In Shetland, twelve-year-old twins uncover a Viking
artifact, setting off an unforgettable adventure of friendship, teamwork, and
discovery. ⚔️
Living at the Edge of
the World – Spring
The Papala Island Adventure Series Book 2
written by S. J. Barratt
narrated by Gill Mills
Genre: Middle Grade Eco Adventure
When twelve-year-old
twins Tabitha and Timothy unearth an ancient artefact in the peat banks of
Papala Island, they set off a chain of extraordinary events. Determined
to protect their discovery, the twins rally their friends to outwit sneaky
treasure hunters, navigate treacherous terrain, and unravel the island’s
ancient legend.
As spring unfolds, and with the guidance of their Great Uncle Tamhas, the twins
uncover the true meaning of community, courage, and belonging—realising they
have the power to make a difference, even at twelve.
Packed with action, wildlife, and heart, Living at the Edge of the
World: Spring is the perfect adventure story for listeners aged 9-12.
Explore the wilds of Papala Island, Shetland, in this exciting tale of bravery,
friendship, and discovering where you truly belong.
Ready to join Tabitha
and Timothy in Papala?
RECOMMENDED AGE RANGE:
Middle Grade 9-12 but ideal for adults too! Wonderful for reading along with
your child.
I
would recommend this for young readers who have an interest in nature and enjoy
adventure stories.’ @katsbookcave
‘It’s
a really well written and gripping story that kept my son and I both interested
and intrigued. It’s full of action and we particularly liked the wildlife
aspect and also the spring activities that the children took part in.’
@mum_of_boys_northeast
“I
loved this story as it gives a sense of wonder and exploration of the natural
world. As the twins slow down and appreciate the island, the listener too gets
to explore the Shetlandic way of life.’ @that_alto Kimberly Thomson
Twins Tabitha and Timothy leave London for a wild Shetland
island — no Wi-Fi, no friends, and a mysterious great-uncle. In Papala, they
discover a new way of life, unexpected friendships, and courage they never knew
they had.
A fun, eco-conscious story for ages 9–12 that the whole
family will love.
When their parents sail the world without them, 12-year-old
twins Tabitha and Timothy are sent to the remote island of Papala, known as the
"Bird Island." Great Uncle Tamhas becomes their guardian in a world
as strange as the island itself.
Tabitha is frustrated with the island's isolation and
limited Wi-Fi, but Timothy is delighted to uncover the island’s natural
secrets. The twins soon realise however, they are not the only newcomers to the
island.
Discover a story about courage, friendship and the joy of
embracing the unfamiliar. Dive into a different world, where nature and
friendship are full of surprises.
You'll love this story of courage and friendship. Buy now
before the price changes!
Check out: https: //www.sjbstories.com to know more!
S. J. Barratt is a self-published, professionally edited
children’s author whose eco-themed stories celebrate the connection between
people and the natural world. Rooted in an English countryside upbringing and
shaped by a career in agriculture, she blends a gardener’s curiosity with a
storyteller’s warmth to her writing. Now based in Lyon, France, Suzanne creates
tales that inspire middle-grade readers to swap screen time for green time—and
rediscover the wonders waiting just outside their door.
A former BBC broadcaster and journalist, Gill Mills brings
over 20 years of experience in entertainment to her narration. Known for her
warm, resonant voice, she began her voice career while DJing on BBC Radio 1 and
has since voiced numerous TV and audio productions. She now runs a content
company specialising in podcast and film production from her studio in East
London.
Some murders are written before they happen. Former arts journalist Margot Finch came back to Cresthollow Bay to settle her late aunt's estate. A quiet autumn, a cottage to clear, paperwork in triplicate. Then Petra Wynn — the town archivist, principled to a fault and quietly looking into something she shouldn't have been — is found dead outside the archive on a Tuesday morning.
The local police have a suspect within the week. Margot isn't convinced. Something about the scene is wrong in a way she can't place: the angle of a chair, the position of a cup, a small theatrical wrongness, as if someone arranged the room before they left it.
She starts asking the questions a journalist asks. The library becomes her second home. The head librarian, Iris Calloway, becomes an unlikely ally. The town, charming on the surface, turns out to hold its secrets the way coastal towns do — politely, and at depth.
And somewhere in the case is a detail Margot keeps circling without quite catching. Something she has already seen. Something she has, in a sense, already read.
By the time she understands what she's looking at, the killer is one move ahead — and Margot is exactly where they need her to be.
