Böcker utgivna av Empire Publications Ltd

Sandra Partington has led a dog's life. Abused by her husband and humiliated by her sister, she finds the strength to take revenge on both with spectacular consequences. In her fifth novel, Karen Woods deals with issues as diverse as domestic violence and celebrity culture in a way which will make you laugh and cry.

As heroin addict Shaun Cook lies comatose in hospital following a suicide attempt, his family come to terms with his life and their part in his downfall. At turns funny and heart-breaking, Karen Woods'' fourth novel sees her return to familiar territory to craft an indictment of modern society that will make you laugh and cry.

For most supporters of Sunderland AFC, the history of their club would probably be best represented by the names of the mid 1930s team, particularly Gurney and Carter, undoubted Wearside football legends. The name of Charlie Buchan also looms large even today in the tale of a football club whose history can be cut like a knife. Although Charlie Buchan might still be a revered fi gure on Wearside, his team mates aren't and yet the 1912/13 season, which is the subject of this book, produced arguably the fi nest Sunderland team ever to grace the famous red and white striped shirts. It came the closest the club has ever come to winning the double, almost became the first English football club to achieve it in the 20th century, yet the names of Albert Milton, Frank Cuggy, Jackie Mordue and the rest of Sunderland's league champions and FA Cup finalists that season have long since been cast into the annals of the club's history. Even the football club's near talismanic and perhaps finest ever captain Charlie Thomson is seemingly forgotten. The was team guided by Bob Kyle, Sunderland AFC's longest serving manager, he too also forgotten. This book looks at the matches and the characters that shaped an immensely successful 1912/13 season. Although they were crowned league champions, perhaps an enduring highlight, although it ultimately ended in defeat, was the now legendary FA Cup final which took place at The Crystal Palace in April 1913, before a world record crowd. For the first time in the 20th Century England's top two football teams contested for the most coveted domestic knockout cup competition in world football and what a tale it tells; an iconic match. Finally, to give the book a social context and a flavour of the times, we have captured the main news stories of the 1912/13 period which includes some momentous incidents such as the sinking of the Titanic; another iconic event.

There wasn''t much to cheer about for Manchester City fans during the mid-1980s. With the club''s coffers empty following a disastrous series of signings at the start of the decade, City seemed in decline as attendances dwindled and interest waned. The only relief from the gloom came in the form of a talented crop of youngsters that arrived at the club from 1983 onwards. Fourteen teenagers who would go on to accomplish something supporters had waited 33 years to achieve. Producing one''s own players has always been an emblem of pride for football supporters. Established in 1953, the FA Youth Cup has always been the litmus test of a club''s youth policy. Until 1986 Manchester City had reached the final twice but actually winning the trophy had proved to be a step too far. Teenage Kicks is the story of how ''The Class of 1986'' won the prestigious trophy for the first time in the club''s history and using both exclusive and archive interviews, it describes how the team came together and details what became of each of the fourteen teenagers from that point onwards.

For any normal individual, a round the world trip of a lifetime would mean abandoning all thoughts of everyday life and embracing a jetset lifestyle. Not so David Blatt. While his long-suffering wife Helene embarked upon a 90,000 mile global odyssey with thoughts of ticking-off as many of the world''s wonders as possible, David felt the magnetic pull of the other love of his life, Manchester United, and the prospect of a whole year without watching Eric''s Disciples on Earth. As David proves in "The Red Eye", it is now possible to watch the world''s most famous club from almost any part of the globe, with the honourable exception of the Galapagos Islands. From India to Brazil via most points in between, he catches The Reds on dodgy internet streams, at the back of beachside cafes, in restaurants, Aussie pubs and overcrowded hostel reception areas, while Helene plans the next day''s breathtaking trip to the likes of the Taj Mahal or Machu Picchu. What emerges is a sharply humorous and insightful account of a trip across four continents with the protagonists often at odds over the purpose of the day: Magnificent Utopia or Manchester United...No contest!

With evil Gordon locked up in Strangeways for 5 years, the characters from Karen Woods' debut novel 'Broken Youth' come to terms with life without him. Misty, now married to Dominic, gives birth to Gordon's child, Charlotte. Her former best friend Francesca also gives birth to one of Gordon's children, Rico, while staying with Gordon's heroin addicted brother Tom. Meanwhile, as the clock ticks down on his sentence, Gordon broods on the injustice of his situation and plots sweet revenge on those on the outside.

Gerry Blayney has been through highs and lows supporting his beloved Liverpool Football Club. From the glory of watching the reds win countless trophies to the death of relatives and friends, he has seen it all. Here he recounts his exploits following 'the redmen' all over the country and into Europe, with typical Scouse wit. From a young lad watching his heroes battle their way out of the Second Division to the glory of the all-conquering Liverpool team of the 70s and 80s to the improbable glory of Istanbul, Gerry has seen nearly all of it in a Liverpool 'career' stretching back to 1956. He also lost his son in the Hillsborough disaster and his best mate in a car wreck on the way back from an away game. Somehow has soldiered on and as Gerry himself states, he would not have been able to get through it without the help and support of the Liverpool football family.