Böcker utgivna av Silverbird Publishing

You only live once, right? Suppose you discover you lived a previous existence. Would you want to know?

In 18th century Isle of Man eleven-year-old Alice Moore, was seemingly abandoned by her mother, then thrown, penniless, into the street by the landlord and left fend for herself.In her struggle to survive, she slept wherever she could find a bit of shelter and had to steal most of her food. Alice became an expert at evading capture, but at times she did not escape and on several occasions was sentenced to a term of imprisonment in Castletown gaol.Eventually, she was caught trying to steal a loaf of bread and was sentenced to be sent to 'a part beyond the seas' for a term of seven years. After several months in the dreaded Newgate Gaol, she was dispatched, with the second fleet on a vessel - the Lady Juliana - which carried only female convicts, about half of whom were prostiutes. At all the ports they called at the 'ladies of the night' plied their trade to raise a nest egg for when they arrived in their new land, and earned the ship the nickname - The Floating Brothel.A day short of a year after leaving Galleons Reach in London, and after a horrendous voyage Alice found herself in Port Jackson, in Australia, which was not the town she had expected, but just a scruffy scattering of tents and wooden huts.An even more horrifying event unfolded, when a few days after her arrival, the rest of the notorious second fleet arrived.Once again, she had to find a way to survive.

Edgar Hodgkiss is roped into opening and closing the curtains between the acts of an amateur dramatic production. But after reading the scriptHodgkiss soon decides that it has been written with murder in mind. And he is not wrong. At the climax of the unlikely plot the hero of the piece is stabbed to death while tied into a chair. The prop knife, made to retract on contact, and the real knife, that obviously did the job, both have disappeared. It is Hodgkiss'' daughter, Esme, who made her stage debut in the role of a scantily clad French maid, who makes the sharp observation that leads to Hodgkiss exposing the murderer. Behind the scenes it was the corrupt faction of the Kanundda Council that was the architect of the whole deadly performance.Readers of the mystery genre are familiar with the scenario where a person is kidnapped and held prisoner in a basement or cellar. The problem facingthe captive is how to make contact with those on the outside who can mount a rescue. In these two stories, Hodgkiss and the Miraculous Message and Hodgkiss and the erroneous eMail, we see two solutions to the problem and it is Hodgkiss'' glamourous friend, Pat Strong, who helps provide the logical answers to these two intriguing problems.

Hypsipyle is one of those mythical characters from ancient Greek literature who was well known at the time of Apollonius, Ovid and Statius, butis largely unknown today. From her life as the daughter of King Thoas and Queen Myrina on the northern Aegean island of Limnos, through her short reign as a monarch who was eventually sold into slavery, Tony Whitefield recreates her story using the existing literature and a fair degree of imagination. We are introduced to her life through the eyes of Peter, an ageing story teller from Limnos, who has made his living re-telling her story to any group who will employ him. This is to be his last time as a storyteller, as he is old and wants to retire to a quiet life on the remote island of Chryse with his goats and sheep for his remaining years.

Cornwall is cut off from the rest of England by the River Tamar which effectively makes the country an "e;island"e;. Consequently, its geographical isolation meant that Cornish people developed their own language, food and customs - and regarded the rest of England as they would regard any other foreign country such as France, or Spain.However, there was something particularly unusual which distinguished Cornwall from all other English counties - and that was its unique, immense, subterranean repository copper and tin ores. Unfortunately there was no coal under Cornish soil. For many centuries, even as far back as the time of the great Roman Empire, foreign ships arrived in Cornwall to take away its tin. There is an ancient legend (concerning the "e;Hidden Years"e; of Christ's boyhood) which says that Jesus actually visited Cornwall with his uncle who was the wealthy merchant named Joseph of Arimathea.Jews came to Cornwall to trade for the precious metal and that is why smelting-houses near the tin mines were known locally as "e;Jew's Houses"e; even up to the 19th century.

It is the story of two young children, born into the poverty-stricken years of the Isle of Man, when drunkenness and smuggling were rife. Two children who were imprisoned for the heinous crime of stealing a scrap of food to keep themselves alive.Daniel, worldly-wise, who has had to fend for himself for most of his ten years of life. Unwanted from birth, abandoned and unloved, he has had the strength to develop into a caring young man, old and mature for his age.Eight-year-old Isabella, who had been forced to flee from home to escape being sold into prostitution by a depraved mother. Small for her age, she is frail and unable to look after herself.Released from gaol in Castle Rushen in midwinter, with no home to go to, the children team up in a heartrending battle for survival. As they slither rapidly into further trouble and disaster looms, it is only their involvement with a smuggling family that saves them from deportation to the Americas or possibly even death!

