The Hand That First Held Mine

When bohemian Innes Kent turns up by chance on her doorstep, Lexie Sinclair realises she cannot wait any longer for her life to begin, and leaves for London. There, at the heart of the 1950s Soho art scene, she carves out a new life for herself. In the present day, Elina and Ted are reeling from the difficult birth of their first child. Elina, a painter, struggles to reconcile the demands of motherhood with sense of herself as an artist, and Ted is disturbed by memories of his own childhood. As Ted begins to search for answers, so an extraordinary portrait of two women is revealed, separated by 50 years, but connected in ways that neither could ever have expected.

Becoming Ted

Ted Ainsworth has always worked at his family’s ice cream business in the quiet Lancashire town of St Luke’s-on-Sea. But the truth is, he’s never wanted to work for the family firm – he doesn’t even like ice cream, though he’s never told his parents that. When Ted’s husband suddenly leaves him, the bottom falls out of his world. But what if this could be an opportunity to put what he wants first? This could be the chance to finally follow his secret dream: something Ted has never told anyone…

Becoming Ted Audio CD

Ted Ainsworth has always worked at his family’s ice cream business in the quiet Lancashire town of St Luke’s-on-Sea. But the truth is, he’s never wanted to work for the family firm – he doesn’t even like ice cream, though he’s never told his parents that. When Ted’s husband suddenly leaves him, the bottom falls out of his world. But what if this could be an opportunity to put what he wants first? This could be the chance to finally follow his secret dream: something Ted has never told anyone…

Becoming Ted Audio MP3 CD

Ted Ainsworth has always worked at his family’s ice cream business in the quiet Lancashire town of St Luke’s-on-Sea. But the truth is, he’s never wanted to work for the family firm – he doesn’t even like ice cream, though he’s never told his parents that. When Ted’s husband suddenly leaves him, the bottom falls out of his world. But what if this could be an opportunity to put what he wants first? This could be the chance to finally follow his secret dream: something Ted has never told anyone…

How To Save A Life

One night in December, twenty-two year old Ted Green makes his way to Waterloo Bridge determined to end his life. Lonely, despairing and utterly hopeless, it seems the only choice to make. That same night in December, Marianne Cooper is running away from a party. Having found her boyfriend in a passionate clinch with someone else, Annie can’t get away fast enough. But as she makes her way along London’s South Bank, a figure catches her eye on top of the bridge. Then she sees him, a man ready to jump. When Marianne saves Ted’s life, this night in December becomes one they’ll never forget, but as Ted watches Marianne leave in a black taxi, all he can think is he should have asked her name. In a story spanning twenty years, join Ted and Marianne as they navigate life’s twists and turns, joys and heartbreaks, while all the time wondering – will fate ever bring them together again…

How To Save A Life

One night in December, twenty-two year old Ted Green makes his way to Waterloo Bridge determined to end his life. Lonely, despairing and utterly hopeless, it seems the only choice to make. That same night in December, Marianne Cooper is running away from a party. Having found her boyfriend in a passionate clinch with someone else, Annie can’t get away fast enough. But as she makes her way along London’s South Bank, a figure catches her eye on top of the bridge. Then she sees him, a man ready to jump. When Marianne saves Ted’s life, this night in December becomes one they’ll never forget, but as Ted watches Marianne leave in a black taxi, all he can think is he should have asked her name. In a story spanning twenty years, join Ted and Marianne as they navigate life’s twists and turns, joys and heartbreaks, while all the time wondering – will fate ever bring them together again…

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A Q&A with Angela Kecojevic

The front cover of Scareground shows, with the heading 'A Q&A with Angela Kecojevic'.

In this Q&A, author, librarian and creative writing tutor, Angela Kecojevic talks all about her new spooky-licious book, Scareground coming soon to thrill readers in physical audio!

What was your biggest challenge when it came to writing Scareground? And what was the most fun part of it?
Scareground was mostly written during lockdown. It was the perfect distraction from what was going on in the world. I found the technical elements of a funfair working without electricity (in Victorian times) quite tricky! Fortunately, candles and moonlight helped! Nancy’s relationship with the sky was incredibly special for me. The first book in the series was never meant to overly explore this special gift. It was meant to introduce it and leave the door open for a possible second book. Nancy has a strong bond and a natural connection with it. She sees it as one of her best friends, and this was so lovely to write, especially when she gets irritated with it!

How did you first come up with the idea of having your story set in a funfair?
I watched Cirque du Soleil perform at Battersea Power Station in London several years ago. The magic and mystery of the performance was sensational. We drove past the station years later when it was dark and abandoned. I imagined a scary fair returning, one rich with mystery and intrigue. It would be filled with skeletons and black roses and have an eerie sense of darkness. It would be called the Scareground.

