It has taken sixteen years, but next spring, around March or April 2025, copies of the young adult historical novel ‘Warrior Princess and Errant Page’ – all about King Wenceslas’s page and his relationship with King Alfred the Great’s granddaughter – should be available in ebook and paperback versions.

A nice, quiet holiday. That was the plan. In my mind I had it all sorted. Maybe the economy overnight flight to Cape Town might not be the height of luxury, but once I was in the Cape, it was four and five star all the way. It just didn’t turn out that way. For a start, I didn’t realise my holiday companions would mostly be Irish …

The theme set for my writing group’s story this month, was ‘Invasion.’ However, rather than discuss wars, or rumours of wars, I decided to tell a more domestic tale. James is enjoying retirement, his wife keeps busy with committees and entertaining – but sometimes her husband will interfere with her plans …

My Brother’s Keeper is a follow-up story to Twoc’ing. Told from Charles Holdsworth’s point of view, it describes what happens a decade after the incidents shown in Twoc’ing. Unfortunately, it looks as if the two brothers are unlikely to be reconciled.

TWOC’ING is a story of survival against the odds. Our protagonist, Peter Holdsworth, is framed for a crime he did not commit: Taking WithOut Consent. he serves time as a young offender, and he is then forced to join the Army. However, the Army doesn’t turn out to be what he expects …

This is my “seven objects” story from the workshop I led last October. The challenge was to write a short story having just seen the seven objects I presented to the group. Everyone was able to make a start in the time given, and the completed stories were presented to the group two months later.

The Denim Birthday was written for my writing group after I was given the challenge to write on the theme of ‘Blue Jeans.’ I came up with this story of a birthday and the clash of generations over what was appropriate wear. How to use, or not use, mobile phones also features, and there is, of course, a twist at the end!

What’s In a Name? is a short story where a self-centred character gets his comeuppance. Alex thinks he has a perfect right to spy on his university girlfriend, especially as she wants to break off the relationship – but she is smarter than he thinks!

XOL 802 is a coming-of-age story that uses two voices: Andrew is six years old and we see his parents’ marriage break up, and a car crash (hence the number plate of the title) through his eyes. The other voice is the older, adult Andrew trying to make sense of all that happened. Has the family found peace?

The Accidental Smuggler is a cautionary tale of criminal involvement. The theme set for this story was ‘crossing the border,’ and the main character does this more than once. The tale is about a young, naïve teacher, in his first job, who is inveigled into taking a parcel across an international border between two African countries. He loses his naivety, his girlfriend, and almost his freedom, but does he ever gain understanding?