50 Years Since 1976 Drought & Heatwave, Breaking Faith Is Set In That Year.

My novel, Breaking Faith, a Romantic Thriller is set in England and Scotland during the extended drought and heatwave of 1976, 50 years ago. We've just suffered (or enjoyed, depends on your love or hate of heat!) another unusual heatwave here in England. It didn't last as long this time, and many places continued to …

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Have You Read Breaking Faith?

I’m trying something new today. I’d like more readers for my books and you might be tempted to become one of them. There’ll be one a week, in no particular order.  My first published novel, Breaking Faith, is a romantic thriller. With elements of betrayal, excitement, tragedy, sex, despair, hope, longing, fulfilment, and love it’s …

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CHANGES IN THE WIND, a Short Story

Photo by author, Stuart Aken. This story was first published in a slightly shorter form in ‘Ouse Valley Poetry’ in 2009, where it won 3rd prize in a contest. Sadly, the journal is no longer in publication. CHANGES IN THE WIND ‘I’m cold.  I want to go back home now,’ Kerry told her mother. Dawn …

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Wine Dark Sea

Wine dark sea, by author, Stuart Aken. A short story for your entertainment. Enjoy. Comment. Wine Dark Sea Eventually, the older couple, introduced only hours before, took the hint. The pair were last to leave the impromptu beach party. Silent but relieved of boredom, Danni silently urged them along the wooden jetty, the dying fire …

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JACK: A Short Story

Photo by Josue Velasquez. This short story was first published in a small print magazine 'Delivered', March 2009 edition. Unfortunately, in common with many of the smaller literary journals, this magazine is no longer published. Enjoy, though it's possible you may shed a tear at one point. JACK Jack stands just within the doorway he’s …

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A Perfect Solution: A Short Story

A pool in a Greek Hotel. Here's the next short story in my intention to give you one each week for the whole of 2026. I have a couple of anthologies of short stories, too, for those who love such collections. The one that would be most relevant for those who enjoy the one below …

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Side By Side – A Short Story

I'm going to attempt to place a short story here every week. Some will have been published, others, like this one, will never have been seen. I'm doing this to give readers an idea of the scope of my writing and as a way to stimulate my writing discipline. I intend to illustrate each with …

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Short Story: Manners and the Man

Photos from a visit to Fallingbostel and other German towns, using film, not digital tech, back in 1990. This short story was placed 3rd in the Ormskirk Writers & Literary Club contest in October 2004, and was also published in the small literary magazine, Ouse Valley Poetry, sadly no longer around. Enjoy! Manners and the …

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Short Story: Lost and Found.

The short story posted below was first published in my anthology ‘Ten Love Tales’ in 2011.The book is available as an ebook on Smashwords, discounted to half price for the month of July.Lost and Found Cathy, my two brothers and I, had all left home when Mum and Dad moved out of their town house, …

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Why That Title? – Breaking Faith.

Titles for works of fiction often cause authors a lot of soul-searching. Ideally, we want to give potential readers clues about content, theme, style, and storyline. Not easy in anything from one to, say, a dozen words. Of course, the best titles are revealed as obvious choices once a book’s been read, so this series …

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It’s Out! Get it Here.

An Excess Of... The paperback is available now! Have you got your copy yet? Why not? This is the best book you’ll read this year – not that I’m biased, of course! Okay, I’ll try to calm my enthusiasm for my latest novel. But it’s exciting when you hold it for the first time in …

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The Time has Come!

I wrote it last year. Started the long, and somewhat convoluted, process of editing, both as self-editor initially and then with my publisher’s editors, early this year. We now have a launch date for my latest novel. So, I suppose I’d better let you all know what it’s called, especially now this information was released …

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