A recent poll shows 94% support for replacing the famous White Horse at Uffington in Oxfordshire with an image of a unicorn. A new fantasy book for 7 plus year olds has prompted thousands of children and adults to support the explanation of the chalk carving revealed in the book. One enthusiastic supporter has even gone so far as to offer the National Trust, being the owners of the site, GBP50000 to cover the cost of the work.
Paula Broderick, the author of the book that has sparked so much interest in the prehistoric monument, is amazed at the activity the book has generated. “While researching material for The Rowan Tree I discovered the amazing story of Dragon Hill, which is next to the Uffington Horse and is said to be the spot where Saint George slew the dragon. The whole area is wrapped in legend and the story I have told does have a certain plausibility that appeals to most ages – including the parents who read to younger children.”
Richard Henderson, National Trust general manager for Oxfordshire, has declined the cash offer forwarded through a legal firm in Cornwall. Richard explained “There are so many mysteries and legends surrounding the White Horse, but we have no reason to believe that it was ever intended to represent a unicorn so we would have no intention of carrying out any work to change it.”
Although Paula is a new children’s author her first book in the Toby and Sox trilogy has already required a second print run. The Rowan Tree, released in early December, is the second book and had people queuing at a recent book signing in Bristol. Asked to comment on the success of her books Paula said “I believe a child’s imagination is very special and my stories encourage the reader to think about the content and possibilities long after closing the book.”
Book review blog site, with some entertainment material from time-to-time.
Friday, 30 December 2011
Saturday, 24 December 2011
That's Christmas: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
That's Christmas: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the team behind the That's Team of online magazines! We hope that you are able to get and to giv...
Friday, 23 December 2011
Special Book Offer Can Save You £6
Author Heather Flood's latest book for youngsters, Giant Sticker Monster and Other Children's Stories, has been acclaimed by actress Judy Buxton as perfect for stirring young children's imagination, while another reviewer compares it favourably to Aesop's Fables and Hans Christian Andersen.
Our readers can buy these wonderful short stories for children, aged four to 12, at special reduced prices, and save £6 in all, if they also wish to purchase Heather's previous book Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells and her husband Tony's fantasy adventure novel The Secret Potion, recommended by actress June Whitfield as an ideal present for Harry Potter fans.
And Mr Flood, the former Controller of Information at Sky Television and now New Authors Co-ordinator with My Voice Publishing, Eastbourne, is also revealing the secret of how would-be authors can get published.
Heather, who is a prize-winning member of Anderida Writers group, of which Tony is chairman, has been published by My Voice Publishing. Her books and Tony's The Secret Potion are available on Amazon as e-versions and paperbacks or from www.mvpub.co.uk/ as discounted paperbacks.
Actor and director Alan Baker declares: "Heather's outrageous Giant Sticker Monster and lovely collection of short stories provide characters and plots that will have children eager to read more. They are a combination of Aesop's Fables and Hans Christian Anderson. As an actor, I am pleased that they are easy to read aloud. I heartily recommend them to every parent of young children."
Jacq Molloy, journalist, author and writing tutor, says: "Giant Sticker Monster and other Children's Stories is a delightful read for younger children. They will get caught up in the antics of characters like the mischievous Giant Sticker Monster, Pixie, the naughty kitten, and Amber, the Christmas Tree Fairy. It's an enchanting collection!"
Actress Judy Buxton adds: "Heather Flood's wonderfully entertaining stories are perfect for stirring a young child's imagination. The characters are all enchanting and there is something for both girls and boys."
By taking advantage of our reader offer for the three books, you can buy The Giant Sticker Monster for £2 below the retail price, Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells at a discount of £1 and The Secret Potion for a saving of £2.
Simply send a cheque made payable to 'Sportsworld Communications' with your order to: Discounted books, 24 Brisbane Quay, Eastbourne, BN23 5PD. You will need to allow 96p each for postage and packing so send £4.95 for Giant Sticker Monster and Other Children's Stories, £4.95 for Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells and £5.95 for The Secret Potion.
Or you can save even more - over £6 - by buying all three books for £13.99, which includes P&P.
Tony Flood says: "I have been asked by My Voice to recommend authors whose manuscripts I feel would be of a sufficiently high standard. This means they can be fast-tracked instead of waiting months for a publisher to give them an answer."
Mr. Flood will also be happy to give advice if readers contact him on tflood04@yahoo.co.uk
Anyone wishing to join Anderida Writers, which has four other published authors in Liz Wright, Brigitte Sumner, Jill Rutherford and Harry Pope, can look on their website at www.anderidawriterseastbourne.co.uk/
Our readers can buy these wonderful short stories for children, aged four to 12, at special reduced prices, and save £6 in all, if they also wish to purchase Heather's previous book Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells and her husband Tony's fantasy adventure novel The Secret Potion, recommended by actress June Whitfield as an ideal present for Harry Potter fans.
And Mr Flood, the former Controller of Information at Sky Television and now New Authors Co-ordinator with My Voice Publishing, Eastbourne, is also revealing the secret of how would-be authors can get published.
Heather, who is a prize-winning member of Anderida Writers group, of which Tony is chairman, has been published by My Voice Publishing. Her books and Tony's The Secret Potion are available on Amazon as e-versions and paperbacks or from www.mvpub.co.uk/ as discounted paperbacks.
Actor and director Alan Baker declares: "Heather's outrageous Giant Sticker Monster and lovely collection of short stories provide characters and plots that will have children eager to read more. They are a combination of Aesop's Fables and Hans Christian Anderson. As an actor, I am pleased that they are easy to read aloud. I heartily recommend them to every parent of young children."
Jacq Molloy, journalist, author and writing tutor, says: "Giant Sticker Monster and other Children's Stories is a delightful read for younger children. They will get caught up in the antics of characters like the mischievous Giant Sticker Monster, Pixie, the naughty kitten, and Amber, the Christmas Tree Fairy. It's an enchanting collection!"
Actress Judy Buxton adds: "Heather Flood's wonderfully entertaining stories are perfect for stirring a young child's imagination. The characters are all enchanting and there is something for both girls and boys."
By taking advantage of our reader offer for the three books, you can buy The Giant Sticker Monster for £2 below the retail price, Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells at a discount of £1 and The Secret Potion for a saving of £2.
Simply send a cheque made payable to 'Sportsworld Communications' with your order to: Discounted books, 24 Brisbane Quay, Eastbourne, BN23 5PD. You will need to allow 96p each for postage and packing so send £4.95 for Giant Sticker Monster and Other Children's Stories, £4.95 for Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells and £5.95 for The Secret Potion.
Or you can save even more - over £6 - by buying all three books for £13.99, which includes P&P.
Tony Flood says: "I have been asked by My Voice to recommend authors whose manuscripts I feel would be of a sufficiently high standard. This means they can be fast-tracked instead of waiting months for a publisher to give them an answer."
Mr. Flood will also be happy to give advice if readers contact him on tflood04@yahoo.co.uk
Anyone wishing to join Anderida Writers, which has four other published authors in Liz Wright, Brigitte Sumner, Jill Rutherford and Harry Pope, can look on their website at www.anderidawriterseastbourne.co.uk/
Sherlock Holmes - The Great Detective Returns!
The Missing Earl and Other New Adventures
N. M Scott
The great detective returns!
In this beautifully crafted homage to Conan Doyle's greatest creation, N.M. Scott presents eight brand-new cases for the incomparable Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick Dr John Watson.
On reviewing his case notes from over the years, Dr Watson once again sets pen to paper to record, among others, the mysterious case of the 'Haversham Jackdaw' in which a burglary is committed by apparently impossible means.
'The "Ring of Stones'" leads the duo to Salisbury Plain, where an investigation into a missing girl turns into something far more sinister and deadly, and in 'The Silver Button' Holmes finds his powers of deduction put to the ultimate test in his attempt to save a man from the gallows.
Written with wit and style, these stories plunge the reader once more into the murky depths of Victorian criminology, and will prove a delight to all Holmes fans, ever thirsty for more adventures from Dr Watson's voluminous case book.
N.M. Scott was born and educated in south London, but then moved to the Sussex coast where he now lives and writes in Rottingdean. He maintains a lifelong interest in the history of transport, along with church architecture and, of course, the 'Canon' of Sherlock Holmes.
Written with full assent of Conan Doyle literary estate
Eight brand new mysteries featuring Holmes and Watson
A must for the bookshelves of all Holmes fans
£16.99
Hardback
978-1-84624-647-0
N. M Scott
The great detective returns!
In this beautifully crafted homage to Conan Doyle's greatest creation, N.M. Scott presents eight brand-new cases for the incomparable Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick Dr John Watson.
On reviewing his case notes from over the years, Dr Watson once again sets pen to paper to record, among others, the mysterious case of the 'Haversham Jackdaw' in which a burglary is committed by apparently impossible means.
'The "Ring of Stones'" leads the duo to Salisbury Plain, where an investigation into a missing girl turns into something far more sinister and deadly, and in 'The Silver Button' Holmes finds his powers of deduction put to the ultimate test in his attempt to save a man from the gallows.
Written with wit and style, these stories plunge the reader once more into the murky depths of Victorian criminology, and will prove a delight to all Holmes fans, ever thirsty for more adventures from Dr Watson's voluminous case book.
N.M. Scott was born and educated in south London, but then moved to the Sussex coast where he now lives and writes in Rottingdean. He maintains a lifelong interest in the history of transport, along with church architecture and, of course, the 'Canon' of Sherlock Holmes.
Written with full assent of Conan Doyle literary estate
Eight brand new mysteries featuring Holmes and Watson
A must for the bookshelves of all Holmes fans
£16.99
Hardback
978-1-84624-647-0
In Search of Sara Ann - The True Story Of An Adoptive Child
Gareth Adeney
The true story of an emotional reunion with long-sought birth family
An official letter from the State of Israel marks a significant step forward in Gareth's quest to track down his birth mother. Sadly, it comes two years too late for him to actually meet his American mother Sara, who gave birth to him three decades before in the sixties, as a free-loving, Gaia-worshipping college drop-out, during a discreet trip to Israel, returning home alone. She passed away from cancer two years before the paperwork enabling him to trace her was processed.
But her spirit lives on in her rock-guitarist son and charismatic barmaid daughter—Gareth's half-siblings, who are overjoyed to discover that he is trying to make contact with them, his niece, his uncles and his elderly grandmother.
Follow Gareth, or David, as he becomes, preferring his middle name, which was the name Sara gave him, as he travels to Washington state to meet his new-found birth family in an emotional encounter in which Sara's presence is felt as strongly as if she were still alive.
This is the true story of an adopted child who comes to terms with his real family.
Gareth Adeney was born in Haifa, Israel but educated in the UK. He holds an MA in Design Studies and a B Ed. in Design Technology. His career as a teacher and lecturer has seen him travel widely, and he has lived in Malaysia, Finland, Cyprus, USA and latterly, Kazakhstan.
Movingly written and timely piece on the search for a birth mother from the adopted child's point of view
Of nostalgic appeal to those with an interest in the "hippy" era of the Sixties
£9.99
Hardback
978-1-84624-640-1
The true story of an emotional reunion with long-sought birth family
An official letter from the State of Israel marks a significant step forward in Gareth's quest to track down his birth mother. Sadly, it comes two years too late for him to actually meet his American mother Sara, who gave birth to him three decades before in the sixties, as a free-loving, Gaia-worshipping college drop-out, during a discreet trip to Israel, returning home alone. She passed away from cancer two years before the paperwork enabling him to trace her was processed.
But her spirit lives on in her rock-guitarist son and charismatic barmaid daughter—Gareth's half-siblings, who are overjoyed to discover that he is trying to make contact with them, his niece, his uncles and his elderly grandmother.
Follow Gareth, or David, as he becomes, preferring his middle name, which was the name Sara gave him, as he travels to Washington state to meet his new-found birth family in an emotional encounter in which Sara's presence is felt as strongly as if she were still alive.
This is the true story of an adopted child who comes to terms with his real family.
Gareth Adeney was born in Haifa, Israel but educated in the UK. He holds an MA in Design Studies and a B Ed. in Design Technology. His career as a teacher and lecturer has seen him travel widely, and he has lived in Malaysia, Finland, Cyprus, USA and latterly, Kazakhstan.
Movingly written and timely piece on the search for a birth mother from the adopted child's point of view
Of nostalgic appeal to those with an interest in the "hippy" era of the Sixties
£9.99
Hardback
978-1-84624-640-1
Two Idiots By Waheed Mughal
Two Idiots is a contemporary story of two international students in London written by Waheed Mughal, a Pakistani student, doing a PhD in Social Policy and Administration at Nottingham University.
This fiction highlights the issue of forced marriages within the Pakistani community living in the UK and covers some of the socio-economic factors both in the UK and Pakistan which lead to such marriages.
The problems of international students who come to the UK gaining admission to low profile and bogus colleges with a dream of an affluent life are beautifully discussed in the novel.
An extract from Two Idiots by Waheed Mughal is available to read at www.authorsoline.co.uk
Imprint: Bright Pen
Available in paperback (£8.99) and ebook (£3.95) from http://authorsonline.co.uk; and the That's Books online bookshop
This fiction highlights the issue of forced marriages within the Pakistani community living in the UK and covers some of the socio-economic factors both in the UK and Pakistan which lead to such marriages.
The problems of international students who come to the UK gaining admission to low profile and bogus colleges with a dream of an affluent life are beautifully discussed in the novel.
An extract from Two Idiots by Waheed Mughal is available to read at www.authorsoline.co.uk
Imprint: Bright Pen
Available in paperback (£8.99) and ebook (£3.95) from http://authorsonline.co.uk; and the That's Books online bookshop
That's Christmas: Last minute Christmas gifts urgently required? We ...
That's Christmas: Last minute Christmas gifts urgently required? We ...: Sometimes things go wrong. A present is lost in the mail, we find out we sent a present to the wrong person, or it turns out that the presen...
Tides Of Destiny By Sally Redmayne
The ‘Must Read’ book this Winter
Let Tides of Destiny sweep you away from the dark winter nights to the dazzling, swirling dance floors of wartime Blackpool.
With the publication of her second novel in seven years, 87 year old Manchester author Sally Redmayne shows it’s never too late to achieve your lifetime’s ambition.
Born and brought up in the famous seaside resort, Sally Redmayne was 80 years old when she transported her readers back to the end of the Great War with her first novel Sigh with the Tide, a story of love and betrayal between two neighbouring Blackpool boarding house families.
She had always wanted to become a writer and was even sent by her teacher for a job as a cub reporter at the Backpool Gazette on leaving school at the age of 14, but was thwarted in her ambitions by being interviewed for the wrong job and ended up in the typing pool.
It wasn’t until she had retired that she had a chance to attend a creative writing course in her adopted home town of Bury, Manchester which gave her the confidence to draw on her own vivid memories of her grandparents’ Blackpool boarding house as a starting point for her first novel, Sigh with the Tide,
Tides of Destiny, the second novel in her romantic family saga series turns the spotlight onto the dance floors of the Tower and Winter Gardens, brilliantly capturing the flavour of wartime Blackpool as well as the timeless passions that beat at the heart of family life.
Sally Redmayne draws on her own breathless wartime teenage years, danced away in the Blackpool ballrooms where she regularly enjoyed the thrill of dancing to top class dance bands such as The Squadronnaires, She gives a delightfully authentic voice to her diverse cast of characters, including exotic wartime visitors to the Blackpool Rhythm Club which she helped run, among whom were the locally billeted American airmen who brought a welcome note of fun into a drab world of rationing and austerity.
Tides of Destiny follows the next generation of Crossleys and Tomlinsons as they play out their lives against the turbulent backdrop of the Second World War, bringing opportunity and excitement to some, but also pain and loss to others.
When Lyn’s mother Janet, discovers her daughter’s wildly inappropriate flirtation with her father’s aide de camp, she packs her off to Blackpool to kick her heels at her grandparent’s boarding house.
Elsewhere in Blackpool Alice finds herself a widow with two small children and she enters into a marriage of convenience with Alfred, a prosperous grocer with a dangerous secret.
These two women find liberation and love on the vibrant wartime dance floors of the Tower Ballroom and Winter Gardens, but as the town sees its first GI’s and the war intensifies, both women are engulfed by the tide of destiny that will see lovers and families torn apart, sometimes for ever.
Tides of Destiny is a story of passion, loss and renewal that shows the resilience of ordinary people who find themselves caught up in extraordinary times. It is written with a warmth and liveliness that will keep the you reading to the very last page.
An extract from Tides of Desiny is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk
Imprint: Bright Pen
Available in paperback (£9.99) and ebook (£3.95 ) from http://authorsonline.co.uk and the That's Books online Amazon bookstore.
Let Tides of Destiny sweep you away from the dark winter nights to the dazzling, swirling dance floors of wartime Blackpool.