In 1980 escaping city life, Red Baxter joined an expedition by truck covering Latin America from California down to Cape Horn, and back up to the carnival at Rio. We met with harsh climates, heat, cold, and dust; also corrupt authorities, assaults, and maladies. The upside was forming enduring friendships, and enjoying remote locations, ruins, extreme peaks, deserts and lakes, glaciers, forests, and learning about the different local cultures. Best of all was the wildlife and the surprises each new day brought.As the going got tougher I left the others behind and noticed for the first time I was actually treading a built granite path, the Inca Trail proper, in an acute state of disrepair due to the disturbances of frosts and roots and animal hooves during centuries of abandon. The trail was very crooked and stepped in places, following the contours of the mountain up to a high ledge, a position of natural advantage over all the valley.While I climbed the irregular man-made stairway up the ledge, they advanced on round the mountain on their way to the second pass, but did not stop to study the Inca ruins along the way as I did. I sat on the ledge to wait for Frank and his newfound chum and looked around at the prolific and varied flowers. Thus it was I who made the discovery that the whole ledge was not natural at all but actually a built-up fortification such as a sentry-post overlooking the L- shaped valley.Within sight of the guardhouse ledge, about half an hour higher up the valley, was Runkuraqay, an Inca waystation, with a door at the back opening into two concentric circular walls, between which were rooms ten feet wide and long. Here (as everywhere that people camp) was a lot of garbage, the one unpleasant feature of the hike. This ruin is at 12,500 feet and I explored it until Frank caught up.

An Eco-terrorist organisation formed with lofty ideals...a ratbag wealthy industrialist egomaniac...a plot to overturn the entire Australian political process...a major natural gas processing plant at risk...a giant crocodile...RAN patrol boats...an assassination contract targeting the PM. All the ingredients for a Firebird cocktail...definitely shaken, not stirred!Book 3 in the Firebird series sees the Special Marine Strike Force (SMSF) head for the Pilbara to deliver their own special brand of mayhem and retribution on the bad guys.

The time is a a far distant future, nearly two millennia after the collapse of our own civilisation. The Baron of Raspero has been driven into exile, from where he plots his return to his ancestral homeland. Eleanor Leland, a student of metaphysics and one of the renowned beauties of the age, keeps a wary eye on the factions which threaten her family. A beautiful witch, the feared head of the secret police, a forger who is in love with a lady-in-waiting who keeps a tell-all diary, a poet-criminal and a double agent all manoeuvre through the treacherous waters of the fatal politics of the ancient mystical kingdom of Westrigonia, where what is at stake is the throne itself.Everything happened faster than all-at-once. Suddenly Matthias was not sitting in his chair as four discs slammed into its oaken backing with a multiple impact that echoed around the Waiting Room of the Portal, burying themselves a third of their length into the wood, such was the ferocity of their velocity. Simultaneously with the flight of the discs came the four assassins flying through the air, wand-hands moving forward and then down to their feet to govern their motion. They were in a Y-shaped formation, straight out of the textbook.Unluckily for them, Matthias had read that textbook.For lovers of steampunk and fantasy, The Unexpected King will have you cheering for Matthias Raspero, the wand-fighting hero and wishing that you too, could transport to the world of Westrigonia, where everyone who has a wand is not afraid to use it in a duel to maintain one's honour.

Relationship difficulties, anxiety and depression are common triggers for men and women to seek counselling. Amanda Stuart describes how it becomes clear that old wounds - neglect, hurt and anger - are at the heart of the presenting problem, often decades later. She decided to write The Longest Journey to highlight the effect of buried pain.

Inspired by the author's formative years in Sri Lanka (Ceylon in the book), her loves, sorrows, and above all her muse Vivien Leigh, Serenading the Dawn is a nostalgic, at times playful, at times heartbreaking, informative, and whimsical journey in verse. Illustrated with evocative and wistful pencil sketches and written in a style that evokes imagery of an era long gone, this sentimental anthology will appeal to lovers of history, cinema, family, nostalgia and romance.

