Stories

Former policeman Dan and art critic Vaughan’s relationship has an unfortunate start, but second time around they find that life has something different in store for them. Amidst interfering family members and lively friends, their relationship develops. But then Dan’s employer, Francis Heyward starts to take an interest. Heyward is seemingly stupendously rich, a giver of notorious parties and the possessor of an enviable art collection. There’s a question of whether a line should be crossed, and whether Heyward can even be trusted at all.

A midlife single university teacher in ornithology feels deeply unhappy with his life so far and starts pondering what made it that way. But although he is able to find part of the answers, he doesn’t have the courage to change it. When he is sent on a field research job in Alaska, the total change in environment brings him this courage and he enjoys the new-found freedom with the help of an extraordinary guide.

I remember my life now as if I'm looking out a window. Streaks of my life flash by me. I try to open the window and catch them, but the window won't open. So, I sit and watch them, and I wonder did they really happen or was it just a dream? Take a journey back in time as 78-year-old Phil Reid relates his life experiences to a younger man.

Former Delta Operative, Sam Trammel’s entire world has just collapsed and with no other option, he returns to Florida to bury his twin and his past. Ben Santiago is an Episcopal priest, a man with a checkered past, and a close friend of Sam's family. After a chance meeting brings them together, the two men navigate the tangled web of regret and forgiveness as friendship turns into love despite the obstacle of Sam's PTSD, and his reluctance to move toward Ben instead of away. Family and new friendships help Sam to rebuild and realize that sometimes the path to healing and finding home, is by confronting your past head-on.

Samuel, a best-selling author and prolific writer, gets reacquainted with his stepson David during a weekend that will forever change both their lives.

Denys, a journalist, drifts through his days sad and desperately alone. By a stroke of unexpected chance, a runaway appears in his life. However, teenage Theo carries a lot of anger in him, and his feelings of loss are just as palpable as Denys’.

Yet, perhaps – somehow – man and boy can help fix what's broken in the other. That is, if they're able to survive what the Russians have planned for their city.

I'll try to turn off the comments section for this...but if you see any errors in the text, please send me a private message here on GA.

**Warning: Anger ahead**

Part of the Lost Soul Series and The Boot World this is Ian and Kevin's story. In the summer of 2011, they move from a rented flat in The Northern Quarter of Manchester to their own house in Prestwich. As couples do they reflect on the past and look forward to the future. Unexpected news changes their lives and gives a glimpse into the past of their friend Manny.

This re-write of the original story posted in 2022, is more than an edit, added dialogue and description tells the story better and has been achieved with the help of raven1.

It may help, but it is not essential, to read the other stories in the series.

We all like to know the back story to characters, you know their story before they appeared in a main story. Confused? You won't be when you read on, then it will make sense.

The Major features in The Boot and The Boot - Three Years On. Here he features in his own story, before The Boot.

There is a tissue needed warning!

This story has been revised and edited to improve the reader experience, it has not been altered in any other way.