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Fiction
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Haven’t you always wondered what went through the minds of those present at the birth of Jesus Christ? This collection of twelve short stories explores the thoughts and experiences of those who were part of THE Christmas story. From the sheltering stable to the guiding star, from the grumpy innkeeper to the awestruck mother, from the wise old Magi to the troubled young village boy, one way or another you’ll see a new side to the Christmas journey.
Singer Deborah Aloba has been teaching singing and music for ove 20 years. Her first book, Teaching Dyslexics How to Read and Write Music, came from her exprience of teaching a diverse student base.
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buy and some of them are true
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buy my mother's talisman
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England, 1960.
The ‘swinging’ decade is about to blossom but nineteen-year-old Sorika Broadbent is no swinger. Unhappy with her London job, she retreats home to Aunt Esme, her surrogate mother.
Abandoned by her own mother, her father dead, her self-confidence at rock-bottom, Sorika’s future looks far from rosy. But a chain of unexpected events starts her on a quest to find the mysterious talisman – and her mother, the woman for whom it was intended.
Would she succeed? What, or who, would she find along the way? Will she find her own identity?
‘Lucinda’s third novel has all the ingredients for a great read. As we follow Sorika from Berkshire to Devon to Virginia, USA, in her search for the elusive talisman – and for the mother who abandoned her – drama, passion, despair and humour all combine with an intriguing bunch of characters to keep the reader absorbed.’ Yeo Valley Literary Circle
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buy losing the plot
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Malone finds himself caught in the middle of a turf war between Irish racketeers, the Russian Mafia and a Columbian cartel. And so, he loses the plot. But can he get it back before he loses everything … including his life?
Poetry
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In the first two groups the themes are developed in personal terms, grounded in a strong sense of place – growing up in Sheffield and, latterly, living in Denmark.
Groups three and four widen the perspective, first through exploring the relationship between poetry and the visual arts, and then by facing up to major issues in the contemporary world, notably the maltreatment of Planet Earth and the ongoing climate crisis.
A distinctive feature of this collection is the grouping of poems that link poetry to the other arts – to music, to paintings, to reimaginings of classical literature – where the themes of time and memory find expression in a range of forms.
Michael Benton taught English for ten years in secondary schools in London and Manchester before taking up a Lectureship at Southampton University. He retired in 2001 as Emeritus Professor of Education. His many articles and books have made a notable contribution to literary education for over fifty years.
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Biography
buy under a big blue star
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Phil Carroll takes us on his global odyssey of voyages as a deck cadet in the early-1980s. It was the cusp of change in the merchant navy as containerisation began to dominate world shipping. Heady weeks ‘on the coast’ in traditional cargo ships in old ports, giving way to fleeting visits by ‘box boats’ to swanky new concrete container wharves, miles from town. He vividly describes his worldwide adventures at sea and in port in a male-dominated environment of British officers and Chinese, Barbadian, and UK crews. Interwoven in his narrative are nuggets of maritime history and simple technical descriptions, bringing a bygone seafaring era to life. Sea experience consolidated his studies in college to earn his Second Mate’s ticket, the climax of his cadetship.
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Flagging at work, being submerged in an illustrious corporate lifestyle, making money matters at whatever cost to the soul or planet, Jim battled to justify his increasing impact to an unsustainably selfish system. Jim was never destined for office work, but it consumed him nonetheless. As a West Country man in his mid-twenties – who crosses the border between immaturity and a midlife crisis – he quit his job and set off.
Having recently passed his motorbike licence; this was his lifeline and an opportunity for reflection. In need of a new direction, Jim embraced the challenge of Iberia by Bike (Spain, Portugal and a bit more) riding almost 10,000 kilometres through southwest Europe with little more than a tent and his ‘particular’ companion.
So you’re struggling with the soul-sucking office job. What do you do? The short answer – be bold, it’s your life, you choose!
Dive into Spain, France and Portugal on this journey of discovery that encourages personal exploration and development. You’ll encounter recommended remote spots, wild camping, city breaks, hidden gems and the paths and patios in between.
buy the lady with no name
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The year is 1988.
The Cold War is ending.
Europe’s near-abroad unlocks …
… and a 30-year-old Londoner attempts a road trip from France to western Turkey with a vintage Bentley – the book’s eponymous heroine. Their journey unfolds into a circumnavigation of the Mediterranean Sea. The Bentley’s heroic skittishness is a source of comedy and woe. She proves an antidote to the author’s frustration with his non-committal girlfriend at home.
This book will appeal to adventurers and travellers, to students of human nature and of late-20th-century European history, to classic-car enthusiasts and petrolheads, and to all who enjoy a gripping story.
The Lady With No Name forms Part One of the Borderline Pass trilogy.
