Christmas Presents: Children’s Novels

Looking for the perfect Christmas present for that difficult relative? Why not give them a book this year? To be more specific, why not give them one of my books?

In this second of three articles, this post explores my children’s novels. Yes, I don’t just write gothic mystery horror thrillers. I have also dabbled in children’s adventures, mainly aimed at the Harry Potter/Alex Rider demographic. Most of these novels were written for my children, often at their request (Echo and the White Howl was penned for my youngest for instance, who wanted a story about wolves). But these stories aren’t just for children. They are for the young and young at heart, often tackling themes and ideas that are just as incisive for the adult reader.

Here’s is the blurb from the back of each novel:

Uncle Flynn_CoverUncle Flynn

When timid eleven year old Max Bradley embarks on a hunt for buried treasure on Dartmoor with his mysterious Uncle Flynn, he discovers he is braver than he thought.

Together they decipher clues, find a hidden map and explore secret tunnels in their search.

But with both police and rival treasure hunters on their tail, Max begins to wonder if his uncle is all he seems…

Click here to order Uncle Flynn.

DrGibbles_1600x2400_front coverDr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge

September 1987.

Curiosity lands Tim Rawling in a world of secrets, spies and a desperate race against time.

The haunted house, the monster and the mad scientist are only the beginning of a terrifying adventure…

Click here to order Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge.

Echo and the White Howl Cover 10 (FINAL)Echo and the White Howl

When a wolf pack discovers humans lurking near their territory, Echo senses dark times ahead.

Despite the warnings and omens, Aatag, the pack Alpha, refuses to flee… leading to a cruel turn of events that forces Echo into exile, and a quest for revenge that will change the pack forever.

Click here to order Echo and the White Howl.

 

B17Kak0+TOS._SL250_FMpng_George Hughes Trilogy (comprising George goes to Mars, George goes to Titan, George goes to Neptune)

From the back of George goes to Mars:

When George Hughes discovers he has inherited the planet Mars, he goes from poverty to becoming the richest boy on Earth overnight.

Accompanied by his new guardian, a mysterious secret agent, and a crew of astronauts, George voyages to Mars to sell land to celebrities wanting to build interplanetary homes.

But sabotage, assassination attempts and an alien threat plunge him into a deadly adventure.

Click here to order the George Hughes Trilogy.

Christmas Present ideas

If you are scratching your head this year over Christmas presents, why not consider giving one of my novels? At the risk of sounding like a cliché, I have written across a variety of genres and therefore have “something for all the family”.

First and foremost, I have a novel about to be released on the 20th of December entitled Spectre of Springwell Forest. A nail-biting, page-turning ghost story, this supernatural mystery is my first novel to be published by Dragon Soul Press, and a must for any fan of bone-chilling suspense. Simply click here (in the UK) or here (in the US) to pre-order your copy. (NOTE: at present this pre-order is for the Kindle version only. Stay tuned for updates on the paperback.)

SSF coverHere is the blurb from the back of the book:

Lily Henderson has a horrifying secret buried far in her past. She hoped it would never be revealed. Now she has no choice.

To save her family, Lily must keep them from returning to the village of Springwell, where she lived with her first husband and young daughter decades previously.

In the past, after moving to Springwell, Lily encounters secretive locals, government scientists, and rumours of a ghost haunting the forest.

Are they linked to the mysterious deaths of local children? Do paintings by a local artist predict when tragic events are getting closer? Will Lily’s daughter be next?

“Two were taken. More will follow.”

If you enjoy stories with devious twists on the spectrum between psychological thriller, supernatural mystery and horror, why not also try The Thistlewood Curse or The Birds Began to Sing? The former is a gripping mystery involving astral projection and murder on Lundy Island. The latter concerns a peculiar writing competition in a remote and sinister Dartmoor house.

 

My short story Once in a Lifetime is also available, as part of the Dragon Soul Press All Dark Places anthology. A disturbing tale of existential dread, this short is based on a nightmare I had earlier this year. It concerns a man waking up in an entirely different life. As he struggles to understand what has happened, memories of his previous existence rapidly vanish, and are replaced with those from the life he has awoken inside.

