Peter Allen is an Isle of Wight author whose debut memoir, Later Comes Looking, explores how we find meaning and purpose when life takes an unexpected turn. At thirty years old, and with a young family, Peter was told he had five years left to live. Yet, over the next twenty-five years, his condition took a mystifying turn without medical treatment. Using his unique experience as a guide, Peter writes with unflinching honesty and unexpected humour about navigating profound uncertainty. His writing explores the place between fear and resilience, revealing how profound truths emerge from learning to live fully with life’s ambiguities. Peter shows how love and family remain our constant light, and how meaning often lies in how we choose to live with unanswerable questions. He has published poetry and is working on further books and scripts. Before writing, Peter spent over two decades in senior positions at global financial institutions. He now serves as vice-chair of the UK CLL Support Association.

Later Comes Looking 

Later Comes Looking is the true story of Peter Allen, whose life is upended at thirty when a routine health check reveals incurable cancer, giving him five years to live. As Peter and his wife, Charlotte, navigate this devastating diagnosis while caring for their baby daughter love and family support become their lifeline. Haunted by fear, but bolstered by a defiant promise from his mother, Peter embarks on a journey of resilience. As years pass without treatment, his cancer progresses curiously slowly, inspiring Peter and Charlotte to rebuild their lives, balancing hope with uncertainty. Peter’s focus shifts to discovering deeper truths, witnessing extraordinary resilience in others during extreme events, from terrorist attacks to working with refugees. Sentenced to death but escaping with life, Peter receives baffling news about his condition shortly after his mother's death. Told with honesty, vulnerability, and humour, this memoir invites readers to celebrate love’s enduring power.

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www.peterallenauthor.com

Isle of Wight native Josh Barry is a freelance writer for screen, stage, and page. Raised in East Cowes, he graduated from Bournemouth University in 2010 with an MA in Writing for the Media, following a BA in Scriptwriting for Film and Television. Born with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, Barry has never let physical limitations define him; his razor-sharp wit and inimitable voice have fuelled a rich and eclectic media career spanning more than a decade. From producing radio documentaries and screenplays about the golden age of Light Entertainment to podcasting with industry icons such as Jimmy Tarbuck, Barry Cryer, and Ben Elton, Barry has consistently shown that disability is no barrier to passion and talent. He is also the author of several books, including his autobiography Adapted, available online and through all good bookstores. Yet despite the bright lights of showbiz, Barry remains happiest at home on the Isle of Wight, enjoying time with friends and family and taking leisurely summer strolls along the Cowes seafront.

Beyond The Title: The Pop Culture Handbook

Celebrating more than forty of Britain’s most significant cultural figures, this book charts the close relationship between popular entertainment and the shifting social and political landscape. Written entirely by Josh using only his nose on a touchpad, Beyond the Title has built a reputation for insightful interviews with some of the best-loved names in entertainment. In Beyond the Title, Josh reflects on the challenges of creating content during lockdown and considers how the pandemic reshaped the story of popular culture. From Dame Joan Bakewell to Danny Wallace, via Jo Whiley and Johnny Ball, these voices illuminate the overarching narrative of postwar mass entertainment and its sociopolitical influences. Prepare to revel in stars, fashion, and music, as Josh transports you back to a time when entertainment was as potent—and as colourful—as a slinky.

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www.facebook.com/beyondthetitle

www.instagram.com/beyondthetitle
www.x.com/beyondthetitle

beyondthetitle.co.uk

Graham Brown has lived on Isle of Wight since 2003. He has written and performed poetry for many years, and currently runs a fortnightly creative writing group at East Cowes Library. He also curates a monthly Spoken Word event at Monkton Arts in Ryde.

Rainbows in the Dark

Published by Naked Figleaf Press, Rainbows in the Dark is a journey through the author's life as he approaches the biblical three score and ten. Childhood betrayal, first love, missed opportunities, parental loss, and growing old are among the themes covered but there is always hope and humour shining rainbow-like through the darkness. 

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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063262687129

Shirley is a well-known music teacher living on the Isle of Wight and teaches music to all ages, privately and in schools. Discovering a love of art and writing short stories, she has written two story books, and three piano course books. The story books are set in a woodland just outside the centre of London and incorporate the adventures of the woodland crew. The first book is about a young shy red squirrel who suffers from performance anxiety when playing his newly acquired piano. The Around the World Piano Course Books 1, 2 and 3, is a series of books designed for beginner piano students. Shirley continues to write and illustrate her own work, blending storytelling with a strong foundation in musical knowledge.

Bertie Sings for England

Bertie Sings for England is about a young blackbird with a beautiful singing voice who saves the day for a very royal person! Bertie and his family moved from the quiet countryside to the big city to find excitement and opportunity. Bertie never would have thought in a million years that he could land a job at the royal palace, doing just what he loves doing the most – singing!

