Showing results by author "Sally Cook" in All Categories

All That Glitters tells the story of two women whose lives have become intertwined. One has a father who is a murderer and the other has survived an upbringing by two drug addict parents. The women's paths cross, and they become a support for each other until a certain threatening incident unravels their friendship, leaving them both with less clarity.

This tells the story of being in a sixth Covid 19 lockdown and the chance to observe the natural world at close hand by careful observation and appreciation, whilst being confined to an unexpectedly small radius....

Little Ripples Everywhere tells the story of a 70-year-old widow and her love for books and words - so much that she makes many train trips around a metropolitan network, leaving many of her loved novels to continue their train journeys without her. It is her hope that will give the new listeners of her books entertainment, encouragement, and insight. The books she leaves behind meet a variety of fates in this humorous tale, but they also carry messages of concern for the environment and the encroaching climate change.

This story talks about travelling in China, and Wuhan in particular, just before the outbreak of Covid 19 in that city in 2019. It highlights darker aspects of this travel as well as the humourous, kind hearted side. It traverses four provinces and highlights memorable experiences whilst looking for cherry blossom in these areas. It is enhanced by sound effects.

Shattered is one of four short stories in this compilation. Between them, they explore paranormal and ghostly activities, a paddlesteamer wreck and its implications, near drowning and a mystery stranger. The stories explore relationships and reactions between the characters and are infused with atmospheric sound effects.

The Swaggie on the Hill tells the story of a young girl who is puzzled by the adult life around her. This comes to a head when she and her classmates at a small primary school are shut in the school house by their teachers while a threatening man looms in the school grounds, causing simultaneous nose bleeds in two of the boys. And there is the matter of the witch-like woman who lives nearby. She frightens the children as they rush past her place in their billycarts. The story is set in mid 1960s Melbourne and is enhanced with sound effects.

This story tells of how grandson Jack sees the world often in the simplest, but most joyous ways. He is a 14-year-old with autism, but his powers of imagination, enthusiasm, and observation are remarkable. He attends a special school, but yearns to go out each week for his next adventure in our Adventure Club.

Shining Red tells the story of a magic totem, the Shining Red Parrot, and its strength in drawing the main character to its Tongan Fafa Island habitat. Richard, despite a delusional episode, manages to travel to exotic places, indirectly inspiring two other characters within the story.

The Hidden Link tells the story of important missing war medals and the journey to uncover them. It portrays the survival journey of a Pol Pot refugee, the struggle of a British war veteran, and the story of a young woman living as an outsider in rural Thailand.

This story tells of the magic of bushbirds and their habitats and involves bird mimicry and a ghost in a swampy gully in 1886. It is set in Victoria, Australia, with a focus on bird marvels, preservation, and endangered species. It is enhanced with bird calls and other atmospheric sounds and has an air of nature's magic.

This story tells of a massive plane explosion over the Tasman Sea and how three women survivors are affected over the next 15 years, supporting each other as they individually confront the effects of post traumatic stress disorder, stroke, aging, and autism.

This story is about a special boy's imagination and memory where he sees far more than everyday situations. His enthusiasm will take you on an amusing and enlightened journey as he enjoys his everyday adventures.

A man my mother considered her boyfriend during World War II was killed at point blank range escaping from Stalag Luft III. His name was Jack Francis Williams and he was shot by the Gestapo 12 days after participating in the Great Escape. This story examines the actual letters and cards he sent my mother, and with that, the building of an unexpected story.

This story tells of my pioneer colonist forebears and their arrival and settlement in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1838 after many difficult months at sea. They landed only a year after the proclamation of the city of Adelaide. At this time houses were made from reeds from the banks of Adelaide's Torrens River, the port of Adelaide was surrounded by swamp with the area referred to in those early days as "Mudholia" or "Dustholia".

I have survived a plane which caught on fire over the Tasman, have lived with a tribe in pre-Indenpendence Papua New Guinea. I have hugged a three-toed sloth in Colombia and worked for an antiquated group of newspapers in London where I covered murder trials, magistrates courts, and cinema and theatre reviews. I have been stuck in mud in Tayrona National Park in Colombia, accompanied by shrieking monkeys, a mirthful friend and guide.

Dream Cafe tells the story of a baker and seller of delicious cakes who makes the most gorgeous delicacies at her railway cafe, She is not only interested in these marvelous creations but she is fascinated by dreams and nightmares - both hers and other people's, particularly during the Covid 19 Pandemic. She wonders if there is a communal subconscious elicited during night dreams, manifesting various or similar aspects of this global health crisis, Madeline sets out to find out more, only to be confronted with more than she expected.

Two young lovers have a number of adventures together, much to the approval of those around them. They watch movies together, dance together, share beach and park catch ups, frolicking like no others. But one evening one of them becomes stuck under an old building where not even the fire brigade nor the emergency services can get them out. But as the last light fades there is a solution.

Walking Towards Gold tells the story of the author's pioneer colonist forebears who arrived in newly formed Adelaide, South Australia from Portsmouth, in June 1838 and how thirteen years later three of them walked 580 miles from Adelaide to the Victorian goldfields pushing a wheelbarrow.. There are intrepid accounts and interesting descriptions of early Adelaide and life on the Victorian goldfields. This is part of the Downer family's story.

The author is in court with a murderer, she is invited to drink tea from a urine filled pot, she covers theatre and cinema reviews as a London reporter, she works amid opulent carpets and heavy old typewriters with former criminals below in the printing works. She rides a Honda 90 motorbike across the English Fens on her way to cover stories in March, birthplace of the fabled March hare. She writes stories about a drunken turnip planter, a man named Jack Spratt, and another man who didn't travel as far as his own bees.

It's Not Your Fault delves into what can only be described as communication nightmares as a patient of the medical system. This true accounts show how fragile the trust between medical practitioner and patient can be and how it can be psychologically compromised bringing about negative effects. For example the author was already halfway through her first pregnancy when a well known and respected obstetrician/gynaecologist began treating her for infertility and the possibility of a dangerously big tumor. That large lump turned out to be a baby.