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The year is 1988. The Cold War is ending. Europe’s near-abroad unlocks … and a 30-year-old Londoner attempts a road trip from France to western Turkey in a vintage Bentley. A journey that unfolds into a beautifully described circumnavigation of the Mediterranean Sea.
The next expedition was to ride a Russian copy of a German WWII military motorcycle with sidecar from Moscow to Madrid, but …
In the final episode, the author and his new bride drive a condemned VW Beetle from Tuscany, through the Bosnian war zone, into Albania in the search for an idyll.
This span of eight years gives a kerbside view of late twentieth-century Europe, a time and place already unfamiliar.
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In Their Hands is the gripping and intensely moving true story of the battle to save Sophie’s life. It is full of love and hope and celebrates the gift of life as well as the touching kindness of strangers.
As they enter the labour ward, Emma and Jamie have no idea that their unborn baby is critically ill. Expecting soon to be cuddling their longed for fi rst child, the couple instead fi nd themselves in the middle of a grave medical emergency. They watch their daughter try, and fail, to take a fi rst breath, witness her being resuscitated, sit beside her as she fights for her life in intensive care, listen to doctors telling them she’ll probably die and even begin planning her funeral.
All proceeds donated to Early Lives, the UCLH neonatal charity
Read more about Emma Innes
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Sien offers an insight into the life of one of the most enigmatic characters in history. It’s her story, told by her, in her own voice. It’s a love story in the true sense of the word, between a woman and a man who just wanted to be together, but who weren’t allowed that simple desire.
Clasina Maria Hoornik was born in The Hague on 22nd February 1850, the eldest of eleven children. She was forced to turn to prostitution to help support the family.
Van Gogh’s relationship with Sien made a huge impact on his way of drawing, and it served to build his character and influence his later, now famous, oil paintings. He helped her when he himself was in need of help and lacking the luxury of money. Van Gogh despaired of her rejection by “respectable society” and the loss of his little family.
Lauren Frances is an avant-garde artist whose work has been the subject of book covers, exhibitions and was even used on Paris streets during the “yellow vest” protests in 2018. She has applied her extensive knowledge and admiration of the work of Vincent van Gogh in Sien, her debut novel, planned as the first in a trilogy.
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buy it's the truth
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The Only Ones were the most important band to emerge in 1977, artistically if not commercially.
Their eponymous first LP presents a wonderful sense of possibilities and excitement, of a band standing on the verge of something fantastic. And the presence of ‘Another Girl, Another Planet’ – ‘arguably the best rock single ever recorded’ – illustrates how not being a hit can extend the shelf life of a song.
Working from new interviews with the band members, Simon Wright documents the formation and early days of this enigmatic group and explains why they never achieved the massive success they deserved.
Illustrated with previously unseen photographs, it’s an account of how four musicians from very different backgrounds made an exhilarating LP which grafted punk attitude onto rock ‘n’ roll rootstock.
Odds-on that your favourite musician has this LP in their collection: read this book to find out why.
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This book is based on true facts in the life of a young lad from Gateshead, in northeast England.
Geordie lived in a one-bedroom, upstairs flat with his Mam, his Dad and his seven brothers and sisters. He had a way of attracting trouble and the police were forever at the front door.
At the age of eight fate struck him a blow that would change his life forever after an accident triggered epileptic fits.
This is the story of how Geordie coped when his life changed dramatically and he was sent to an institution in the south of England.
From the Gateshead Post, Friday 17 March 1950
“A ten-year-old boy found hiding underneath a shop counter, with five shillings taken from the till, gave the assistant a false asddress. Inspector Mark Wood told Gateshead Juvenile magistrates this was the third case of theft charges the boy faced. The lad, who had also been charged with stealing a torch and a torch case, was said by the probation officer to be intelligent, but with no sense of right or wrong.
After it was stated that he suffered from epileptic fits it was decided to commit him to a remand home whilst efforts were made to accommodate him in a centre where he could be properly treated.”
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Factual
buy the dislocated brain
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A new perspective.
The Dislocated Brain presents the innovative protocols of cranio fascial dynamics (CFD). CFD addresses traumatic brain injury and physically attempts to reverse traumatic distortion and the subsequent failure of brain drainage, thereby reinstating normal physiological function.
The purpose of this book is to give the reader the physiology and the understanding of the reinstatement of the ‘central brain core component’ by the removal of the central brain core component torque, which is the deepseated ultimate ‘subluxation’. The body and brain are now in a position to accept the numerous techniques that aid in the recovery of the neurological deficits, visceral changes and extremity distortions with far more effective outcomes.
sand stories–solutions to a global crisis
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academic publications
For a variety of fascinating topics see the list of edited academic publications
buy bletchingley and the grange
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A fresh look at the history of Bletchingley, centred on The Grange and its transient residents, but with fascinating digressions around the village and beyond.
