In Landscape – She is a PA who dreams of running her own art gallery. He is an IT technician gambling away everything he wants. They meet and fall in love. Their relationship is threatened by endless bets even whilst they share their love of paintings.
Years later some dreams are fulfilled others are dashed. Will the former lovers meet again? This is a contemporary romance now available in Audio format.
The book is also available from Amazon in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada and selected other Amazon sites
Sails is published today. It’s the third part of the Sailing Clear Series following on from Sailing Clear and Sail Chains. Sails is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats worldwide
Sails
Sails is the third part of the Sailing Clear Series
Despite the declared end of the pandemic, there are still threats to the UK, particularly from Russia. Friends from across the Atlantic who like to meddle continue to track and follow the shadowy financing team supporting the UK’s security services. They assured the UK they would not, but disparate agencies in the USA have different agendas.
Michelle and Hugh Turnbill are now married. The couple still manage MI5’s and MI6’s clandestine funds. They occasionally sail around the Greek Islands with the Harper sisters or stay at their new house in Mykonos. They desire a normal life but are aware that caution must still be exercised, and complacency avoided. A Treasury probe investigating missing funds puts their way of life and lives in danger.
An unhappy assistant in the Treasury has been leaking information to someone who appears to be a journalist but he is actually sending the reports to Russia. The Russian security services launch an urgent investigation and may well take more direct action. They discover names and some photos. Information previously covered up by a Russian general.
MI6 needs to protect the system, but some elements still want more control. Kathrine commences an operation to protect them. One of her old assets needs to escape Russia.
Russian forces are closing in and are keeping an eye on the Treasury. MI5 is keeping an eye on them in an effort to identify the source of the Russian information. The finance team needs to dodge all the other teams trying to take control of them and the money.
Not Too Much – Alex has everything. He’s one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. He’s chased by the Paparazzi and once went out with a communist. Now he hides from publicity whilst trying to find a soul mate.
Victoria is a struggling waitress in a London restaurant. She shares a flat with Sophie an aspiring actress whilst trying not to give up a dream of making a success.
They meet and try to make it work in this contemporary romance now out in Audio Book format.
The book is also available from Amazon in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada and selected other Amazon sites
Attempts continue daily trying to hack my web site. On multiple occasions I have approached IP address holder via the WHOIS service to complain and received bland reassurances. An example of the recent IP address is below the table. Once a host has been established from where the hacking attempt is coming from, you then have to fill in the contact form or abuse form for the host company. A few days later you’ll get a bland reassurance back and the hacks continue sometimes from the same IP address. In the table below, I have listed some of these hacking attempts over the last month. I get 50-100 every 24 hours. I’ll probably get more now.
UPDATE
Nothing back from web sites about IP addresses and in last 48 hours 1-3 Aug 2023 I’ve logged over 500 attempts. Waste of bandwidth….
Purpose of Trying To Hack My Web Site
It’s unclear why these bots or their instigators are trying to hack my site. The site has reputational value to me, but has no e-commerce element except links to book sites. It does not hold membership lists of thousands – in fact no members with no private data, except cookie lists – see privacy policy. It may be fun but it’s just a pain and so far unsuccessful. I’m not saying what my user account name is for admin access. Nor am I giving out a password/phrase but it’s strong and then there is 2FA, Two-Factor Authentication. That means these brute force attempts get nowhere even if they did get my username and password.
It’s all a colossal waste of time and resources for all parties. Having worked in the cyber security field, I know how much effort this costs for a company and what sort of reward these criminals are after. The databases or monetary ransom from encryption, but again why my site?
Missing girls, missing money, missing man, luxury motor yachts, and the people chasing them.
An old MI6 undercover mission to prevent terrorists entering the UK via sex trafficking routes went wrong. The undercover agent is assigned to a new role. A man lost in the shadows manages the hidden finances of the security services but dreams of a better life sailing the Mediterranean. When he runs off he is hunted, but he may have been killed by an organised crime leader. The police are assigned to find him. Two sisters run away to Greece from the sexual abuse of their father. The characters intersect as the hunt commences. Then the security services need to find options to deal with the fallout. The undercover agent now in her new planning role is assigned to trace the missing financier, but a corrupt cop may give them all away.
Semblance of Storms has been republished following a restructure, and re-edit.
