Ian Thompson

In 1810 a literary phenomenon swept through Britain, Europe and beyond: the publication of Sir Walter Scott's epic poem The Lady of the Lake, set in the wild romantic landscape around Loch Katrine and the Trossachs. The world's first international blockbusting bestseller, in terms of sheer publishing sensation nothing like it was seen until the Harry Potter books. Exploring the potent appeal that links books, places, authors and readers, this collection of eleven essays examines tourism in the Trossachs both before and after 1810, and surveys the indigenous Gaelic culture of the area. It also considers how Sir Walter's writings responded to the landscape, history and literature of the region, and traces his impact on the tourists, authors and artists who thronged in his wake.

Landscape architecture plays an important role in shaping the places in which we live and work. But what is it? Landscape architects are involved, amongst other things, in the layout of business parks, the reclamation of derelict industrial sites, the restoration of historic city parks, and the siting and design of major pieces of infrastructure such as motorways, dams, power stations, and flood defences, as well as the planning of parks and gardens. Taking a historical perspective, Ian Thompson looks at both the roots of landscape architecture and the people that established it. This Very Short Introduction explores some of the misconceptions about landscape architecture and considers the discipline's origins in landscape gardening. Thompson takes a look at a number of areas, including the influence of Modernism, the difference between landscape design and landscape planning, and the way that planning legislation has driven the growth of the discipline. He also explores contemporary environmentalism, the debate as to whether landscape architecture is an art or a science, landscape architecture in the community, post-industrial projects, and its relationship with ecological urbanism. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Famous throughout the country, and beyond, for its Tower, its Illuminations and its Pleasure Beach amusement park, Blackpool is the archetypal British seaside resort. But there's more to this Lancashire town than donkey rides, sticks of rock and 'Kiss Me Quick' hats. Authors Roger Frost and Ian Thompson take the reader on a fascinating journey through the town's past, from its days as a watering hole for the wealthy to its rather less salubrious reputation as a magnet for Hen and Stag weekends. Along the way, they unearth tales of a 13,000-year-old Elk, early Jaguars, the legendary Bond Bug, an iconic biscuit and one of Britain's most exciting sports cars. Secret Blackpool delves beneath the surface of this enduring old seaside resort, revealing a lesser-known past that even most local people don’t know.

AN INCONVENIENT VOICE is the true story of Maggie Houlihan, who chose poverty over an abusive marriage and escaped to a small coastal town where she would ascend to become the most polarizing public figure in its history.It's the story of a remarkable woman written by her husband after her death. It's the tale of two strangers who married for the sake of a Green Card, then unexpectedly fell in love and stayed together another twenty-eight years.It's the story of Maggie's universal compassion, her inability to say no to anyone she found suffering, especially the dozens of animals she rescued and homed or adopted.It's the tale of her election to city council in a seaside village and her unrelenting fight to preserve the town from the forces of greed and self-serving power, in spite of libel and death threats she received along the way.It's a story that stands as a testimony to the triumph of good over evil. But most of all, it's a love letter, a tribute to Maggie Houlihan's amazing character by the man who knew her best.IAN THOMPSON was born and raised in England. A freelance journalist, he is also a retired manager and technology executive. He wrote this memoir to share with more people the light that Maggie Houlihan was and the inspiration she brought to the world.

