed to run in our family, and envisioned him acquiring a copy of Don Quixote from a Spanish sailor during his time in the Navy. As a long-time devotee of this classic work, I wove many of its episodes into my description of William’s descent into dreams and hallucinations as he vainly attempted to assuage his guilt over the robberies he and his partner John Wilkinson committed.

Part historical fiction, part family mystery, this novel is a captivating exploration of one man’s struggle against his own demons and the harsh realities of 19th-century justice.

Deluged

When fourteen-year-old Dan witnessed the bridge to his family’s farm collapse, he quickly grasped the gravity of the situation. With the town below in imminent danger and no way to warn anyone by phone, Dan knew he had to act fast. The disaster had all begun with relentless rain.Dan, an avid trails motorbike rider on his father’s farm, had recently befriended Laura, a slightly older and equally adventurous horse rider. They met one Sunday morning while exploring the moor, along with Dan’s younger twin siblings. Together, this group of friends faced the unfolding catastrophe head-on.Their courageous and inventive efforts to navigate each terrifying twist of the disaster form the heart of this gripping tale.

Escape

In ‘Escape,’ the more intricate details of Kaylee and Carlos’ estrangement are explored, as we learn of their ill-advised marriage while still young. Following on from ‘Whisper’ and ‘Lucas’, new information comes to light when Kaylee runs away from home and finds taking off with her childhood sweetheart without her parents’ knowledge was not at all like what she had been promised.

After taking on new work in a nearby town, her husband turns abusive and unnecessarily violent towards Kaylee. The woman is afraid of his current lifestyle, but even when giving birth to a daughter and starting a family, she is scared of what Carlos might decide to do to her.

For reasons beyond her own comprehension, Kaylee makes the horrible decision to ascertain Britney’s safety, placing the girl’s welfare far before her own life! The inexperienced mother soon takes the child away and is then left to deal with Carlos’ anger alone. Despite her misgivings, Kaylee knows that she has done the right thing in sending her precious daughter away, instinctively believing that Britney has escaped from a world of only pain and constant terror.

When Carlos’ treatment of her only goes from bad to worse, Kaylee leaves the small cottage and goes in search of her treasured daughter. Will she be able to find her, unknowing which direction Britney had gone? And would Kaylee ever be reunited with her own beloved parents anywhere upon her travels? Filled with so many questions and doubts, she sets off to get the answers.

But not far behind her comes Carlos… her husband is looking for forgiveness and second chances. But has the man truly changed?

Shadowun, the Singing Comb and the Bag of Sweets​

Roddy and Breda don’t have much going for them. Imagine living in a chicken shack at the end of a garden – hardly ideal! They grow suspicious of Ruby, who seems to have a strange power over people, even them. But things take a wild turn when the circus returns to town, and they uncover the ringmaster’s shocking new method of acquiring animals. No one is safe! Thankfully, the Shadowun is back to lend a hand, but will he be able to stop the madness?

Jasper's Rescue

What do you do when your cat’s been left behind in Fairy Tale Land? Why, you go to rescue him, of course!

When Jill, Janet and Jenny go back to Fairy Tale Land, with their dad Jack, all sorts of adventures await them. Have you ever wanted to shrink in size? See what happens when the family does just that. Will you be able to help them sort the Mad Hatters’ hats by putting the correct label to the hat? Would you be prepared to kiss a frog to help your sister? Are you brave enough to stand up to a wolf? See how the family deal with all the difficulties they encounter by reading this sequel to Jill’s Rocket Adventure.

The Kingdom of Gaia

When Tom Charter visits Uncle Simeon, he meets Great Uncle Ignatius, and Ignatius’s adopted daughter, Philomena. Tom and Philomena discover a magical connection: both have just started seeing people’s auras.

After a fateful accident involving Philomena, Tom gets invited to Ignatius’s home, a Northumbrian castle, and the mysterious Gaia School that it secretly houses. There, Tom learns that the castle network monitors climate changes, all now compromised by villainous forces.