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www.thepianolady.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/thepianoladyIOW/

I am a former teacher and graduate of Kingston University. During my teaching career, I self-published two picture books and have recently written a middle-grade novel featuring the same character. After retiring from my role as Primary Support Base SENCO five years ago, I spent some time living in Spain, where Channel 5 filmed me presenting a storytelling session with my puppet, Pigorillaroo. Since retiring, I have written a young adult novel, which I hope to see traditionally published and placed in shops and schools, though I may also consider self-publishing. 

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A Bleat on a Bleak Winter's Night

Kangarillapig and NobbleBob are good friends who spend their days in the wood. One day NobbleBob wanders a little too far from his friend’s side and is very frightened when he realises, he is lost. He meets an owl who guides him safely home.

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The Yawn at Dawn

Kangarillapig releases a very unusual yawn that echoes throughout the wood. The yawn spreads to all the animals causing them all to fall asleep. Kangarillapig becomes increasingly frustrated trying to wake all his friends. As life creeps back into the wood, Kangarillapig starts to wonder whether he has a magical gift.

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Pigorillaroo and the Truffle Moon

Pocus is a kangarillapig who embarks on a magical journey to save his family.  Seraphina, a mystical white raven, guides Pocus until he finds his magical strength. Meanwhile, his brother, Pigorillaroo, tries to take the moon from the sky and encounters all sorts of problems.

Based on the Isle of Wight, Jo Cooper has been writing since 2016. She is now working on her fourth book following from the success of the Sky series. Her work captivates readers with rich storytelling. 

All About Peggy

Peggy, a Red Cross nurse is introduced to Brian, a fireman working in Portsmouth. The couple become close during the early part of WW2. Follow their escapades on the Isle of Wight, under the wrath of the German Air force and the Battle of Britain.

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www.jocooperbooks.com

After a short ballet career, Felicity Fair Thompson became the first woman in Rank's West End Cinema management, before settling on the Isle of Wight and making films and writing. Her film Carisbrooke Castle was broadcast on SKY TV, with other films shown on Australian television. Her published writing consists of children's stories, magazine features, theatre reviews, staged plays, award winning poetry, and three novels, including the acclaimed The Kid on Slapton Beach about secret rehearsals for D-Day. She has taught for Screen South, Connexions, IW College, independently, and young people with learning difficulties. Her new children's story Chrissy and the Sea Witch came out in August 2025.

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The Kid on Slapton Beach

Christmas 1943. Three thousand people along the South Devon coast are forced to leave their homes without being told why. Among them is twelve-year-old Harry, who leaves behind his most treasured possession. He cannot forget it—and he goes back. By April 1944, the secret rehearsal for D-Day is underway on Slapton Sands. Exercise Tiger will prove disastrous. And Harry will be on that beach. Wars keep many secrets, and the tragedy about the rehearsal at Slapton Sands was one of the darkest. As President Harry Truman said: “The only thing new in the world is the history you don’t know.”

"A wonderful book!"  says Michelle Magorian, author of Goodnight Mister Tom.

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https://www.felicityfairthompson.co.uk

https://www.wightdiamondpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/felicityfair.thompson1

Jean G-Owen is a writer and publisher. She is the founder of Naked Figleaf Press, an independent press championing Isle of Wight writers, and the creator of The Figlet, a thriving local literary magazine. She also curates performing arts events, including Figgy Gigs, In Her Own Words, and Words at the Wheatsheaf.

Her forthcoming books include Wyuen’s Pyne: A Reckoning of Women’s Voices, a collection reclaiming silenced stories from the past, and The Salt Remains, a novel reimagining the story of Lot’s Wife. Her previous publications include Killing Your Darlings: Writing as an Act of Murder, The Pain of Glass, and Bites of Love.

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https://nakedfigleafpress.co.uk/

Mary Grand is a bestselling author of classic whodunnits and murder mysteries set on the Isle of Wight, where she lives. She is published by Boldwood Books and has written three standalone mysteries, including The House Party. She is now writing a new series, The Isle of Wight Killings. The third book, A Christmas Murder, reached number one on Amazon in December 2024. Her latest title, A Halloween Murder, set in Carisbrooke Castle, was published on 7 July 2025.

A Halloween Murder

Susan Flynn lives in a small village on the Isle of Wight and has unexpectedly discovered a new role—as an amateur detective! One October weekend, her daughter Zoe returns to the island for a reunion with old school friends, staying in the apartment at Carisbrooke Castle. Susan joins them for the Halloween ghost walk. But the next morning, one of the group is found dead in the ruins of the old armoury. With the castle locked down and the friends trapped inside, it soon becomes clear that this is no accident—it is murder. And the killer must be one of the group. As Susan unravels a labyrinth of lies and dark secrets, with so many twists and turns, she faces a race against time. Can she uncover the truth before the killer strikes again?This is the fourth novel in The Isle of Wight Killings series, but it can also be enjoyed as a standalone mystery.

