Just Don’t Make a Scene, Mum!


Book Description

Parents – Aaaaargh! Jemma’s are out of date. They still think she should wear the hand-knitted jumper with little bears on it to school – and they call her petal in public! Laura’s are divorced. Gone is the lovely big house. Now it is a grotty little one. And her mum was seen kissing Melvyn outside Tesco . . . Sumitha’s want her to keep their cultural traditions – which don’t include boys, make-up or a trendy hair cut . . . Jon’s keep bragging about his academic brilliance – but in reality it’s not stellar, nor is it where his heart is . . . Chelsea’s mum is a writer of ghastly features for the local paper, an agony aunt and a wearer of mini-skirts . . . The five teenagers’ paths (and those of their mortifyingly embarrassing parents) cross and part throughout this hilarious book set in Leehampton.




How Could You Do This To Me, Mum?


Book Description

Do your parents ever stop making you cringe?Chelsea’s father sells soup from a van, which is bad enough, but he doesn’t have to park it on street corners for all her friends to see! Jemma is determined to be an actress – so why can’t her parents be a bit more supportive? Sumitha delights her parents by turning into a total swot – if only they knew the reason behind it . . . Jon is sure he’s never going to impress Sumitha when his ghastly, keep-fit fanatic of a father keeps calling her the wrong name, and his born-again student mother spends all her time at demos! Laura’s mother, pregnant and seemingly set on destroying the planet, forbids her to go on demos with the buff Daniel. Even worse, her father, now living with the Bestial Betsy, seems to be getting a little too keen on whisky . . .




The Tideway Girls


Book Description

Two sisters. United by friendship. Divided by disgrace. In a powerful saga from Pam Evans, The Tideway Girls reveals a country torn apart by the Great War - from the quiet fishing villages of Essex to the beating heart of London, the population struggles to find hope after tragedy. Perfect for fans of Cathy Sharp and Rosie Goodwin. It's 1904, and close sisters Bessie and May live a happy but frugal life in the busy maritime village of Tideway in Essex. But trouble divides the family when May falls pregnant, and she is sent away to London. When war is declared in 1914, Bessie's life is shattered when her husband is killed in battle in France. Yet, when photographer Digby Parsons dies suddenly and leaves Bessie a camera, she is able to use it to set up her own photography business and support herself and her son. But Digby's jealous daughter, Joan, is enraged by her late father's generosity and will do everything she can to destroy Bessie and her business... What readers are saying about The Tideway Girls: 'Brilliant story, totally engrossing, could not put it down' 'The story flowed well and was easy to read. A great story by a very good author. More of the same please' 'Pamela Evans you have done it again, fantastic read'




Whatever Makes You Happy


Book Description

First published as Whatever Makes You Happy, the hilarious and moving novel about mothers and their adult sons, now a Netflix original movie starring Felicity Huffman, Angela Bassett and Patricia Arquette which has now been viewed on over 27 million accounts worldwide Matt, Daniel and Paul were childhood friends. Now in their thirties, they've lost touch and have only one thing in common: their mothers. Little do they know that, having spent a cardless Mother's Day discussing how their emotionally dysfunctional offspring should be settling down, Carol, Gillian and Helen have decided to pay their wayward sons a visit. On the same day, they turn up on their sons' doorsteps, uninvited and unannounced. Their plan is to reestablish the mother-son bond by moving in for one week. Just a week. Surely that's not a lot to ask...




I Think I’ll Just Curl Up and Die!


Book Description

They thought their parents couldn’t be more embarrassing – then they got worse! And what could be worse than having a temperamental mother who is expecting a baby (and by Melvyn), like Laura? Perhaps having a father who is a ‘wannabe’ chef and a mother who writes about you in the local paper, like Chelsea? What about Jemma’s parents, who tell her she’s too young for a boyfriend in front of her boyfriend? Or Sumitha’s who won’t stop telling her boyfriend how suitable he is? And then there’s Jon’s mother, who seems to be getting on a bit too well with a fellow design student . . .