An ancient, abandoned church... with a victim impaled on its metal spire.A terrifying kidnapping...Old friends - once trusted, now lying...A devastating arson attack...Ruthless blackmailers who will kill anyone who stands in their way...Crime reporters Ray Hammett and Jessica Summers haven't recovered from their last case when they find themselves plunged into a lethal new mystery. This time, there are far more dead bodies than clues. Armed with just their keen curiosity, camaraderie and dogged determination, they'll risk everything to uncover the truth.Ray and Jessica become swamped in a quagmire of deceit and apparently unconnected events. They encounter the Barrentines, a treacherous and immoral married business team. Tanner Leeson, an overnight success - by sheer luck or twisted design? Ronnie O'Farrell, ex-military and suspiciously willing to help. And, visiting Norbourn's Flights, the pair meet a crew who act like drunken fools - but could Jeff Norbourn really be hiding a smuggling operation, murder or worse? What is the secret behind Angel Park Hall and Marshall Holdings? Who gains from the escalating array of death and destruction? Was the arson attack devised for insurance or for a more sinister purpose? Were the killings in revenge or to silence witnesses? Does the root of the mystery lie with one of the mobster families of Prestford? Are the reporters going head-to-head with organized crime?Most baffling of all, how can anything connect to the murder on the spire?The latest murders take on an even more macabre twist: the bodies are incinerated, annihilating all evidence. Why?While Ray and Jessica collect pieces in their ill-fitting puzzle, the killer always seems to be many steps ahead of them. Ray's healing wound, plus their increasing fatigue and frustrations, wear the pair down. Only their growing friendship keeps them from breaking... Worst of all, someone wants the reporters to stop - and will kill to ensure they do.Can the mystery be solved? Or will the two friends become victims themselves... and be burned from existence?The Murder Weapon On The Hill is the sequel to Paradise Exhumed, a novel reviewers described as: "very intense and very well written""a great story, well written and beautifully constructed, with well drawn characters"."...a thriller... you can't stop reading""I went back to Sherlock Holmes, this was awesome""The mystery combined with the action and murder made it something I couldn't resist""...characters were interesting and real... full of twists and turns""...a fantastic whodunit thriller... Highly recommended""...an absolutely awesome, intense read."

Learning to Teach in England and the United States studies the evolution of initial teacher education by considering some of the current approaches in England and the United States. Presenting empirical evidence from these two distinct political and historical contexts, the chapters of this thought-provoking volume illustrate the tensions involved in preparing teachers who are working in ever-changing environments. Grounded in the lived experiences of those directly affected by these shifting policy environments, the book questions if reforms that have introduced accountability regimes and new kinds of partnership with the promise of improving teaching and learning, have contributed to more powerful learning experiences in schools for those entering the profession. The authors consider the relationships between global, national and local policy, and question their potential impact on the future of teacher education and teaching more generally. The research adopts an innovative methodology and sociocultural theoretical framework designed to show greater insights into the ways in which beginning teachers’ learning experiences are shaped by relationships at all of these levels. A key emerging issue is that of the alignment – or not – between the values and dispositions of the individuals and the institutions that are involved.This book will appeal to academics, researchers and postgraduate students in the fields of teacher education, comparative education, higher education, and education policy and politics.

Building from the previous two successful editions, The Procurement Models Handbook is an essential resource for everyone working in the procurement profession, including those selling directly to it. The authors provide the reader with a useful guide to the business models most frequently applied in the procurement and supply chain arena.Procurement and supply chain management are two of the highest contributors to corporate success in the modern world. This third edition is a new revised international version with additional tools that reflect the value of procurement in our globally-connected world. The authors have included over 50 well-established strategic and operational models that have a proven track record of delivering value over years of practice. Each model is presented pictorially, with explanatory commentary on its practical application to support.These models are designed to save unnecessary cost and deliver significant benefits for their user and have been carefully selected by the authors based on their originality and usefulness for practical application in the context of procurement and the supply chain. The Procurement Models Handbook is an invaluable and enduring source of reference for practitioners and business managers, as well as an essential learning support for business and procurement students.

Building from the previous two successful editions, The Procurement Models Handbook is an essential resource for everyone working in the procurement profession, including those selling directly to it. The authors provide the reader with a useful guide to the business models most frequently applied in the procurement and supply chain arena.Procurement and supply chain management are two of the highest contributors to corporate success in the modern world. This third edition is a new revised international version with additional tools that reflect the value of procurement in our globally-connected world. The authors have included over 50 well-established strategic and operational models that have a proven track record of delivering value over years of practice. Each model is presented pictorially, with explanatory commentary on its practical application to support.These models are designed to save unnecessary cost and deliver significant benefits for their user and have been carefully selected by the authors based on their originality and usefulness for practical application in the context of procurement and the supply chain. The Procurement Models Handbook is an invaluable and enduring source of reference for practitioners and business managers, as well as an essential learning support for business and procurement students.