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https://marygrand.net/

I have had poetry and short fiction published in print and online. My novel, Beyond the Samovar, set in Russia and England 1919-20, was published in 2019. The West in Her Eyes, a novel of exile, ambition and love in a fictional Russian family during the decade after the 1917 revolution, was published in 2024 by Resolute Books. In spite of the Russian connection, the two books stand alone.

The West in Her Eyes

July 1918: An oil-rich Russian family of five flees Baku on the Caspian coast as Bolshevik forces tighten their grip on the city and Turkish troops infiltrate the oilfields. Hoping exile in Persia will be brief, they carry with them the dream of return. For twenty-year-old Esther, that dream means finally taking her longed-for place to study piano in St Petersburg, two thousand miles away. But with civil war raging and rumours of the tsar’s murder spreading, the prospect of home grows ever more remote. In Tehran, Esther befriends Anahid, a Turkish Armenian girl, and the Ottoman officer who later helps the family escape across Anatolia to Constantinople. Through hardship and upheaval, Esther never abandons her determination to perform on the concert stage. At the heart of the story lies the child cherished by both Esther and Anahid.

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https://www.amazon.co.uk/West-Her-Eyes-Janet-Hancock/dp/1915981670

Standish Cope has been writing for more than fifteen years. His works include a radio play (The Prophecy), a stage play (The Rift), and an audio poem (Boarding School Britain) for the Green Curtain Theatre Company, alongside a number of peer-reviewed papers on complementary medicine. His preferred genre is the historical novel, and The Rift marks his first venture into this field.

The Rift

Set in Kenya Colony during the Mau Mau uprising against British rule, The Rift is a work of historical fiction that follows the tragic convergence of two families: that of Edward Stephens, a colonial judge, and Munthu Mkesi, a Kikuyu freedom fighter. At the heart of the struggle lies the Kikuyu demand for Ithaka na Wiyathi—land and freedom. As tensions rise, Stephens and Mkesi meet in the drama of the courtroom, where the stark imbalance of power is laid bare. Munthu is condemned to hang on the basis of torture and a forced confession—a fate shared by more than 30,000 Kikuyu “suspects” in their fight for independence.

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austinmacauley.com/book/rift 

I came to creative writing later in life, after a career split between newspaper journalism and public sector communications in Stockport, Bolton, Hereford, Southampton and a few London boroughs. The real spark arrived when my wife and I moved to the Island 18 years ago. Since then I’ve written, acted in and directed several plays—some now published—but more recently I’ve developed a rather disconcerting love of murder. Under the name Heaton Wilson, I’ve self-published four crime novels featuring DCI Jane Birchfield, which have been well received on the usual online platforms. Alongside crime, I’ve also turned my pen to Island life in Postcards From The Island, a collection of short stories inspired by the people and places I’ve come to know and love. These days I write from my desk in Chale, looking out at the English Channel. When not buried in words, I’m usually out with the dogs—Robbie and Twiggy—or attempting to tame the garden. Current projects include the fifth (and final) Jane Birchfield novel—halfway there—and a stage adaptation of my second book, Whatever it Takes, which I hope will be brought to life next year. I’d love to share the story of what it’s like to adapt your own book for the stage.

Whatever It Takes

DCI Jane Birchfield is juggling personal battles while covering for her terminally ill boss and mentor. When a young man is found dead—frozen at a computer in a Manchester internet café—she takes charge of the investigation. The search for the killer drags Jane and her team deep into the city’s sordid underworld. But as the case unfolds, long-buried secrets from her own past resurface, forcing her to confront events she has hidden for 25 years. What begins as a murder enquiry soon becomes a personal crusade. And in this race against time, Jane discovers there is far more at stake than she could ever have imagined.

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https://heatonwilsonbooks.com/

Julia Heywood loves telling stories that mix imagination with a bit of heart and insight. She’s written children’s books such as The Snail Who Wouldn’t Go Slow, The Vacuum Cleaner Allergic to Dust, and The Dolphin Who Wants to Be a Mermaid—fun, thoughtful tales that encourage kids to be themselves and see the world differently. Warmth, humour, and the occasional surprise run through her work, always with a gentle nudge to think anew. For adults, she’s the author of The Barefoot Indian, a playful, thought-provoking blend of storytelling, humour, and reflection. Described as “Bridget Jones meets Illusions and The Alchemist,” it offers a light-footed yet honest take on the twists of inner transformation. The book has quietly travelled into other languages and onto bookshelves around the world. Whether writing for children or grown-ups, Julia enjoys weaving stories that spark curiosity and shift perspectives. She’s even been called a “storyteller extraordinaire”—a compliment she’s rather pleased about and one that keeps her excited to share more.

The Snail Who Wouldn't Go Slow

Gail the Snail is a gutsy little creature who doesn’t believe in slow motion—she’s turbocharged! But is life in the fast lane all it’s cracked up to be, or is the world passing her by? Join Gail and a delightful cast of creatures on a whirlwind rhyming adventure, as she discovers that every pace has its place.

