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|  | | Fur, Oak and Ferm
From Canadian fir forests, oaks of England and onto the fern bush in New Zealand, this family saga centres around four forthright, liberal women, spans five generations, three continents, two world wars, and one hundred years.
The story begins in present day New Zealand when Nicole receives an ancient diary from her Canadian grandmother, Cindy that she begins to read. It begins in 1898 with Amanda's elopement with her beloved Jack and her struggle to survive and prosper away from her domineering father in Washington State. The two begin a new life in Vancouver, Canada where, over the years, she develops a publishing empire.
Her daughter, Dorothy becomes a nurse serving in England. She falls in love with a soldier about to be charged for desertion from the trenches in the Western Front in World War 1. Will he be court-martialled and shot?
In World War 11, Cindy becomes a Land Girl in war torn England and tragedy strikes their family.
Nicole has her own problems and is helped by Cindy, now an old lady when and ancient legacy comes her way.
Each period in time is filled with drama, joy and sometimes tragedy, but vividly illustrates the determination of each woman to enrich her life through love of partners and families and a liberal outlook on life.
Monday 19 September 1898
Dear Diary,
The decision is made. Tonight, I am leaving my home of the last twenty years. Father will not compromise and has banned any association with Jack Williams. Why, you might ask? Is it only, as he says, because Jack is a Presbyterian and our family is Irish Catholic? No, I believe it is also because we are the landed gentry and he is but a poor worker in Father's lumber mill.
We are leaving for Canada and a new life away from this autocratic atmosphere where women are expected to obey without question. I shall miss Mother but da | |  | | Into The Wormhole
When Talya is sucked into a wormhole she arrives in a new world where humans are primitive villagers pursued by hexalimbs, six limbed creatures, for food. Along with Gavin, also stranded from Earth, she helps the local humans. They rescue and befriend Kysum, a tailed humanoid who can metamorphose into other beings, from a hexalimb spaceship.
In an ongoing fight against the aliens they search for a way home. In doing so, they transverse time-space and change the course of history in this far off universe.
But who is really in control? Will it be possible to ever reach home?
But does Earth even exist?
Talya's heart raced and the room around began to spin. She grabbed the table edge and swallowed. Something was wrong!
"Talya," someone nearby asked. "Are you okay?"
"A little woozy," she replied and rose to her feet. "My vote does not change. Excuse me... I need to get to the bathroom. "
She brushed away hands of support and ran out. By the time she reached the executive bathroom the spinning sensation was worse. She grabbed the hand basin; half filled it with cold water and lowered her face into it. That helped.
She tried to recall what it was she knew abou | |  | | Stretched Horizons
When Sunset Grove Primary's Headteacher, Bree Ashworth goes to help teacher Jenny Dench in her classroom she is attacked by an intruder. The attacker escapes and Bree is taken to hospital. Her husband Colin arrives and tells her he is leaving to move from London with his mistress Linda Rouke.
Bree has bookings to attend a reading conference in New Zealand over that country's summer vacation. With double tickets bought and Colin gone, she invites Jenny to come with her.
In New Zealand, the small commuter aeroplane they fly in crashes in thick bush country. The pilot is killed and Jenny and Bree try to survive by themselves. However, all is not lost, for a tramper in the bush, Ray Barnett and his dog, Pattie find them.
Police in England tell Colin, Bree has been involved in an air crash and is missing. Colin abandons his partner and flies out to New Zealand but his intentions are not those one would expect from a worried husband....
Bree wiped her eyes, hugged the dog and gazed around. She was in the middle of a pile of loose debris but a little above her there was a grass knob where a couple of trees grew. One was the bushy type they'd walked through all day and the other was a tall multi-branched palm tree that Ray had talked about when they were back at the hut. It had the unique name of cabbage tree.
Her thoughts went from the cabbage tree back to her friends. She stared down but could not see them in the deepening shadows. "Come on, Pattie, we'll go up to that knob and you can relax. A big machine is fly |
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