When Police Lieutenant Dan Conway arrives at Crawford Mansion, he finds a gruesome massacre. Someone has taken control of a robot created for sick, wheelchair-bound Leon Crawford - and has turned it into a war machine. The scene is almost too grotesque, even for a veteran officer such as Conway. There are over a hundred people dead - many torn to pieces - and just a handful of traumatized survivors. Alongside cops like the volatile Sergeant Belasco, old-timer Gausman and the ever-reliable Becka Holson, Conway maintains a cordon around the building. Their orders are to wait for a team of heavily-armed soldiers to arrive and destroy the robot... However, when Leon Crawford makes a frantic call by cell phone from inside the mansion, the police have no choice - they must attempt a rescue immediately... The robot's return to action results in another eruption of death and devastation. This killer machine is lightning-fast and possesses unbelievable strength. Bullets only seem to enrage its controller and to result in worse atrocities. Conway and the survivors of his team become trapped in the mansion, still searching for Leon, whilst being hunted by the near-indestructible robot. Any sounds they make will bring the steel monster's wrath down upon them. No hiding place is safe. No barrier will hold back the machine for long... Away from the Crawford Mansion, rookie officer Anne DeLacy has been sent to collect Leon's mother. What should be a routine assignment turns into a nightmare. She finds herself severely wounded, struggling to remain conscious and fighting desperately for her life. Who is controlling the robot? Why is he killing? And can the machine ever be stopped? 'Mechincarnation'features of return of Dan Conway, who first appeared in the third Short Horror Tale 'Chained'. This is a dark, violent horror thriller and the longest in the Short Horror Tales series so far... A story crafted to grip the reader with rich characters and snappy dialogue; rising tension and a twisted narrative; and vivid, visceral action scenes. Reviews from this author's horror releases: "...thoroughly spooky, enticing and well written from start to finish.""...great... I could feel the fear...""...shows true mastery of the short horror story... a wildly imaginative antagonist unlike anything I've read before... a quick, captivating read full of horror and thrills. The tense action and suspense of Glancing Blow make it incredibly hard to put down..."(Glancing Blow - Short Horror Tales #1)"...When the blood starts to splatter, Nigel's day gets really rough. Thompson has devised a brilliantly brutal creature to sic on his leading man. Creative and twisted, the monster is a total terror... Hooker is an absolutely insane, blood-pumping ride... With a wicked cool monster and a page-turning climax, this is one Creature Feature you won't want to miss out on..."(Hooker - Short Horror Tales #2)"Great short story..."(Ignition Source - Short Horror Tales #4)"...well-written, descriptive and enthralling page-turner, that's not for the faint-hearted... The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat..."(God Of War)"...extremely well written and very dark. The author did a great job of creating a palpable sense of doom that surrounds the main character from the beginning, and then creating more tension and horror as the story went on..."(Into The Hole)

Another super-saving Short Horror Tales omnibus... THE LITTLE MEN: Frozen suicides, gunshot victims and shredded corpses. What the hell is going on in Shilsville? Two men investigate: Dave Renfield, a Native American detective, and Nick Guggenheim, a retired old cop. What begins as a series of baffling deaths evolves into a battle against a horror the police can barely believe in. The Little Men have been unleashed and their sole purpose is to slaughter... COLD CALLERS: How far will a mother go to protect her infant child? Marcie and her baby are alone in the creepy old house they call home. A frantic knocking on the front door heralds the arrival of the Cold Callers - and a night of harrowing terror begins for the mother and her child. The house is under siege by creatures than are neither human nor animal... Creatures with horrific intent... ACID RAIN: After a weekend stopover in the big city, the passengers of a double-decker bus encounter a truly hellish storm... This rain is raw, searing acid. Just a drop on human skin is enough to inflict an agonising burn - anyone caught in the downpour suffers horrendously. Chaos consumes the streets as victims go wild from excruciating pain. Vehicles collide in the panic and the bloodshed escalates... Short Horror Tales are quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists. Reviews from this author's horror releases: "...thoroughly spooky, enticing and well written from start to finish.""...great... I could feel the fear...""...shows true mastery of the short horror story... a wildly imaginative antagonist unlike anything I've read before... a quick, captivating read full of horror and thrills. The tense action and suspense of Glancing Blow make it incredibly hard to put down..."(Glancing Blow - Short Horror Tales #1)"...When the blood starts to splatter, Nigel's day gets really rough. Thompson has devised a brilliantly brutal creature to sic on his leading man. Creative and twisted, the monster is a total terror... Hooker is an absolutely insane, blood-pumping ride... With a wicked cool monster and a page-turning climax, this is one Creature Feature you won't want to miss out on..."(Hooker - Short Horror Tales #2)"Great short story..."(Ignition Source - Short Horror Tales #4)"...well-written, descriptive and enthralling page-turner, that's not for the faint-hearted... The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat..."(God Of War)"...extremely well written and very dark. The author did a great job of creating a palpable sense of doom that surrounds the main character from the beginning, and then creating more tension and horror as the story went on..."(Into The Hole)