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https://www.juliaheywood.co.uk/

Diana has written more than forty books, including two successful children’s series, and she especially enjoys making people laugh. She also writes for stage and screen, with six of her animation scripts produced for television. Over the course of her long career, she has learned a great deal and now takes pleasure in sharing her knowledge and techniques with other writers.

Plots and Plotting

Written in a friendly, jargon-free style, Diana Kimpton shares the plotting techniques that helped her move from rejection to selling more than a million copies. And she doesn’t just explain them—she demonstrates them in action, developing a brand-new plot as she writes and revealing all the ups, downs, and changes of mind along the way. Packed with flexible ideas, Plots and Plotting gives you the tools to shape stories in a way that works for you and your writing style.

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http://dianakimpton.co.uk 

Andrew Lee is a former teacher of Geography and Philosophy/Critical Thinking who has taught at leading schools and universities, including Westminster School, St Paul’s, and the University of Oxford. He is the author of Continuous Blinking: Critical Thinking Stories for Clever and Determined Young Thinkers—a collection of very short stories that pose philosophical and ethical conundrums. Described as “quick to read and long to think,” the book appeals to young readers of all kinds, including the reluctant, and is widely used in schools to support critical thinking lessons as well as being enjoyed for pleasure. Andrew holds degrees in both Geography and Philosophy and now lives on the Isle of Wight. He is an Honorary Lecturer at University College London, where his current work focuses on climate change education.

Continuous Blinking: Critical Thinking Stories for Clever and Determined Young Thinkers

Continuous Blinking is a distinctive collection of very short stories that pose unusual and thought-provoking philosophical and ethical conundrums. Each one is “quick to read and long to think”, drawing readers into challenging ideas in an accessible way. A set of carefully designed questions at the end of the book encourages deeper reflection, sparking discussion and exploration of different perspectives. Original and engaging, these stories make complex concepts approachable for a wide range of young readers—including those who might be reluctant to pick up longer texts. Enjoyed for pleasure and widely adopted in schools, Continuous Blinking inspires young people to think critically about values, choices, and the nature of knowledge.

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https://www.climateeducate.com/additional/critical-thinking-stories-and-school-visits

https://www.linkedin.com/in/draklee/

www.x.com/akl360

I have published seven books in the Young Lions series, with two more completed and a tenth currently in progress. The first seven titles are also available as eBooks and audiobooks. Born in Hong Kong, I have lived in Scotland, England, and Australia, and now make my home on the beautiful Isle of Wight. For the past ten years, I have taught history and politics at a local school.

Young Lions

Young Lions follows the experiences of three teenagers who form a partisan unit to resist the Germans in Nazi-occupied England.

Cheryl May is a playwright, poet, performer, and writer based on the Isle of Wight. Writing also under the name Cheryl Barrett, she has over a hundred scripts published with Lazy Bee Scripts, and her work is also published by Stage Scripts Ltd and NODA. Her first poetry collection, Not Just Desserts, was published by Naked Figleaf Press in 2004. This was followed by Triple Crones, a collaborative work of poetry and prose with Jean G Owen and Sandy Kealty. Cheryl’s short stories have appeared in several publications, including six in The Write Place Collection of Short Stories. A regular contributor to the Isle of Wight literary magazine The Figlet, Cheryl also facilitates scriptwriting courses and runs The Write Place, a twice-monthly writing group at Freshwater Library, which she founded three years ago.

Shades Of Red And Wight

Shades of Red and Wight is a collection of humorous short stories and monologues, each with its own playful twist. Some carry a splash of red—like Walking Back to Happiness and Just a Splash of Colour—while others draw on the character and charm of the Isle of Wight. In Last Fandango in Freshwater, Frank and Julie return to the UK from Spain, only to find their new life is not quite what they expected. Misguided Tour takes readers inside a fictional stately home where Maggie delights in her role as tour guide. And in Ups and Downs, a couple’s attempt to rekindle their romance with a walk on the downs and a picnic doesn’t exactly go to plan. Varied, witty, and warmly observant, this collection captures the quirks of everyday life in all its shades.

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www.cherylbarrettwriter.co.uk

Writing under the pen name The Brontë Mumma, Francesca McLinden discovered her literary voice after becoming a mother. What began as playful updates written from the perspective of her baby, Brontë, soon grew into Toddler on Tour when friends and family started replying to “Brontë” directly, sharing the joys and pitfalls of parenting. Francesca graduated with honours from the University of Kent, studied at the International School of Screen Acting, and spent time writing for the Isle of Wight County Press. She is also a professional pianist, choir leader, and qualified counsellor. When not juggling family life on the Isle of Wight, she enjoys music, reading, walking outdoors, and planning her next adventure—though she still dreams of finishing a cup of tea while it’s hot.