With the publication of her second novel in seven years, 87 year old Manchester author Sally Redmayne shows it’s never too late to achieve your lifetime’s ambition.
Born and brought up in the famous seaside resort, Sally Redmayne was 80 years old when she transported her readers back to the end of the Great War with her first novel Sigh with the Tide, a story of love and betrayal between two neighbouring Blackpool boarding house families.
She had always wanted to become a writer and was even sent by her teacher for a job as a cub reporter at the Backpool Gazette on leaving school at the age of 14, but was thwarted in her ambitions by being interviewed for the wrong job and ended up in the typing pool.
It wasn’t until she had retired that she had a chance to attend a creative writing course in her adopted home town of Bury, Manchester which gave her the confidence to draw on her own vivid memories of her grandparents’ Blackpool boarding house as a starting point for her first novel, Sigh with the Tide,
Tides of Destiny, the second novel in her romantic family saga series turns the spotlight onto the dance floors of the Tower and Winter Gardens, brilliantly capturing the flavour of wartime Blackpool as well as the timeless passions that beat at the heart of family life.
Sally Redmayne draws on her own breathless wartime teenage years, danced away in the Blackpool ballrooms where she regularly enjoyed the thrill of dancing to top class dance bands such as The Squadronnaires, She gives a delightfully authentic voice to her diverse cast of characters, including exotic wartime visitors to the Blackpool Rhythm Club which she helped run, among whom were the locally billeted American airmen who brought a welcome note of fun into a drab world of rationing and austerity.
Tides of Destiny follows the next generation of Crossleys and Tomlinsons as they play out their lives against the turbulent backdrop of the Second World War, bringing opportunity and excitement to some, but also pain and loss to others.
When Lyn’s mother Janet, discovers her daughter’s wildly inappropriate flirtation with her father’s aide de camp, she packs her off to Blackpool to kick her heels at her grandparent’s boarding house.
Elsewhere in Blackpool Alice finds herself a widow with two small children and she enters into a marriage of convenience with Alfred, a prosperous grocer with a dangerous secret.
These two women find liberation and love on the vibrant wartime dance floors of the Tower Ballroom and Winter Gardens, but as the town sees its first GI’s and the war intensifies, both women are engulfed by the tide of destiny that will see lovers and families torn apart, sometimes for ever.
Tides of Destiny is a story of passion, loss and renewal that shows the resilience of ordinary people who find themselves caught up in extraordinary times. It is written with a warmth and liveliness that will keep the you reading to the very last page.
An extract from Tides of Desiny is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk
Imprint: Bright Pen
Available in paperback (£9.99) and ebook (£3.95 ) from http://authorsonline.co.uk and the That's Books online Amazon bookstore.
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Do you know London? Reader's Digest book makes you think again!
My wife knows London really well. She should do, she is a confirmed Tottenham Hotspurs fan, and has relatives who still live in the area of North London.
But even she was interested, intrigued and amused by the book The Most Amazing Places to Visit in London.
Reader’s Digest takes you through some rather unusual parts of London
Reader’s Digest, one of Britain’s best loved brands, is giving people the chance to discover the more unusual places in London with a new book. Whether a Londoner born and bred or a first-time visitor, The Most Amazing Places to Visit in London guides us to the capital’s most closely guarded secrets and cherished local treasures that are unknown to many.
From the best place to play outdoor table tennis to a restaurant in a former asylum that also housed MI5 and MI6, there is plenty to surprise everyone. Small enough to fit into a handbag or satchel, this book, the latest in the highly successful “Most Amazing” series, is also a good armchair read as entries tell the story of each gem and are brought vividly to life with photographs. From the centre to the suburbs, the book is split into distinct areas of the capital, with maps to provide an at-a-glance guide when planning days out. There is a special section on the Olympic park, which looks at the architecture of the park itself while recounting London’s Olympic history.
Here is a small selection of some of the most quirky and unknown destinations highlighted:
· Three Mills Island on the Bow Back River, home to possibly the largest tidal mill in the world
· Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, one of the biggest, most ambitious and beautiful Hindu temples ever assembled and carved by 1,500 craftsmen
· London’s oldest pie and mash shop M.Manze’s, which was set up in 1902 (EDITOR: Fantastic pies and mash! Just thought I'd mention that!)
· Institut Francais, which holds the largest free-access collection of French films, music and books in the country, and houses a cinema
· Between Battersea Bridge and Albert Bridge is a flotilla of Thames barges which gives a home to a museum of art and events, featuring works by composer and performance artist Max Couper
· The View Tube, overlooking the Olympic park and built of recycled shipping containers, which provides a café and viewing tower for people without tickets to the Olympics
Rose Shepherd, author of The Most Amazing Places to Visit in London, comments:“This book is a chance for Londoners and visitors to discover the lesser known parts of the city, while finding out the quirky facts behind them. There is something in here for everyone who wants to see parts of London they have never discovered, whether world famous or locally known. Here is London in all its grime and glory, providing a little bit more than the usual guide book.”
(EDITOR: What my wife says: "This is a fantastic book! I just could not put it down! Although I do know London reasonably well, this book has taught me some things I did not know and reminded me of some things I had forgotten.")
The published price is £14.99, though it is available at the That's Books Amazon shop at the discounted price of £9.29.
But even she was interested, intrigued and amused by the book The Most Amazing Places to Visit in London.
Reader’s Digest takes you through some rather unusual parts of London
Reader’s Digest, one of Britain’s best loved brands, is giving people the chance to discover the more unusual places in London with a new book. Whether a Londoner born and bred or a first-time visitor, The Most Amazing Places to Visit in London guides us to the capital’s most closely guarded secrets and cherished local treasures that are unknown to many.
From the best place to play outdoor table tennis to a restaurant in a former asylum that also housed MI5 and MI6, there is plenty to surprise everyone. Small enough to fit into a handbag or satchel, this book, the latest in the highly successful “Most Amazing” series, is also a good armchair read as entries tell the story of each gem and are brought vividly to life with photographs. From the centre to the suburbs, the book is split into distinct areas of the capital, with maps to provide an at-a-glance guide when planning days out. There is a special section on the Olympic park, which looks at the architecture of the park itself while recounting London’s Olympic history.
Here is a small selection of some of the most quirky and unknown destinations highlighted:
· Three Mills Island on the Bow Back River, home to possibly the largest tidal mill in the world
· Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, one of the biggest, most ambitious and beautiful Hindu temples ever assembled and carved by 1,500 craftsmen
· London’s oldest pie and mash shop M.Manze’s, which was set up in 1902 (EDITOR: Fantastic pies and mash! Just thought I'd mention that!)
· Institut Francais, which holds the largest free-access collection of French films, music and books in the country, and houses a cinema
· Between Battersea Bridge and Albert Bridge is a flotilla of Thames barges which gives a home to a museum of art and events, featuring works by composer and performance artist Max Couper
· The View Tube, overlooking the Olympic park and built of recycled shipping containers, which provides a café and viewing tower for people without tickets to the Olympics
Rose Shepherd, author of The Most Amazing Places to Visit in London, comments:“This book is a chance for Londoners and visitors to discover the lesser known parts of the city, while finding out the quirky facts behind them. There is something in here for everyone who wants to see parts of London they have never discovered, whether world famous or locally known. Here is London in all its grime and glory, providing a little bit more than the usual guide book.”
(EDITOR: What my wife says: "This is a fantastic book! I just could not put it down! Although I do know London reasonably well, this book has taught me some things I did not know and reminded me of some things I had forgotten.")
The published price is £14.99, though it is available at the That's Books Amazon shop at the discounted price of £9.29.
We all Have a Dark Side... Honor's Shadow
“We all have our dark side.” This debut novel, from the new fiction imprint, Karnac Library, is a contemporary tale of betrayal and revenge. Through the lives of two women, Honor and Madalena, compelling issues are explored: rivalry and vengeance; mother-love and sexual jealousies; and the ‘sliding doors’ effect that spins its web around the lives not only of these characters but of all of us. Honor’s Shadow By Voula Grand
Published September 2011 by Karnac Library, the new fiction imprint of Karnac Books. Price £16.99 hardback. 290pp. www.karnacbooks.com
Honor’s Shadow explores betrayal and revenge through women who were rivals for the love of Thomas when they were all young. Now middle-aged, the paths of Honor and Madalena have crossed once more, awakening old feelings, and both women struggle to maintain control as their lives become intertwined.
A series of events (a painful and poignant anniversary, a new psychotherapy client, a newspaper image) have awakened disturbing memories in Honor. Through her work with a strange new client, Tisi, and her memory of a painful betrayal, Honor seeks to use her professional expertise to work out what is driving her own unusual behaviour.
Her efforts to contain the vengeful impulses of Tisi and herself are failing, and she becomes increasingly desperate. A Greek myth introduces her to the Furies, Goddesses of revenge who haunted those who committed crimes against humanity, to madness, death and beyond. This story, and its prescription for consolation, provides a chance to avert disaster and ultimately reveals to Honor the drive behind her own desire for revenge. As the novel echoes the ancient myth, it becomes a tale of redemption and a parable for modern times.
An anonymous letter jolts Madalena’s seemingly secure life of comfort and luxury: somebody thinks they know something about her past that threatens to destroy all that she holds dear in her carefully constructed lifestyle. She is desperate to find out who wrote the letter so she can stop their destructive actions.
The author, Voula Grand, is a practising psychologist who works as a top level executive coach. In this, her gripping debut novel, the imaginative tale unfolds with well-rounded, utterly believable - and not always likeable - characters. Fast-moving though the plot action is, Honor’s Shadow often gives pause for thought and, like all good writing, doesn’t just illuminate the story but one’s own reality. The novel explores profound topics: infidelity, personal memory; the nature of parenthood; vengeance; loss of control; and the big question of whether forgiveness can ever lead one to forget.
Honor’s Shadow is the first of a trilogy – Honor’s Dilemmas. Honor’s Ghost and Honor’s Spirit will be published soon.
Voula Grand was born and raised in South Wales and now lives in Hertfordshire with her husband. She is mother and stepmother to five adult sons and daughters. Educated at London School of Economics (BSc(Hons) in Psychology) and at Birkbeck College, London University, (MA in Creative Writing), she is a business psychologist and founder of Grand Shearman Consulting Ltd through which she works as a coaching psychologist for business executives and leadership teams www.grandshearman.com .
Visit www.voulagrand.com for more about the author and to access the blog which continues the exploration of some of the issues touched on by the book. Hear an interview with the author about Honor’s Shadow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DTToeYs__U
Karnac Publishing is well-established in the field of psychology and psychotherapy publishing with a well-established list of 400 current titles and our own book-shop on London’s Finchley Road. They decided to move into fiction with a new imprint, Karnac Library and opted to select the novels by democratic means. Some of the brightest and best amateur writers’ groups were involved in short-listing manuscripts and then, without the aid of literary editors and agents, these same amateur writers selected the three novels to be published. Honor’s Shadow is the third to be issued.
www.karnacbooks.com
Published September 2011 by Karnac Library, the new fiction imprint of Karnac Books. Price £16.99 hardback. 290pp. www.karnacbooks.com
Honor’s Shadow explores betrayal and revenge through women who were rivals for the love of Thomas when they were all young. Now middle-aged, the paths of Honor and Madalena have crossed once more, awakening old feelings, and both women struggle to maintain control as their lives become intertwined.
A series of events (a painful and poignant anniversary, a new psychotherapy client, a newspaper image) have awakened disturbing memories in Honor. Through her work with a strange new client, Tisi, and her memory of a painful betrayal, Honor seeks to use her professional expertise to work out what is driving her own unusual behaviour.
Her efforts to contain the vengeful impulses of Tisi and herself are failing, and she becomes increasingly desperate. A Greek myth introduces her to the Furies, Goddesses of revenge who haunted those who committed crimes against humanity, to madness, death and beyond. This story, and its prescription for consolation, provides a chance to avert disaster and ultimately reveals to Honor the drive behind her own desire for revenge. As the novel echoes the ancient myth, it becomes a tale of redemption and a parable for modern times.
An anonymous letter jolts Madalena’s seemingly secure life of comfort and luxury: somebody thinks they know something about her past that threatens to destroy all that she holds dear in her carefully constructed lifestyle. She is desperate to find out who wrote the letter so she can stop their destructive actions.
The author, Voula Grand, is a practising psychologist who works as a top level executive coach. In this, her gripping debut novel, the imaginative tale unfolds with well-rounded, utterly believable - and not always likeable - characters. Fast-moving though the plot action is, Honor’s Shadow often gives pause for thought and, like all good writing, doesn’t just illuminate the story but one’s own reality. The novel explores profound topics: infidelity, personal memory; the nature of parenthood; vengeance; loss of control; and the big question of whether forgiveness can ever lead one to forget.
Honor’s Shadow is the first of a trilogy – Honor’s Dilemmas. Honor’s Ghost and Honor’s Spirit will be published soon.
Voula Grand was born and raised in South Wales and now lives in Hertfordshire with her husband. She is mother and stepmother to five adult sons and daughters. Educated at London School of Economics (BSc(Hons) in Psychology) and at Birkbeck College, London University, (MA in Creative Writing), she is a business psychologist and founder of Grand Shearman Consulting Ltd through which she works as a coaching psychologist for business executives and leadership teams www.grandshearman.com .
Visit www.voulagrand.com for more about the author and to access the blog which continues the exploration of some of the issues touched on by the book. Hear an interview with the author about Honor’s Shadow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DTToeYs__U
Karnac Publishing is well-established in the field of psychology and psychotherapy publishing with a well-established list of 400 current titles and our own book-shop on London’s Finchley Road. They decided to move into fiction with a new imprint, Karnac Library and opted to select the novels by democratic means. Some of the brightest and best amateur writers’ groups were involved in short-listing manuscripts and then, without the aid of literary editors and agents, these same amateur writers selected the three novels to be published. Honor’s Shadow is the third to be issued.
www.karnacbooks.com
Calling for your books! That's Books wants to feature your book!
It can be very hard to get a book reviewed. Especially if your name is not Dan Brown, or if you do not have the spending power of a massive marketing campaign behind you!
But there's some good news for you! There now exists an opportunity for you to have your books featured in an online magazine that is read by book lovers the world over. That's Books. And the other good news? It needn't cost you a penny!
That's Books deals with all genres (fact, fiction, history, biography, autobiography, etc) with the exception that we will not be able to feature books of an 'adult' nature. We cover print, e-books and Kindle books.
If you have a book that you would like That's Books to feature, please send an email to afj_uk@yahoo.com with the header Book Review and we will do the rest for you. It really is that simple!
But there's some good news for you! There now exists an opportunity for you to have your books featured in an online magazine that is read by book lovers the world over. That's Books. And the other good news? It needn't cost you a penny!
That's Books deals with all genres (fact, fiction, history, biography, autobiography, etc) with the exception that we will not be able to feature books of an 'adult' nature. We cover print, e-books and Kindle books.
If you have a book that you would like That's Books to feature, please send an email to afj_uk@yahoo.com with the header Book Review and we will do the rest for you. It really is that simple!
That's Christmas: Top ten bestseller for Christmas
That's Christmas: Top ten bestseller for Christmas: Associated Editions is pleased to announce that their book and CD for Christmas has now entered t...
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
There's No Such Thing as a Dumb Dog!
There is no such thing as a dumb dog. They know exactly what they are doing. You may get a ‘what me?’ look from them. But every farm dog knows exactly what they are doing.
In a new graphic novel ‘Orchard Down Till the Cows Come In' by R C Bayliss, this point is illustrated to the extreme. When faced with the prospect of not getting any milk for breakfast the dogs take charge. But all this is actually based on real life. Two of the chief characters, Sam and Jack, grew up together as pups and the idea for the book came when the author noticed just how much the dogs would work out for themselves.
Jack would always finish his food before Sam. Being a labrador, Jack's stomach was a bottomless pit that could never be filled. Knowing of Sam’s fondness for chasing things, especially cats, Jack herded a group of cats to run past Sam. Sam could never resist and always gave chase. Then Jack would dive in from cover, wolf down several large mouthfuls and hide before Sam returned.
It was situations like this that inspired the author to put it down into a book. And since a lot of dogs communicate in body language, it seemed better to do it as a graphic novel, letting the pictures tell most of the story.
The author has had many dogs in his lifetime, mostly border collies and labradors and one thing he is sure of 'there is no such thing as a dumb animal and certainly not a dumb dog'.
- An extract from 'Orchard Down Till the Cows Come In' is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk
- Imprint: Bright Pen
- Published: 23 November 2011
- Available in paperback and ebook at www.authorsonline.co.uk, and via the That's Books Amazon shop link
- RRP: £8.99 paperback, £3.95 ebook
In a new graphic novel ‘Orchard Down Till the Cows Come In' by R C Bayliss, this point is illustrated to the extreme. When faced with the prospect of not getting any milk for breakfast the dogs take charge. But all this is actually based on real life. Two of the chief characters, Sam and Jack, grew up together as pups and the idea for the book came when the author noticed just how much the dogs would work out for themselves.