What was your biggest inspiration when writing Scareground and its main characters?
I was inspired by what I call ‘flowery descriptions’ from a book written by Stephanie Garber called Caraval. A literary agent suggested I read it during my early drafts of Scareground. I fell in love with the gorgeous world the author created and decided this was the direction I wanted to take my writing in. I’m also a huge fan of highly creative people like Tim Burton and R. L. Stine who have created memorable characters, surprising characters, ones influenced by spooky, kooky and the macabre. Burton has perfect timing, and he isn’t afraid to be experimental in his work. Beetlejuice and Nightmare Before Christmas highlight this. Stein is a leader in creating scary stories for children. Like Burton, he took a risk with his creativity and wasn’t afraid to surprise, scare and entertain. This hugely influenced my style for Scareground, and I wanted to mix the sweetness of bakery life with the Gothic darkness of the world’s scariest funfair!

You’re passionate about climate issues; can we expect to see any aspect of that featured in Scareground?
As a member of the Climate Fiction Writer’s League, I try to include climate issues wherever possible. My next book is about a snow fox called Brave who is dealing with the effects of climate change. I’m really proud of the story and its message. But who knows, maybe climate issues will slip into Nancy’s conversations with the sky one day!

Can you tell us more about the Scareground’s mysterious owner, Skelter?
Skelter Tombola is a cross between P.T. Barnum and Skeleton Jack. He is charismatic – an incredible showman – and yet mysterious and dark. Skelter loves the fair deeply, and he thrives on creating the ultimate funfair full of scares and frights. His backstory is complicated, and yet it has clearly influenced the man he has become today. No one quite understands him, and his story is a mix of twists and surprises.

Nancy and Arthur go on quite an adventure; can you sum up their friendship for us?
All children need strong friendships. They want to fit in. They want to feel like everyone else. Nancy, because of her past, desires this more than anything. Arthur’s story isn’t so straightforward either. they are both from very different backgrounds, so their friendship is even more endearing. Victorian England was tough with the class divide, so having two children enjoying each other’s company and sharing exciting adventures proves that none of those things matter.
I loved developing their friendship and seeing that bond strengthen. There is a sweetness to their friendship that I enjoyed writing.

Can we expect to see more stories in the future featuring Nancy and Arthur?
I very much hope so! This question has cropped up many times. It’s been lovely. I currently have a second adventure planned which will explain and explore Nancy’s special friendship with the sky. I do think we haven’t heard the last of the Scareground – or the mysterious Skelter Tombola!

There are also lots of references to baking; do you personally have a favourite baked good?
Ha! Surprisingly, my baking skills are not the greatest in the world! I love lemon meringue pie and the line in the book that references this is one of my favourites!

Describe the book in four words.
Friendship, bravery, thrills and scares!

The Secretary

From her first day as PA to the celebrated Mina Appleton, wealthy owner of a supermarket chain, Christine Butcher understands what is expected of her. Absolute loyalty. Absolute discretion. For twenty years, Christine has been a most devoted servant, a silent witness to everything in Mina’s life. So quiet, you’d hardly know she was there. Day after day, year after year, Christine has been present, invisible – watching, listening, absorbing all the secrets floating around her. Keeping them safe. Christine is trusted. But those years of loyalty and discretion come with a high price. And eventually Christine will pay. Yet, it would be a mistake to underestimate such a steadfast woman. Because as everyone is about to discover, there’s a dangerously fine line between obedience and obsession…

The Real Ted Hastings Audio CD

Line Of Duty holds its status as the defining TV crime drama of today. The conspiracy theme of the series chimes at a time when public institutions and representatives are distrusted. Ted Hastings, the show’s head of anti-corruption, has emerged as the beating heart of the series. This book reveals how the compelling drama reflects real crimes, events and figures, most notably that of Robert Mark and his battle against Met corruption. ‘None of my people would plant evidence. They know I would throw the book at them…followed by the bookshelf’ Starting with a bang – ‘I’ll put you all back in uniform’ were his first words to his team. New Met Commissioner Robert Mark – the inspiration for Ted Hastings – took on his entire corruption-riddled detective branch in his first brutal speech. The scale of the problem facing Robert Mark was institutionalised corruption in CID. During his four years eleven months as commissioner, he saw 478 men leave the force following or in anticipation of criminal/disciplinary proceedings. Departures in the previous decade had averaged about 16 a year. Mark’s extraordinary career established the need for a dedicated team to investigate corruption that lives on today.

The Real Ted Hastings Audio MP3 CD

Line Of Duty holds its status as the defining TV crime drama of today. The conspiracy theme of the series chimes at a time when public institutions and representatives are distrusted. Ted Hastings, the show’s head of anti-corruption, has emerged as the beating heart of the series. This book reveals how the compelling drama reflects real crimes, events and figures, most notably that of Robert Mark and his battle against Met corruption. ‘None of my people would plant evidence. They know I would throw the book at them…followed by the bookshelf’ Starting with a bang – ‘I’ll put you all back in uniform’ were his first words to his team. New Met Commissioner Robert Mark – the inspiration for Ted Hastings – took on his entire corruption-riddled detective branch in his first brutal speech. The scale of the problem facing Robert Mark was institutionalised corruption in CID. During his four years eleven months as commissioner, he saw 478 men leave the force following or in anticipation of criminal/disciplinary proceedings. Departures in the previous decade had averaged about 16 a year. Mark’s extraordinary career established the need for a dedicated team to investigate corruption that lives on today.