Toddler on Tour: Viva España

Fall in love with sixteen-month-old Brontë on her travels as she ventures into the unknown, fuelled by milk, curiosity, and the mysterious ways of adults. Join her odyssey as she learns to walk, becomes an honorary member of the Barcelona Nudist Organisation, and even dabbles in crime as a food mule during the infamous Great Lunch Heist. All this while cutting new teeth and tackling her toughest role yet: keeping her parents in line. As any toddler knows, that’s no easy task. It’s Spain—but not as you know it. So pop on a life jacket, get comfy, and it’s anchors aweigh with this toddler buccaneer. From ancient ports to vibrant cities, discover the Iberian Peninsula through unconventional eyes that will leave you smiling.

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Instagram | @thebrontemumma  

Facebook Group | @Toddler on Tour

The book was originally written by David Jones for the Cowes Literary and Community Group. This fourth edition, edited and produced by David Millar, is a major rewrite incorporating new research, new entries and new photographs.

Cowes Heritage and Community Group (CHCG) is a merger in 2020 between the Cowes Heritage Group and the Cowes Community Group and is based at the Beckford Centre, Cowes where it keeps archives of the History of Cowes, Gurnard and Northwood, holds member meetings and runs a small museum and drop-in centre. CHCG is a registered charity 1192247. The original author in 2010 was David Jones but sadly he died in 2023. This new edition is published by the CHCG Trustees.

The Pubs Of Cowes, Gurnard & Northwood

This book explores the history of drinking in Cowes and the surrounding area, tracing the story of licensed establishments from the seventeenth century to the present day. A total of 105 pubs and bars are recorded (59 at the peak), each identified, mapped, and described—whether they remain open or have long since disappeared. A further 22 are known from records but cannot be located; these too are included. The book also gives an account of the breweries, both those once based in Cowes and those from further afield that shaped the drinking life of the town and its neighbourhood. This is a new and expanded edition of the original volume published by the CHCG in 2010. It charts more than 300 years of inns, taverns, beer houses, and public houses that flourished—and, in most cases, vanished—from Cowes and its environs. It also considers the effects of successive beer and licensing acts since 1830 and summarises the history of the breweries that supplied Cowes, including those whose beers were retailed through the Beckford Centre and local outlets. Published on 7 June 2025, the book is available via the Amazon Marketplace.

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www.chcg.org.uk

Hillard Morley wrote for theatre and taught English and Drama for over 20 years before a first novel The Shadowing of Combfoot Chase was published in 2022. Short stories have been published in literary journals worldwide. A regular performer around the island, a new novel Nothing Starts But Everything Begins is due to be published by Figmentum in the near future.

Dark Wight: 25 Unsettling Stories by Five Island Writers

A haunting collection of 25 tales exploring the darker side of human nature. Structured around five potent themes—betrayal, envy, greed, guilt and secrets—they summon the eerie, unresolved and morally ambiguous. From ghostly siblings and poisoned dogs, to unspoken crimes and fatal obsessions, each narrative unfolds with gothic flair and a razor-sharp sense of character. Whilst several stories are rooted in IOW landscapes, others slip beyond the island's shores to probe darker corners of the human psyche. The voices shift from lyrical to sardonic, cerebral to surreal revealing what lurks beneath the surface of everyday life. A compelling blend of psychological realism with a speculative edge, Dark Wight will appeal to readers of Shirley Jackson, Sarah Waters and Roald Dahl's darker tales. Prepare for revelations, reversals - and the unsettling echo of your own shadow.

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www.facebook.com/hillardmorleyauthor

Ronald Munro Watt was born to Scottish parents in Barnard Castle and educated in both England and Scotland before attending university in Dublin. His career took him across Asia, America, and Europe, where he encountered diverse cultures and came to appreciate the importance of each country’s history.

His interest in Philip II began when he discovered how generously Philip treated the Italian portraitist Sofonisba Anguissola, appointing her as Dama to his third wife, the fourteen-year-old Isabel de Valois. Ronald’s fascination with Gonzalo Pérez grew from learning that Pérez, a scholar and published author, worked at Philip’s side for twenty-five years.

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Gonzalo Perez and King Philip of England and Spain

Thirty-four years before the Spanish Armada entered the English Channel, a younger Philip—then a twenty-seven-year-old Prince of Spain—sailed into the Solent with a fleet of one hundred ships to wed the thirty-eight-year-old Queen Mary in Winchester. At his side was Gonzalo Pérez, his trusted adviser of thirteen years. The next twelve tumultuous years in England, the Netherlands, and Spain are told through the eyes of Gonzalo, who, as King Philip’s Secretary of State, held a role comparable to England’s Thomas Cromwell. A scholar and published author, Gonzalo had joined the Royal Secretariat early in his career and distinguished himself in Emperor Charles V’s campaigns in Italy, Austria, and North Africa. When the Emperor abdicated, Gonzalo continued as Secretary of State, working alongside Philip as he sought to consolidate control of the Church and his empire while waging war against the Turks, the French, and even the Pope.

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www.ronaldmunrowatt.com

Stephen Oakes-Monger has spent a lifetime immersed in nature, beginning with childhood woodland walks in Hertfordshire and growing into a passionate orchidophile and conservation advocate. Since moving to the Isle of Wight in 2019, he has become affectionately known as “the orchid man”, often spotted knocking on doors to tell householders just how fortunate they are to have rare orchids blooming on their lawns.

