The Grand Lessons Learned 1967–1988 Part 2: Confessions of an Old School Hotelier

'The Grand Life' is the funny and touching memoir of the life and times of Patrick Langley Griffin OAM, growing up in the post war years of a gloomy Britain in the 40's and 50's, then through his long career an hotelier in some 'Grand' hotels in England and Australia. Part 2: 1967 to 1988 His memoir is filled with characters famous, infamous and hitherto unknown. From his first star encounter with Charlie Chaplin, the memoir is filled with tales of film stars, rock legends, celebrities, Heads of State and politicians, as well [read more...]

THE GRAND JOURNEY BEGINS Part 1: Confessions of an Old School Hotelier

'The Grand Life' is the funny and touching memoir of the life and times of Patrick Langley Griffin OAM, growing up in the post war years of a gloomy Britain in the 40's and 50's, then through his long career an hotelier in some 'Grand' hotels in England and Australia. Part 1: 1946 to 1947 His memoir is filled with characters famous, infamous and hitherto unknown. From his first star encounter with Charlie Chaplin, the memoir is filled with tales of film stars, rock legends, celebrities, Heads of State and politicians, as well [read more...]

Love Me Alone

Love me Alone is a conscious decision to choose to embrace aloneness and in doing so refuse to accept loneliness. The author, Dilene Hinton, uses her own experiences of confronting loneliness, and rather than making that a choice she shares her development of self-sufficient skills to enhance being alone. This book is the struggle and the acceptance of being on her own. Is loneliness a choice or are there strategies that we can put into place and avoid being lonely?

A Man Named Jack

COULD THIS HAPPEN? HAS THIS HAPPENED? Jack Larsen of San Francisco had a good life, a job he enjoyed, and work colleagues he called friends. At 40 years of age, fit and healthy his life was peaking. Then in the beginning of 2020, it came crashing down, as he was approaching his office, the building was targeted by Islamic terrorists. Jack decided after the funerals of friends to leave this life and go sailing, with the help of his best friend Ollie, who escaped the carnage, bought a small yacht, and prepared to sail the [read more...]

In the Shadow of the Mountain

In the beginning of the 1980's, Ashti briam Afandi, experienced the struggle that the Kurdish people were facing at the hands of the Iraqi regime lead by Saddam Hussein. This struggle gave birth to her desire to become a Peshmerga (Kurdish freedom fighter) and move to the mountains. It was during a period in which Kurdish Societies were ruled by men, and such a decision could lead to a woman being dishonoured. Since the 1980’s, Ashti has studied the political and military events that have transpired in the geopolitical region of [read more...]

7 Acts of Entitlement

Emma Harris is a highly remunerated young corporate executive who appears to have everything and everyone, right where she wants them. She is brash, bullying, and not afraid to use her good looks or voracious sexual appetite to win over men or women. She is also an entitled rogue who, behind closed doors, deals in drugs to get what she wants and to cover her inadequacies. Emma is dominating everyone at work for the next promotion and a massive bonus payment until her much older co-worker, Ben Young, starts to sense everything is [read more...]

Veins of Ice

Detective Fawlkner Dundee thought that the Rose Garden Motel in beautiful Port Macquarie would be a quiet place to rebound from his marriage breakdown, but he was sadly mistaken. The murder of Edith Campbell leads him into emotional turmoil as he investigates her dark past, years of abuse, kidnapping and blackmail on a larger scale than he had ever imagined. There soon becomes so many suspects it is hard to define who the killer may be, the real surprise is that she had not been murdered sooner. His heart goes out to his [read more...]

NORMANDY TO “MARKET GARDEN”, THE DEFENDERS’ PERSPECTIVE

A well-researched manuscript on tough battles during those months of 1944, uniquely from the angle of the defenders. in 21 chapters, it looks at German responses, deployment, manoeuvres, resistance, and defeat, and then resistance further on. Major commanders and players with relevance, of both sides, are described, and some common myths critically explained. Word count is 260,000, of 477 pages, in single space. This book, by a seasoned historian Dr. Linong Zhou, is noticeably dissimilar to standard writings on battles of the west, [read more...]

Grandparents Beacons or Fading Lights

Worries old folk have are not all about dying. George Lazarou is in his late sixties. Originating from the other side of the world; adopting a new culture and relinquishing his home was never going to be easy. After decades of endurance respite, time to collect thoughts and savour. 'Dad, you're going to be a Papou!' (grandfather) The prospect of becoming a grandfather is exciting-for some and daunting for others. Has anyone ever asked their own parents what grandparenting involved? How will you deal with this new experience? This [read more...]

Battle of Bands

In the early to mid-'80s, Archie and Lucy Saunders live on their farm near Netherby, a small town, where 12-year-old Lucy witnesses her mother's death from a tragic horse-riding accident. Concerned about his children's futures, their father relocates them to the hustle and bustle of North Melbourne to a private Catholic school. But this new life isn't enough to save Lucy. Forever infuenced by her mother's death, Lucy spirals out of control into the deep, dark, twisted underground in Melbourne. Meanwhile, Archie reaches for the stars [read more...]