Four years ago, the Earth began to bleed - and a zombie plague infested our world... Ed, once a comic book writer and a drunk, is now a seasoned veteran of the apocalypse. With his tough-as-nails friend Marie, he joins a small team on a supply run into hostile territory. When disaster strikes, their armoured truck is destroyed and the group find themselves on foot - far from any safe haven... and hunted by a flesh-hungry horde of the undead. Their sole chance of finding a new vehicle means a hazardous four mile trek. Areas of vegetation have become jungles. Lethal pools of Earth's Blood block their path. Zombies are closing-in from all directions. Every conflict diminishes their supplies of ammunition. They grow exhausted, are hampered by injury and must endure the sheer, relentless horror of their pursuers... In a devastating climax, Ed and his companions face a battle for survival: a handful of the living against almost two hundred thousand of the ravenous undead. Can any of them possibly overcome such odds? Zombie Horde is the first Short Tale in the new series 'The Earth Bleeds' - from the author of God Of War and his best-selling Short Horror Tales. Reviews from this author's horror releases: "...thoroughly spooky, enticing and well written from start to finish.""...great... I could feel the fear...""...shows true mastery of the short horror story... a wildly imaginative antagonist unlike anything I've read before... a quick, captivating read full of horror and thrills. The tense action and suspense of Glancing Blow make it incredibly hard to put down..."(Glancing Blow - Short Horror Tales #1)"...When the blood starts to splatter, Nigel's day gets really rough. Thompson has devised a brilliantly brutal creature to sic on his leading man. Creative and twisted, the monster is a total terror... Hooker is an absolutely insane, blood-pumping ride... With a wicked cool monster and a page-turning climax, this is one Creature Feature you won't want to miss out on..."(Hooker - Short Horror Tales #2)"Great short story..."(Ignition Source - Short Horror Tales #4)"...well-written, descriptive and enthralling page-turner, that's not for the faint-hearted... The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat..."(God Of War)"...extremely well written and very dark. The author did a great job of creating a palpable sense of doom that surrounds the main character from the beginning, and then creating more tension and horror as the story went on..."(Into The Hole)

Adam Farrisher, President of Avernus Studios, has created a new TV show - and people are dying to watch it. Over a hundred have been murdered so far. Mr Slowly is an assassin plagued by nightmares of the victims of his own deadly work. He no longer kills people, and instead eliminates supernatural threats. His new mission: to stop Farrisher and the TV show dead. Entering the studios at night, Mr Slowly is baffled by what he finds. The building is a ruin, filthy and decrepit. There are no signs of Farrisher's workforce. And grotesque, flesh-eating horrors prowl the dark corridors... Mr Slowly will need all his lethal skills to succeed and survive the night... Yet some evil force in the studios is wearing him down - making him sick, wracking him with terrible pain and twisting his mind. The longer he spends inside, the weaker and more vulnerable he becomes... Can Mr Slowly solve the mystery, kill his target and get out alive? (Mr Slowly first appeared in 'Kill Him, Slowly', the seventh Short Horror Tale) This is the thirteenth in the series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists. Reviews from this author's horror releases: "...thoroughly spooky, enticing and well written from start to finish.""...great... I could feel the fear...""...shows true mastery of the short horror story... a wildly imaginative antagonist unlike anything I've read before... a quick, captivating read full of horror and thrills. The tense action and suspense of Glancing Blow make it incredibly hard to put down..."(Glancing Blow - Short Horror Tales #1)"...When the blood starts to splatter, Nigel's day gets really rough. Thompson has devised a brilliantly brutal creature to sic on his leading man. Creative and twisted, the monster is a total terror... Hooker is an absolutely insane, blood-pumping ride... With a wicked cool monster and a page-turning climax, this is one Creature Feature you won't want to miss out on..."(Hooker - Short Horror Tales #2)"Great short story..."(Ignition Source - Short Horror Tales #4)"...well-written, descriptive and enthralling page-turner, that's not for the faint-hearted... The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat..."(God Of War)"...extremely well written and very dark. The author did a great job of creating a palpable sense of doom that surrounds the main character from the beginning, and then creating more tension and horror as the story went on..."(Into The Hole)