A warm, witty, dark-edged debut mystery for readers of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett, and Anthony Horowitz. The first in the Cresthollow Bay Mysteries
A scandalous Top Secret Facility built on Sacred Ground
triggers an ancient Cheyenne curse.
The Curse of Dead
Horse Canyon: Cheyenne Spirits
Dead Horse Canyon Saga Book 1
by Marcha Fox & Pete Risingsun
Genre: Native American Cross-Cultural Conspiracy Thriller
GOVERNMENT
CORRUPTION TRIGGERS AN ANCIENT CHEYENNE CURSE...
Greed and corruption have infiltrated the once-pristine
Colorado Rockies, echoes of years past when silver miners swarmed the area like
vermin, precipitating a 19th Century curse. Now a new generation delivers a
different form of pollution, among them the most corrupt entity of them all.
All Sara Reynolds remembers of the wreck that slammed their Silverado to the
depths of Dead Horse Canyon is Bryan's dying plea to expose what he found. Why
did they kill him? What happened that fateful spring day? Will she and her dead
husband's life-long Native American friend, Charlie Littlewolf, discover his
secret?
Ceremonies taught by Charlie's Northern Cheyenne medicine man grandfather
decades before can connect with the spirits and reveal all things. He shunned
them then. He needs them now, like never before. Coupled with Sara's ethereal
clues from the heavens can they find answers in time? Or will the same black
ops raiders murder them, too?
READERS' FAVORITE 5-STAR REVIEW
"Infused with a sense of danger, the intricate plot and dramatic
storyline create a breathtaking and intense story....An exceptional
novel complete with conspiracy, intrigue, and murder that will enthrall
everyone who has an affinity for suspenseful thrillers with just a smidgen of
the paranormal." --Susan Sewell
THE BOOK COMMENTARY 5-STAR REVIEW
"A fascinating blend of historical mystery and the supernatural that is
as suspenseful as it is entertaining. How the past affects the present is a
cleverly handled theme, and the narrative highlights the enduring consequences
of greed and disrespect for the land. Boldly written, tautly plotted, and
expertly delivered." --George Buehlman
AWARDS
Page Turner Book Award
Silver Medal Global Book Awards
Pinnacle Book Achievement Award
Book Excellence Award Finalist
Readers' Favorite 5-star Review
Breathtaking drops along the road that rimmed Colorado's
Dead Horse Canyon terrified Sara Reynolds from the start. Cliffs and gorges
stretched on and off for miles, few protected by guardrails.
"Too expensive," Bryan explained. "Not a priority for lean
county budgets."
His advice for dealing with roadway-induced acrophobia was simple:
"Keep your eyes on the center line. Concentrate on the road. Whatever
you do, never, ever look down!"
His words sprang from memory, recommendations moot. Ignoring the threat
didn't make it go away. Especially when someone T-boned your truck on a blind
curve.
Their mangled Silverado teetered on a ledge twenty feet below. She stared,
incredulous, as steam twisted upward from its crumpled hood in a sultry,
hypnotic dance. Vapors crawled along the shattered windshield, then teased the
heart-shaped leaves of a young quaking aspen—the truck's only ally against a
sheer drop of several hundred feet.
The realization she'd been the truck's passenger only moments before sizzled
through her like lightning. Why was she weightless, brunette tendrils floating
about her shoulders like a storm cloud? Her horrified gaze shifted to her
husband, likewise weightless and wearing his signature crooked grin.
"What happened?" Her words were soundless, thought rather
than speech.
"We're dead."
"What? Dead? What do you mean we're dead?"
He pointed to their truck. She gasped. Their lifeless bodies were clearly
visible through the cab's passenger side window.
He was right—they were dead.
The tender expression in his hazel eyes embraced her heart as affection
flowed between them. An unexpected sense of peace defied what lay below.
Time froze, the forest hushed and serene as a leafy chorus offered a requiem in
the spring breeze.
What seemed an eternity later, sirens screamed through the canyon. His
demeanor shifted.
"I'm sorry, Sara. That didn't exactly work out as planned. I know—I
should have listened to you. I love you, sweetheart."
Renewed panic surged. "What are you saying, Bryan?"
"You must go back. Promise me. Don't let them get away with this.
Please."
He blew her a kiss, then his personage retreated, fading into a swirling
vortex of unearthly light.
He didn't stop, her plea denied, his only response a wave of farewell as he
vanished into the light.
* * *
She awoke to mind-numbing pain. Her shoulder, neck, and hip screamed, spasms
twisting every muscle as if some wild beast had torn them apart. There'd been
an ear-splitting crash, a brilliant flash of light. . .
