Kirjahaku

"I'll be famous. You'll see."The year is 1946, and in rural New Zealand fourteen-year-old Sid Everett dreams of glory on the racetrack. But why is his father determinedly blocking his every move? Sid's dad is back from WWII, but it's not the kind of homecoming the family had hoped for. Dad's return brings fear, not comfort, and for some reason he thwarts Sid's every attempt to become a jockey.Time is running out for a boy who is almost old enough to leave school and start work, and in post-WWII New Zealand there's not a lot of choice. With an older sister who has already sacrificed her own dream, Sid can't resist the temptation to go all out.Deceiving his parents, Sid jeopardises the very dream he longs for, placing himself and a valuable horse (which he doesn't own) in great danger. A midnight disaster on the beach seems to have destroyed all hope. But can it create an opportunity for honesty, and a chance for new beginnings?Knowing that more than a horse's welfare hangs in the balance, Sid's dad must open up and let his son know the truth behind his anti-racing stance, and Sid must make a hard choice for the good of his family.Can Sid prove himself to be a winner? Sid Everett embarks on a life-changing struggle, which will change more lives than just his own. Holding The Horse is a story of dreams, determination, and ultimately sacrifice. J L Williams evokes the 1940s with accuracy and sensitivity.A fast paced and heart-warming story of courage, conflict and reconciliation which will long remain in the heart and mind. Praise for Holding The Horse: A gripping story that will have you cheering for Sid all the way. A racing good book for anyone who loves horses, history or characters with grit and determination.Philippa Werry, award winning author There is nothing clich d here. This story is full of emotion. An important story about PTSD, dreams and ambitions, and making do. All this resonates with the modern-day world we are now entering.Janice Marriott, award winning author and mentor The history is accurate, the plot and the characters are interwoven to portray the social issues of the time, and the decisions, regrets, and triumphs that Sid goes through reflect real life. The book is a gripping read with good characterisation, action and conflict, and the language is a pleasure to read.Diana Menefy, award winning author Set in rural New Zealand in 1946 this story is both engaging and engrossing. Sid's father, not long home from the war, is struggling to cope with a return to a life that now offers few opportunities: his own shadowed past sets him against his son's ambition of becoming a famous jockey. Without knowing the reasons for his father's opposition, Sid does all he can to realise his dream, even to the extent of putting everything he hopes for in jeopardy. The story's momentum is carried swiftly along by pacy dialogue; persuasive family dynamics, including issues concerning a small deaf sibling; a dash of happy coincidence, as well as a low-key romance between Sid and the daughter of a local horse owner. The historical background of returned soldiers suffering PTSD, as well as feeling generally abandoned by officialdom, is convincing. With a neatly constructed, satisfying plot this exciting story is also a warm-hearted tale that should have wide appeal.Bill Nagelkerke, Award winning children's author, translator and former children's librarian

Every few weeks or so now, the Davenport Crew gather together again to talk and hangout, like they did when they were growing up in the blue-collar Southern town of Millport in the mid-eighties. But all of that feels like a memory from a lifetime ago.The year is 1986 and things are quite different for the boys. They're teenagers again and life is beautiful and crisp like a pristine summer day. One day after school has let out, they go fishing under the bridge on their street, but there comes a meeting of great proportions when a dark stranger driving a mystic grey car stops by and alters the course of all their lives. The horror is something they'll have to face up close and personal. Like Mike relates in the story, "Some things you can't just 86 from memory. You've got to deal with it until the end of the road." Now complete with the addition of a new short story, "The Rider", a brief but maddening glimpse into the highwayman's life on the road, a dark delight with violent ends, and the true epilogue of 86.

On a privately gated island located near the Gulf of Mexico, a luxurious palatial estate is up for sale. The posh neighborhood is comprised of the wealthy class-the inheritors of the world, the trust fund recipients, the upper echelon of society. Cole Pearson, a writer known by his successful trilogy of horror novels about the down-to-earth mortician, Jackson Lucid, scopes the island out online and decides to pay a visit to the place familiar from his childhood-Gulf Beach. He's also thinking about relocating from the River Roost to write a new novel. He meets Jacquelyn Summers, a young ditzy-headed realtor, by appointment a few days later at the Coastal Beach Realty office, and they're off to observe Juno Island with a short list of handwritten addresses. Soon, a mysterious story begins to unravel as it's revealed the house has been vacant for ten years now. The owner reputed to have disappeared at sea. After checking it out, Cole decides the 7,000 square-foot estate is like a hollow shell, empty inside, but only needs a bold dreamer to envision its future and shape it into something to call his own. Now ask yourself: How much do you know about your neighbors? Really?

J. L. Williams, AA, BS, BBS, ThM, DDG, DD Awards/Notable Mentions: Nominated for the contemporary Who's Who of Professionals (2004) Appointed Deputy Director General for the International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England (2005) Honorary appointment to the Research Board of Advisors for the American Biographical Institute (2005) Recipient of the Da Vinci Diamond Award for Business Entrepreneurship by the International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England (2006) Metropolitan Who's Who of Professionals (2006) Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Business given by the United Cultural Convention (2006) The Presidential Seal of Honor for Exemplary Achievements in the field of Business Entrepreneurship by the American Biographical Institute (2007)

A dream of glory. A dangerous choice. In racing, only winning counts.Life seems to be going well for sixteen-year-old apprentice jockey Sid Everett - until the moment he listens in on a private conversation. Now his worst fears are confirmed, and he is about to face the thing he least wants.Knowing protests are useless, Sid agrees to move to a new racing stable far away to complete his apprenticeship. His riding prowess and 'horse whisperer' skills have served him well so far. But will they count for much in a big stable, and in the highly competitive racing world he's about to enter?When Sid stumbles across a disturbing secret, his determination to succeed is thrown off course. As the mystery pulls him in, he realises he must make a choice. And it may cost him everything. Will doing the right thing mean the death of his racing dreams?" A wild ride from beginning to end." F.R.M. Riley, AuthorSet in post-WWII New Zealand, Like The Wind is a story of dreams, determination, and ultimately sacrifice. J L Williams evokes the 1940s with accuracy and sensitivity. A fast paced and heart-warming story of courage, conflict and caring which will long remain in the heart and mind.

An old house, a secret staircase, and a hidden time-tunnel.A thrilling time-travel adventure for readers aged 8-12. A quaint old hotel in a sleepy seaside town holds a secret-a hidden staircase that opens a gateway to a tumultuous past. When twelve-year-old Jay and his younger sister Poppy visit their eccentric grandmother in Russell, they'd rather be anywhere else. But strange sounds only they can hear-mysterious voices, fireworks, or is it gunfire?-make them question their surroundings. One night, they spot two men burying treasure in a garden long overgrown by trees. The mystery deepens as the siblings step into the world of Kororāreka in 1845, a town teetering on the edge of conflict. Caught in a momentous historical event, Jay and Poppy must navigate a dangerous past, where tensions rise and loyalties are tested. A modern children's classic from award-winning historical fiction author J L Williams.If you enjoy Lucy M. Boston's Green Knowe series or The Secret Lake by Karen Inglis, you won't be able to put down this gripping time-travel mystery. The Secret Staircase delves into themes of colonization and culture with sensitivity and heart, launching readers on an unforgettable adventure. Can Jay and Poppy trust their new-found friends, find the treasure, and return to the present before it's too late?