Butterlies and other stories by Jenny Palmer

 

Imaginative, witty, topical stories with unexpected twists and turns.

The book portrays snippets of everyday life which contain a deeper meaning than is immediately apparent. There are stories about women who try to prove they are not invisible, people escaping from a cult, coincidental encounters with long lost friends, historical characters who reassert themselves into the present, scenarios which foreshadow what is to come, the danger of relying on other people’s philosophy rather than one’s own, alongside suggestions on how best to survive Christmas or deal with unwanted intruders.

In Butterflies and other stories, Jenny Palmer writes from the vantage point of her home in rural Lancashire. She reflects on the turbulent times in which we live, on how people cope in their everyday lives, whether it be living through lockdown, escaping from a cult, dealing with the ‘hostile environment,’ having a pre-payment meter installed, or preparing for an uncertain future. Maintaining a lightness of touch, the stories are imbued with a sense of the healing power of nature and an appreciation of its beauty.

RRP £7.00 

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Tales of the Unelected by Dan Corry

 

Visit the hidden Whitehall world of the unelected special advisers.

Encounter their hopes, dreams, rivalries and compromises as they face the challenge of doing the right thing in a role full of tensions. See how they struggle with the civil service, accusations of being the source of leaking, politicians who need to up their game, negotiating with No 10, finding time with the PM, and worrying about physical attacks on their Secretary of State. All this as they try to keep some semblance of family life intact.

Dan Corry entertains and informs us well in Tales of the Unelected.

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“There are so many tensions and emotional conflicts in being a special adviser and Dan Corry takes you into that world through this fascinating collection of stories.”
Ed Balls (former special adviser, minister and Shadow Chancellor)

“It’s an honour to be a special adviser, as I was, but most of what has been written about them is of the sensational type. Here, in all its everyday glory, is a real feel of what it is like.”
Ayesha Hazarika, former special advisor

“Dan Corry’s subtle and engrossing short stories are the real thing, a window on the largely hidden lives of the fixers and policymakers of the political world, the notorious advisers. His compelling authority is no accident: reader, he was one.”
Robert Peston (Political Editor at ITN)

RRP £7.50 

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Feel Good Stories by Sarah Swatridge

 

A book to enhance your wellbeing and tug at your emotions.

An eclectic mix of heart-warming stories, full of memorable and quirky characters. Read about the heroic postie, the eccentric duke, a spoilt parrot, a true friend and a determined would-be husband. Perfect bite-sized reading with your favourite drink.

Enjoy Sarah Swatridge’s uplifting Feel-Good Stories.

RRP £7.50

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If Crows Could Talk by Debz Hobbs-Wyatt

 

George Tucker and April Jefferson have never met but they share a secret.

Born the same day fifty years apart, in the same town in Florida, both are battling demons.

George is African-American – now living in Atlanta, having run from Jim Crow – only it seems you can't outrun the past. April is a white teenager terrified she will end up like her mother.

 George’s story is set over fifty years, April’s over a single year…  yet their destinies are tied up together. They must meet… but how is the troubled teenager April the key to unlocking the secrets of George’s past?

 Find out in the gripping If Crows Could Talk by award-winning literary writer Debz Hobbs-Wyatt.

RRP £10.50

Out on 5  October 2024

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Book bundle: Salford Stories, Citizens of Nowhere and Gentle Footprints for £17.00

 

 All of the stories in this collection were written by people who have a connection to Salford. Thus many, but not all of the stories, take place in this robust northern city. The call for submissions was in honour of the Shelagh Delaney Day, 25 November. Charlotte Delaney, Shelagh’s daughter, selected the winner, Neil Campbell with Everything is Seen at Its Best in the Dark.

 

Theresa May sparked a powerful debate when she announced that global citizens were citizens of nowhere. She also gave us a marvellous title and a great theme for a book. Is a global citizen really a citizen of nowhere? This collection reacts to this question and explores some possible answers. Each story gives us a definition of one global citizen and shows how this individual contributes to the world.

We approached several writers who we knew cared about these matters and who also write beautifully. Other stories just fell into our laps – they had been submitted to other anthologies and seemed to suit this one.

 

 

A huge number of people have been involved in putting this book together and it is impossible to mention them all by name. But I do want to thank Born Free for their tremendous help in collating all the facts and approving all the stories and organisations we have approached, particularly Lauren Smith for putting up with my continual bombardment of emails. And of course to Virginia McKenna for the foreword and for being so supportive of our efforts.

 

Buy all three together for just £17.00