Across the Line by Tony Brough 

Across the Line by Tony Brough

Price: £10.98

ISBN: 978-1-914933-64-6    

Forged on the fields of a 1970s council estate and telling a story 55 years in the making, these beautifully crafted poems take you on an unflinching journey.  Spanning five decades and crossing three continents, Anthony Brough’s debut collection of poems brings to life, with visceral and tender clarity, his journey from a scruffy working-class kid, to inspirational teacher and sharp social observer

Reflecting both Mancunian and Liverpudlian working class roots, Across the Line provides stolen glimpses of what it felt like to grow up on an everyday estate, with nature and the post-industrial landscape the setting for the trajectory of a life.

With typical Northern lyricism and humour, these poems take you on a journey through the natural world, allow you to bask in the warm glow of developing friendship and occasionally leave you stunned with their brutal honesty. The poems found within  Across the Line are a heartfelt exhortation to challenge all that corrals us and instead embrace the adventures that life provides.

Round in Circles by Barry Kester

Round in Circles by Barry Kester

Price: £15.99

ISBN: 978-1-914933-28-8

Round In Circles: The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel is intended not only for those who share the author’s love of the ‘Golden Age’ Broadway musicals, but also for students of the genre who want to learn about the trials and tribulations encountered in producing a musical at that time when Rodgers and Hammerstein were transforming such shows into the unique American art form we continue to enjoy today.

The book covers the history of the classic musical from its beginning as Liliom, a 1909 play by Hungarian author Ferenc Molnár, to its latest 2021 London revival.

At first, Rodgers and Hammerstein dismissed the idea of turning Liliom into a musical.  How they were persuaded to change their minds, and the struggles the duo experienced in adapting the dark, fantastical play is a key part of the story told by author, Barry Kester. But the book also shines the spotlight onto Rodgers and Hammerstein themselves, looking at their lives, their working methods, and their relationship, which was not always as harmonious as one might have thought.

Although Carousel was created by Rodgers and Hammerstein, it would not have happened without the help of some extraordinary people, both backstage and onstage and the book pays due tribute to them all.

Many of Carousel’s songs have become well-loved standards, none more so than You’ll Never Walk Alone and not just because of its association with football. A chapter is devoted to this remarkable anthem.

Carousel’s story did not end with its 1945 Broadway opening. After an initial London run and a nationwide tour of the United States, there was a film version. The author relates the many problems that were encountered on that production.

The book examines what many would agree to be the finest production of Carousel to date, staged at the National Theatre in 1992 directed by Nicholas Hytner and concludes with a look at some of the more recent revivals and the show’s place in the musical theatre canon today.

Barry Kester lives in London and has loved musical theatre all his life. After retirement in 2010, he set out to write a detailed history of his favourite musical. Round in Circles: The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel is his first book.

CROSSROADS by Elaine Elias and Milan Hlousek

CROSSROADS by Elaine Elias and Milan Hlousek

Price: Paperback £12.99

ISBN: 978-1-914933-06-6

The reader will find a veritable feast of delightful short stories and poetry in Crossroads as the authors write of topics ranging from suspense, city and crime to discovering a parody of poetry and stories about life with hope. Although developed during a difficult world-wide pandemic, they have written with humour and expectation, stating their viewpoints with feeling on a variety of subjects and thoughts about our world and its future.

On Top of the Wardrobe by Patricia Little

On Top of the Wardrobe by Patricia Little

Price: Paperback £9.98

ISBN: 978-1-8382744-8-1 

On Top of The Wardrobe is an entertaining collection of poems by Patricia Little. This is her first published collection and is a mixture of serious poetry; her favourite form being sonnets, and humorous poems giving us a peep into the crazy secrets held in Patricia’s family life.

Find out how Granny managed to fall through the ceiling and about the characters of Walsall where Patricia was born and grew up. Read about her love of maps and The Mayfair Dancehall, where she spent many a Saturday Night in the late nineteen fifties.

Then there was the matter of the termites in Mildred’s wooden leg and of course just why there was a suitcase full of junk ‘On Top of The Wardrobe’.

All will be revealed in this ‘Poetry Hotchpotch’.

Simply Play Piano: Piano Tutor Book from Age 9 to Adult by Joanne Fairclough

Simply Play Piano: Piano Tutor Book from Age 9 to Adult by Joanne Fairclough

Non-Fiction

Price: Paperback £8.95

ISBN – 978-1-8380929-3-1

Joanne had been teaching piano (and singing) in music schools and now in her own music school. She has now decided to write this wonderful book.

A beginner to grade 1 auxiliary piano tutor book, from age 9 to adult. This book is especially designed to brighten the learning experience, combining blue and red coloured notation with the traditional black! Simply follow blue for the right hand and red for the left!

Enjoy the process of learning to read music and simply play the piano!

Technical studies, such as scales, chords and arpeggios are combined within the pieces, therefore learning them in an enjoyable and creative style!

From the age of five, author Joanne Fairclough showed an interest in music, playing the piano at her grandparent s house in Southport. She was extremely fortunate that her parents recognised that she had a talent for music. It was when she was seven that a van arrived at her family home in Ormskirk with a small upright Consolette piano, a total surprise! This was to be the start of her musical journey!

Piano lessons began, exams were taken and even her first Saturday job was to play the piano at a dance school! By the age of sixteen Joanne was giving private piano lessons. She studied music in Liverpool, and focused on Piano, Singing and Education. As a result, she achieved a Graduate Diploma in Music.