Without Him


Book Description

The dazzling new bestseller from Fiona O'Brien. One moment, Shelley has everything - three beautiful children, an adoring property magnate husband, and the life of her dreams. Then Charlie's business empire crashes and he vanishes. While their privileged beautiful daughters Olivia and Emma have to come to terms with being broke, eleven-year-old Mac refuses to talk about what happened. When Charlie's estranged mother, Vera opens her doors to the broken family, secrets emerge that reveal there was more to Charlie than meets the eye. But Charlie's shell shocked family aren't the only ones asking questions . . . The darkly enigmatic Russian billionaire Lukaz Mihailov arrives in Dublin with some unfinished business. What better way to track down Charlie than befriend his pretty and very vulnerable, abandoned wife Shelley . . . Is blood is always thicker than water? Maybe Charlie's family are simply better off without him ....




Get Writing Children's Fiction


Book Description

The aim of this book is to get you writing. It's full of inspiration, tips and writing exercises for anyone who wants to write children's fiction. Included are tips from other published writers, useful links and answers to questions you've always wanted to ask. Includes chapters on: Know-how: the difference between writing for children and writing for adults. How to get ideas for your stories from your family, your work and your life - and how to expand those ideas. Creating believable characters children will love reading about. Writing by the seat of your pants, or plotting? Basic things you need to know for either approach. Writing realistic dialogue. Writing the first draft How to create 'reel them in' beginnings, sustain the pace in the middle, and write satisfying endings. How to write page-turning chapter endings; keeping continuity when writing series. Writing for the educational market. Writing a synopsis and a proposal. Submitting your work to a publisher or agent. Dealing with rejects and rewrites. Publicity and marketing. Publishing your own work.




Shiverton Hall


Book Description

They slowed as they reached the gate; two stone columns, each with its own crumbling angel perched on top. The angels held up a rusty, wrought-iron arch that read, in curling, serpentine letters: SHIVERTON HALL. Arthur Bannister has been unexpectedly accepted into Shiverton Hall, which, as it turns out, is an incredibly spooky school, full of surprises. And it is just as well that Shiverton Hall has made its offer, because Arthur had a horrible time at his previous school, and was desperate to leave. Timely indeed . . . But Arthur has no time to worry about the strange coincidence. He is too busy trying to make head or tail of Shiverton Hall, dogged as it is by tales of curses and bad fortune. At least there are a few friendly faces: George, who shows him around; also Penny and Jake. But not all the faces are friendly. There are the bullying Forge triplets for starters. And then there is the acid tongue of the headmistress, Professor Long-Pitt, who seems to go out of her way to make Arthur's life a misery. Luckily Arthur has his new friends to cheer him up. Although there are some friends that you don't want to have at all, as Arthur is soon to find out.




It Sounded Better in My Head


Book Description

William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist! From debut author Nina Kenwood comes a tender and funny love letter to coming of age, and first love and its confusions, perfect for fans of Booksmart and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. When her parents announce their impending divorce, Natalie can’t understand why no one is fighting, or at least mildly upset. Then Zach and Lucy, her two best friends, hook up, leaving her feeling slightly miffed and decidedly awkward. She’d always imagined she would end up with Zach one day—in the version of her life that played out like a TV show, with just the right amount of banter, pining, and meaningful looks. Now everything has changed, and nothing is quite making sense. And then, an unexpected romance with Zach’s older brother comes along and shakes things up even further...




Conflicted


Book Description

Gary doesnt understand why his parents separated, or what he can do to make things right for his family. But his dad has promised that theyll be spending special time together on his eleventh birthday, so maybe hell get to learn more. Even better, perhaps hell be able to forge the bond with his dad that he so craves. As their adventure unfolds we hear about Garys past, his flashbacks revealing why he is the person that he has become. We share the highs and the lows of his birthday weekend, and discover just what a profound impact the events have on their relationship. We learn what Gary must do to cope in his adolescent years, and how the forces of nature and nurture continue to shape his life. Along the way, we see just how complicated life can become for a child when parents leave their conflicts unresolved.