Category management is one of the biggest contributors of commercial value in the area of procurement and supply chain. With a proven track record of successful delivery since the early 1990s, it helps organisations gather and analyse key data about their procurement spend before subsequently creating and delivering value-adding strategies that change the value proposition from supply chains. The aim of category management is to find long-term breakthrough strategies that help lift an organisation’s commercial performance to a new level. Because of its strategic long-term orientation and complex execution, category management has long been the preserve of commercial consulting companies – in effect a ‘black box’ toolkit shrouded in expensive methodologies.This practical handbook lifts the lid on category management by providing readers with a step-by-step process and established toolkit that allows them a ‘do-it-yourself’ approach. Each activity is presented as a simple tool or technique for practitioners to apply to their own organisations. To support each activity, easy-to- use templates and checklists have been provided, together with simple but practical hints and tips for implementation.This handbook is a ‘must read’ for all procurement and supplychain managers looking to find significant improvements in their organisations. Its practical approach cuts through long-winded consultant-speak and provides an easy-to-use practical toolkit for everyday application.

Category management is one of the biggest contributors of commercial value in the area of procurement and supply chain. With a proven track record of successful delivery since the early 1990s, it helps organisations gather and analyse key data about their procurement spend before subsequently creating and delivering value-adding strategies that change the value proposition from supply chains. The aim of category management is to find long-term breakthrough strategies that help lift an organisation’s commercial performance to a new level. Because of its strategic long-term orientation and complex execution, category management has long been the preserve of commercial consulting companies – in effect a ‘black box’ toolkit shrouded in expensive methodologies.This practical handbook lifts the lid on category management by providing readers with a step-by-step process and established toolkit that allows them a ‘do-it-yourself’ approach. Each activity is presented as a simple tool or technique for practitioners to apply to their own organisations. To support each activity, easy-to- use templates and checklists have been provided, together with simple but practical hints and tips for implementation.This handbook is a ‘must read’ for all procurement and supplychain managers looking to find significant improvements in their organisations. Its practical approach cuts through long-winded consultant-speak and provides an easy-to-use practical toolkit for everyday application.

A storm from hell itself? After a weekend stopover in the big city, the six passengers of a double-decker bus are on their way home at night. Maddie, their driver, is tough and experienced... but soon very out of her depth. Before they can reach the outskirts of the city, a rainstorm begins like no other Maddie has ever encountered... This rain is raw, searing acid. Just a drop on human skin is enough to inflict an agonising burn - and those people caught in the downpour suffer horrendously. Chaos consumes the streets as victims go wild from excruciating pain. Vehicles collide in the panic and the bloodshed escalates... The acid rain is attacking not only organic matter, but also plastics, rubber, metals, glass and other materials. It slowly eats through shelters - like buildings and vehicles - to devour the living prey inside. Maddie's bus becomes both a prison and a haven for the seven travellers. Escaping the storm is their only chance for survival. They flee through a landscape being transformed by a dark, liquid apocalypse... while their vehicle deteriorates and their nerves shred with terror... Working together, the travellers try to reinforce their mobile shelter and to overcome the harrowing ordeals forced upon them. But how long will the bus continue to run before it succumbs to the acid? Is there any hope left in this realm of torment and death? And what new horror awaits them... even more grotesque and appalling than the acid rain? This is the twelfth in the series of Short Horror Tales - quick reads written to captivate the reader with thrills, chills and unexpected twists. Reviews from this author's horror releases: "...thoroughly spooky, enticing and well written from start to finish.""...great... I could feel the fear...""...shows true mastery of the short horror story... a wildly imaginative antagonist unlike anything I've read before... a quick, captivating read full of horror and thrills. The tense action and suspense of Glancing Blow make it incredibly hard to put down..."(Glancing Blow - Short Horror Tales #1)"...When the blood starts to splatter, Nigel's day gets really rough. Thompson has devised a brilliantly brutal creature to sic on his leading man. Creative and twisted, the monster is a total terror... Hooker is an absolutely insane, blood-pumping ride... With a wicked cool monster and a page-turning climax, this is one Creature Feature you won't want to miss out on..."(Hooker - Short Horror Tales #2)"Great short story..."(Ignition Source - Short Horror Tales #4)"...well-written, descriptive and enthralling page-turner, that's not for the faint-hearted... The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat..."(God Of War)"...extremely well written and very dark. The author did a great job of creating a palpable sense of doom that surrounds the main character from the beginning, and then creating more tension and horror as the story went on..."(Into The Hole)