Jack would always finish his food before Sam. Being a labrador, Jack's stomach was a bottomless pit that could never be filled. Knowing of Sam’s fondness for chasing things, especially cats, Jack herded a group of cats to run past Sam. Sam could never resist and always gave chase. Then Jack would dive in from cover, wolf down several large mouthfuls and hide before Sam returned.
It was situations like this that inspired the author to put it down into a book. And since a lot of dogs communicate in body language, it seemed better to do it as a graphic novel, letting the pictures tell most of the story.
The author has had many dogs in his lifetime, mostly border collies and labradors and one thing he is sure of 'there is no such thing as a dumb animal and certainly not a dumb dog'.
- An extract from 'Orchard Down Till the Cows Come In' is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk
- Imprint: Bright Pen
- Published: 23 November 2011
- Available in paperback and ebook at www.authorsonline.co.uk, and via the That's Books Amazon shop link
- RRP: £8.99 paperback, £3.95 ebook
Special Book Offer Can Save You £6!
Local author Heather Flood's latest book for youngsters, Giant Sticker Monster and Other Children's Stories, has been acclaimed by actress Judy Buxton as perfect for stirring young children's imagination, while another reviewer compares it favourably to Aesop's Fables and Hans Christian Andersen.
Our readers can buy these wonderful short stories for children, aged four to 12, at special reduced prices, and save £6 in all, if they also wish to purchase Heather's previous book Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells and her husband Tony's fantasy adventure novel The Secret Potion, recommended by actress June Whitfield as an ideal present for Harry Potter fans.
And Mr Flood, the former Controller of Information at Sky Television and now New Authors Co-ordinator with My Voice Publishing, Eastbourne, is also revealing the secret of how would-be authors can get published.
Heather, who is a prize-winning member of Anderida Writers group, of which Tony is chairman, has been published by My Voice Publishing. Her books and Tony's The Secret Potion are available on Amazon as e-versions and paperbacks or from www.mvpub.co.uk/ as discounted paperbacks.
Actor and director Alan Baker declares: "Heather's outrageous Giant Sticker Monster and lovely collection of short stories provide characters and plots that will have children eager to read more. They are a combination of Aesop's Fables and Hans Christian Anderson. As an actor, I am pleased that they are easy to read aloud. I heartily recommend them to every parent of young children."
Jacq Molloy, journalist, author and writing tutor, says: "Giant Sticker Monster and other Children's Stories is a delightful read for younger children. They will get caught up in the antics of characters like the mischievous Giant Sticker Monster, Pixie, the naughty kitten, and Amber, the Christmas Tree Fairy. It's an enchanting collection!"
Actress Judy Buxton adds: "Heather Flood's wonderfully entertaining stories are perfect for stirring a young child's imagination. The characters are all enchanting and there is something for both girls and boys."
By taking advantage of our reader offer for the three books, you can buy The Giant Sticker Monster for £2 below the retail price, Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells at a discount of £1 and The Secret Potion for a saving of £2.
Simply send a cheque made payable to 'Sportsworld Communications' with your order to: Discounted books, 24 Brisbane Quay, Eastbourne, BN23 5PD. You will need to allow 96p each for postage and packing so send £4.95 for Giant Sticker Monster and Other Children's Stories, £4.95 for Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells and £5.95 for The Secret Potion.
Or you can save even more - over £6 - by buying all three books for £13.99, which includes P&P.
Tony Flood says: "I have been asked by My Voice to recommend authors whose manuscripts I feel would be of a sufficiently high standard. This means they can be fast-tracked instead of waiting months for a publisher to give them an answer."
Mr. Flood will also be happy to give advice if readers contact him on tflood04@yahoo.co.uk
Anyone wishing to join Anderida Writers, which has four other published authors in Liz Wright, Brigitte Sumner, Jill Rutherford and Harry Pope, can look on their website at www.anderidawriterseastbourne.co.uk/
Our readers can buy these wonderful short stories for children, aged four to 12, at special reduced prices, and save £6 in all, if they also wish to purchase Heather's previous book Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells and her husband Tony's fantasy adventure novel The Secret Potion, recommended by actress June Whitfield as an ideal present for Harry Potter fans.
And Mr Flood, the former Controller of Information at Sky Television and now New Authors Co-ordinator with My Voice Publishing, Eastbourne, is also revealing the secret of how would-be authors can get published.
Heather, who is a prize-winning member of Anderida Writers group, of which Tony is chairman, has been published by My Voice Publishing. Her books and Tony's The Secret Potion are available on Amazon as e-versions and paperbacks or from www.mvpub.co.uk/ as discounted paperbacks.
Actor and director Alan Baker declares: "Heather's outrageous Giant Sticker Monster and lovely collection of short stories provide characters and plots that will have children eager to read more. They are a combination of Aesop's Fables and Hans Christian Anderson. As an actor, I am pleased that they are easy to read aloud. I heartily recommend them to every parent of young children."
Jacq Molloy, journalist, author and writing tutor, says: "Giant Sticker Monster and other Children's Stories is a delightful read for younger children. They will get caught up in the antics of characters like the mischievous Giant Sticker Monster, Pixie, the naughty kitten, and Amber, the Christmas Tree Fairy. It's an enchanting collection!"
Actress Judy Buxton adds: "Heather Flood's wonderfully entertaining stories are perfect for stirring a young child's imagination. The characters are all enchanting and there is something for both girls and boys."
By taking advantage of our reader offer for the three books, you can buy The Giant Sticker Monster for £2 below the retail price, Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells at a discount of £1 and The Secret Potion for a saving of £2.
Simply send a cheque made payable to 'Sportsworld Communications' with your order to: Discounted books, 24 Brisbane Quay, Eastbourne, BN23 5PD. You will need to allow 96p each for postage and packing so send £4.95 for Giant Sticker Monster and Other Children's Stories, £4.95 for Mousey Mousey and the Witches' Spells and £5.95 for The Secret Potion.
Or you can save even more - over £6 - by buying all three books for £13.99, which includes P&P.
Tony Flood says: "I have been asked by My Voice to recommend authors whose manuscripts I feel would be of a sufficiently high standard. This means they can be fast-tracked instead of waiting months for a publisher to give them an answer."
Mr. Flood will also be happy to give advice if readers contact him on tflood04@yahoo.co.uk
Anyone wishing to join Anderida Writers, which has four other published authors in Liz Wright, Brigitte Sumner, Jill Rutherford and Harry Pope, can look on their website at www.anderidawriterseastbourne.co.uk/
Sunday, 18 December 2011
His life as a muppet! Writer reveals all!
20-year Muppets Writing Veteran Publishes Book About his Career Writing "Sesame Street", "The Muppet Show", and Many Other Projects
Joseph A. Bailey's book is a behind-the-scenes look at writing for Jim Henson's Muppets.
"Memoirs of a Muppets Writer", a new book by Joseph A. Bailey, was recently released by Walnut Press. The book, which Mr. Bailey refers to as his “aspirational best-seller”, recounts his experiences during the 20 years of his writing association with Jim Henson’s Muppets organisation. It also details how he made the transition from Madison Avenue copywriter to television writer and how he became involved with the Muppets.
The book is a behind-the-scenes look at the early years of both Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. It includes the author’s personal recollections of many of the key people involved with the creation of both shows, including writers, directors, producers, actors and puppeteers. He also describes the atmosphere of creative freedom and what’s been called the “benign anarchy” of the Muppet organisation under Jim Henson.
Memoirs of a Muppets Writer is also a unique insight into early Sesame Street educational philosophy and strategies and how they translated into entertaining material for the show. It goes into great detail about the show’s format and production. And, it also includes examples of Sesame Street curriculum, sketches, Muppet inserts, and song lyrics, as well as their rationale.
Muppet Show chapters include Muppet history, parts of Jim Henson’s biography, his methods of Muppet design and construction, and how the puppets are actually operated. Some of The Muppet Show guest stars for whom Mr. Bailey wrote include George Burns, Bob Hope, Steve Martin, Rudolf Nureyev, John Cleese, and Peter Sellers. An entire chapter is devoted to seriously discussing comedy with Milton Berle.
One chapter describes how the author heard of Jim Henson’s passing and his reaction to it, as well as a description of the Jim Henson memorial service at the Cathedral of Saint John the Devine in New York City.
During the years of 1973 to 1992, Mr. Bailey worked on a wide variety of Muppet projects. He was a staff writer on both Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. Additionally, he co-wrote Sesame Street and Muppet specials that included Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Big Bird in China and Rocky Mountain Holiday, as well as writing Muppet Business Meeting Films, collateral material, record albums, and scripts for special Big Bird appearances at Carnegie Hall and the White House.
Mr. Bailey’s writing awards include 5 Emmys, 3 Emmy nominations, a Writers Guild Award, a Writers Guild nomination, an Action for Children’s Television Award and a George Foster Peabody Award.
Living in Manhattan with his wife, Mr. Bailey indulges in occasional long-distance motorcycle trips and claims to speak French and play piano to the equal amusement of others.
Memoirs of a Muppets Writer is currently available on www.amazon.com and Kindle. Walnut Press, is also the publisher of the other aspirational best-seller, HELL is for REAL, by Gary Apple.
Joseph A. Bailey's book is a behind-the-scenes look at writing for Jim Henson's Muppets.
"Memoirs of a Muppets Writer", a new book by Joseph A. Bailey, was recently released by Walnut Press. The book, which Mr. Bailey refers to as his “aspirational best-seller”, recounts his experiences during the 20 years of his writing association with Jim Henson’s Muppets organisation. It also details how he made the transition from Madison Avenue copywriter to television writer and how he became involved with the Muppets.
The book is a behind-the-scenes look at the early years of both Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. It includes the author’s personal recollections of many of the key people involved with the creation of both shows, including writers, directors, producers, actors and puppeteers. He also describes the atmosphere of creative freedom and what’s been called the “benign anarchy” of the Muppet organisation under Jim Henson.
Memoirs of a Muppets Writer is also a unique insight into early Sesame Street educational philosophy and strategies and how they translated into entertaining material for the show. It goes into great detail about the show’s format and production. And, it also includes examples of Sesame Street curriculum, sketches, Muppet inserts, and song lyrics, as well as their rationale.
Muppet Show chapters include Muppet history, parts of Jim Henson’s biography, his methods of Muppet design and construction, and how the puppets are actually operated. Some of The Muppet Show guest stars for whom Mr. Bailey wrote include George Burns, Bob Hope, Steve Martin, Rudolf Nureyev, John Cleese, and Peter Sellers. An entire chapter is devoted to seriously discussing comedy with Milton Berle.
One chapter describes how the author heard of Jim Henson’s passing and his reaction to it, as well as a description of the Jim Henson memorial service at the Cathedral of Saint John the Devine in New York City.
During the years of 1973 to 1992, Mr. Bailey worked on a wide variety of Muppet projects. He was a staff writer on both Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. Additionally, he co-wrote Sesame Street and Muppet specials that included Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Big Bird in China and Rocky Mountain Holiday, as well as writing Muppet Business Meeting Films, collateral material, record albums, and scripts for special Big Bird appearances at Carnegie Hall and the White House.
Mr. Bailey’s writing awards include 5 Emmys, 3 Emmy nominations, a Writers Guild Award, a Writers Guild nomination, an Action for Children’s Television Award and a George Foster Peabody Award.
Living in Manhattan with his wife, Mr. Bailey indulges in occasional long-distance motorcycle trips and claims to speak French and play piano to the equal amusement of others.
Memoirs of a Muppets Writer is currently available on www.amazon.com and Kindle. Walnut Press, is also the publisher of the other aspirational best-seller, HELL is for REAL, by Gary Apple.
Julia Suzuki Became The First Author To Be Featured On Living Social
Children's author Julia Suzuki's book 'Yoshiko and the Gift of Charms' was featured on group discount shopping site Living Social on 15th December. This was the first time the site has included an author.
Julia - whose books about the mythical Land of Dragor have seen her described as 'the next JK Rowling' (Daily Mail) are the perfect Yuletide gift to pique the imagination of 7-14 year olds, but have attracted an adult audience, too.
An ex PA to health club CEO David Lloyd, Julia discovered writing after the birth of her son.
She says "I studied creative writing at University as an addition module to my business studies degree. But it was ten years later until I considered writing a book. If I say 'it was a vision ' it sounds rather cliché. But one day I saw an image of a picture just of a dragon... Dragons to me are unique, with fire and drive and are spirited and I love them for this reason. But then this character and land just formed from it in my mind.
"It came to life so vividly, and grew all about 'health, happiness and beauty' inside and out. It seemed so natural to write the story and as it developed with him facing challenges that we all deal with, I reflected on life and wrote of a world I felt we all would love to live in. I then wanted to share the excitement of a magical world where all things were possible and many people I spoke to about it loved it so it just went from there."
A sample chapter of 'Yoshiko and the Gift of Charms' is available here: http://soundcloud.com/julia-suzuki/julia-suzuki-yoshiko-and-the.
The Land of Dragor books are also available on Amazon.
Living Social is at www.livingsocial.com.
Julia - whose books about the mythical Land of Dragor have seen her described as 'the next JK Rowling' (Daily Mail) are the perfect Yuletide gift to pique the imagination of 7-14 year olds, but have attracted an adult audience, too.
An ex PA to health club CEO David Lloyd, Julia discovered writing after the birth of her son.
She says "I studied creative writing at University as an addition module to my business studies degree. But it was ten years later until I considered writing a book. If I say 'it was a vision ' it sounds rather cliché. But one day I saw an image of a picture just of a dragon... Dragons to me are unique, with fire and drive and are spirited and I love them for this reason. But then this character and land just formed from it in my mind.
"It came to life so vividly, and grew all about 'health, happiness and beauty' inside and out. It seemed so natural to write the story and as it developed with him facing challenges that we all deal with, I reflected on life and wrote of a world I felt we all would love to live in. I then wanted to share the excitement of a magical world where all things were possible and many people I spoke to about it loved it so it just went from there."
A sample chapter of 'Yoshiko and the Gift of Charms' is available here: http://soundcloud.com/julia-suzuki/julia-suzuki-yoshiko-and-the.
The Land of Dragor books are also available on Amazon.
Living Social is at www.livingsocial.com.
Saturday, 17 December 2011
In Search Of Lost Knowledge By William Grove
In Search of Lost Knowledge is William Grove's autobiographical account of how a fracture to his skull gave him an extra ability to find answers to ancient mysteries, where all others have failed to so do.
"I awoke wondering how I came to be lying upon a strange bed, on a Sunday-afternoon at that? With no recollection of the incident I was to learn that a speeding car had collided head-on with my bicycle which threw me over the handle-bars to bounce off the car, prior to hitting the road-surface.
"My injuries were severe from my head to my ribs, my left-arm almost severed, left side of my face paralysed, a fracture to my skull above the left ear, my jaw dislocated, teeth and nose damaged. That I survived was a miracle they informed me, due in part, to a healthy, war-time diet, roadside attention from a Miss Morris, local mid-wife, and treatment at a cottage hospital almost four-miles distant.
"I write the above in order to explain why, from then onward, I was to receive, always spontaneous in nature, that which I understand to be minor occurrences of precognition, examples of psychic awareness or, to use a phrase beloved of the psychiatric establishment, lateral thought.
"There is, too, the fact that my deep interest, in such riddles, commenced with the BBC's 1970s televised Chronicle Series in which public attention was directed upon yet one other mystery, of a far-more-recent era, related to the a family secret rooted in the French village of Rennes le Château, with all that was brought to light, concerning that subject, in the co-authored The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail volume of early 1980s years.
"And yes, I do have, from a variety of some six priestly sources covering the greater part of two-centuries, each a cypher differently presented, yet all bringing attention to the very-same landscape-point, the whole ready for preparation as a book in it's own right, but only following an archaeological exploration of the site. Even more than my In Search of Lost Knowledge work, or as occurred with The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, the result of this investigation will be condemned in certain quarters, deservedly so since the shock, of what that excavation would reveal, would brutally damage the foundations of some ancient institutions.
"Upon occasion a scientist, brain free of any damage, is able, by similar means, to actually dream up the solution to a problem that has evaded him for far too-long."
- Read a sample chapter from In Search of Lost Knowledge at www.authorsonline.co.uk
- eBook Download Price: £3.95
- Paper Back Purchase Price: £9.99
"I awoke wondering how I came to be lying upon a strange bed, on a Sunday-afternoon at that? With no recollection of the incident I was to learn that a speeding car had collided head-on with my bicycle which threw me over the handle-bars to bounce off the car, prior to hitting the road-surface.
