Things Could Always Be Worse

In an alternate universe, on Earth’s sister planet Gaia…

When presidential science advisor Melanie Gryzolski and an immortal alien called Jeemis are abducted by a pair of BEWBs, the entire world is riveted to the six hundred mile, forced road trip to Poke’s Peak that follows. Craving immortality, lawyer Pitch Al hired the kidnappers, and assigned them to uncover the hidden site of the TDS, a mysterious entity that could hold the secret to ever-lasting life, and a cure for Gaian’s endemic stupidity-causing virus too. A second immortal alien, Robulus, teams up with Melanie’s father Matt, and a television journalist to reach the TDS first, to prepare for its unveiling to the world.

The make-believe media ignites a firestorm of speculative fear-mongering lunacy, and soon thousands are speeding to Poke’s Peak, to see or stop the Unveiling, including the celebrity-studded Sacred Stars Temple; a vicious motorcycle gang called Mel’s Angels; a cell of dwarf terrorists; Crime Blaster XL-5, a dedicated superhero; a vegan assassin and a bevvy of personal injury attorneys, not to mention bad drivers. What could go wrong?

Through Five Year Old Eyes

Told from the perspective of frightened five-year-old Maxine and her adult self.

Maxine believed that she had dealt with the sexual abuse and cruelty that she suffered at the hands of her parents by blocking it all out.

Taking part in a programme designed to identify the signs that a child is being abused opened a Pandora’s box of horrifying memories that highjacked her mind, causing her to lose her grip on her mind, her sanity, and ultimately her life.

Thursday

Two conflicting weather systems, after wreaking havoc in North America and the West Indies, come across the Atlantic, the first in the far North, the second moving swiftly past the Azores. Both are held up by a massive anti-cyclone over Northern Russia and intensify, the first in the North Sea off Norway, blowing a hurricane southward, the second centred over Oxford, blowing a hurricane up the English Channel.

During the spring tides in February, these systems meet off Dogger Bank, creating a massive storm surge, which firstly devastates Holland and the northern European coastline before moving up the River Thames. The wave is so high, it swamps the container ports and the Thames Barrier, bringing chaos, havoc and destruction to London.

After flooding the road tunnels at Dartford, the sea-surge inundates the London City Airport before entering the underground, firstly at London Bridge, flooding the rail tunnels under massive pressure, causing death, destruction and disaster.

David, an A level student who is aware of these weather systems, cuts school to travel into Central London with his girlfriend. They witness the wave crashing through Tower Bridge, ripping HMS Belfast from its moorings and demolishing part of London Bridge, flooding Bermondsey and Southwark and toppling the London Eye.

This story is about an event which could happen, how individuals might react under such stress and pressure and what the outcome could be.

Wednesday's Bananas

1974 was by no stretch of the imagination, the most tranquil year of Ireland’s history and 46 year old Robbie McDolan would be wise to realise how lucky he was to be employed aboard the German registered freighter under the command of Captain Hank on their way south across the warming Atlantic on their way to the Republic of Colombia to load a full cargo of some 300,000 boxes of bananas, half of which were to be destined for the Republic of Ireland. Captain Hank expected this to be a quiet voyage, ending in him going on leave for a well-earned rest, once back in Europe. But would the Columbian drug barons of Medellin have other ideas?

Whistling in the Dark

Samuel was 15 year old boy living in the affluent Stockbroker’s Belt of London with his rich parents Eugene and Annabelle Pritchard.Eugene was a very successful merchant banker who had to work exclusively from his study due to a serious heart condition… Annabella was 20 years younger than Eugene… Samuel adored his father but hated his mother who was in his eye a ‘whore’ on account of her indefinitely. Eugene’s love for Anabella was so strong that he would accept any lies which she told him.Heartache comes to the Pritchard household with the sudden death of Eugene due to a heart attack. Annabella tragically dies two weeks later due to an unexplained household accident… Samuel suffers a serious mental breakdown and is sent to an institution for a mentally ill.After 10 years in the institution Samuel resumes life with an inheritance worth millions… As he settles into his recently purchased country mansion. Samuel employs a butler named Thomas. Samuel and Thomas are both like-minded people and a bond is quickly established between them.This new life will test Samuel and all around him.

