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Friday 30 December 2011

Children's book inspires £50,000 offer to National Trust

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.”

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/

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

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

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

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