"My injuries were severe from my head to my ribs, my left-arm almost severed, left side of my face paralysed, a fracture to my skull above the left ear, my jaw dislocated, teeth and nose damaged. That I survived was a miracle they informed me, due in part, to a healthy, war-time diet, roadside attention from a Miss Morris, local mid-wife, and treatment at a cottage hospital almost four-miles distant.
"I write the above in order to explain why, from then onward, I was to receive, always spontaneous in nature, that which I understand to be minor occurrences of precognition, examples of psychic awareness or, to use a phrase beloved of the psychiatric establishment, lateral thought.
"There is, too, the fact that my deep interest, in such riddles, commenced with the BBC's 1970s televised Chronicle Series in which public attention was directed upon yet one other mystery, of a far-more-recent era, related to the a family secret rooted in the French village of Rennes le Château, with all that was brought to light, concerning that subject, in the co-authored The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail volume of early 1980s years.
"And yes, I do have, from a variety of some six priestly sources covering the greater part of two-centuries, each a cypher differently presented, yet all bringing attention to the very-same landscape-point, the whole ready for preparation as a book in it's own right, but only following an archaeological exploration of the site. Even more than my In Search of Lost Knowledge work, or as occurred with The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, the result of this investigation will be condemned in certain quarters, deservedly so since the shock, of what that excavation would reveal, would brutally damage the foundations of some ancient institutions.
"Upon occasion a scientist, brain free of any damage, is able, by similar means, to actually dream up the solution to a problem that has evaded him for far too-long."
- Read a sample chapter from In Search of Lost Knowledge at www.authorsonline.co.uk
- eBook Download Price: £3.95
- Paper Back Purchase Price: £9.99
Old Scores Are Settled On And Off The Pitch...
The murky underworld that lurks beneath top-flight football.
The ins and outs of top-flight football don't come much more exciting than this.
Paul Breakwell may be a gifted player, but he lacks ambition and direction and looks as if he's stuck in a Sunday parks team. That is until he meets Nigel, washed out, washed up and down on his luck - but with an eye for the game and the ability to spot potential. Once jailed for fraud, Nigel now rediscovers his own passion for the beautiful game while igniting Paul's, and sets about making his discovery of football's latest hot property.
For Paul and his wife Carly things seem to go from strength to strength - new jobs and exciting prospects with local on-the-up club Barrowcliffe, more money, a new car and an expensive big house in footballers' row. It's as though all their dreams have come true; but are things ever quite that good for real?
While they enjoy fast-paced football matches and a meteoric rise up the leagues, Paul, Carly and Nigel uncover scandal after seedy scandal underneath the club's cover. What really goes on behind closed doors across the road at club owner Billy's house? Why has former player Stan Page reared his ugly head again? And what do they do when the answers leave them fighting for their lives?
Leigh Rose, originally from Derby, combined a career as a PE teacher with roles at several top-flight football clubs, including coaching and scouting for Southampton, Reading and Derby County. He lives with his family in Belper, on the edge of the Peak District.
Taps into the huge loyal football fan market
Will also appeal to female fans of Footballer's Wives
Author has scouted and coached for several top football clubs including Southampton
Leigh Dallas Rose
27th January 2011
£17.99 Hardback
978-1-84624-645-6 216 x 135 mm
The ins and outs of top-flight football don't come much more exciting than this.
Paul Breakwell may be a gifted player, but he lacks ambition and direction and looks as if he's stuck in a Sunday parks team. That is until he meets Nigel, washed out, washed up and down on his luck - but with an eye for the game and the ability to spot potential. Once jailed for fraud, Nigel now rediscovers his own passion for the beautiful game while igniting Paul's, and sets about making his discovery of football's latest hot property.
For Paul and his wife Carly things seem to go from strength to strength - new jobs and exciting prospects with local on-the-up club Barrowcliffe, more money, a new car and an expensive big house in footballers' row. It's as though all their dreams have come true; but are things ever quite that good for real?
While they enjoy fast-paced football matches and a meteoric rise up the leagues, Paul, Carly and Nigel uncover scandal after seedy scandal underneath the club's cover. What really goes on behind closed doors across the road at club owner Billy's house? Why has former player Stan Page reared his ugly head again? And what do they do when the answers leave them fighting for their lives?
Leigh Rose, originally from Derby, combined a career as a PE teacher with roles at several top-flight football clubs, including coaching and scouting for Southampton, Reading and Derby County. He lives with his family in Belper, on the edge of the Peak District.
Taps into the huge loyal football fan market
Will also appeal to female fans of Footballer's Wives
Author has scouted and coached for several top football clubs including Southampton
Leigh Dallas Rose
27th January 2011
£17.99 Hardback
978-1-84624-645-6 216 x 135 mm
Friday, 16 December 2011
First the Absolute Sanctuary, now the cook book!
The Love Kitchen, the in-house restaurant, at ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY is proud to announce the launch of its much awaited cook book Food Made with Love from the Love Kitchen.
The thrice-nominated restaurant for Best Spa Cuisine of the Year by Asia Spa is well known for its signature dishes like Cheong Mon Burrito, Nori Handrolls and Sanctuary Spring Rolls. It has grown from strength to strength since its humble beginning and the recipe book epitomizes its success. Absolute Sanctuary, known for its wellness holiday programs, has carefully selected 60 of the restaurant's most popular dishes and delightful thirst quenchers to be featured in the hard cover cook book.
"Over the years we have been inundated with constant requests from guests for recipes to take home with them to continue eating healthily at home. Recognising this need and with a mission to spread the love for cooking healthy and tasty meals, the idea of the cook book was born," explains Executive Director Claire Bostock-Huang.
"The menu at The Love Kitchen is a collection of recipes from inspiring chefs who have helped shape the restaurant namely Lucas Rockwood, Lisa Esposito and Dara Duchanee, and the recipe book showcases their passion and love for cooking healthily which is the essence of the Love Kitchen and the cook book." Ms Bostock-Huang enlightens.
The Love Kitchen at Absolute Sanctuary was opened in 2008 with the fundamental concept of serving tasty but healthy food. Starting with a pure vegetarian menu, the restaurant moved towards a spa cuisine based menu in 2009 featuring both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and added refreshing raw food items in 2011.
Known for making healthy food tasty and using fresh natural ingredients, the Love Kitchen's mission through the cook book is twofold: to demonstrate that healthy food need not necessarily be bland and to bring healthy cooking to the home kitchen.
Available from 18th December 2011, the hard cover recipe book will feature enticing appetizers, vegetarian and non-vegetarian main courses, tempting guiltless desserts, as well as refreshing detox dishes in keeping with the spirit of the resort's detox focus.
A special feature of the book is the heart facts introduction to each recipe giving the nutritional benefits of the ingredients that go into the making of each dish. Written by Singaporean writer Wee Kiat, a fan of the resort and restaurant, the book will be retailed not only in the resort but at selected book stores and wellness centers throughout the world.
To promote the cook book, the Love Kitchen under the directorship of Executive Chef Eddy Choungsomboon will feature a special menu highlighting its recipes from 19th December 2011- 31st March 2012.
Chef Eddy will also be conducting cooking classes on an ongoing basis in 2012 for guests wanting hands-on guidance in cooking healthily. Of German and Thai descent and trained in Dietetics & Nutrition sciences, Chef Eddy intends to bring The Love Kitchen up a notch in 2012 with new recipes. A sequel cook book is in the pipeline.
For more information on the cook book or The Love Kitchen please visit www.absolutesanctuary.com
FACTFILE:
ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY, Thailand's Premier Detox & Yoga resort is a Moroccan inspired boutique wellness resort situated on Koh Samui, Thailand, and specializing in detox, spa and yoga holiday programs. ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY is part of the ABSOLUTE GROUP that owns and operates ABSOLUTE YOGA, Asia's premier yoga centre.
Established since 2002, ABSOLUTE YOGA is now the largest yoga studio in Thailand, with 8 yoga centers nationwide. In 2010, the group opened Absolute Pilates, launching the first large group Pilates reformer studios in Thailand and further expanded it to private Pilates classes with the opening of Absolute Pilates Plus in 2011.
Opened on 1st April 2008, the resort is not only growing in popularity as a destination for detox and yoga holidays in Thailand but also as a yoga teacher training and retreat center. In December 2008, the resort was awarded the Best Themed Resort award by SKAL International (Koh Samui).
The resort has also been nominated for three years in a row for Best Spa Cuisine of the year by Asia Spa awards since 2009 and was nominated for Spa Retreat of the Year & Destination Spa of the year by Asia Spa awards. The resort underwent expansion in 2010 with the construction of a new wing housing 2 new yoga studios and a larger Love Kitchen restaurant. In 2011, the resort added a Fitness Studio to its facilities.
For more information, please visit www.absolutesanctuary.com
The thrice-nominated restaurant for Best Spa Cuisine of the Year by Asia Spa is well known for its signature dishes like Cheong Mon Burrito, Nori Handrolls and Sanctuary Spring Rolls. It has grown from strength to strength since its humble beginning and the recipe book epitomizes its success. Absolute Sanctuary, known for its wellness holiday programs, has carefully selected 60 of the restaurant's most popular dishes and delightful thirst quenchers to be featured in the hard cover cook book.
"Over the years we have been inundated with constant requests from guests for recipes to take home with them to continue eating healthily at home. Recognising this need and with a mission to spread the love for cooking healthy and tasty meals, the idea of the cook book was born," explains Executive Director Claire Bostock-Huang.
"The menu at The Love Kitchen is a collection of recipes from inspiring chefs who have helped shape the restaurant namely Lucas Rockwood, Lisa Esposito and Dara Duchanee, and the recipe book showcases their passion and love for cooking healthily which is the essence of the Love Kitchen and the cook book." Ms Bostock-Huang enlightens.
The Love Kitchen at Absolute Sanctuary was opened in 2008 with the fundamental concept of serving tasty but healthy food. Starting with a pure vegetarian menu, the restaurant moved towards a spa cuisine based menu in 2009 featuring both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and added refreshing raw food items in 2011.
Known for making healthy food tasty and using fresh natural ingredients, the Love Kitchen's mission through the cook book is twofold: to demonstrate that healthy food need not necessarily be bland and to bring healthy cooking to the home kitchen.
Available from 18th December 2011, the hard cover recipe book will feature enticing appetizers, vegetarian and non-vegetarian main courses, tempting guiltless desserts, as well as refreshing detox dishes in keeping with the spirit of the resort's detox focus.
A special feature of the book is the heart facts introduction to each recipe giving the nutritional benefits of the ingredients that go into the making of each dish. Written by Singaporean writer Wee Kiat, a fan of the resort and restaurant, the book will be retailed not only in the resort but at selected book stores and wellness centers throughout the world.
To promote the cook book, the Love Kitchen under the directorship of Executive Chef Eddy Choungsomboon will feature a special menu highlighting its recipes from 19th December 2011- 31st March 2012.
Chef Eddy will also be conducting cooking classes on an ongoing basis in 2012 for guests wanting hands-on guidance in cooking healthily. Of German and Thai descent and trained in Dietetics & Nutrition sciences, Chef Eddy intends to bring The Love Kitchen up a notch in 2012 with new recipes. A sequel cook book is in the pipeline.
For more information on the cook book or The Love Kitchen please visit www.absolutesanctuary.com
FACTFILE:
ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY, Thailand's Premier Detox & Yoga resort is a Moroccan inspired boutique wellness resort situated on Koh Samui, Thailand, and specializing in detox, spa and yoga holiday programs. ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY is part of the ABSOLUTE GROUP that owns and operates ABSOLUTE YOGA, Asia's premier yoga centre.
Established since 2002, ABSOLUTE YOGA is now the largest yoga studio in Thailand, with 8 yoga centers nationwide. In 2010, the group opened Absolute Pilates, launching the first large group Pilates reformer studios in Thailand and further expanded it to private Pilates classes with the opening of Absolute Pilates Plus in 2011.
Opened on 1st April 2008, the resort is not only growing in popularity as a destination for detox and yoga holidays in Thailand but also as a yoga teacher training and retreat center. In December 2008, the resort was awarded the Best Themed Resort award by SKAL International (Koh Samui).
The resort has also been nominated for three years in a row for Best Spa Cuisine of the year by Asia Spa awards since 2009 and was nominated for Spa Retreat of the Year & Destination Spa of the year by Asia Spa awards. The resort underwent expansion in 2010 with the construction of a new wing housing 2 new yoga studios and a larger Love Kitchen restaurant. In 2011, the resort added a Fitness Studio to its facilities.
For more information, please visit www.absolutesanctuary.com
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Deep Secret By Nigel James
With a fast pace leading to a sprint finish, Nigel James’ debut novel, Deep Secret, takes horse racing thrillers to a new level.
Champion jockey, AlecHammond, finally has a horse capable of winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the one race he needs to win to crown his glittering career. But while Alec embarks on a relationship with a top adult movie star, desperate to keep her lurid past from him, others are plotting to prevent his horse from winning at any cost.
Thrilling races, fixed races, a massive betting coup, sex, murder, kidnap and blackmail all feature as the seamier side of the racing world is laid bare. The action gallops along before the dramatic twists and shocking climax on the day of the race.
An extract from Deep Secret is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk
Deep Secret is published by Authors Online
ISBN (Paperback editions): 0 7 552 13785
ISBN-13 (Paperback editions): 9 7807 5521 3788
RRP: £8.99 paperback or eBook Download Price: £3.95
Champion jockey, AlecHammond, finally has a horse capable of winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the one race he needs to win to crown his glittering career. But while Alec embarks on a relationship with a top adult movie star, desperate to keep her lurid past from him, others are plotting to prevent his horse from winning at any cost.
Thrilling races, fixed races, a massive betting coup, sex, murder, kidnap and blackmail all feature as the seamier side of the racing world is laid bare. The action gallops along before the dramatic twists and shocking climax on the day of the race.
An extract from Deep Secret is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk
Deep Secret is published by Authors Online
ISBN (Paperback editions): 0 7 552 13785
ISBN-13 (Paperback editions): 9 7807 5521 3788
RRP: £8.99 paperback or eBook Download Price: £3.95
The Elephant Within Us By Peter Peeters
A beguiling tale of transformation, romance and environmental politics
Dr John Garfinger is a penniless, jobless about-to-be divorcee, a man with an unwarranted reputation for philandering and a hapless knack for getting himself into embarrassing situations. In desperation he goes to East Africa to start a new life working on a remote elephant reserve - even though he knows nothing about elephants.
But this is Africa where things never quite go to plan. By a bizarre turn of events, the naïve young doctor of biotechnology soon finds himself embroiled in the strange goings-on in a private laboratory where a half-mad German scientist is working on a very unusual time machine. Then John complicates things by falling in love...
Part sci-fi fantasy, part farce, The Elephant Within Us is a beguiling tale of transformation, romance and environmental politics and a fascinating foray into the world of the elephant.
Dr Peter Peeters was born in Belgium where he studied and specialised in high-energy physics. He worked at Brussels University in collaboration with CERN, the European accelerator centre in Geneva, and carried out research at the Argonne National Laboratory in the United States. He has travelled throughout the world and spent a year in Africa with his wife making documentary films, criss-crossing the continent, sleeping in bush and forest in their Land Rover. Dr Peeters has written several non-fiction titles concerned with the future of humanity and the planet. His latest are The Four Phases of Society (1997) and The Global Economy and its Long-Term Future (2008). This is his first novel, and he currently lives in Spain.
FACTFILE:
A witty, entertaining novel that will appeal to readers of the likes of David Lodge and Alexander McCall Smith
The Belgian writer has an intriguing backstory: a doctor of high energy physics and an inveterate global traveller who spent a year in Africa
Peter Peeters is a well-established and respected non-fiction author
£14.99
Hardback
978-1-84624-638-8
Publication date: 27th January 2011
Dr John Garfinger is a penniless, jobless about-to-be divorcee, a man with an unwarranted reputation for philandering and a hapless knack for getting himself into embarrassing situations. In desperation he goes to East Africa to start a new life working on a remote elephant reserve - even though he knows nothing about elephants.
But this is Africa where things never quite go to plan. By a bizarre turn of events, the naïve young doctor of biotechnology soon finds himself embroiled in the strange goings-on in a private laboratory where a half-mad German scientist is working on a very unusual time machine. Then John complicates things by falling in love...
Part sci-fi fantasy, part farce, The Elephant Within Us is a beguiling tale of transformation, romance and environmental politics and a fascinating foray into the world of the elephant.
Dr Peter Peeters was born in Belgium where he studied and specialised in high-energy physics. He worked at Brussels University in collaboration with CERN, the European accelerator centre in Geneva, and carried out research at the Argonne National Laboratory in the United States. He has travelled throughout the world and spent a year in Africa with his wife making documentary films, criss-crossing the continent, sleeping in bush and forest in their Land Rover. Dr Peeters has written several non-fiction titles concerned with the future of humanity and the planet. His latest are The Four Phases of Society (1997) and The Global Economy and its Long-Term Future (2008). This is his first novel, and he currently lives in Spain.