The author, who hails from Scotland, spent many hours listening to her mother-in-law recount, in vivid detail, memories of her childhood days in the tiny village of Patrick, in the Isle of Man, during the First World War. As Lou talked, the author realised she was listening to history, a lot of which no one else could tell, and that if Lou were to die, all that history would be lost forever. So she wrote it all down and turned it into Hedge of Thorns.In those days the village was dwarfed by the huge internment camp at Knockaloe, created for the accommodation of thousands of men classed as enemy aliens. Men whose only crimes were to have German, Austrian or Turkish origins.Hedge of Thorns is a true account of the impact that the Great War and the monster of Knockaloe camp had on the lives of a Manx family which still followed the traditional crofting way of life. It is a most moving and memorable story of the stresses and strains which shattered the peaceful existence of a family whose loved ones were caught up in the emergencies of war.Throughout Europe, during those dreadful war-torn years, millions of families were suffering similar deprivation, fear, loss and heartbreak.Millions died in most dreadful ways and millions more eventually returned home crippled in either body or mind. Or both!It was to be the war to end all wars, for no one could imagine such stupidity happening again but-!

Harry Stevens, a Middle Eastern war hero, thought that recovering in Eden with his huge and mystical cat, Jasper, after his catamaran is bashed around by a storm, would be a delightful break from his sailing voyage around Australia. However, the finger of fate in the very pleasant form of an abused, runaway wife and her two lively, wilful and beautiful teenage daughters lands Harry in more trouble than he could ever imagine.Harry's hopes for a quiet time in this beautiful and peaceful town are shattered as he learns that the psychotic, vengeful husband is pulling out all stops in an effort to locate, not just his wife, but even more so the girls for his own, much darker purposes. Suddenly on the run, Harry is forced to fall back on his natural inventiveness and SAS training to combat an increasingly resourceful foe who shows that there is truly no limit to human lust, greed, depravity and treachery.Barely staying one step ahead of his pursuers, Harry forms some most unlikely alliances to try to defeat his many opponents with their limitless resources.

Once upon a time there was a young frog who was dissatisfied with his lot in life. He yearned to fly around the world and do exciting things. Much to his surprise a good fairy drops by his pond and grants him his wish. She turns him into a goose but she could not change his colour. At long last he flies off to lead an adventurous life. But after months of travel he feels lonely and totally dispirited. He quietly dreams of returning home to be with his friends and family. In a cold, remote, forsaken cave he finally reaches the point where he wants to throws in the towel. But the fairy returns and, after a discussion, grants him a second wish…

Harry Stevens, the Middle-Eastern war hero from Hitch-Hikers, the first book in the Firebird series, thought that having dinner at the pub and chatting up the waitress was a safe and pleasant way to pass an evening, but circumstances conspire to dump the delivery of a new super-drug as well as a large bag of bikie gang cash in his lap. Assumptions are made, confusions are leapt to, shots are fired, people are dead and Harry finds himself in the middle of a bikie gang war with both sides looking to take him out. And that's not to dinner!Being on the hit lists of all the Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs in SE Queensland, Harry is forced to run for his life, but not before stocking up on lovely girls, rum and a few select close friends. Harry's mystical giant cat, Jasper once again proves that he's more than worth any two humans in a fight.Harry, the floating trouble magnet, discovers that being shot in Afghanistan was nothing like being the focus of attention of all the OMC's in South East Queensland. His inventiveness gets the workout of a lifetime as he tries to stay one jump ahead of the bad guys as they form strange alliances to find him.

Many people have described Hilary as being "brave" and "courageous". Hilary describes herself in this story as someone who just got on with living her life. Two very important aspects of Hilary's character were her ability to live life and her overwhelming love and concern for her fellow humans. Despite all the problems she faced and the extreme level of her disabilities, she worked hard to build the most satisfying and fulfilling life possible.This was not something new, a character trait developed as a result of her accident, rather it was something which has characterised her whole approach to life. Life may not have been easy, but it was for living. Hilary loved people and was deeply concerned about their welfare. This love was a dominant factor in her working life. One of the things she regretted most after her accident was that she could no longer continue working as a nurse helping other people. Despite that, loving and caring continued to be important aspects of her life. Both of these aspects of Hilary are very evident in this book. I hope you enjoy reading The Day I Fell Off My Bicycle.

'Life is a bit like a patchwork quilt. You have to make the best quilt you can with the fabrics you have, not the ones you might have wished for.'Danny McBride knew full well he would one day marry a Catholic girl and was troubled by his father's hostility to his friendship with Jane, the Protestant girl who lived next door. Where was the harm in a few games of tennis? The local priest assured Danny the Church was happy for him to be neighbourly with Jane but cautioned him to be careful - people's attitudes towards one another can change. The priest was correct, but no one could have foreseen the extent of the changes to the lives of Danny and Jane which would be wrought by the fall of a marble in the National Service ballot of 1965.