In Search of Wild Orchids: A Guide To Orchids on the Isle of Wight

In Search of Wild Orchids is both a field guide and a personal exploration of the Isle of Wight’s most elusive and extraordinary plants. Drawing on decades of fieldwork, Stephen Oakes-Monger leads readers through meadows, woods, downland, and verges to reveal a dazzling array of wild orchids—from the instantly recognisable Bee Orchid to the near-mythical Ghost Orchid. This is no romantic ramble but a rigorous, accessible, and beautifully illustrated book that blends botany, local knowledge, and ecological insight. With a sharp eye for detail and a deep commitment to conservation, Stephen shows what is thriving, what is vanishing, and what might yet be saved. Published by Naked Figleaf Press, Stephen’s book is a vital contribution to the natural history of the island.

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https://nakedfigleafpress.co.uk/in-search-of-wild-orchids/

I was born in 1955 and have never needed a bucket list—life has been an adventure from the start. My first journey came in 1961, when I travelled with my mother and brother aboard the troopship Nevasa bound for Singapore. My earliest schooling was at sea, and I’ve been scribbling non-fiction ever since. A short career in the Royal Marines provided a wealth of inspiration, and I have gone on to write on a wide range of subjects. My first published book explored gun crime, and I am currently working on Bulletpath, which examines notable shootings and assassinations from 1865 onwards. Research and travel are at the heart of my work: in 2022 I appeared in the Channel 4 documentary Murder in the Alps, about the 2012 Annecy murders in France, and in 2024 I interviewed Buell Wesley Frazier in Dallas—the man who drove Lee Harvey Oswald to work on the day of JFK’s assassination in 1963. Other projects in preparation include Kidspeak: Are We There Yet?, a collection of the amusing and outrageous things children say. Now partly retired, I coach clients in performance cars and continue to enjoy public speaking and giving presentations. For me, there has never been a dull day.

Sabre Prattling

The everyday expressions we use are littered with echoes of conflict and firearms—though we often don’t realise it. This book digs into the history and colourful origins of the exaggerated terminology we all use. We’re ‘bombarded’ with emails, we ‘take a long shot’, we stick our ‘head over the parapet’, we ‘go off at half cock’, or dismiss something as ‘a flash in the pan’. I’ve seen some of these phrases in action for real: aircraft ‘shot down in flames’, ships ‘blown out of the water’, and troops experiencing a true ‘baptism of fire’. And as for ‘shooting yourself in the foot’—I knew someone who actually did. All explained, with a generous helping of humour along the way.

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www.bulletpath.co.uk

A former nurse and social worker, I have also worked in predictive analytics and AI, with a lifelong fascination for robots and the possibilities of humans and machines working together. I currently chair both the Island Organ Donation Committee and the UK-wide British Association of Social Workers (BASW). In my spare time, I write and enjoy spending time with my five grandchildren when they visit the island.

The Laughing Robot

Anna, a recently widowed social worker, refuses to let grief, betrayal—or even a few troublesome robots—slow her down. When an experimental companionship programme draws her into a high-tech mystery on the island, she must navigate a tangled web of corporate interests, her children’s concerns, and her own complicated feelings about ageing and autonomy. But when the island is transformed into Home Farm—a supposed haven for seniors, complete with mandatory robot caregivers—Anna realises she has become part of something far bigger than she ever imagined. Poignant and funny in equal measure, The Laughing Robot is a thought-provoking exploration of the future of ageing and what it means to be human in a world where the boundary between people and machines grows ever thinner. Join Anna on an unforgettable journey that asks the big questions of love, life, family, and artificial intelligence.

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www.juliarosswriter.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-ross-51447

Instagram | @juliamaryross 

X @juliamaryross 

I was born in southeast London and have lived on the Isle of Wight for more than twenty years. Fascinated by the island’s rich history, I created a fantasy series set here: The Wyght Island Chronicles. My debut, The Piper, was warmly received, followed by Mr Wolf, now in print. The third book in the series will be released in the final quarter of 2025.

The Wyght Island Chronicles - Book 2: Mr Wolf

The adventure continues in Book Two of The Wyght Island Chronicles, set on the Isle of Wight in the early nineteenth century. The children of Brading have vanished. Lured away by a mysterious figure known only as the Piper, they were led into a cave of wonders—and never returned. Their only hope lies with Captain Campion, a seasoned constable from London, who is hunting a fugitive called the Gingerbread Man. Campion believes this elusive figure may hold the key to the children’s fate. Meanwhile, Molly has fallen into the hands of the ruthless and powerful Mr Wolf. Imprisoned, she uncovers terrible truths and confronts her deepest fears, clinging to the hope of being reunited with her beloved fiancé, Thomas. Dark forces are gathering on Wyght Island—where every tale has a price, and not every child finds the way home.