FACTFILE:
A witty, entertaining novel that will appeal to readers of the likes of David Lodge and Alexander McCall Smith
The Belgian writer has an intriguing backstory: a doctor of high energy physics and an inveterate global traveller who spent a year in Africa
Peter Peeters is a well-established and respected non-fiction author
£14.99
Hardback
978-1-84624-638-8
Publication date: 27th January 2011
A Journey Of Ascent By Andy P Weller
A sweeping historical novel spanning 350 years of a British family's history. To be published 27th January 2011
A Journey of Ascent: a gripping family saga tracing nine generations of a family from the sixteenth century to the Great War: 350 years of social revolution, agricultural and industrial transformation.
Andy Weller has masterfully rewrought the known facts of his long family history into a sweeping historical novel embracing the Reformation, the English Civil War and the Industrial Revolution, populated by novelists, landowners, smugglers, highwaymen, farmers and industrialists, all with one aim in mind: survival in turbulent times.
Weller has not rewritten history here: he has brought the reality of times past to vibrant life in a novel with huge appeal for anyone with an interest in English history from the perspective of the common man.
Andy Weller was born in 1954 near Little Chalfont in Buckinghamshire and first went to school in the very quaint village of Chenies. He became a career civil servant, starting as a clerk involved with the Concorde project. His later civil service career included representing the UK administration in Brussels and Geneva covering a wide range of trade policy issues, often working in partnership with UK business. He is currently working on his second book and lives in Pinner, Middlesex.
FACTFILE:
A true chronicle of early working-class life
One family's eventful route through British history
A fascinating personal journey through an author's family history
£17.99
Hardback
978-1-84624-649-4
Published by The Book Guild www.bookguild.co.uk
A Journey of Ascent: a gripping family saga tracing nine generations of a family from the sixteenth century to the Great War: 350 years of social revolution, agricultural and industrial transformation.
Andy Weller has masterfully rewrought the known facts of his long family history into a sweeping historical novel embracing the Reformation, the English Civil War and the Industrial Revolution, populated by novelists, landowners, smugglers, highwaymen, farmers and industrialists, all with one aim in mind: survival in turbulent times.
Weller has not rewritten history here: he has brought the reality of times past to vibrant life in a novel with huge appeal for anyone with an interest in English history from the perspective of the common man.
Andy Weller was born in 1954 near Little Chalfont in Buckinghamshire and first went to school in the very quaint village of Chenies. He became a career civil servant, starting as a clerk involved with the Concorde project. His later civil service career included representing the UK administration in Brussels and Geneva covering a wide range of trade policy issues, often working in partnership with UK business. He is currently working on his second book and lives in Pinner, Middlesex.
FACTFILE:
A true chronicle of early working-class life
One family's eventful route through British history
A fascinating personal journey through an author's family history
£17.99
Hardback
978-1-84624-649-4
Published by The Book Guild www.bookguild.co.uk
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Who Said That First?
Subtitled 'the curious origins of common words and phrases', this book by Max Cryer is a must buy present for just about anyone, this Christmas!
The person who just likes to know lots of random stuff, the person who sets the village pub quizzes, a writer, someone who loves the history of the English language, etc.
Buy them this book (or just buy it for yourself as your Christmas indulgence for yourself, this year!) and they'll learn who wrote "absence makes the heart grow fonder?" who originated "accidentally on purpose" who came up with the ultimate putdown, "a legend in his own lunchtime" who came up with "sex, drugs and rock and roll" and who first got really cross because somebody really DID steal his thunder?"
There are also some other modern coinings as well as the old classics, such as "Gridlock", "One-upmanship" and the like.
You'll also be surprised about the relevantly ancient origins of some phrases. You will also find out who did not say what, too!
This book is in hardback and costs a very reasonable £9.99. It is published by Summersdale the ISBN is 978 1 84953 191 7. Although please do check out the That's Books Amazon powered book shop, where it may well be considerably less.
www.summersdale.com.
The person who just likes to know lots of random stuff, the person who sets the village pub quizzes, a writer, someone who loves the history of the English language, etc.
Buy them this book (or just buy it for yourself as your Christmas indulgence for yourself, this year!) and they'll learn who wrote "absence makes the heart grow fonder?" who originated "accidentally on purpose" who came up with the ultimate putdown, "a legend in his own lunchtime" who came up with "sex, drugs and rock and roll" and who first got really cross because somebody really DID steal his thunder?"
There are also some other modern coinings as well as the old classics, such as "Gridlock", "One-upmanship" and the like.
You'll also be surprised about the relevantly ancient origins of some phrases. You will also find out who did not say what, too!
This book is in hardback and costs a very reasonable £9.99. It is published by Summersdale the ISBN is 978 1 84953 191 7. Although please do check out the That's Books Amazon powered book shop, where it may well be considerably less.
www.summersdale.com.
That's Christmas: Ideal Christmas gift! Homework For Grown-ups Quiz ...
That's Christmas: Ideal Christmas gift! Homework For Grown-ups Quiz ...: Who is Senuna? Where would you find the islets of Langerhans? Mr Deasy, Gabriel Conroy and Robert Hand are all characters from works by whic...
Magic City by Michael Dean
A sexual coming-of-age comedy set in seventies Berlin.
Magic City is a comedy of errors set in West Germany in 1971. Marcus Himmelfahrt, unable to come to terms with his Jewish heritage and his sexual impotence, has no idea what to do with his life. He takes a job as an English teacher in Ludwigsburg, the Magic City of the title, intending to re-invent himself under a false name.
On day one, he does something he shouldn't in a graveyard and the police are called. His personal habits repeatedly upset his highly strung landlord. He is nevertheless a hit at the language school, and fast establishes a reputation as a ladies' man. But can he live up to it?
Meanwhile, as he wanders around unaware in dreamy innocence, he is framed, followed and shot at. He finally finds love only to be wrongly accused of rampant womanising. Against a background of retribution against a former Nazi and a robbery by the Baader-Meinhof gang, our still oblivious hero is hunted by drug dealers, by his terrifying employer, and by both the East and West German intelligence services.
As the forces against him gain momentum and menace, even the Magic City may not be enough to save him.
Michael Dean read history at Worcester College, Oxford, and has an MSc in Applied Linguistics from the University of Edinburgh. He is a fluent German speaker and a translator - an Associate of the Institute of Linguists. He has had three previous novels published, The Crooked Cross, Hirschfeld's Friends and THORN. He is also the author of Chomsky: A Beginner's Guide and more than 30 English Language Teaching titles, including the best-selling short story New York Café. He lives in Colchester, Essex.
£16.99
978-1-84624-637-1
Magic City is a comedy of errors set in West Germany in 1971. Marcus Himmelfahrt, unable to come to terms with his Jewish heritage and his sexual impotence, has no idea what to do with his life. He takes a job as an English teacher in Ludwigsburg, the Magic City of the title, intending to re-invent himself under a false name.
On day one, he does something he shouldn't in a graveyard and the police are called. His personal habits repeatedly upset his highly strung landlord. He is nevertheless a hit at the language school, and fast establishes a reputation as a ladies' man. But can he live up to it?
Meanwhile, as he wanders around unaware in dreamy innocence, he is framed, followed and shot at. He finally finds love only to be wrongly accused of rampant womanising. Against a background of retribution against a former Nazi and a robbery by the Baader-Meinhof gang, our still oblivious hero is hunted by drug dealers, by his terrifying employer, and by both the East and West German intelligence services.
As the forces against him gain momentum and menace, even the Magic City may not be enough to save him.
Michael Dean read history at Worcester College, Oxford, and has an MSc in Applied Linguistics from the University of Edinburgh. He is a fluent German speaker and a translator - an Associate of the Institute of Linguists. He has had three previous novels published, The Crooked Cross, Hirschfeld's Friends and THORN. He is also the author of Chomsky: A Beginner's Guide and more than 30 English Language Teaching titles, including the best-selling short story New York Café. He lives in Colchester, Essex.
£16.99
978-1-84624-637-1
Fish in Water by Alain Merheje
A tiny, remote village in Cyprus is the scene for a romantic farce.
Cyprus in the summer heat. The smallest village in the world. Nine inhabitants, one drop-dead gorgeous tourist, a flock of impatient hens and an exhausted rooster. This is the stuff that chaos is made of.
Centred on Toni's crumbling taverna, and his surprisingly well-equipped cellar, the action takes place in the course of one dramatic day. What made the delicious Gina behave so oddly? Will Yiannis get his true love back? Can the village idiot save the day? Will Toni ever get a customer to pay for a meal? Can anyone smell chicken cooking?
This is a laugh out loud Hellenic novel of Latin proportions!
Alain Merheje was educated in Syria and Lebanon before relocating to London where he held various posts in the advertising industry which took him all over the world. Eventually he settled on Cyprus (where he now lives) and now indulges his passion for writing and photography. His previous works include a collection of poetry in French and, in English, a collection of poetry, a children's story and a pantomime.
Ideal title to take on holiday
Light, humorous romance set in the sunny Mediterranean calls to mind Mama Mia and Shirley Valentine.
£16.99
978-1-84624-644-9
Cyprus in the summer heat. The smallest village in the world. Nine inhabitants, one drop-dead gorgeous tourist, a flock of impatient hens and an exhausted rooster. This is the stuff that chaos is made of.
Centred on Toni's crumbling taverna, and his surprisingly well-equipped cellar, the action takes place in the course of one dramatic day. What made the delicious Gina behave so oddly? Will Yiannis get his true love back? Can the village idiot save the day? Will Toni ever get a customer to pay for a meal? Can anyone smell chicken cooking?
This is a laugh out loud Hellenic novel of Latin proportions!
Alain Merheje was educated in Syria and Lebanon before relocating to London where he held various posts in the advertising industry which took him all over the world. Eventually he settled on Cyprus (where he now lives) and now indulges his passion for writing and photography. His previous works include a collection of poetry in French and, in English, a collection of poetry, a children's story and a pantomime.
Ideal title to take on holiday
Light, humorous romance set in the sunny Mediterranean calls to mind Mama Mia and Shirley Valentine.
£16.99
978-1-84624-644-9
Karpov's Strategic Wins 2: The Prime Years By Tibor Karolyi
This is the ideal gift for all fans of the great game of chess.
Tibor Karolyi explains Karpov's particular genius: features Karpov's most entertaining and instructive strategic wins from 1986-2009 when Karpov was battling with his young rival Garry Kasparov for chess supremacy It was during this period, at Linares in 1994, that Karpov achieved what statistics show to be the finestever tournament performance.
Tibor Karolyi is an International Master from Budapest who was Hungarian Champion in 1984.
2011 PB
9781906552428 £20.99
Quality Chess UK Ltd
Tibor Karolyi explains Karpov's particular genius: features Karpov's most entertaining and instructive strategic wins from 1986-2009 when Karpov was battling with his young rival Garry Kasparov for chess supremacy It was during this period, at Linares in 1994, that Karpov achieved what statistics show to be the finestever tournament performance.
Tibor Karolyi is an International Master from Budapest who was Hungarian Champion in 1984.
2011 PB
9781906552428 £20.99
Quality Chess UK Ltd
Interdisciplinary Approaches To Twilight: Studies in Fiction, Media & A Contemporary Cultural Experience By Mariah Larsson & Ann Steiner (eds)
The Twilight novels by Stephenie Meyer have developed from a book series into a powerful phenomenon with an astonishing impact.
Not only have the books been adapted for the screen, but they have also spawned a huge number of works by fans, readers, reviewers, and scholars. The multi-faceted "Interdisciplinary Approaches to Twilight" brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines in order to address the key themes in the complex global phenomenon that is Twilight; a phenomenon that transcends the boundaries between continents, generations, and producers and consumers, and not least between different genres and media.
The authors present in-depth literary and film analyses, and shed new light on perspectives on gender, fandom, vampire fiction and the economics of the book market. The book fills a void in Twilight research, and, linked by their cutting-edge research and unique theoretical and analytical perspectives, the authors compellingly map a massive global experience that speaks to the realities of contemporary culture.
2011 HB
9789185509638 £32.95 Nordic Academic Press
Not only have the books been adapted for the screen, but they have also spawned a huge number of works by fans, readers, reviewers, and scholars. The multi-faceted "Interdisciplinary Approaches to Twilight" brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines in order to address the key themes in the complex global phenomenon that is Twilight; a phenomenon that transcends the boundaries between continents, generations, and producers and consumers, and not least between different genres and media.
The authors present in-depth literary and film analyses, and shed new light on perspectives on gender, fandom, vampire fiction and the economics of the book market. The book fills a void in Twilight research, and, linked by their cutting-edge research and unique theoretical and analytical perspectives, the authors compellingly map a massive global experience that speaks to the realities of contemporary culture.
2011 HB
9789185509638 £32.95 Nordic Academic Press
Fiona Pardington: The Pressure Of Sunlight Falling By Kriselle Baker & Elizabeth Rankin (eds)
European explorers of the Pacific in the 18th and early 19th centuries faced a problem -- how to describe the people they met and report what they had seen and found. From Cook onwards, a serious expedition included artists and scientists in its ship's company.
An ambitious journey of the 19th century was the third voyage of the French explorer Dumont d'Urville, from 1837 to 1840. It was just before the invention of photography, when phrenology, the study of people's skulls, was the latest thing. D'Urville chose to take on the voyage an eminent phrenologist, Pierre-Marie Dumoutier, to preserve likenesses of people by making life casts.
When the expedition returned to France, the casts were displayed, and later stored in the Musée de l'Homme in Paris, to be joined eventually by other casts from Dumoutier's collection, including those of the d'Urville and Dumoutier families. All were overtaken by photography and history. Fiona Pardington first learnt of the life casts in 2007, when a chance conversation initiated a four-year project.
It took her from Auckland to the Musée de l'Homme, as she researched and photographed some of more than fifty casts of Maori, Pacific and European heads, including casts of her Ngai Tahu ancestors. This book publishes these photographs and coincides with the opening of a major travelling exhibition. The photographs are extraordinarily beautiful, evocative and spiritually powerful images. They recover likenesses and revive the life force of Dumoutier's subjects, eliciting our empathy and fascination with a world we can never really know. This is a rich and engaging book.
With essays by leading scholars in Pacific history, art and photography, on subjects as diverse as phrenology and cast-making, the voyage, and the identity of the Maori casts, it will appeal to anyone interested in nineteenth-century encounters between voyagers and the peoples of the Pacific, or contemporary art and photography.
Dr Kriselle Baker is a freelance writer and curator. Professor Elizabeth Rankin teaches Art History at Auckland University. Previously professor at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, her writing has focused on retrieving the histories of neglected South African artists, and on sculptors and printmakers internationally.
2011 HB 9781877578090 £49.99
Otago University Press
An ambitious journey of the 19th century was the third voyage of the French explorer Dumont d'Urville, from 1837 to 1840. It was just before the invention of photography, when phrenology, the study of people's skulls, was the latest thing. D'Urville chose to take on the voyage an eminent phrenologist, Pierre-Marie Dumoutier, to preserve likenesses of people by making life casts.
When the expedition returned to France, the casts were displayed, and later stored in the Musée de l'Homme in Paris, to be joined eventually by other casts from Dumoutier's collection, including those of the d'Urville and Dumoutier families. All were overtaken by photography and history. Fiona Pardington first learnt of the life casts in 2007, when a chance conversation initiated a four-year project.
It took her from Auckland to the Musée de l'Homme, as she researched and photographed some of more than fifty casts of Maori, Pacific and European heads, including casts of her Ngai Tahu ancestors. This book publishes these photographs and coincides with the opening of a major travelling exhibition. The photographs are extraordinarily beautiful, evocative and spiritually powerful images. They recover likenesses and revive the life force of Dumoutier's subjects, eliciting our empathy and fascination with a world we can never really know. This is a rich and engaging book.
With essays by leading scholars in Pacific history, art and photography, on subjects as diverse as phrenology and cast-making, the voyage, and the identity of the Maori casts, it will appeal to anyone interested in nineteenth-century encounters between voyagers and the peoples of the Pacific, or contemporary art and photography.
Dr Kriselle Baker is a freelance writer and curator. Professor Elizabeth Rankin teaches Art History at Auckland University. Previously professor at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, her writing has focused on retrieving the histories of neglected South African artists, and on sculptors and printmakers internationally.
2011 HB 9781877578090 £49.99
Otago University Press
In Search Of The Double!: Sunderland AFC 1912/13 By Paul Days & Mark Metcalf. Foreword By Gary Rowell
For most supporters of Sunderland AFC, the history of their club would probably be best represented by the names of the mid 1930s team, particularly Gurney and Carter, undoubted Wearside football legends. The name of Charlie Buchan also looms large even today in the tale of a football club whose history can be cut like a knife.