Within these pages you’ll find stories of Bletchingley residents: famous, infamous and workaday, such as eminent doctors, head parlourmaids, masters of the hunt, postmen and lords of the manor.
Discover previously unpublished material, including a WWII diary and photographs from family archives. Containing over 400 illustrations, with a number of black and white photos brought to life in glorious colour. A detailed history beautifully showcased through the work of eminent photographers, artists and locals.
A pictorial history of Bletchingley’s historic properties, institutions and businesses; from manor house and castle to farm and shop, from hospital to workhouse – and the Descent of the Lordship of the Manor of Bletchingley.
Among the names that have played a part in Bletchingley history and who appear in this book are: Abbott, Bell, Blessig, Birkbeck, Brandt, Boulter, Clayton, Coppard, Denny, D’Oyly Carte, Dunderdale, English, French, Gavell, Hoskins, Judson, Kenrick, Lambert, Leslie, Lovell, Marshall, Martin, Norris, Oldman, Partridge, Perkins, Pratt, Risbridger, Robertson, Robinson, Russell, Sackville, Sharp, Smith, Tobitt and Wren.
Buy Argue Like a Lawyer
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Smart speaking reflects smart thinking.
Argue like a Lawyer shows you how expert presenters identify issues before building and then presenting a persuasive argument that uses reasoning and evidence in support of their ideas, actions or theories.
We all need to impress our listeners with the quality of our arguments, whether in formal presentations or pitches, during meetings, when handling complaints or simply answering a telephone call. We want to speak with confidence and competence but often put our foot in our mouth, fail to get across a simple message, or offend without meaning to. The good news is that we can all improve our reasoning.
This book’s three modules are full of practical techniques and strategies used to great effect by lawyers and other presenters. It shows you how to deliver a persuasive ‘X factor’ using rhetorical techniques. The content is straightforward and applicable and is supported by a wide range of helpful examples.
When and wherever you speak you’ll end up ‘arguing’ with ease and confidence: controlling the agenda,
buy c'mon the ferry
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Briton Ferry. A small town near the banks of the river Neath, once a bustling industrial town with busy docks (fed with coal from the Afan valleys, transported down via the incline) and heavy industries, such as steelworks. In among all this hustle and bustle there was a need for a sporting recreation to alleviate workday stresses. An escape from the smoke and the heat.
What better than a game of rugby?
Many teams were formed in the last decades of the 1800s and in the early 1900s, within the town itself and in the surrounding areas, but one stands out as the shining beacon, Briton Ferry RFC.
This is the story of rugby in the town, the playing grounds, headquarters, games won and lost and, above all, the characters who have enriched the clubís history over the last 125 years ñ from Welsh internationals to war heroes, from whole families (whose huge service helped bind the club together) to individual players and committee members (who have all played their part). And there is a promise of more history, to be written by a new breed:
The Story of the Ferry
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buy forget the third arrow
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How-To …
buy teaching dyslexics how to read and write music
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She says: “I know from experience that the basics of reading and writing music are necessary if you want to perform well as a singer or musician. How else can you really understand what the composer wants from you? Can you imagine what it must be like to pick up a piece of music and see all the components moving around a page? Or to want to perform a particular piece of music but to be unable to remember the words you are supposed to sing, even though you can see them clearly in front of you. Or to be unable to access the information the composer has given you to perform the piece? The experience can be overwhelming. I believe that with the correct aids and methods many of the problems experienced by dyslexic and learning disabled students can be signifi cantly reduced and, in some instances, resolved. My first experience of teaching a dyslexic student made me realise that although there were aids and methods that could assist in their learning, they were not easily available. Much of the information was anecdotal and there was no one place to access it all from. I have researched and tested the anecdotal evidence and developed my own methods. I also employ assistive technology when teaching my students, some who are now experimenting with composing music. This book presents the aids and methods I have found most effective when teaching a dyslexic student and I hope you and your students will find it useful.”
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buy the fit mum formula
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two booklets for £5
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Children love being read to by the adults in their lives. However, many adults don’t feel confident about reading expressively, so don’t enjoy it as much as they could. How to Enjoy Reading Aloud to Young Children is full of advice and practice on how have fun – with obvious benefits for child and adult.
If you’d like a print copy or a PDF please contact me
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buy eat drink and be slim
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Polly Hale’s no-nonsense, back to basics approach to weight loss and balanced, normal, healthy eating, contains affordable, achievable tips on: nutrition basics; cooking at home; eating out and social occasions; satisfying, delicious recipes for family meals. Suitable for all ages and dietary requirements. Visit Polly’s website