The entire Hector Reborn Saga in one epic volume Prince Hector, the greatest defending warrior in the epic Trojan War, is brutally slain by his nemesis Achilles... And finds himself reborn in an astounding new realm. Traumatised by separation from his family, nation and world, Hector finds it hard to accept the prospect of a new life. His rigid codes of honour and loyalty make him feel he has abandoned his war-ravaged home. The beautiful Elsha of the Nemalite people, introduces him to an Elysium of kindness, harmony and magic, where living gods can walk among mortals. The Trojan Prince is enraptured by his new friend and the apparent miracles around him, and at first believes this world is perfect. He gradually learns of a grotesque force which holds the Nemalites under a thrall of fear and hopelessness. Hector cannot stand by and watch the horrors around him - he acts to save his new friends... But the result of his efforts is not peace, rather the unleashing of a menace that plunges Elysium into hellish turmoil. Guilty of the murder of innocents and hated by his companions, Hector fights to curtail the disaster he has caused. Against him stands an army of Shaltine - supernatural warriors which exude an aura of Fear, rendering all opponents helpless. Countless lives, both on Elysium and back on Hector's home world, are threatened by a fate far worse than death. And amid all the chaos, desperation and destruction, there awaits a malevolent revelation for Hector... Something so awful it may destroy Hector's sanity before it takes his life. Reviews from this author's fantasy releases: ...for the Hector Reborn saga: "...I couldn't put it down. Amongst all the fantasy and action, the strongest part of the story is Hector's character. He is governed by honour and loyalty - which not only leads him into conflict, but leads him to cause a disaster. We see many sides of him, from his personal strength, to his heartbreak and loss, to a desperation to fix the terrible things he causes... to him being almost destroyed by another twist in the novel... very cleverly written - I highly recommend this book.""...This novel is definitely unique as it incorporates history and fantasy into one whirlwind of a story. We are immediately transported into the world of Hector, the Prince warrior who is determinedly trying to protect his homeland before his death at the hand of Achilles... Hector as a character is hard not to like, he has a distinct set of values and is loyal to a fault. Although granted this does get him into trouble later in the book and he is not immune to making mistakes it was good to read. Without giving away too many spoilers the other characters were definitely full of surprises and the author has no qualms about character deaths. Personally I do enjoy this in a novel as it creates genuine fear for the characters and their fates. If you do enjoy fantasy mixed with some historical fiction then I would recommend this for you."...for the Era Of Darkness saga: "...The action is intense, the battles are brutal, and the characters are complex and very real. What a great story ""...vividly descriptive with an almost metered artistry...""...Fast and furious paced action fantasy. Great characters that you really care for. Battles are huge and bloodthirsty. Cool races and well-designed monsters. A cracking-good read... ""I was impressed by the quality of the storytelling... an enthralling mix... a solid read" "...intense battles, incredible dark magic... so many twists and turns... I loved it""I was completely sucked in and captivated from the first page""...mixture of fantasy, mystery, loyalty that make it a one of a kind story""Wonderful characters and an even better story"