Where was Bryan? Where was she?
Unless someone knew otherwise, surely it was hell.
Somewhere far away a muffled siren wailed. Fear of the truth conspired with
her blood-crusted lashes not to open her eyes. Pain vetoed the refusal. Her
eyelids trembled open.
A sandy haired, broad-shouldered man in a blue EMS uniform sat beside her,
attention fixed on a beeping vital signs monitor. A metallic taste filled her
mouth, lips swollen and heavy, her attempt to speak a scratchy whisper.
"What. . .happened? Wh-where's Bryan? Is he h-here?"
The man turned her way, regarding her with dark, concerned eyes.
"It's okay, ma'am. Don't try to talk." He placed a gentle hand on
her shoulder. "We're getting you to help as fast as we can."
Her breathing quickened, ravaged muscles and nerves on fire, but the agony
consuming her heart eclipsed it all. A sob caught in her throat, words an
articulated whimper.
"H-he left me. Here...."
"Just relax." He emptied a syringe into the port of the IV line
embedded in her arm.
The pain ebbed. Again nothing. Only darkness.
* * *
BELTON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
April 17, Tuesday
5:37 p.m.
The sensation of motion breached the persistent fog. Her eyes cracked open
as the gurney rumbled through a portal into blinding light. Electronic
chirping, then muted voices, the smell of antiseptics.
She forced her query out from somewhere in her chest. "W-what
h-happened?"
The pretty black nurse hanging a unit of blood looked her way. "You
were in a bad wreck, darlin'. Just rest now. You're in good hands. You're awake
and that's a really good sign."
"But my husband—"
"I know, darlin'. Don't worry about him. He's in a better place."
Tears flowed unbidden. It had to be a nightmare. Willing herself awake,
however, failed. Abandonment and confusion in the grip of agonizing pain
remained.
Return to Dead Horse
Canyon: Grandfather Spirits
Dead Horse Canyon Saga Book 2
THE DEAD HORSE
CANYON SAGA CONTINUES. . .
READERS' FAVORITE
5-STAR REVIEW
"I went into 'Return to Dead Horse Canyon' not having read the first
book and while it does read comfortably as a stand-alone, after just a couple
of chapters I actually went back to read 'The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon'
before restarting book two. It was an excellent decision. The building of the
Cheyenne history is critical to the story and had I not understood Sara’s
complete motivation and Charlie’s fully fleshed-out roots, I’d have missed out
on so much more than just a good read. My gosh, the depth of ethnology packed
into both novels is meticulously researched and beautifully detailed.
Co-authors Marcha Fox and Pete Risingsun are a dream team with this saga and
I’m really looking forward to the third and final installment of their
trilogy." -- Asher Syed
This epic modern Native American saga continues in this sequel to "The
Curse of Dead Horse Canyon" where Charlie Littlewolf and Sara Reynolds
discovered why her husband, Bryan, was murdered, changing their lives forever.
While Charlie swore to avenge his white brother's death, the path to do so
remains unclear.
His job with Lone Star Operations allows him to use his college education and
earn a generous income. However, it conflicts with everything he knows to be
right, especially as he returns to the teachings of his medicine man
grandfather. Is violating the Earth wrong or not? Little does he realize that
his work will ultimately return him to the Northern Cheyenne reservation where
his true destiny will manifest in ways he never imagined.
Sara is determined to fulfill Bryan's last request to expose the government
corruption coupled with the lethal forces that stole his life. Releasing the
scandalous Top Secret data via WikiLeaks infuriates those with much to lose,
who place a high price on her demise. When her response gets too personal, the
next attempt to silence her forever comes close to home.
While miles apart, each struggles with life-threatening situations as a result
of their dedication to Bryan's legacy. Their lives remain entangled through a
series of fateful decisions and circumstances that define a future fraught with
dangerous unknowns for them both.
AWARDS
Pinnacle Book Achievement Award
Firebird Book Award
Book Excellence Award Finalist
5-star Readers' Favorite Review
Page Turner Award Finalist
The Revenge of Dead
Horse Canyon: Sweet Medicine Spirits
Dead Horse Canyon Saga Book 3
The DEAD HORSE
CANYON Trilogy's explosive conclusion!