Folded Valley coverOn a rather different note, we have my most successful (and arguably most “personal”) novel to date, Children of the Folded Valley. A dystopian memoir mystery with a science fiction edge, the plot concerns a man looking back on his life growing up in a strange cult.

For the young and young at heart, I have written a number of gripping tales, including treasure hunt adventure Uncle Flynn (my debut novel) and Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge, which involves spies, haunted houses, mad scientists, and monsters (and that’s just chapter one).

My most recent novel for younger readers, Echo and the White Howl, is a thrilling animal fiction adventure about a pack of wolves set in the wilds of Alaska.

 

In addition, my George Hughes trilogy (comprising George goes to Mars, George goes to Titan and George goes to Neptune) are a trio of fast-paced science fiction adventures with thrills and perils galore.

 

I must emphasise my stories aimed at children are not just for children. Amid the humour, thrills and scares are themes many adults will appreciate too.

LvsHonour 1600 x 2400Finally, Love vs Honour represented something of a departure for me, in that it is a teenage romantic drama. But many of the themes present in my other novels – religious oppression, abuse of power and so on – are present and correct here, and this is a much darker tale than it first appears. I don’t consider it a complete success for reasons I have discussed in more detail here, but I still think it is well worth a read.

All the above books can be ordered on Kindle or as paperbacks from Amazon here (for the UK) and here (for the US).

FREE Children’s Books Month: George Hughes Trilogy

The George Hughes trilogy is a thrilling, action-packed space tale set just over a hundred years in the future. Each story is a stand-alone adventure, but I recommend reading the novels in order nonetheless, as they do follow on from one another.

All three can be downloaded FREE from Amazon Kindle during the next five days.

Also, I must emphasise, these books are not just for children. Adult readers have found plenty to enjoy too (especially those who have picked up on some of the subtexts).

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Mars:

GGTM_600px

When George Hughes discovers he has inherited the planet Mars, he goes from poverty to becoming the richest boy on Earth overnight.

Accompanied by his new guardian, a mysterious secret agent and a crew of astronauts, George voyages to Mars to sell land to celebrities wanting to build interplanetary holiday homes. But sabotage, assassination attempts and the possibility of an alien threat plunge him into a deadly adventure…

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Titan:

 GGTT

The thrilling sequel to George goes to Mars…

A year on from his adventures on Mars, George Hughes faces an even deadlier peril as he travels to Titan on an urgent rescue mission. The mysterious Giles returns to help him, but assassins are once again on his tail, and a new, far greater alien menace lurks in the shadows waiting to strike.

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Neptune:

GGTN 1600 x 2400

In this spectacular sequel to George goes to Mars and George goes to Titan, George Hughes faces his most dangerous adventure yet.

Following the Titanian invasion, a deadly and very personal threat forces George to undertake a voyage to a top secret Martian research base on Neptune.

On this remote outpost, he uncovers a diabolical plot. But George is too late to prevent the catastrophe.

A catastrophe that will change his life forever…

Here are a couple of reviews from adults:

“A thoroughly enjoyable read” – Mark, Amazon.

“Reading like a cross between one of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ pulpy Mars adventures and a Robert Heinlein ‘juvenile’, this improbable yarn (just how many “saved in the nick of time” coincidences can one novel contain?) about a rags-to-riches-to-hero boy named George was nonetheless page-turningly entertaining. Perfect rainy day/sick day reading.” – Elizabeth Olson, Goodreads.

And here some thoughts from the target audience (at least I assume so, given the tone of their reviews):

“This was totally amazing! Involves space ships, aliens and more! A totally exciting adventure you’ll love!” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble.

“Pure awesomeness! Packed with suspense and adventure, as well as LOTS of action!” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble.

“Best book ever!” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble.

The George Hughes trilogy can be downloaded FREE here (book 1), here (book 2), and here (book 3).

 

Christmas Present Ideas Part One – Books for Children

Christmas is rapidly approaching, but if you are scratching your head over potential presents, why not try one of my novels?