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Instagram | @matthew_ryan_iow 

Lisa never intended these words to see the light of day. They began as a way to organise her thoughts and feelings while navigating life’s challenges. At sixteen, searching for her place in the world, she wrote Stone (from The Shaping of Me), its lines marked by low self-esteem and the ache of not belonging. After a prolific burst of teenage writing, she wrote only occasionally through her twenties and thirties. Three years ago she rediscovered her early work and felt compelled to write again. Since then, she has written almost daily—reflecting on darker times of depression and disempowerment, and more recently on healing and rediscovery of self. Born and raised on the Island, Lisa has published two poetry collections, The Shaping of Me and The Breaking of Me, exploring themes of sexuality, mental health, identity, and growth. Her work is raw and honest, aiming to connect with the reader’s emotions and reveal how we are all bound by shared experience. She believes that facing our fears and living our truths can set us free.

The Healing of Me

The Healing of Me explores themes of breakthrough, mindfulness, and self-care. This third collection takes the reader on a journey—from the rising of the phoenix to finding happiness and embracing self-care—as the author learns to feel comfortable in her own skin and heal.

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Facebook | @Lisa's Poetry

Instagram & Threads | @lisa_ss_poetry

I am a local author and run a proofreading business called Survive Our Storm Books.

Maid Me

Fig, a fragile 21-year-old, arrives at a guesthouse on the Isle of Wight for a working holiday arranged by her therapist. Unbeknownst to her, the guesthouse’s manager, grumpy 21-year-old Amy, is a serial killer and has set her sights on Fig as her next victim. Compounding the tension, Ron, Amy’s father, grapples with the turmoil of Dementia, all while guarding a devastating family secret. This concealed truth is intricately linked to Fig’s presence, though Fig remains dangerously unaware of its implications. In a dramatic turn, Fig is revealed to be Cassie, the daughter of the old maid whom Amy believes she murdered when she was just seven. While everyone else has convinced themselves that Cassie was responsible for the maid’s death, the truth is far more intricate. Ron, also Cassie’s father, plays a crucial role in this web of deception. The suspense thickens as Cassie’s therapist, the real Fig, appears.

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www.surviveourstormbooks.com

I write women’s fiction, paranormal tales, and humorous stories under the pseudonym Stevie Turner. Although based in East Anglia, I often spend time at my caravan in St Helen’s and have woven Isle of Wight locations into several of my stories. I am the author of many books and the recipient of several Indie awards for my work.

Lily: A Short Story

Lily is ninety-two and in failing health. Her family told her she was going on a little holiday, but to her dismay she finds herself placed permanently in a residential home on her beloved Isle of Wight—under the care of Bridie, the “horrible one”. To brighten what remains of her days, Lily retreats into memories of years gone by, haunted still by the mysterious disappearance of her fourteen-year-old sister Violet in 1897. Her melancholy begins to lift when a new resident arrives—someone who may finally hold the key to the seventy-six-year-old mystery.

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X | @StevieTurner6

Website | https://www.stevieturner.uk/

Blog | https://steviet3.wordpress.com/

Sue Shepherd was born in Harrow and spent several years living in Hertfordshire before taking a leap of faith across the Solent to the picturesque Isle of Wight, where she now lives with her two sons and their dogs—a Standard Poodle named Forrest and a Cavachon called Sky. She has written three speculative fiction novels, available as eBooks, including Doesn’t Everyone Have a Secret?, which reached the UK Kindle Top Ten in 2015. Writing under her crime pen name, S. E. Shepherd, Sue published her first suspense novel, Swindled (Book 1 in The Sandlin PI Series), with Hobeck Books in 2021. Hobeck have since published Cousin Ash, and New Memories. She is currently working on the fourth instalment in the series, partly set on the Isle of Wight. Sue’s passions are her family, her writing, the seaside, and the many purple treasures her sons have gifted her over the years. Ask her to plan too far ahead and you’ll give her the heebie-jeebies—and please, don’t mention Christmas until at least November!

New Memories

For thirty years, Olivia Farnley has used alcohol and drugs to numb the memory of her mother’s brutal murder—a crime that sent her father to prison. Now, ready to face the past, she turns to a hypnotherapist who believes he can help her fill in the blanks. During therapy, a crucial detail resurfaces—so significant that Liv takes it straight to the police. When they dismiss her claims, she’s left frustrated and adrift. Then a chance encounter brings her to private investigator Hannah Sandlin.

In the glittering world of Puerto Banús, with its magnificent villas and infinity pools, dark secrets fester. As Hannah begins to dig, she uncovers not only the truth about what really happened to Liv’s mother all those years ago, but also the shocking secrets the Farnley family has fought to keep buried.

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https://www.facebook.com/SueShepherdWrites 

Having spent most of my working life as a worldwide consultant for a major software company, I developed a lasting passion for travel. Now I combine that passion with researching foreign locations for the settings of my novels. I have written four cosy murder mysteries set in the 1920s, each unfolding in a different corner of the Mediterranean. I write the kind of mysteries I enjoy reading myself—so you won’t find dark psychological thrillers or excessive blood and guts. If, when a reader turns the final page, they feel as though they’ve been basking in the Mediterranean sun, then I know I’ve achieved my aim.