This book is the life's story of Elvira Ramirez Rostata, a woman with strong family values and a strong faith in God.Although she had suffered many tragedies from her childhood, it did not deter her to chase her dreams, and the determination to succeed. Her dedication to help her parents and siblings for a better life will be admired by the readers.This is a book for all ages, from all walks of life.A book that will inspire readers to believe in themselves regardless of all the difficulties and obstacles they will encounter as they walk through the journeys of their lives.

Wondering how you can get to sing that song you always wanted to without running out of breath, and sing it all in tune? Need to sing at your best friend's wedding or maybe in a school production? Perhaps you want to sing with a band, start a professional career or maybe you are a grandparent who just wants to know that every time you sing to your grandchildren you are singing those family songs in tune.Are you tired of criticism for singing out of tune & running out of breath? You know you cannot always make those high notes sound good. Do you really want to make an impression? Well, you can.Whatever your desire may be, it is achievable.With I Can Sing But Where Is My Voice? finally there is a guide for the student who wants to know how to sing well. This guide will help you to identify what it is you need to know and gives you the tools to apply the skills required. Advice that works given time and genuine input from you, the singer.Besides the sections on how to breathe and using breathing control for singing, what you can learn from I Can Sing But Where Is My Voice? is how to use scales to sing in tune, including interesting vocal exercises & techniques that strengthen your voice. Learn the correct microphone technique,and more. There's even a section on how to practice and use charts to get results. You can read through the students stories & FAQ's too. They were once where you are now.I Can Sing But Where Is My Voice? has been specially crafted by Ricci Carr as a practical guide for the beginner, and for the seasoned performer who really wants to get ahead.

The mighty water-wheel at Laxey mines in the Isle of Man has been set in motion. In its great shadow, Sarah and Patrick have fallen in love. It is a love that must be kept secret, for Patrick is Irish. Sarah’s mother — Judith — has lost her mind and blames an Irishman for her husband being imprisoned ‘across the water’ in Liverpool, where she can never visit him.The two young lovers desperately desire to wed and be together, but Judith’s increasing madness, which began when she lost some of her childer to a savage disease and deepened on her husband’s incarceration, proved too strong a pull.Sarah’s deep loyalty to her mother also stands between the lovers, indeed life itself thwarts their every effort to find a way toward their happiness.Patrick’s friend — Robert — is going to Australia to make his fortune mining for gold and has asked Patrick to accompany him. With no other option and seemingly with the cards stacked against them, Patrick and Sarah are both heartbroken.Knowing that her mother will never recover from her illness and will always need her support, Sarah tells Patrick he must go with Robert to make a life for himself without her, and to forget her, and the love they share.

As I held her in my arms and kissed her, I remembered those vows we said to each other on that Friday night so many years ago. We had certainly kept our word to each other. She was the only woman I had kissed in the 49 years since I was19 years old and probably the only woman I will ever kiss. My life changed the day I met her.She was in a hospital…How and why did her lung collapse?How and why did she go into cardiac arrest?How did the femoral artery become blocked?28 hours ago she only had the fluI shouldn’t have to make this decision…21 days of agonyA wife, mother, sister, friend, a life destroyed.

What is the mysterious violin music that seduces young Tom Dolmer one day at the market with his mother? Music that appears only once and then is gone. But music which thereafter haunts and tantalises him as he struggles to find his place in life. His mother had marked him out to run the family engineering firm, but now the music of Esther’s violin has turned his head and opened his heart to other possibilities.Who is Esther and why does she bring together Tom’s practical and prosaic family with the glamour and enchantment of the bohemian Gilles family and their beautiful, highly-strung but wonderfully talented daughter, Clara?The answers are found in this sensitive and stylish new novel — set in Europe in the early 1960s. Populated with a cast of richly-drawn and eccentric characters it is a novel that will resonate with all who have fought against their own family circumstances to find their place in life.

For Whom the River Runs is a novel set in a country town in 1954. Peter Devereau is the only child of the newly appointed Shire Secretary, and Aadje Kuiper the son of Dutch immigrants. As outsiders, they face intolerance and brutal rites-of-passage.The fate of the town's inhabitants is wedded to the river that flows through its heart. The river's tranquillity masks a menace that rends the town asunder. The river defines the limits of privilege and has spawned a festering social and political divide.The novel takes the reader on a romp through a small country town, where chicanery, defiance and humour define the ethos. It is also the story of a small town local government steeped in conservative values, controlled by a small elite.The two friends, mocked and spurned, find solace in each other's company. Cameos by a variety of colourful characters are the tint and glaze of Bowater's tragic and discordant canvas. It is into this troubled setting that the newly appointed Shire Secretary, his wife and young son are inexorably drawn.