Picking up where "Return to Dead Horse Canyon: Grandfather Spirits"
left off, we find that much to her enemy’s dismay, Sara’s life is spared, but
with a steep price. A million dollar bounty remains on her demise, motivating
another to threaten her life. Paralyzed by the last attempt to eliminate her,
her Native American friend, Charlie, promises to help restore her health so she
can walk again. Before he can accomplish that, however, the unthinkable happens,
which disrupts and redirects their plans.
To fulfill his promise to his Northern Cheyenne Grandfather to complete a
four-day ceremonial fast at the Sacred Mountain, Charlie journeys to Bear Butte
in South Dakota, known to his tribe as Novavose. A series of
startling visions reveal the full scope of his destiny. Of prime importance is
to restore the ancient Earth Giving Ceremony known as the Massaum, originally revealed
thousands of years before by their prophet, Sweet Medicine.
Has the time come at last for Native People to unite and fulfill Black Cloud’s
curse on Dead Horse Canyon? And what about those other 19th century prophecies
directed to the 7th Generation by Black Elk and Crazy Horse?
Phase I of the PURF complex is complete. A gala open house to celebrate is
scheduled around the same time as the Gathering of Indigenous Leaders.
While the underground facility is filled to the brim with corrupt lobbyists,
contractors, and government officials, not far away a host of First Nation
Americans is entrenched in a ceremony that promises to restore them to their
land.
What could possibly go wrong?
5-STAR EDITORIAL REVIEW FROM READERS'
FAVORITE
"The Revenge of Dead Horse Canyon by
Marcha Fox and Pete Risingsun stands out for its sharp writing and complete
ability to immerse readers, especially in Charlie's spiritual transformation.
Poor Sara just cannot get a break. Attacked, paralyzed, kidnapped, and then
labeled a domestic terrorist and sanctioned! This isn’t just a fight for
survival; this is about the power of truth in the face of overwhelming
opposition. Charlie fits into this description, with a spectacular ceremony for
Sara's healing, but also as a powerful catalyst when he is in the presence of
Grandmother Earth and the consequences of his actions. Fox and Risingsun are a
dream writing team in every way, and, culturally, this portrayal of Charlie's
heritage is painted from the sky to the smallest pebble and the fire burning in
between. The pacing is elevated by point of view shifts and all the drama, but
also a surprising relationship transformation as well. Ultimately, this finale
succeeds with a perfect 10 landing. Very, very highly recommended."
AWARDS
Reader's Favorite 5-stars
Book Excellence Award
Pinnacle Achievement Award
A
sweetgrass braid ordered in 2019 connected a NASA physicist in Texas with a
Cheyenne elder living on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana. That
relationship evolved from a transaction to a consultation to a co-authorship
that produced a culturally meticulous, spiritually grounded, award-winning
conspiracy thriller trilogy.
Before
publishing "The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon" Marcha wanted to confirm
her portrayal of Native American culture and the story's protagonist, Charlie
Littlewolf, was accurate as well as respectful toward indigenous people.
Synchronicity
intervened via that sweetgrass braid and connected her with Pete Risingsun, an
enrolled member and elder in the Northern Cheyenne tribe. He offered insights
and changes, but best of all, was so taken with the story he ultimately became
its coauthor.
Marcha's
experience as a retired NASA engineer and seasoned author of The Star Trails
Tetralogy science fiction series, melded perfectly with Pete's knowledge of his
tribe's history and ceremonies.
The
pair, who has never met face to face, collaborated via phone calls, text
messages, and snail mail between her home in the Texas Hill Country and his on
the reservation in Montana.
It
took five years to produce the trilogy that comprises "The Curse of Dead
Horse Canyon Saga," the three books of which have collected a total of 13
awards.
In
preparation for writing the saga's explosive conclusion, Marcha and Pete
conducted extensive research. In so doing, they were delighted to uncover
fascinating details of Norther Cheyenne history and ceremonies that dove-tailed
perfectly with the complex story's plot, tying it back to numerous events in
the 19th Century.
A former stripper marries a
rich man. Was she a gold digger? Or a woman seeking revenge for her father’s
death? To avenge his wrongful death, Lola would have to kill her husband’s
father. But then it seemed her little cousin might know something from the DNA
results. What was it?
A compelling read for sure!
How will this all end? What plan will actually go through? A good read!
A suspicious wife is
determined to find her husband’s secret. It all starts with wanting to know
what’s inside a locked box. After some combination attempts on the lock, we
finally find what’s inside the box in chapter 5. But what did it mean? Part 2
is where we get juicier tidbits and even more questions. Part 3 is where we get
the shocking truth revealed. An engaging and quick read!