Here, in the first of a two-part series, is a quick look at what I have written primarily for children, though I must emphasise these stories are not just for children. Amid the humour, thrills and scares are themes many adults will appreciate too – from the dangers of mollycoddling to overcoming fear, difficult parent/child relationships, murderous religious fundamentalism, sexual equality, civil rights, slavery, political corruption, the metaphysical and more…

My most recent novel, Echo and the White Howl, is a thrilling animal fiction adventure about a pack of wolves set in the wilds of Alaska.

Echo and the White Howl Cover 10 (FINAL)

Here is the blurb from the back of Echo and the White Howl:

When a wolf pack discovers humans lurking near their territory, Echo senses dark times ahead.

Despite the warnings and omens, Aatag, the pack Alpha, refuses to flee… leading to a cruel turn of events that forces Echo into exile, and a quest for revenge that will change the pack forever.

Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge is a gripping and scary tale involving spies, monsters, haunted houses, mad scientists and lots more besides, with action and thrills to spare. It was inspired by the nightmares of my youngest son, and the book is duly dedicated to him.

DrGibbles_1600x2400_front cover

Here is the blurb from the back of Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge:

September 1987.

Curiosity lands Tim Rawling in a world of secrets, spies and a desperate race against time.

The haunted house, the monster and the mad scientist are only the beginning of a terrifying adventure.

Uncle Flynn, my debut novel, was received very positively. A properly old-fashioned treasure hunt adventure with a big twist, this book is dedicated to my eldest son. and was largely inspired by our many excursions over Dartmoor, as well as a bit of local history.

Uncle Flynn_Cover_600px

Here is the blurb from the back of Uncle Flynn:

When timid eleven year old Max Bradley embarks on a hunt for buried treasure on Dartmoor with his mysterious Uncle Flynn, he discovers he is braver than he thought.

Together they decipher clues, find a hidden map and explore secret tunnels in their search. But with both police and rival treasure hunters on their tail, Max begins to wonder if his uncle is all he seems…

The George Hughes trilogy (comprising, in reading order, George goes to Mars, George goes to Titan and George goes to Neptune) is a thrilling, action-packed space tale set just over a hundred years in the future. Each story is a stand-alone adventure, but I recommend reading the novels in order nonetheless.

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Mars:

When George Hughes discovers he has inherited the planet Mars, he goes from poverty to becoming the richest boy on Earth overnight.

Accompanied by his new guardian, a mysterious secret agent and a crew of astronauts, George voyages to Mars to sell land to celebrities wanting to build interplanetary holiday homes. But sabotage, assassination attempts and the possibility of an alien threat plunge him into a deadly adventure…

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Titan:

The thrilling sequel to George goes to Mars…

A year on from his adventures on Mars, George Hughes faces an even deadlier peril as he travels to Titan on an urgent rescue mission. The mysterious Giles returns to help him, but assassins are once again on his tail, and a new, far greater alien menace lurks in the shadows waiting to strike.

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Neptune (my personal favourite of the three):

In this spectacular sequel to George goes to Mars and George goes to Titan, George Hughes faces his most dangerous adventure yet.

Following the Titanian invasion, a deadly and very personal threat forces George to undertake a voyage to a top secret Martian research base on Neptune.

On this remote outpost, he uncovers a diabolical plot. But George is too late to prevent the catastrophe.

A catastrophe that will change his life forever…

All the above books can be ordered on Kindle or as paperbacks from Amazon here.

 

All my novels now available as paperbacks from Amazon

At long last, I have stopped procrastinating, deferring, delaying, dilly-dallying, putting off, hanging fire, dragging my feet, beating about the bush and taking a rain check (or a “precipitation verification” as I sometimes call it, since the expression, American in origin, uses the spelling “check” rather than “cheque”). At any rate, I have finally decided to get off my backside and do what I should have done long ago and, to finally come to the point, ensure all my novels are available in paperback from Amazon Create Space, complete with physical pages that you can actually turn.

With that deliberately silly paragraph out of the way, to be more succinct, all my novels are now available from Amazon in dead tree format. Simply click here, and you’ll find them all listed accordingly.

Download the entire George Hughes trilogy FREE – for five days only!

