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.

My Favourite Colour is Seven

“It’s okay.”

7-year-old Alfie just lost his mummy and he is pretty sure she is not coming back. Alfie is struggling to understand if what he feels is okay. He is unsure how to ask about something he cannot name.

One day, after school, Alfie decides to be brave. He asks his teacher Mr. Miggins, "is it okay?"

Safe Haven

When toys have been neglected by their owners, when they have started to fray, when their owner has lost interest in them and they are destined for the recycling bin, where do they go? They go to Safe Haven, a place beyond the rainbow, where toys are fixed, where they can make new friends and live a happy life.

Join Miranda, a doll who faces the recycling bin, as she makes her escape to Safe Haven. Once she reaches there, she befriends Threadbare, the cuddly teddy bear, Ssssnake, the mischievous toy snake, and pretty little Trixie the Pixie. Read about their adventures as they help other toys, have fun together and sometimes get into mischief in their new home.

Secrets of the Quercus Tree

Eddie is not quite 10 years old when he visits his great uncle’s house; an old stone college set in a grand garden and filled with secrets. Sharing stories from his childhood and his own adventures, Great Uncle Peter hints at a long-lost magical inheritance. Eddie is determined to solve the mystery of why his ancestor’s name vanished from the history books centuries ago and where the magic disappeared to. He searches the ground of the college for clues to the magic and is not disappointed. With help from an old professor and what he learns from his great uncle’s stories, what Eddie finds takes him deep into the earth, puts his life in danger and tests his courage. Can he restore the magic to his family, or will he lose everything trying? Join Eddie on the adventure of his life…

Sid, the Herring Gull - Book 1

On the rooftop of number forty in Kent, lives a family of five herring gulls (Sid is a shortened name for Sidney and he is a proud herring gull). Sid and his wife, Sas, and their three young daughters, Su, Se and So, daily give a display of slender to the world.
They are very, very talented in singing and dancing.
Sid is extremely protective over his nest and, everyday, he guards their home especially from the troublesome wind.
Sid likes to tell stories and he would like to share with you, his and his family's adventures. Sid has a neat nest and that nest needs to be attended to daily to allow for the family to live safely.
Sid and Sas enjoy living on the rooftop with their family and also like teaching their three young daughters the life skills that they will need to survive.
Read about Sid and his family and the issues he has and he will, I am sure, make you giggle.
This book is the introductory copy to introduce the series of Sid, The Herring Gull that consists of nine books. Sid would like you to enjoy his stories.

Teddie the Tractor

Have you ever heard of a tractor that can do amazing things? With his owner, Farmer Ken, Teddie helps to keep unwanted animals off the farm. There are lots of adventures on Farmer Ken’s farm with Teddie – but when the time to be useful comes, will Teddie be up to the task?

The Adventures of Bertie the Little Red Teapot

Hardly anybody uses teapots anymore, teabags have taken over.

Bertie the teapot had been sitting on the shelf in the kitchen, unused for months.

One November night during a storm, Bertie made a wish.

That wish comes true and the adventures begin…

The Adventures of Lily Chutny

Everyone knows Lily Chutny!

You can easily spot her walking down Ghostie Street with her bright red hair, spindly legs, and multicoloured jumpers.

With her mum, Pickalily, and best friend, Lisa, Lily Chutny is always getting herself into one situation or another.

There’s plenty going on on Ghostie Street!

The Bio-lien Demigod

“I’ve been stabbed! I’m bleeding! I’ll never get to do the things I’ve always wanted! Learn a new language, open a Christmas restaurant for the holidays, have a fight with Jason Statham!

…The wound… it’s gone!?

Well, to be fair, it’s not the weirdest thing that’s happened so far.”

If someone told you their parents were killed by a superhero, would you believe them?

Legeromei was only a young boy when his parents were killed by a bionic superhero. And now, eight years later, he’s being hunted by the people who worked for his parents. He wants answers to why they want him, and to why he’s going through some serious pubescent changes.

All he wants to do is spend time with his new friends and the girl he likes. Can he figure out what’s going on before Christmas?

Aliens, Demigods, and bionic humans…what could go right?

The Cruces Crises

The Cruces have a crisis, an environmental crisis. Everyone wants the latest stuff, but it comes at a cost – pollution! The King sends his son out to find a new land where he can rebuild his kingdom. The Prince knows he must do the right thing, but when two cultures collide, he is left facing a crisis of conscience.

Through his journey of discovery, a young man learns how to care for the environment and respect the lives of other people, even when their appearance is very different from his own.

The Goblin Family

This is a story about a family of Goblins. Goblins are strange little people who live in a world that we cannot see. Perhaps there is such a world, who knows for sure. Let us go into this strange world where Goblins live and imagine what it must be like. This family are very similar to our families. The people have characters, just like us and they have problems just like us.

This story tells of the ups and downs and adventures of this Goblin Family and how they squabble amongst themselves but in the end they are a family and they all love each other really!