Although Charlie Buchan might still be a revered figure on Wearside, his team mates aren't and yet the 1912/13 season, which is the subject of this book, produced arguably the finest Sunderland team ever to grace the famous red and white striped shirts.
It came the closest the club has ever come to winning the double, almost became the first English football club to achieve it in the 20th century, yet the names of Albert Milton, Frank Cuggy, Jackie Mordue and the rest of Sunderland's league champions and FA Cup finalists that season have long since been cast into the annals of the club's history. Even the football club's near talismanic and perhaps finest ever captain Charlie Thomson is seemingly forgotten. The team was guided by Bob Kyle, Sunderland AFC's longest serving manager, he too also forgotten.
This book looks at the matches and the characters that shaped an immensely successful 1912/13 season. Although they were crowned league champions, perhaps an enduring highlight, although it ultimately ended in defeat, was the now legendary FA Cup final which took place at The Crystal Palace in April 1913, before a world record crowd.
For the first time in the 20th Century England's top two football teams contested for the most coveted domestic knockout cup competition in world football and what a tale it tells; an iconic match. Finally, to give the book a social context and a flavour of the times, we have captured the main news stories of the 1912/13 period which includes some momentous incidents such as the sinking of the Titanic; another iconic event.
Paul Days and Mark Metcalf are both Sunderland season ticket holders. Together they collaborated on the acclaimed 'Total Football: Sunderland AFC 1935-37' -- published in 2008. Paul is the author of 'Sunderland AFC: The Offi cial History' and 'The Sunderland Miscellany'. Mark has penned the biographies of Black Cat legends Charlie Hurley and Stan Anderson and is a prolific writer of football books.
2011 PB 9781901746822 £12.95 Empire Publications
Although Charlie Buchan might still be a revered figure on Wearside, his team mates aren't and yet the 1912/13 season, which is the subject of this book, produced arguably the finest Sunderland team ever to grace the famous red and white striped shirts.
It came the closest the club has ever come to winning the double, almost became the first English football club to achieve it in the 20th century, yet the names of Albert Milton, Frank Cuggy, Jackie Mordue and the rest of Sunderland's league champions and FA Cup finalists that season have long since been cast into the annals of the club's history. Even the football club's near talismanic and perhaps finest ever captain Charlie Thomson is seemingly forgotten. The team was guided by Bob Kyle, Sunderland AFC's longest serving manager, he too also forgotten.
This book looks at the matches and the characters that shaped an immensely successful 1912/13 season. Although they were crowned league champions, perhaps an enduring highlight, although it ultimately ended in defeat, was the now legendary FA Cup final which took place at The Crystal Palace in April 1913, before a world record crowd.
For the first time in the 20th Century England's top two football teams contested for the most coveted domestic knockout cup competition in world football and what a tale it tells; an iconic match. Finally, to give the book a social context and a flavour of the times, we have captured the main news stories of the 1912/13 period which includes some momentous incidents such as the sinking of the Titanic; another iconic event.
Paul Days and Mark Metcalf are both Sunderland season ticket holders. Together they collaborated on the acclaimed 'Total Football: Sunderland AFC 1935-37' -- published in 2008. Paul is the author of 'Sunderland AFC: The Offi cial History' and 'The Sunderland Miscellany'. Mark has penned the biographies of Black Cat legends Charlie Hurley and Stan Anderson and is a prolific writer of football books.
2011 PB 9781901746822 £12.95 Empire Publications
Fire Bubbles & Exploding Toothpaste: More Unforgettable Experiments That Make Science Fun By Steve Spangler
Parents and children who enjoyed the entertaining science in "Naked Eggs & Flying Potatoes" will love this spectacular second volume of thrilling home experiments.
Features: Easy experiments for the whole family. From the creator of the viral Internet sensation the Mentos Soda Geyser comes a second collection of astounding scientific experiments and demonstrations that will educate and entertain investigators of all ages. From Floating Bowling Balls to the Tea Bag Rocket, these experiments will turn readers on to life's small wonders; Primarily uses household items.
The author transforms the ordinary into amazing as he makes everyday items ooze, bubble, fizz, bounce, and smoke. These easy and inexpensive experiments reveal the secrets of science in unexpected ways; Abundant four-color illustrations. Over two hundred photographs accompany the step-by-step instructions, along with simple explanations that uncover the how-to and why for each activity; Created by an established science celebrity.
The author has earned his credentials as a science author, teacher, professional speaker, toy designer, and an Emmy Award-winning television personality. His first volume of experiments -- "Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes" -- enjoyed retail success and was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He has established a powerful commercial online presence and has spawned over 1,000 YouTube videos.
Steve Spangler is the creator of the scientific educational powerhouse SteveSpanglerScience.com. Spangler's science-related products are carried by mass-market retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart and have been featured in the Wall Street Journal magazine, Wired, and Time magazine. The Emmy Award-winning host of NBC's News for Kids, Spangler has made hundreds of television appearances and is currently featured as a regular guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
2011 PB 9781608321896 £12.50 Greenleaf Book Group
Features: Easy experiments for the whole family. From the creator of the viral Internet sensation the Mentos Soda Geyser comes a second collection of astounding scientific experiments and demonstrations that will educate and entertain investigators of all ages. From Floating Bowling Balls to the Tea Bag Rocket, these experiments will turn readers on to life's small wonders; Primarily uses household items.
The author transforms the ordinary into amazing as he makes everyday items ooze, bubble, fizz, bounce, and smoke. These easy and inexpensive experiments reveal the secrets of science in unexpected ways; Abundant four-color illustrations. Over two hundred photographs accompany the step-by-step instructions, along with simple explanations that uncover the how-to and why for each activity; Created by an established science celebrity.
The author has earned his credentials as a science author, teacher, professional speaker, toy designer, and an Emmy Award-winning television personality. His first volume of experiments -- "Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes" -- enjoyed retail success and was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He has established a powerful commercial online presence and has spawned over 1,000 YouTube videos.
Steve Spangler is the creator of the scientific educational powerhouse SteveSpanglerScience.com. Spangler's science-related products are carried by mass-market retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart and have been featured in the Wall Street Journal magazine, Wired, and Time magazine. The Emmy Award-winning host of NBC's News for Kids, Spangler has made hundreds of television appearances and is currently featured as a regular guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
2011 PB 9781608321896 £12.50 Greenleaf Book Group
Warships Of The Bay Of Quinte By Roger Litwiller
This is the story of six of Canada's Warships: HMCS Napanee, HMCS Belleville, HMCS Hallowell, HMCS Trentonian, HMCS Quinte (I), and the HMCS Quinte (II). These histories give a unique account of the small ships that have been the backbone of the Canadian Navy during the Second World War and the Cold War.
The stories record the accomplishments of these hardworking ships as well as the mistakes. This rich and vivid account of an important part of Canada's Naval Service draws from the records of the ships, interviews with their crews, letters, diaries, newspaper articles, community libraries and photographs.
You will learn about the HMCS Napanee as she fights a five day battle against twenty-four German submarines in on one of Canada's most tragic convoy battles. Be with HMCS Belleville as she fights to rescue a torpedoed merchant ship and find out about how a German submarine sinks the HMCS Trentonian late in the war killing six of her crew.
Roger's interest in Canada's Navy began as a Sea Cadet in his hometown of Kitchener, Ontario. He later became an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve and the Navy League of Canada. Educated in Emergency Medical Services, Roger has served the Quinte Region of Ontario since 1982 as a decorated Paramedic. Other interests include public speaking and photographic artist. Roger resides near Trenton with his wife Rhonda and their six children..
2011 PB 9781554889297 £18.99 Dundurn Press
The stories record the accomplishments of these hardworking ships as well as the mistakes. This rich and vivid account of an important part of Canada's Naval Service draws from the records of the ships, interviews with their crews, letters, diaries, newspaper articles, community libraries and photographs.
You will learn about the HMCS Napanee as she fights a five day battle against twenty-four German submarines in on one of Canada's most tragic convoy battles. Be with HMCS Belleville as she fights to rescue a torpedoed merchant ship and find out about how a German submarine sinks the HMCS Trentonian late in the war killing six of her crew.
Roger's interest in Canada's Navy began as a Sea Cadet in his hometown of Kitchener, Ontario. He later became an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve and the Navy League of Canada. Educated in Emergency Medical Services, Roger has served the Quinte Region of Ontario since 1982 as a decorated Paramedic. Other interests include public speaking and photographic artist. Roger resides near Trenton with his wife Rhonda and their six children..
2011 PB 9781554889297 £18.99 Dundurn Press
Untitled Magazine Named "Hottest Launch Of The Year" From A Field Of Over 800 New Titles, Continues To Thrive Online And In Print
Untitled Magazine has been selected by min (for over 60 years, min has been serving the magazine and media community with unparalleled coverage of this ever-changing industry) and Mr. Magazine as one of the ”Hottest Launches of the Year.”
"From a field of over 800 new consumer titles, I looked over every magazine that has been published from October 2010 to September 2011," said Dr. Samir Husni, Founder and Director, Magazine Innovation Center at the University of Mississippi’s Meek School of Journalism and New Media. "It’s the vision, values and voice of these selections that deserve the honors and awards."
"Untitled captures the feel and spirit of an era where design and typography still reign supreme and text and photography still give the eye and brain something to pose about," said Husni.
Published bi-monthly, Untitled is dedicated to quality in design, fine art, illustration, photography and writing. Each themed issue brings varied and interesting discussions on its topic and is an instant conversation starter and coffee table must-have.
Untitled brings bring an unconventional and unique approach to editorial and layout. With featured columnists, thought-provoking content, and bold design choices, Untitled’s experimental attitude connects its trendsetting, avant-garde, artistic community of readers. Untitled is an escape from the traditional and offers a fresh take on art, style, pop culture, and design.
With an audience of 150,000 in print and over 7 million page views per month to the web site, the magazine seeks to capitalize on its successful first year as it moves towards 2012.
"Untitled continues to thrive and expand the brand," said Husni, "which makes it the first-ever hottest magazine launch with no name."
The next issue features a cover story on boxer Manny Pacquiao, along with stories by Mark Cuban, Liam Gallagher, Tony Bennett, Yoko Ono, Flipping Out's Jeff Lewis and many more.
www.untitledmagazine.net
"From a field of over 800 new consumer titles, I looked over every magazine that has been published from October 2010 to September 2011," said Dr. Samir Husni, Founder and Director, Magazine Innovation Center at the University of Mississippi’s Meek School of Journalism and New Media. "It’s the vision, values and voice of these selections that deserve the honors and awards."
"Untitled captures the feel and spirit of an era where design and typography still reign supreme and text and photography still give the eye and brain something to pose about," said Husni.
Published bi-monthly, Untitled is dedicated to quality in design, fine art, illustration, photography and writing. Each themed issue brings varied and interesting discussions on its topic and is an instant conversation starter and coffee table must-have.
Untitled brings bring an unconventional and unique approach to editorial and layout. With featured columnists, thought-provoking content, and bold design choices, Untitled’s experimental attitude connects its trendsetting, avant-garde, artistic community of readers. Untitled is an escape from the traditional and offers a fresh take on art, style, pop culture, and design.
With an audience of 150,000 in print and over 7 million page views per month to the web site, the magazine seeks to capitalize on its successful first year as it moves towards 2012.
"Untitled continues to thrive and expand the brand," said Husni, "which makes it the first-ever hottest magazine launch with no name."
The next issue features a cover story on boxer Manny Pacquiao, along with stories by Mark Cuban, Liam Gallagher, Tony Bennett, Yoko Ono, Flipping Out's Jeff Lewis and many more.
www.untitledmagazine.net
Rockford's Rock Opera
Rockford's Rock Opera, the best selling App story series for children, is now available on DVD.
You may not have heard of Rockford's Rock Opera, but via the web and mobile Apps, this enchanting ecological musical story is captivating millions of children and parents. And with over 15,000 schools now using the story in class, Rockford's Rock Opera, created at home in North London, is now a favourite ecological educational resource across the world.
Created by Sweetapple and scripted by Steve Punt, Rockford's Rock Opera - the story of a boy from Battersea called Moog and his Dog, Rockford - was first launched in 2009 on the web as an enhanced audio book. Combining pictures, animation and great songs the story was a unique in its format and delivery.
Writing in The Times, audiobook reviewer, Christina Hardyment said: "Rockford's Rock Opera is an amazing mix of story, songs and sound effects. It has a freshness that makes you smile as you listen and could become a cult favourite as beloved as Wallace and Gromit."
Throughout 2009 Rockford's Rock Opera built a loyal fan base among children, families and schools (so much so that lesson plans were created around the story).
Then, in 2010 launched the first part of the story as an iPhone app. Soon, with no promotion, the story became one of the most popular children's audiobooks in the Apple App Store.
Now, with top selling Apps, a stage show, video game and a film planned, Rockford's Rock Opera is available on DVD for the first time.
Matthew Sweetapple said; "The DVD delivers all the pictures, songs, words and animation available on our Apps, but on DVD. It's a great way to discover the story and, unlike a pure film, the mixed media story telling really engages children in the experience. There's also a colour booklet of the lyrics everyone can sing along with all the songs!"
More about Rockford's Rock Opera
Rockford's Rock Opera has now been downloaded or streamed on the web by over 1,500,000 people. And acclaimed by teachers, educationalists and pupils, in the classroom, its ecological story and lesson plans have reached an additional 800,000 school children across over the world.
Although principally aimed at 4 - 11 year olds and their families, via Apps the story has reached a wider audience, from pre school children to teenagers and grand parents.
Rockford's Rock Opera a new breed of 21st century, ipod friendly, audio entertainment; think of 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' crossed with 'Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds', or 'Jungle Book' meets 'Jurassic Park' via Sgt. Pepper.
It's certainly not a traditional 'stage musical' with hammy songs, Rockford's Rock Opera's diverse musical inspiration can be found in The Beatles, The Flaming Lips, The Streets, The Small Faces, Genesis, XTC and works such as Roger Glover's 'Butterfly Ball', and Harry Nilssen's 'The Point'.
But really, it's not like anything else - a funny, sad, psychedelic, spell binding, thought provoking 21st Century adventure.
Rockford's Rock Opera is NOT the creation of a global entertainment company. It is the work of award winning alternative entrepreneurs, 'Sweetapple', (www.sweetapple.co.uk) and a handful of dedicated people working for the love of this amazing, original story. The project is entirely self produced and financed.
Rockford's Rock Opera is also a story with an original ecological message - a unique 'take' on the threat of extinction and the effect man is having upon life on earth. The Rockford's Rock Opera website is full of fascinating information about the story and the facts behind the fiction.
As a result, the project has been acclaimed by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
What's the Story about?
Far away in the Sea of Tranquillity lies the Island of Infinity, home to the last one of every extinct species.
Infinity has a secret for the world but Moog, a boy from Battersea in London, and Rockford his dog, are the only one who can deliver its message. Travelling to Infinity Moog and Rockford get drawn into an adventure in sound that threatens the entire human race.
For lots more:
ON THE WEB: The first hour of the story is available free as a stream or downloads, you can then buy the whole story on DVD, CD, as downloads or streamed as an animated picture book and read-along:
http://www.rockfordsrockopera.com/home
ON iPHONE/iPOD TOUCH and iPAD: Visit the Apple App store where Part One of the story is available as a free App (Parts 2, 3 and 4 are available as paid
for Apps):
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/id345554761?mt=8
You may not have heard of Rockford's Rock Opera, but via the web and mobile Apps, this enchanting ecological musical story is captivating millions of children and parents. And with over 15,000 schools now using the story in class, Rockford's Rock Opera, created at home in North London, is now a favourite ecological educational resource across the world.
Created by Sweetapple and scripted by Steve Punt, Rockford's Rock Opera - the story of a boy from Battersea called Moog and his Dog, Rockford - was first launched in 2009 on the web as an enhanced audio book. Combining pictures, animation and great songs the story was a unique in its format and delivery.
Writing in The Times, audiobook reviewer, Christina Hardyment said: "Rockford's Rock Opera is an amazing mix of story, songs and sound effects. It has a freshness that makes you smile as you listen and could become a cult favourite as beloved as Wallace and Gromit."
Throughout 2009 Rockford's Rock Opera built a loyal fan base among children, families and schools (so much so that lesson plans were created around the story).
Then, in 2010 launched the first part of the story as an iPhone app. Soon, with no promotion, the story became one of the most popular children's audiobooks in the Apple App Store.
Now, with top selling Apps, a stage show, video game and a film planned, Rockford's Rock Opera is available on DVD for the first time.
Matthew Sweetapple said; "The DVD delivers all the pictures, songs, words and animation available on our Apps, but on DVD. It's a great way to discover the story and, unlike a pure film, the mixed media story telling really engages children in the experience. There's also a colour booklet of the lyrics everyone can sing along with all the songs!"