The George Hughes trilogy is a thrilling, action-packed space tale set just over a hundred years in the future. Each story is a stand-alone adventure, but I recommend reading the novels in order nonetheless, as they do follow on from one another.

All three can be downloaded FREE from Amazon Kindle during the next five days.

Also, I must emphasise, these books are not just for children. Adult readers have found plenty to enjoy too (especially those who have picked up on some of the subtexts).

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Mars:

When George Hughes discovers he has inherited the planet Mars, he goes from poverty to becoming the richest boy on Earth overnight.

Accompanied by his new guardian, a mysterious secret agent and a crew of astronauts, George voyages to Mars to sell land to celebrities wanting to build interplanetary holiday homes. But sabotage, assassination attempts and the possibility of an alien threat plunge him into a deadly adventure…

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Titan:

The thrilling sequel to George goes to Mars…

A year on from his adventures on Mars, George Hughes faces an even deadlier peril as he travels to Titan on an urgent rescue mission. The mysterious Giles returns to help him, but assassins are once again on his tail, and a new, far greater alien menace lurks in the shadows waiting to strike.

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Neptune:

In this spectacular sequel to George goes to Mars and George goes to Titan, George Hughes faces his most dangerous adventure yet.

Following the Titanian invasion, a deadly and very personal threat forces George to undertake a voyage to a top secret Martian research base on Neptune.

On this remote outpost, he uncovers a diabolical plot. But George is too late to prevent the catastrophe.

A catastrophe that will change his life forever…

Here are a couple of reviews from adults:

“A thoroughly enjoyable read” – Mark, Amazon.

“Reading like a cross between one of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ pulpy Mars adventures and a Robert Heinlein ‘juvenile’, this improbable yarn (just how many “saved in the nick of time” coincidences can one novel contain?) about a rags-to-riches-to-hero boy named George was nonetheless page-turningly entertaining. Perfect rainy day/sick day reading.” – Elizabeth Olson, Goodreads.

And here some thoughts from the target audience (at least I assume so, given the tone of their reviews):

“This was totally amazing! Involves space ships, aliens and more! A totally exciting adventure you’ll love!” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble.

“Pure awesomeness! Packed with suspense and adventure, as well as LOTS of action!” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble.

“Best book ever!” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble.

The George Hughes trilogy can be downloaded FREE here

Print copies (not free, alas) can be ordered here (book 1), here (book 2) and here (book 3).

 

Are my novels one big existential crisis?

The other day, my wife made an observation about my body of work; namely that virtually all my novels, either peripherally or directly, concern an existential crisis. I thought about this, and have come to the conclusion that she is correct.

Notions of identity, delusion and not being able to trust reality are definitely a running theme in my work, along with other mainstays such as abuse of power, religious oppression and so forth. Here are some examples from the novels I have published thus far (avoiding major spoilers): 

George goes to Neptune – Admittedly the first two novels don’t deal with an existential crisis, but the third in the George Hughes trilogy definitely does. George’s highly unusual battle with his dark side is what inspired me to write this third novel and complete the trilogy.

Uncle Flynn – The question of who is Uncle Flynn runs throughout the entire novel, particularly during the hunt for the hidden treasure. Throughout much of the story, police pursue him and his nephew Max across Dartmoor, for mysterious unknown reasons.

Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge – An identity crisis of sorts lies at the heart of this story, involving Dr Gribbles’s daughter Emily and the Beast itself.

Children of the Folded Valley – Quantum physics and the nature of reality are a theme behind this story, still my most successful novel to date.

The Birds Began to Sing – From the very first chapter, it is clear that Alice’s perceptions of reality should be questioned. The suspense in many of the events that follow hinges on the question of whether or not what Alice is seeing is real or a delusion.

Love vs Honour – Spiritual identity crises form the heart of my attempt at teenage romantic drama.

Most recently, my supernatural thriller cum horror story The Thistlewood Curse pulls the rug out from the reader in a variety of existential crises involving ghosts, astral projection and more. You can download or buy a print copy of The Thistlewood Curse here.

Existential crisis remains a theme in virtually all my (as yet) unpublished novels, and this will no doubt continue to be the case.