After this Joanne had a break and enjoyed visiting many parts of the world whilst working as an air stewardess. However, she missed her music and studied again at Edge Hill University, Ormskirk where she was awarded her Post Graduate Certificate in Secondary Music Education.

Joanne Fairclough has now been happily married for over thirty-two years, a proud mother blessed with two sons who also have children and a daughter who has followed her mother s passion for music and is a singer-songwriter. After teaching in schools, Joanne now teaches piano and singing lessons in her own music school. She is also a professional pianist and accompanist for the Aughton Male Voice Choir and the Musical director of her ladies choir in Burscough, Lancashire. Though her music takes up a great deal of time, both in work and leisure, her other hobbies include gardening, a relaxing walk and learning languages. She says, Music is my main passion and long may it remain that way!

Poetry for Health: The Power of Poetry to Heal and Fulfil by Marvin Shaw

Poetry for Health: The Power of Poetry to Heal and Fulfil by Marvin Shaw

Non-Fiction

Price: Paperback £14.95

ISBN: 978-0-9567668-9-2

A unique, inspirational book and personal development programme that demonstrates how writing, reading and reciting poetry aids inner fulfilment and emotional healing.

  • 120 original, delightful and thought-provoking poems written by the author
  • Poems divided into twelve universal life-themes for personal and group exploration. From Grief and Sadness to Sense of Humour
  • Practical exercises and down to earth advice on how to write creative and therapeutic poetry that improves mental health and emotional well-being
  • A ‘must’ for every school, university and professional institution where creative writing, creativity or personal development is taught

‘Poetry For Health is an invaluable guide for practitioners and individuals in search of a greater understanding of how we can heal ourselves. Marvin Shaw’s poetry touches our senses, inspiring us to write our own poems and engage with them’ – Miriam Reissner – Freelance Journalist

Poetry For Health celebrates the healing power that emerges when people, who have never written before, express things long held (and withheld) within them. The emotional range of its suggested exercises is really good’ – Jay Ramsay – Poet, Author, Healer, Psychotherapist

Poetry For Health will serve as an invaluable coping tool for anyone who cares to read it’ – Daniel Cainer – ‘The New Comic Bard of Anglo-Jewry’

Marvin J Shaw is a poet and educator in Personal Growth. He is the author of 10 Days To Change Your Life and Kosher Happiness – A 12 Step Programme to Reveal and Release your Inner Potential.

Genesis in Verse by Olga Savelyeva

Genesis in Verse by Olga Savelyeva

Non-Fiction

Price: Paperback £8.95

ISBN: 978-0-9932432-8-8

This book is a poetic version of the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament. The plot is completely based on the Bible, without altering or omitting any essential part of it. Therefore, all the characters and events are as in the original Book of Genesis.

The poem is divided into twelve chapters, which reveal the principal epochs described in Genesis, beginning with Adam and Eve and the Creation of the World, and ending with the death of Israel and the death of Joseph.

The form of a verse will let the readers go through the descriptions of the main world-famous events and phenomena (the Flood, the Tower of Babel, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra and so on) without stumbling on the difficulties of the authentic text. The poem will make it easier to perceive and memorize the text of the Bible, which is especially useful for schoolchildren and teachers, who can adopt the poem for songs and stage performances.

Olga Savelyeva was born on January 27, 1980 in Smolensk, a city in the west of Russia. Her family was in teaching, both parents being teachers of History. For that reason and others, Olga also chose the career of a teacher. Her choice was to study and then teach foreign languages.

In 2002 she graduated from Smolensk State University with the qualification of a teacher of English and German.

Since childhood Olga has enjoyed creative writing. Her main interest was and still is poetry. She attended poetry clubs, successfully took part in writing competitions and festivals of young authors and she wrote and published short poems in some poetry collections in Russia.

Currently Olga works at Smolensk State University as a lecturer (docent) and Deputy Dean of the Philological Faculty. Her main scientific interest is in civic education and character education. Olga has several published articles devoted to methods of education, civic and moral education and also a book Civic Education in Contemporary Schools of the USA. She is married with two daughters.

Once Before the Flood by Olga Savelyeva

Once Before the Flood by Olga Savelyeva

Price: Paperback £7.98

ISBN: 978-0-9933714-6-2

In the Book of Genesis, chapter 6, there is an intriguing mentioning of the time when Sons of God took men’s daughters as wives, and there were giants on the Earth. Then all humans and all earthly creatures became corrupt, and the whole land was devastated, and the miserable called for the Lord, for Him to see the evil which was happening on the Earth. All this led to the Flood, which destroyed every living thing, except those in Noah’s Ark.

A more detailed story about the fallen angels is depicted in the Book of Enoch. This book, Once before the Flood, is a poetic legend, partially based on the contents of both, Genesis: 6 and the Book of Enoch. It is an artistic attempt to see how the human world once turned into a mess, which only deserved termination.

Olga Savelyeva was born on January 27, 1980 in Smolensk, a city in the west of Russia. Her family was in teaching, both parents being teachers of History. For that reason and others, Olga also chose the career of a teacher. Her choice was to study and then teach foreign languages.

In 2002 she graduated from Smolensk State University with the qualification of a teacher of English and German.

Since childhood Olga has enjoyed creative writing. Her main interest was and still is poetry. She attended poetry clubs, successfully took part in writing competitions and festivals of young authors and she wrote and published short poems in some poetry collections in Russia.

Currently Olga works at Smolensk State University as a lecturer (docent) and Deputy Dean of the Philological Faculty. Her main scientific interest is in civic education and character education. Olga has several published articles devoted to methods of education, civic and moral education and also a book Civic Education in Contemporary Schools of the USA. She is married with two daughters.