On Adelaide Road

A young lawyer leads an idyllic existence in rural Ireland. But events in the wider world begin to impinge on his life. He starts to write blog posts which he intends to threaten the power of what he sees as an omnipotent monster. But how will this ogre react…?

Orvil: Trial and Error

Orvil sits alone in a diner to celebrate his 21^st birthday. He feels lonely and abandoned...his new girlfriend just dumped him and his mother recently died. He has no idea who his father is. He hates his first name, lives in a rundown trailer, had sacrificed his studies at City College to care for his ailing parent, and drives trucks just to scrape by. Totally lost since his mother’s death, his free time revolves around eating junk food and chugging beers in front of the tube. As he’s feeling sorry for himself, he perceives a gunman entering the diner and firing his AR-15 at everyone in sight. This experience forever changes Orvil’s life. Powerful and insightful, humourous and tragic, through trial and error, Orvil Smith’s story takes us on a tour of modern America from the rural to the urban, from the poor to the rich, and from the righteous to the corrupt.

Royal Blood – The Knights

Ever since the car accident that killed her parents, Charlotte Davenport has managed to live a normal life like any other girl her age. Raised by her uncle with her best friend, Vicky Reed, always by her side, Charlotte is quite content. However, when young women start being viciously murdered in her area, Charlotte soon realises that perhaps life isn't so normal after all.

With the help of Nicholas Rinaldi, the most popular, desired, mysterious and ever-so-handsome vampire prince, Charlotte soon realises that she was born into a family with a dark hidden secret. Strange events and mysteries are solved when she is invited to the famous Rinaldi Ball where the secrets to her ancestry begin to unravel. Charlotte finds she is part of something darker and more sinister in this world. But who is murdering these young women and why? And what does it have to do with Charlotte?

The Forgotten Gun

A Metropolitan Police detective about to be dismissed is given a second chance by his old boss, who is now a police commander. He’s given a new unit to run and two misfit detectives to assist him. All three know their status is temporary.

Their first case together is an impossible double murder. Each murder is identical. Both victims are expertly shot in the head from long range, but the post-mortems reveal no bullets were used in the shootings. The CSI teams calculate that in both cases there was no place for the marksman to have fired from, unless suspended over busy roads.

Although it’s a case apparently impossible to solve, DCI Steve Burt reluctantly agrees to investigate with his new team. Their enquiries lead them into the murky world of greed, corruption, fraud and money laundering, but they are no nearer solving the murders.

The team is stumped until the DCI meets a retired army major and a WW2 veteran who unwittingly hold the keys to solving these impossible murders.

The Jackdaw Detail

Peru, 2005. The towering mountains and deep, forested valleys of La Convención Province provide sanctuary for a dangerous criminal organisation with sufficient military capability to challenge government forces. An elite unit of British SAS are tasked to implement a solution. Their ground-breaking new equipment offers a decisive advantage and enables an unorthodox covert approach, but its untested nature also brings complications. Soon the British team find themselves ensnared in a web of corruption and conflicting interest, where the only way forward is to elevate the crisis to a chaotic conclusion.

The Jackdaw Detail weaves between political, tactical and financial motives, as soldiers and civilians alike are drawn into an ever-thickening plot.

The Legacy of Joe Farr

Old man Joe Farr, a recluse living on the mountain which overlooks the small Welsh valley of Cwmhyfryd, dies alone after succumbing to his third heart attack. The vicar of that parish is given the duty of calling Joe’s son, Jack, estranged from his father and home for 20 years and now living in Oklahoma, USA, to inform Jack of his father’s sad death. He also has to inform Jack that he is now the recipient of over £5,000,000 and a newly built Spanish-style hacienda house which confuses Jack as there was never any money in his family. The only way Jack can inherit is to return to Cwmhyfryd and meet the people responsible for this strange bequest. Jack does so – only to confront the same anger and hatred he lived through from the people when he lived here before – including having to deal with his former fiancée who jilted him at the altar. Just as Jack thinks his life is calming down, he finds a murdered woman on his living room floor. A second murder, also implicating Jack, is committed and Jack is now the subject of a police investigation.

Trauma and Redemption

This debut novel takes the reader on a ride through the gory drama of the operating theatre, the cut and thrust of the boardroom, searches the darker corners of the pharmaceutical industry, all whilst exploring the consequences of an illicit love affair.