A novel of writing, lust, storms, secrets and relationships…
It is available in Kindle and Paperback format on Amazon. I have also posted the title available for translation on BabelCube and for Audio narration on ACX
All that is required, by his publishers is to write a fourth book, not like the flop that was his third. His successful first two books bought him fame, some fortune and disputes with his terminally ill father. He wants his son to help with his half-sister. If only her mom, wouldn’t give confusing messages on what she wants; possibly him. A family friend and lawyer will help, as he always has done but there are secrets in his past too.
His new book will be a tale of boy meets girl in his usual elaborate and descriptive style. His agent, wants him to produce it soon but he has his own pressures from his new investors. There might be a movie deal to be negotiated. The new investor is represented by an attractive woman who is infamous for other reasons.
His editor, wants him to finish the book so she can stop his publisher asking for the advance back. She hopes he has written something as good as his first published book. He does too. He needs to concentrate on writing this book not drafting anything else. Old lost, and possible new loves and lusts, keep distracting him. The idle beach lifestyle diverts him as do post pandemic visitors.
Just when he begins to make progress on the last chapters a hurricane approaches his home in North Carolina. If he goes to visit his father, another storm may await in Houston. His neighbor and that family add further complications and secrets that need to be hidden or avoided, especially from the FBI.
WIPs are works in progress otherwise known as the trials and tribulations of writing.This is the never ending search for the next book to read. Reading requires authors to write stories, meaning me, in this case. I look with envy at other writers with seemingly endless series that all seem to sell well, judging from the number of reviews they receive. My only criticism is the formulaic nature of the stories; however, it’s a formula that sells.
I’ve been wading through several linked series by Mark Dawson covering the John Milton character and two spin off stories with their own series – over thirty books I think. I’ve also been enjoying Mick Herron’s Slough House series. It is a recent Apple TV+ drama, renamed as Slow Horses from the title of the first book in the series. Having read that, I must congratulate the TV makers in their adherence to the story.
Progress
My own progress has been slow in completing my Coming Soon list. This remains a longer list on the dedicated page on this site. It also includes additions to one series. Except my sci-fi Space Opera The Observers, none of my books set out to be series.
As long as we don’t define soon, as anytime this decade, the tales may appear! It is high time I updated the list on the main page. Perhaps, it might lead to more focus on the actual writing. If I list what I have actually been working on rather than hoping to work on, progress may be inspired.
Showing some possible cover choices too. The other coming soon books have not gone away in terms of I have not thrown the files away. The list below is in closest to publication order but this of course can change.
Other books remain as WIP, including the third part of The Observers story. That has stalled. The never-ending search for the sequel to To The Survivors continues. It gets occasional single line updates.
Written
A Novel of storms, secrets and relationships
Editors Note – Now renamed and published 1st November 2022 as Semblance of Storms
A novel of writing, lust, storms, secrets and relationships – A major effort and close to completion. It’s huge (for me). I have also tried to release it (so far unsuccessfully) via a formal route with literary agents etc. The draft blurb is below and will be on the dedicated page for Written when it is published
All that is required, by his publishers is to write a fourth book, not like the flop that was his third. His successful first two books bought him fame, some fortune and disputes with his terminally ill father. He wants his son to help with his half-sister. If only her mom, wouldn’t give confusing messages on what she wants; possibly him. A family friend and lawyer will help, as he always has done but there are secrets in his past too.
His new book will be a tale of boy meets girl in his usual elaborate and descriptive style. His agent, wants him to produce it soon but he has his own pressures from his new investors. There might be a movie deal to be negotiated. The new investor is represented by an attractive woman who is infamous for other reasons.
His editor, wants him to finish the book so she can stop his publisher asking for the advance back. She hopes he has written something as good as his first published book. He does too. He needs to concentrate on writing this book not drafting anything else. Old lost, and possible new loves and lusts, keep distracting him. The idle beach lifestyle diverts him as do post pandemic visitors.
Just when he begins to make progress on the last chapters a hurricane approaches his home in North Carolina. If he goes to visit his father, another storm may await in Houston. His neighbor and that family add further complications and there are more secrets to hide or avoid, especially from the FBI.
Sails
The third part of the Sailing series with Sailing Clear and Sail Chains already out. The first chapters have been completed. The plot is outlined and progressing.
Recount
A follow up to Counter – first chapters completed Ben and Helen return a few years after the events in Counter.