Murder on Paphos

Murder on Paphos is the fourth instalment in a series of cosy murder mysteries set in the 1920s across the Mediterranean. Alex Armstrong, a British Navy officer recovering from his injuries in the Great War, and Karolina McAllister, a confident young Texan on her grand tour of Europe, form an unlikely partnership. Their friendship deepens as they solve murders against the backdrop of sunlit seas and ancient landscapes. In this latest adventure, they are summoned to Paphos, once the capital of ancient Cyprus, to investigate the murder of a millionaire’s brother. Their search for the truth leads them into a 2,000-year-old tomb, a deadly encounter with a gun-wielding killer, and—perhaps most daunting of all—Karolina’s formidable mother. Other books in the series include Murder on Crete, Murder on Malta, and Murder in Martigues on the Côte d’Azur.

Julie Watson is an Isle of Wight–based writer of creative non-fiction whose work spans travel and nature writing. She spent over forty years teaching in the UK and abroad, publishing research in her academic fields of languages, cultures, and linguistics, while travelling extensively. Her travel stories have appeared in a wide range of journals and publications. Her most recent book is Travel Takeaways: Around the World in Forty Tales (2nd ed., Jan 2025).

Travel Takeaways: Around the World in Forty Tales

Travel Takeaways gathers forty quirky, poignant, funny, and thought-provoking stories that celebrate the joy of travel and the serendipitous moments it inspires. Drawn from a lifetime of journeys, the tales span cultures, continents, and decades. Each offers an immersive experience to transport you across the world—and connect you with your inner globetrotter.

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Bluesky | @julieoniw.bsky.social

Linkedin | www.linkedin.com/in/juliewatson1

Paul Weston has been sailing in the Solent since childhood, growing up on the coasts of Dorset and Hampshire and spending many nights at anchor in Newtown River. His voyages have since taken him much further afield: he has crossed the Atlantic several times—first as a teenager in a home-designed twenty-six footer, and more recently, with greater comfort, in his forty-foot aluminium yacht. His novels draw directly on this wealth of experience. Every location he writes about is one he has personally visited under sail, their authenticity strengthened by his career as a merchant seaman, engineer, and entrepreneur. The Gun at Keyhaven makes its appearance in his debut novel Weymouth Bound, and while later books often reach more distant and exotic shores, several still return to the familiar harbours and inlets of England’s south coast.

Gulf of Lions

Though Spain has entered the war against Britain on the side of Napoleonic France—its casus belli the Royal Navy’s seizure of the treasure fleet—the Bonapartists remain deeply unpopular with the Spanish people. This discontent will soon spark the uprisings and brutal repressions later immortalised by Goya, and ultimately the French defeat in the Peninsular War. But in 1805, Lieutenant Snowden RN is dispatched in HMS Oleander on a secret mission to stir Spanish resistance.

Set in the dramatic year of Trafalgar and Austerlitz, this fast-moving, historically grounded novel captures the intrigue and perilous operations carried out by the Royal Navy to weaken French power during the Napoleonic Wars. Snowden’s sharp eye for opportunity drives Oleander on a wide-ranging cruise, from the rocky creeks and shifting tides of Brittany to the sunlit waters of the Mediterranean and the shores of Morocco.

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https://www.paulwestonauthor.com   

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560460690955

I have been writing short stories for over twenty years, with work published in many of the UK’s weekly women’s magazines, as well as in charity anthologies and in magazines across Australia and Europe. Two years ago, through KDP, I published a book of amusing poems for a 95-year-old friend, who donated part of the proceeds to the RSPCA. Encouraged by this success, I went on to publish a book in support of Mountbatten Hospice—a cause that is deeply personal to me. Released in March this year, the book is available through Mountbatten Hospice shops, on Amazon, and directly from me, with all proceeds going to the Hospice.

A Different Way of Life

A collection of twenty short stories set on and around the Isle of Wight, featuring tales from the Isle of Wight Pop Festival to the excitement of Cowes Week. While romance is at the heart of many, the stories offer a variety of themes and moods.

David Yates is the author of two previously published books. Bomb Alley (Pen and Sword, 2006) has been reprinted five times and is the top-selling personal account of the Falklands War. His second book, Beaches, Bars and Blisters of the Isle of Wight, inspired him to lead countless walks around the island—he is now preparing walk number 65! David lives at Kingston Smallholding Goat Farm, near Shorwell, with his wife Simone, who illustrates his latest work.

Maggie the Farmyard Cat 

Maggie the Farmyard Cat is an illustrated children’s book of poems inspired by the creatures of Kingston Smallholding Goat Farm. Beautifully illustrated by Simone Yates, the poems will charm bedtime readers young and old. Some are sentimental, some are sad or surprising, and others are pure nonsense—yet many reflect the realities of life, and death, on a working smallholding.