More about Rockford's Rock Opera
Rockford's Rock Opera has now been downloaded or streamed on the web by over 1,500,000 people. And acclaimed by teachers, educationalists and pupils, in the classroom, its ecological story and lesson plans have reached an additional 800,000 school children across over the world.
Although principally aimed at 4 - 11 year olds and their families, via Apps the story has reached a wider audience, from pre school children to teenagers and grand parents.
Rockford's Rock Opera a new breed of 21st century, ipod friendly, audio entertainment; think of 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' crossed with 'Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds', or 'Jungle Book' meets 'Jurassic Park' via Sgt. Pepper.
It's certainly not a traditional 'stage musical' with hammy songs, Rockford's Rock Opera's diverse musical inspiration can be found in The Beatles, The Flaming Lips, The Streets, The Small Faces, Genesis, XTC and works such as Roger Glover's 'Butterfly Ball', and Harry Nilssen's 'The Point'.
But really, it's not like anything else - a funny, sad, psychedelic, spell binding, thought provoking 21st Century adventure.
Rockford's Rock Opera is NOT the creation of a global entertainment company. It is the work of award winning alternative entrepreneurs, 'Sweetapple', (www.sweetapple.co.uk) and a handful of dedicated people working for the love of this amazing, original story. The project is entirely self produced and financed.
Rockford's Rock Opera is also a story with an original ecological message - a unique 'take' on the threat of extinction and the effect man is having upon life on earth. The Rockford's Rock Opera website is full of fascinating information about the story and the facts behind the fiction.
As a result, the project has been acclaimed by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
What's the Story about?
Far away in the Sea of Tranquillity lies the Island of Infinity, home to the last one of every extinct species.
Infinity has a secret for the world but Moog, a boy from Battersea in London, and Rockford his dog, are the only one who can deliver its message. Travelling to Infinity Moog and Rockford get drawn into an adventure in sound that threatens the entire human race.
For lots more:
ON THE WEB: The first hour of the story is available free as a stream or downloads, you can then buy the whole story on DVD, CD, as downloads or streamed as an animated picture book and read-along:
http://www.rockfordsrockopera.com/home
ON iPHONE/iPOD TOUCH and iPAD: Visit the Apple App store where Part One of the story is available as a free App (Parts 2, 3 and 4 are available as paid
for Apps):
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/id345554761?mt=8
Friday, 9 December 2011
A Really Raunchy Read? But That's Not Another Story by Rogeri
“Written strictly tongue-in-cheek with a large dose of poetic license coupled with pulp fiction overtones and underlying black comedy,” is how author Rogeri (his pen name) describes his recently published book.
But That’s Not Another Story is an offbeat tale of interconnected stories involving a variety of far-fetched scenarios laced with charmless characters. Each chapter’s chain of events gradually evolves, leading to the next extreme set of circumstances as a result of a telephone call.
Interspersed with sexual situations of a mixed nature (although such scenes are composed in the best possible taste!) the chapters are accompanied by an illustration for the purpose of illuminating each opening scenario.
The storyline ultimately completes a full circle, leading to the opening chapter’s character’s dire set of circumstances that result in a dramatic and conclusive ending.
Having been an avid reader at an early age and encouraged by an English teacher, creative writing in one form or another became one of the author’s prime hobbies. In the case of this novel, a sketch he made during a particular lunchtime whilst at work, as depicted in the first chapter, ultimately transpired itself into this completed and illustrated manuscript masterpiece!
An extract from But That’s Not Another Story is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk.
ISBN: 0755206819
RRP: £9.95
Imprint: Authors Online
But That’s Not Another Story is an offbeat tale of interconnected stories involving a variety of far-fetched scenarios laced with charmless characters. Each chapter’s chain of events gradually evolves, leading to the next extreme set of circumstances as a result of a telephone call.
Interspersed with sexual situations of a mixed nature (although such scenes are composed in the best possible taste!) the chapters are accompanied by an illustration for the purpose of illuminating each opening scenario.
The storyline ultimately completes a full circle, leading to the opening chapter’s character’s dire set of circumstances that result in a dramatic and conclusive ending.
Having been an avid reader at an early age and encouraged by an English teacher, creative writing in one form or another became one of the author’s prime hobbies. In the case of this novel, a sketch he made during a particular lunchtime whilst at work, as depicted in the first chapter, ultimately transpired itself into this completed and illustrated manuscript masterpiece!
An extract from But That’s Not Another Story is available to read at www.authorsonline.co.uk.
ISBN: 0755206819
RRP: £9.95
Imprint: Authors Online
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Heyday Of The Hippodrome
Variety theatre’s greatest days are brought vividly to life in Heyday of the Hippodrome by Mark Jones (Bright Pen, £8.99).
At the beginning of the twentieth century Hippodromes, Coliseums, Palaces and Empires opened all over Britain, and Eastbourne’s Hippodrome immediately became the most popular theatre in town, running twice-nightly, 52 weeks a year for half a century. Its management fought off predatory syndicates and steered independently through both World Wars, the rise of cinema, radio, talkies and, finally, the advent of television.
Meticulously researched, the true and unique story of this remarkable theatre is revealed for the first time. Its cast ranges from Houdini to Harry Secombe, Marie Lloyd to Max Bygraves, General William Booth to Gracie Fields. Many legendary acts are described and local press reviews quoted.
But this is not simply a book about the Royal Hippodrome. The narrative is set in the context of Eastbourne’s growth as a resort and the wider history of variety theatre
“Absolutely superb … a huge amount of excellent material. It will be a rich treasure trove for lovers of variety,” writes Emeritus Professor John Pick. “The book is beautifully produced and is in every way a triumph.”
FACTFILE:Heydey Of The Hippodrome
Theatre History
ISBN: 978-0-7552-1384-9
RRP: £8.99
Published by Bright Pen
Available from authorsonline.co.uk, Amazon (also in e-book form)
Paperback, 228 pp, 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
At the beginning of the twentieth century Hippodromes, Coliseums, Palaces and Empires opened all over Britain, and Eastbourne’s Hippodrome immediately became the most popular theatre in town, running twice-nightly, 52 weeks a year for half a century. Its management fought off predatory syndicates and steered independently through both World Wars, the rise of cinema, radio, talkies and, finally, the advent of television.
Meticulously researched, the true and unique story of this remarkable theatre is revealed for the first time. Its cast ranges from Houdini to Harry Secombe, Marie Lloyd to Max Bygraves, General William Booth to Gracie Fields. Many legendary acts are described and local press reviews quoted.
But this is not simply a book about the Royal Hippodrome. The narrative is set in the context of Eastbourne’s growth as a resort and the wider history of variety theatre
“Absolutely superb … a huge amount of excellent material. It will be a rich treasure trove for lovers of variety,” writes Emeritus Professor John Pick. “The book is beautifully produced and is in every way a triumph.”
FACTFILE:Heydey Of The Hippodrome
Theatre History
ISBN: 978-0-7552-1384-9
RRP: £8.99
Published by Bright Pen
Available from authorsonline.co.uk, Amazon (also in e-book form)
Paperback, 228 pp, 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
Waterstone's Book Signing For Please, Sir! Actor
David Barry, Frankie Abbott in Please, Sir! will be signing copies of his latest book, Mr Micawber Down Under, in the Earl Street branch of Waterstone's in Maidstone, Kent, between 11.30 and 3.30 on Saturday 10th December.
Mr Micawber Down Under is the tale of the Micawber family who, having bid a fond farewell to David Copperfield, emigrate from England to Australia in the 1850s.
The publication of the book coincides with the Charles Dickens bicentenary in 2012, and David Barry, during the book signing is happy to talk to customers on how he came to write the book, a history which goes back to the mid-eighties when he was commissioned by Working Title Films to write Mr Micawber as a film script.
Mr Micawber Down Under is the tale of the Micawber family who, having bid a fond farewell to David Copperfield, emigrate from England to Australia in the 1850s.
The publication of the book coincides with the Charles Dickens bicentenary in 2012, and David Barry, during the book signing is happy to talk to customers on how he came to write the book, a history which goes back to the mid-eighties when he was commissioned by Working Title Films to write Mr Micawber as a film script.
The Archers an Unofficial Companion
The Archers an Unofficial Companion is by Rosie Dillon and it is a must have Christmas present for anyone who is even vaguely interested in The Archers!
The book is exceptionally well-researched and equally well-written.
It will remind the reader of stuff they knew (an example is when Pat and Tony Archer took the then brave decision to go organic) and stuff they either did not know, or had forgotten. Or had happened before they started to listen.
There are regular quiz night at the Bull sections which ask the reader questions about all sorts of facts, some of them very quirky indeed!
My grandfather -who used to help run the family farm in Warwickshire, before ill-health brought about by a particularly bad case of shellshock and a post World War 1 agricultural recession forced him from the land- always insisted on everyone listening to The Archers and as the author Rosie Dillon lives in rural Warwickshire, I feel there is a kindred spirit there!
The book contains biographies of key characters, famous people who played themselves, potted histories of some of the key locations in The Archers and the love lives of some of the faithful and feckless people who have inhabited Ambridge and surrounding locations since it all began in 1950.
It touches on their triumphs and their tragedies and the ordinary, day-to-day lives of Midland countryfolks.
It is available in hardback at £9.99, and can be bought through the That's Books Amazon book shop on this site.
The ISBN is 978-1-84953-178-8.
www.summersdale.com
The book is exceptionally well-researched and equally well-written.
It will remind the reader of stuff they knew (an example is when Pat and Tony Archer took the then brave decision to go organic) and stuff they either did not know, or had forgotten. Or had happened before they started to listen.
There are regular quiz night at the Bull sections which ask the reader questions about all sorts of facts, some of them very quirky indeed!
My grandfather -who used to help run the family farm in Warwickshire, before ill-health brought about by a particularly bad case of shellshock and a post World War 1 agricultural recession forced him from the land- always insisted on everyone listening to The Archers and as the author Rosie Dillon lives in rural Warwickshire, I feel there is a kindred spirit there!
The book contains biographies of key characters, famous people who played themselves, potted histories of some of the key locations in The Archers and the love lives of some of the faithful and feckless people who have inhabited Ambridge and surrounding locations since it all began in 1950.
It touches on their triumphs and their tragedies and the ordinary, day-to-day lives of Midland countryfolks.
It is available in hardback at £9.99, and can be bought through the That's Books Amazon book shop on this site.
The ISBN is 978-1-84953-178-8.
www.summersdale.com
Britain's 110 Year Old Teenager Launches Her Autobiography
On December 3 2011 teenager Hayley Okines was 14.
Nothing unusual about that, you might say?
But Hayley is unlike no other teenager. She is one of only 80 children in the world suffering from the rare genetic condition progeria, which means she ages eight times faster than the average person. It's a condition which affects one in eight million children and in medical terms she has the body of a 110-year-old woman.
The average life expectancy of progeria children is 13. Her best friend with progeria died at the age of 11. So Hayley never expected to see her 14th birthday. But thanks to her part in pioneering drug trials in America over the last four years, Hayley is now looking forward to her life as a young woman. In the new year she returns to Boston to take part in trials for a drug which has been dubbed 'the elixir of life' and which scientists hope could extend life for all humans.
To mark her special birthday, Hayley has launched her memoir Old Before My Time: Hayley Okines' Life With Progeria with Accent Press Ltd. In it Hayley and her mum Kerry, 37, describe the highs and lows of Hayley's full life, which has taken her to many places beyond the reach of a normal teenager. She has travelled the world and fulfilled many of her dreams which include meeting her pop idols Kylie Minogue and Justin Bieber, crocodile hunting with the late Steve Irwin and being a mascot for Chelsea Football Club. She even persuaded HRH Prince Charles to sign an autograph for her.
Now Hayley's dream is to become a best-selling author in time for her birthday and a Twitter campaign has been set up by her friends and supporters to get her into the book charts alongside her writing heroes. Hayley's book charted at number 11 on the Amazon best-sellers list last month on pre-order sales alone and is currently number one in its category on Amazon and No 1 in pre-orders on Play.com
Hayley says: 'I have always loved reading, so having a book about me is really cool. Writing my book has helped me to remember all the happy and sad times in my life.'
Here's what the celebs say:
'Hayley's an extraordinary girl' Kylie Minogue
'Hayley just lights up a room. She's so full of happiness she lights up a room'. Lorraine Kelly
'Hayley possesses one of the strongest life-forces we have ever encountered.' Richard & Judy
FACTFILE:
Hayley and her mum Kerry live in Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex, with her younger brother and sister, Louis and Ruby. Since the age of four Hayley has been the face of Channel 5's critically acclaimed Extraordinary People. Her films have aired to audiences of 1.7 million and by raising awareness of this cruel and incredibly rare condition she is now recognised wherever she goes. Her fifth documentary Hayley Okines: World's Oldest Teenager was broadcast on C5 last month.
Follow Hayley's blog hayleyokines.wordpress.com
Old Before My Time: My Life With Progeria by Hayley and Kerry Okines Published by Accent Press Ltd, 2011, price £9.99. ISBN: 978 1 9081 9255 4
Nothing unusual about that, you might say?
But Hayley is unlike no other teenager. She is one of only 80 children in the world suffering from the rare genetic condition progeria, which means she ages eight times faster than the average person. It's a condition which affects one in eight million children and in medical terms she has the body of a 110-year-old woman.
The average life expectancy of progeria children is 13. Her best friend with progeria died at the age of 11. So Hayley never expected to see her 14th birthday. But thanks to her part in pioneering drug trials in America over the last four years, Hayley is now looking forward to her life as a young woman. In the new year she returns to Boston to take part in trials for a drug which has been dubbed 'the elixir of life' and which scientists hope could extend life for all humans.
To mark her special birthday, Hayley has launched her memoir Old Before My Time: Hayley Okines' Life With Progeria with Accent Press Ltd. In it Hayley and her mum Kerry, 37, describe the highs and lows of Hayley's full life, which has taken her to many places beyond the reach of a normal teenager. She has travelled the world and fulfilled many of her dreams which include meeting her pop idols Kylie Minogue and Justin Bieber, crocodile hunting with the late Steve Irwin and being a mascot for Chelsea Football Club. She even persuaded HRH Prince Charles to sign an autograph for her.
Now Hayley's dream is to become a best-selling author in time for her birthday and a Twitter campaign has been set up by her friends and supporters to get her into the book charts alongside her writing heroes. Hayley's book charted at number 11 on the Amazon best-sellers list last month on pre-order sales alone and is currently number one in its category on Amazon and No 1 in pre-orders on Play.com
Hayley says: 'I have always loved reading, so having a book about me is really cool. Writing my book has helped me to remember all the happy and sad times in my life.'
Here's what the celebs say:
'Hayley's an extraordinary girl' Kylie Minogue
'Hayley just lights up a room. She's so full of happiness she lights up a room'. Lorraine Kelly
'Hayley possesses one of the strongest life-forces we have ever encountered.' Richard & Judy
FACTFILE:
Hayley and her mum Kerry live in Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex, with her younger brother and sister, Louis and Ruby. Since the age of four Hayley has been the face of Channel 5's critically acclaimed Extraordinary People. Her films have aired to audiences of 1.7 million and by raising awareness of this cruel and incredibly rare condition she is now recognised wherever she goes. Her fifth documentary Hayley Okines: World's Oldest Teenager was broadcast on C5 last month.
Follow Hayley's blog hayleyokines.wordpress.com
Old Before My Time: My Life With Progeria by Hayley and Kerry Okines Published by Accent Press Ltd, 2011, price £9.99. ISBN: 978 1 9081 9255 4
Political Wit Quips and Quotes from the Back Benches and Beyond
Political Wit Quips and Quotes from the Back Benches and Beyond is a new collection of witty remarks, devastating come-backs and quick retorts from politicians and others from the distant past to last year's news.
Steven Gauge has brought together a wide and eclectic selection of witty remarks from all sides of the political divide and some from no side of the political divide at all.
The quotations are helpfully divided into 25 different chapters that cover everything from the art of politics to civil servants, the USA, the economy, spin, conference classics, the media and much more besides.
From those you might expect (Churchill, Livingstone, Thatcher, Disraeli ) to some you might be pleasantly surprised to see quoted within this interesting and stimulating book (Leo Amey, Arnold Toynbee, Eleanor Roosevelt, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Adlai Steventon, J. K. Galbraith, Eric Idle, Ernest Benn, G. K. Chesteron, Robert Louis Stevenson, W. C. Fields, Konrad Adenauer, Boy George and Aristophanes.
Some of the remarks made really tell us more about the person uttering them, rather than their intended target. And some of the remarks show that even the great and the good amongst us can say some remarkably daft things, from time-to-time!
The book is published by Summersdale (www.summersdale.com) in hardback at £9.99 and it will make the perfect stocking filler for this Christmas.
The ISBN is 978-1-84953-188-7.
This book is available through the That's Books Amazon book store on this site.