Led by antagonist Antonio Schirru, this ‘dark side’ triggers alarms. Tom and Philomena tail Schirru across the wild Northumbrian countryside, seeking answers. The chase goes deep underground, where a cryptic tunnel revelation suggests an insider’s betrayal.

Back home, after agreeing to join the Gaia School, Tom receives formal acceptance. While in London picking up his school uniform, Tom’s family takes a short vacation. But dark clouds are gathering, and Tom must soon join his friends to meet soaring challenges unlike anything imaginable.

As Tom steps firmly onto his destined path, he will be asked to rise to unforetold heights, and in the process, discover hidden depths within himself.

The Boy Who Loved Robots

From a very young age Robert had liked robots. This was not exactly surprising as he had a very mechanically minded father. But when he got to the age of eleven, something happened which dramatically changed the course of Robert’s life, an event which would leave a permanent scar on him. Two further occurrences came about which were to steer Robert’s life in a new and exciting direction, the opening of a rather special shop in the town of Waterford, and the arrival of Aaliyah, the American girl who came to his school when he was fourteen. Set just after the new millennium, this whole story rotates around the building of hobby robots, the use of computers, and the various relationships of the people involved.

With chapter titles almost entirely computer related, and the book cram full of various computer and robot inspired topics, this exciting and heartwarming story is a must for any child or teenager who loves anything of a technological nature. It also challenges the whole concept of stereotyping, underlining how ridiculous it can be.

Peace of Hope

No realm is impossible within the adventures inside Peace of Hope!

Immerse yourself in these adventures and make some new friends who will be faithful and true to the end!

Use your imagination to take you further into their world to have your own fun and adventures with them…

Aubrey's Doll

Join Aubrey on a journey into her family’s past, uncovering the story behind her newest treasure – one crafted with love.

Together, you’ll explore how and why this special keepsake was created.

This interactive book invites children to jump, play, and discover hidden treasures in the attic, making each reading an adventure!

Leopy to the Rescue

What would you do if a good friend suddenly disappeared?

When Leopy’s dear friend, Testudo the tortoise, goes missing, Leopy and his friend Rainbow are determined to find him. Along the way, they gather a group of friends who help them track down Testudo and rescue him from a dangerous criminal. Follow Leopy and Rainbow on their thrilling adventure as a vital clue from a tattooist leads them – and the police – to the hideout where Testudo and some captive turtles are being held.

Discover why Testudo and the others were kidnapped, and join Leopy as he celebrates Testudo’s joyous return on a very special day.

Bill the Burglar

How would you react if you were to witness a crime occurring right in front of you? This is the dilemma facing Albert in this my third story about a boy growing up in Lancashire.

Incidentally, do you know how Albert came by the surname ‘Ramsbottom?’ An ancestor was probably a foundling, given the name of the place he lived – in this case Ramsbottom in Lancashire. The name derives from wild garlic or ramm growing in the valley bottom. So, nothing sheepish about Albert then. See how he fares in this brush with crime.

The Bramante Code and the ‘Hexagon’ Secret Society

In a couple of remote Italian locations, a copy of Leonardo’s secret Codex gets hidden for centuries, until it comes into the possession (around the early 40s) of a certain Government.

Bramante, in his Tempietto, hosted the meetings of the hexagon secret society. He was not in friendly terms with Michelangelo. Other enlightened architects, such as Palladio and Borromini, also initiated to the Society’s secrets thanks to the mysterious symbols left by the clever architect sculpted on the Tempietto, that they both managed to decode, were more fearful about the future – and therefore diligently visited the Tempietto’s cripta and adhered to the Society’s protocol… it all had to do with the hexagon on Saturn’s pole, that also Galileo had seen on Saturn’s pole in his days, but had kept it a secret not wanting to end up burnt at the stake like Giordano Bruno.

Of course, in those days humans didn’t realise one could travel faster than light, be in more places than one at once, allowing them to time-travel. San Pietro in Montorio’s Tempietto was thought to be the place where the Hexagon “Headquarters” could be reached...