Today 31st March is a strange day. Following redundancy I have decided to retire from full-time employment. I wish I could say my working life has No Regrets like the song but there have been many. I didn’t do it all My Way either despite many positives.
History
I started full time work with a small company called Microwave Associates as an electronics technician before moving to British Aerospace testing missile components – which could be a lot of fun – I had a penchant for blowing things up.
I joined the Royal Air Force and was commissioned in time for the end of the Falklands War, luckily I didn’t go down there until later.
After 17.5 years I left to start a civilian career. I had lots of jobs with lots of different companies, some so-called permanent roles and then may engagements was a contractor. Some contractor roles lasted longer than the permanent ones. That was before returning to full time for the last ten years or so and now that has come to an end.
What Now
Of course, never say never, but… I have hectic plans for the next few months, and a very long list of things that I have been putting off. Now, I may I have more time. I’ll continue to write whenever I can or get the urge.
I’ll still take photos and post some. I hope to get my guitar and piano back to a decent standard (Not much hope there). Perhaps, I will finish digitising old photo albums.
My much better half has a few things planned, and we have travel plans too. Perhaps another long distance walk, now the memory of the pain of the last few days of South Downs has dimmed.
All these plans depend on maintaining our health and keeping finances in budget.
Reflections
This is a time to reflect, and I have been over the last few weeks. The clock has slowly ticked down. No more email and Teams meetings. No more deadlines and fighting corporate bureaucracy. I will miss work colleagues, but I won’t miss late night go-lives or security incidents.
None of us know how long we’ll have left to enjoy life. I certainly intend to enjoy what time I do have without worrying about booking leave and making sure that task is complete. So, a new chapter begins. That reminds me I need to get writing….
Alex has everything. He’s one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. He’s chased by the Paparazzi and once went out with a communist. Now he hides from publicity whilst trying to find a soul mate.
Victoria is a struggling waitress in a London restaurant. She shares a flat with Sophie an aspiring actress whilst trying not to give up a dream of making a success.
They meet and try to make it work in this contemporary romance
One Morning In The Office – a satire @realdonaldtrump
"Who the hell are you?"
"I'm the cleaner Mr. President."
"Where is everyone?"
"Who, Sir?"
"Sean, Reince, Michael, even that Comey fella?"
"I'm not sure I am the right one to ask?"
"You're part of my staff aren't you, you should know."
"Actually my Great Leader pays for me to be here."
"So I can't fire you."
"You could but Mr. Putin would not be happy."
"Vlad sent you, to be my cleaner?"
"No, it was agreed at the meeting. I'm a Russian orphan you have helped into the country."
"But your nearly 60?"
"Both my parents are dead."
"I think that qualifies then. So where is every one?"
"Who Sir?
"Sean and the rest of them?"
"You fired them Sir."
"I'm good at that had a TV show did you watch it?"
"I preferred the British version."
"There's a British version?"
"Yes a Mr. Sugar runs it."
"You're making it up."
"No Sir it's on the BBC and Cable."
"Not Fox?"
"No. Look, should I get someone for you to talk to? Our Great Leader will want me to report back on something not just our chat."
"Is there anyone else?"
"Your new Communications Director."
"Remind me..."
"Anthony Scaramucci."
"Er..."
"I'll go get him Sir. Your new chief of staff will be over soon too."
"Who's that?"
"John Kelly, he's a general."
"I thought I fired the general."
"This is a different one."
"I have more than one?"
"You have many generals. Mr President, but it's a state secret how many."
"I'm the President you can tell me."
"I mean a Russian State Secret- I would have to ask our other Great Leader."
"Don't bother Vlad."
"I think Xi has the latest count."
"Good man Xi. So where is Anthony Scara, Scar erm..."
"He's sorting out the lot Sir."
"The what?"
"He's offering a special opening day sale, using the White House lawn; nice balloons."
"Selling what?"
"American cars I believe. He's got a latino couple in at the moment trying to get them to take the limo' with all the trimmings."
"Has he checked their immigration status?"
"I'm sure he will, after he has the money."
"Good man."
"Was there anything else Mr. President only I need to see my doctor?"
"No as long as you have finished tidying up. You get health care with this role?"
"No Mr. President but thanks to you I still have ObamaCare."
"What!"
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@ucloud.cn'
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