Steven Gauge has brought together a wide and eclectic selection of witty remarks from all sides of the political divide and some from no side of the political divide at all.
The quotations are helpfully divided into 25 different chapters that cover everything from the art of politics to civil servants, the USA, the economy, spin, conference classics, the media and much more besides.
From those you might expect (Churchill, Livingstone, Thatcher, Disraeli ) to some you might be pleasantly surprised to see quoted within this interesting and stimulating book (Leo Amey, Arnold Toynbee, Eleanor Roosevelt, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Adlai Steventon, J. K. Galbraith, Eric Idle, Ernest Benn, G. K. Chesteron, Robert Louis Stevenson, W. C. Fields, Konrad Adenauer, Boy George and Aristophanes.
Some of the remarks made really tell us more about the person uttering them, rather than their intended target. And some of the remarks show that even the great and the good amongst us can say some remarkably daft things, from time-to-time!
The book is published by Summersdale (www.summersdale.com) in hardback at £9.99 and it will make the perfect stocking filler for this Christmas.
The ISBN is 978-1-84953-188-7.
This book is available through the That's Books Amazon book store on this site.
Badger the Mystical Mutt
Badger the Mystical Mutt is a special dog. A very special dog indeed. He is magical, though his magic doesn't always work out in quite the way Badger intends.
Badger is aided in his magical shenanigans by his red and white spotted neckerchief which is very magical indeed. And is known as chief.
Badger has a thing about towers of freshly buttered toasted bread (EDITOR: I am warming to Badger already, I have a thing about towers of freshly buttered toasted bread, too!) and helping other people with his magic.
The book begins with some prose that is rather magical in itself: "It was a quarter past midsummer."
Pet Idol has come to the town in which Badger lives. And the favourite to be the winner is Hamish, who is a floppy-eared spaniel. But this brings attention to the lane and this is attention that is most unwelcome to Top Dog, who is the leader of a gang of stray dogs. They blame Hamish for the fact that the Dog Catcher is hunting them down.
And then, Badger the Mystical Mutt steps in to save the day. Can Badger and his uncertain magic save Hamish from Top Dog and his gang? Can he help ensure that Hamish becomes Pet Idol?
But what is the significance of the crystal cave and what they see inside it? What is the meaning of the scruffy toy unicorn? Can the dogs be saved from the Dog Catcher?
This book is very well written and it is filled with magical, wild events and will be ideal for parents to read with their children. It is MUST HAVE Christmas present. It is a moving and joyful story and did warm the heart of this cynical old journalist. Was there a slight tear of joy towards the end of the book? Maybe this old, cynical journalist is younger at heart than he realised and not nearly as cynical as he thought!
This book is written by Lyn McNichol and Laura Cameron Jackson and is published by the Lunicorn Press in paperback at £5.99. (An extremely low price for such a fantastic book to my mind, but then, what do I know?!) The ISBN is 978-0-9569640-0-7. This book can be ordered through the That's Books Amazon Shop.
You can find out more at www.badgerthemysticalmutt.com
And please check out these videos!
You can find out more at www.badgerthemysticalmutt.com
Badger is aided in his magical shenanigans by his red and white spotted neckerchief which is very magical indeed. And is known as chief.
Badger has a thing about towers of freshly buttered toasted bread (EDITOR: I am warming to Badger already, I have a thing about towers of freshly buttered toasted bread, too!) and helping other people with his magic.
The book begins with some prose that is rather magical in itself: "It was a quarter past midsummer."
Pet Idol has come to the town in which Badger lives. And the favourite to be the winner is Hamish, who is a floppy-eared spaniel. But this brings attention to the lane and this is attention that is most unwelcome to Top Dog, who is the leader of a gang of stray dogs. They blame Hamish for the fact that the Dog Catcher is hunting them down.
And then, Badger the Mystical Mutt steps in to save the day. Can Badger and his uncertain magic save Hamish from Top Dog and his gang? Can he help ensure that Hamish becomes Pet Idol?
But what is the significance of the crystal cave and what they see inside it? What is the meaning of the scruffy toy unicorn? Can the dogs be saved from the Dog Catcher?
This book is very well written and it is filled with magical, wild events and will be ideal for parents to read with their children. It is MUST HAVE Christmas present. It is a moving and joyful story and did warm the heart of this cynical old journalist. Was there a slight tear of joy towards the end of the book? Maybe this old, cynical journalist is younger at heart than he realised and not nearly as cynical as he thought!
This book is written by Lyn McNichol and Laura Cameron Jackson and is published by the Lunicorn Press in paperback at £5.99. (An extremely low price for such a fantastic book to my mind, but then, what do I know?!) The ISBN is 978-0-9569640-0-7. This book can be ordered through the That's Books Amazon Shop.
You can find out more at www.badgerthemysticalmutt.com
And please check out these videos!
Historical Tweets
What if Tweets had been available to our ancestors? What if famous people of long ago had been able to send messages of no more than 140 characters?
Alan Beard and Alec McNayr took this wild and somewhat wacky proposition and have turned it into a hilarious and sometimes eye-opening book which will make a fantastic Chirstmas stocking filler!
What would Plato have had to say in 140 characters or less? Merlin? Henry VIII? Gandhi? Shakespeare? Billy the Kid? Oscar Wilde? Albert Einstein? Marie Curie? Marilyn Monroe?
Sometimes funny, sometimes insightful, sometimes both, this will keep the recipient chuckling or LOLing for many happy hours!
It is published by Summersdale at £9.99 in hardback and the ISBN is 978 1 84953 232 7.
Available from the That's Books Amazon Store at a discounted price.
Alan Beard and Alec McNayr took this wild and somewhat wacky proposition and have turned it into a hilarious and sometimes eye-opening book which will make a fantastic Chirstmas stocking filler!
What would Plato have had to say in 140 characters or less? Merlin? Henry VIII? Gandhi? Shakespeare? Billy the Kid? Oscar Wilde? Albert Einstein? Marie Curie? Marilyn Monroe?
Sometimes funny, sometimes insightful, sometimes both, this will keep the recipient chuckling or LOLing for many happy hours!
It is published by Summersdale at £9.99 in hardback and the ISBN is 978 1 84953 232 7.
Available from the That's Books Amazon Store at a discounted price.
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
1,000,000 Free e-books every single month
In the beginning the internet was free: information was available for all at the click of the mouse.
Over the past ten years quality information has become increasingly expensive with surfers being asked to 'join up', 'subscribe' or pay a one-off fee to find what used to be free.
Now, to reverse that trend need2know books have launched the big book giveaway with one million e-books covering more than 100 titles free every month.
Ian Walton, need2know publisher says "we launched the initiative for two main reasons: the altruistic one; to make the information free to those who cannot afford to buy the printed book and the commercial one, to build 'brand awareness' in the people that can".
In the first two days over 1000 books were downloaded, the most popular titles so far are: Bullying - a parents guide; Asthma - the essential guide and Applying to university.
Ian also added, "Whilst most publishers are working on web sites to SELL e-books we have spent a lot of time and money building a site to give the books away.
With the diversity of subjects in the need2know range covering health, education, social and leisure issues there is a book that can be helpful to everybody.
The plan is to make www.bigbookgiveaway.com a permanent part of need2knows future marketing strategy.
Over the past ten years quality information has become increasingly expensive with surfers being asked to 'join up', 'subscribe' or pay a one-off fee to find what used to be free.
Now, to reverse that trend need2know books have launched the big book giveaway with one million e-books covering more than 100 titles free every month.
Ian Walton, need2know publisher says "we launched the initiative for two main reasons: the altruistic one; to make the information free to those who cannot afford to buy the printed book and the commercial one, to build 'brand awareness' in the people that can".
In the first two days over 1000 books were downloaded, the most popular titles so far are: Bullying - a parents guide; Asthma - the essential guide and Applying to university.
Ian also added, "Whilst most publishers are working on web sites to SELL e-books we have spent a lot of time and money building a site to give the books away.
With the diversity of subjects in the need2know range covering health, education, social and leisure issues there is a book that can be helpful to everybody.
The plan is to make www.bigbookgiveaway.com a permanent part of need2knows future marketing strategy.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Elisabeth Sladen Autobiography Released
When Elisabeth Sladen first appeared as plucky journalist Sarah Jane Smith in the 1973 Doctor Who story The Time Warrior, little did she know the character would become one of the most enduring and fondly remembered of the series' long history.
The years that followed saw Elisabeth traverse time and space alongside classic Doctors Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, whilst a generation of children crouched behind the sofa, terrified but transfixed as their tea-time heroine found herself menaced by Daleks, dinosaurs, Cybermen, Egyptian mummies, actors in green Bubble Wrap and even the Loch Ness Monster. By the time she quit the TARDIS in 1976, making front-page news, Elisabeth had become one of the most familiar faces of a TV golden age.
But you don't just walk away from Doctor Who. Elisabeth was asked to reprise her role many times, appearing in anniversary specials, an marginally successful 1981 spin-off with robotic sidekick K-9, radio plays, and for the BBC's Children in Need.
She also toured the weird, wide and wonderful world of Doctor Who fandom and became one of the series' all-time favourite companions. So when TV wunderkind Russell T Davies approached her to come back again, this time to a show backed by multi-million-pound budgets and garlanded with critical plaudits, how could she refuse?
This warm and witty autobiography, completed only months before Elisabeth died in April 2011, tells her remarkable story, from humble beginnings in post-war Liverpool, through an acclaimed theatrical career working alongside stage luminaries such as Alan Ayckbourn, to Coronation Street, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and the furthest reaches of the Universe.
A unique insider's view of the world's longest-running science fiction series, and of British television yesterday and today, Elisabeth's memoir is funny, ridiculous, insightful and entertaining and a fitting tribute to a woman who will be sadly missed by millions.
Elisabeth Sladen played Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures. She also appeared in Coronation Street, Z-Cars and Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em among others, and enjoyed a long, successful and very happy career in the theatre. She died in April 2011.
Elisabeth Sladen: the autobiography is published by Aurum Pressat £18.99
www.aurumpress.co.uk
Rabbitwood
If you travel beyond the seven mountains, traverse through many enchanted valleys, make your way over or around a variety of lakes and rivers, you will, eventually, find yourself on the very edge of a large, ancient woodland.
Here, you will find Rabbitwood. Which is the home of the oldest rabbit family in the entire world.
It is the Hobblestones. Tobbit of Hobblestone is the eldest member of the clan. And Tobbit has a very special desire, he wishes to ride like the wind through the very forest itself, even as swiftly as the humans do on their mighty horses!
Whilst he is searching for a suitable steed, he meets and befriends a tiny fox. But foxes and rabbits can never be friends! Surely their natural instincts will take over? Or must that always be the way?
Read this beautiful book to discover for yourself!
An ideal Christmas present as it is perfect for reading to the little ones and has some splendid illustrations. It is published by Far, Far Away Books at £12.99. www.farfarawaybooks.com
Here, you will find Rabbitwood. Which is the home of the oldest rabbit family in the entire world.
It is the Hobblestones. Tobbit of Hobblestone is the eldest member of the clan. And Tobbit has a very special desire, he wishes to ride like the wind through the very forest itself, even as swiftly as the humans do on their mighty horses!
Whilst he is searching for a suitable steed, he meets and befriends a tiny fox. But foxes and rabbits can never be friends! Surely their natural instincts will take over? Or must that always be the way?
Read this beautiful book to discover for yourself!
An ideal Christmas present as it is perfect for reading to the little ones and has some splendid illustrations. It is published by Far, Far Away Books at £12.99. www.farfarawaybooks.com
That's Entertainment News: Ray Harryhausen's Fantasy Scrapbook
That's Entertainment News: Ray Harryhausen's Fantasy Scrapbook: Ray Harryhausen is one of the most innovative and influential film animators in the history of the medium, responsible for such classic film...
A Decade Of Stock Market Turmoil - And How To Profit From It
A Decade of Stockmarket Turmoil 2000 - 2010 And How to Profit From it by Robert Skepper
The causes and consequences of an unprecedented financial crisis that took capitalism to the brink of collapse.
The decade 2000-2010 has arguably been the most turbulent stock market period since trading began. Three crashes and an implosion of global economies on a monumental scale - and all in the blink of an eye in historical terms.
Many questions arise from this unprecedented crisis, not least of which is how and, more importantly, why capitalism was taken to the brink at a time of relative political stability, major technological advancement and economic buoyancy. In short, how, having been dealt such a favourable hand, did we (in the West) so nearly blow it?
This book examines the financial and political context of this decade of turmoil, seeking out the fault lines and tracing the causes and consequences. At the same time it analyses some of the key principles of sound financial investment, which if adhered to should enable the prudent investor to ride the wave and even come out on top.
R.B. Skepper graduated in history from Trinity College, Cambridge. He was a member of the British Olympic ski team that competed in the 1960 Winter Olympics. He started his City career with Buckmaster and Moore in the early 1960s, but then went to work abroad for five years.
From 1973 to 1985 he worked in the farming industry and then returned to the City, where he works as an associate of Brewin Dolphin, a leading private client brokers. He specialises in private client discretionary management, and personal/business pension schemes. He is married and lives in Suffolk.
Historical, financial and political examination of the most turbulent decade in stock market history
Financial analysis and advice from a seasoned expert, including a breakdown of the underlying permanent principles of sound investment
Month by month scrutiny of the unfolding drama as it happened (with a contemporary perspective to gauge the relative accuracy of the original diagnosis)
£13.99 Hardback
978-1-84624-687-6 234 x 156 mm
www.bookguild.co.uk
1066 And All That: New Phrase Book Rewrites English
The results are a mix of the startlingly different and surprisingly familiar, as these examples show:
May I ask a question? - May I ask a frayn?
Think positively! - Think winly!
Such impatience! - Such unthild!
With little modesty - With little shamefastness
Making progress - Making forthship
Be discrete - Be sidely
A duty to be done - An oughting to be done
A precious heritage - A dearworth yearve
The court believed you were innocent of the accusation - The hove believed you to be unsinny of the wraying
Peace agreement - Frith thwearing
Cowley sees fun and serious sides to the work: "Hastings meant the English elite and official use of Old English were swept aside by the Normans. French words ousted many English ones, so we've ended up speaking and even thinking differently. There's a fun element in pretending we won at Hastings, but the alternative sayings can really make you think it's a pity we lost that way of expressing things."
Hastings, 1066 - Words We'd Wield if We'd Won, Bright Pen Books, 51 pages, RRP £3.99
ISBN 978-0-7552-1376-4
http://www.authorsonline.co.uk/book/1125/Hastings+1066+-+Words+We'd+Wield+If+We'd+Won/
(EDITOR: This will make an absolutely first rate stocking filler, this Christmas)
Busy Mums: The Perfect Short Story For Busy Mums Looking For A Quick Read
More romantic than vampires but with an equally alluring agenda, Blake is a brand new, fantasy ebook set between the worlds of fantasy and reality. Available to download from Amazon for just £1.71, Blake is pure escapism.
An intriguing short story that instantly captures the reader's imagination, Blake features a young woman named Ebony who embarks upon on an emotional journey that sees her discover just what mystery surrounds this new guy in town. Little does she know, the same mystery surrounds her identity too, leading her to discover her new self along with the enchanted world of Elmwood...
Take time for you and enjoy this magical short story during elevenses' or when the children are in bed. Read at your convenience and travel to the unknown world of Elmwood for a truly enchanting escape with this perfect quick read.
Available to download from Amazon for the Kindle, Mac, PC and iPad, Blake is available now.
An intriguing short story that instantly captures the reader's imagination, Blake features a young woman named Ebony who embarks upon on an emotional journey that sees her discover just what mystery surrounds this new guy in town. Little does she know, the same mystery surrounds her identity too, leading her to discover her new self along with the enchanted world of Elmwood...
Take time for you and enjoy this magical short story during elevenses' or when the children are in bed. Read at your convenience and travel to the unknown world of Elmwood for a truly enchanting escape with this perfect quick read.
Available to download from Amazon for the Kindle, Mac, PC and iPad, Blake is available now.
Mercadzil And The November Bird by Anne S. Boryer
But when she drags out her broomstick and takes her fat cat Jones to visit Keekalee, they are in for an awful surprise. Keekalee is at the mercy of the terrifying Spikley, a witch who will stop at nothing to get power for herself. How can Mercadzil save her old friend? Without a thought for her own safety, she rushes into action ... and finds herself plunged into an astonishing magical adventure.
Mercadizil and the November Bird has 14 enchanting and bewitching black and white drawings that children will adore!
Anne Boryer, a member of MENSA, worked for many years as Head Library Manager at Plumpton College in East Sussex. She lives near Lewes and this is her first children's book. Yes, she does have a cat...and a cauldron!
£7.99 Hardback
978-1-84624-636-4 216 x 135 mm
Magical adventure for 7 - 9 year olds
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