Showing results by author "Sally Cook" in All Categories

A man my mother considered her boyfriend during World War II was killed at point blank range escaping from Stalag Luft III. His name was Jack Francis Williams and he was shot by the Gestapo 12 days after participating in the Great Escape. This story examines the actual letters and cards he sent my mother, and with that, the building of an unexpected story.

This story tells of my pioneer colonist forebears and their arrival and settlement in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1838 after many difficult months at sea. They landed only a year after the proclamation of the city of Adelaide. At this time houses were made from reeds from the banks of Adelaide's Torrens River, the port of Adelaide was surrounded by swamp with the area referred to in those early days as "Mudholia" or "Dustholia".

I have survived a plane which caught on fire over the Tasman, have lived with a tribe in pre-Indenpendence Papua New Guinea. I have hugged a three-toed sloth in Colombia and worked for an antiquated group of newspapers in London where I covered murder trials, magistrates courts, and cinema and theatre reviews. I have been stuck in mud in Tayrona National Park in Colombia, accompanied by shrieking monkeys, a mirthful friend and guide.

This story tells of a powerful older woman who has maintained her life through the war years and beyond via her love of reading and poetry. But 88-year-old Harriet is something of an enigma even to her daughters and granddaughter. Unusual events happen during this tale of love and loss even beyond Harriet's eventual death.

Melody's Radar tells the story of a downtrodden single mother who is sick of being pushed around and takes matters into her own hands. She tries to set a good example for her five-year-old daughter Amelia but the trouble is that Melody doesn't know when to stop. Her intensity becomes scary for anyone who is on her radar but her lack of personal understanding means she doesn't fully grasp the affect she is having, sometimes causing menacing ripples.

Shattered is one of four short stories in this compilation. Between them, they explore paranormal and ghostly activities, a paddlesteamer wreck and its implications, near drowning and a mystery stranger. The stories explore relationships and reactions between the characters and are infused with atmospheric sound effects.

The Swaggie on the Hill tells the story of a young girl who is puzzled by the adult life around her. This comes to a head when she and her classmates at a small primary school are shut in the school house by their teachers while a threatening man looms in the school grounds, causing simultaneous nose bleeds in two of the boys. And there is the matter of the witch-like woman who lives nearby. She frightens the children as they rush past her place in their billycarts. The story is set in mid 1960s Melbourne and is enhanced with sound effects.

Shining Red tells the story of a magic totem, the Shining Red Parrot, and its strength in drawing the main character to its Tongan Fafa Island habitat. Richard, despite a delusional episode, manages to travel to exotic places, indirectly inspiring two other characters within the story.

This story tells of how grandson Jack sees the world often in the simplest, but most joyous ways. He is a 14-year-old with autism, but his powers of imagination, enthusiasm, and observation are remarkable. He attends a special school, but yearns to go out each week for his next adventure in our Adventure Club.

The Hidden Link tells the story of important missing war medals and the journey to uncover them. It portrays the survival journey of a Pol Pot refugee, the struggle of a British war veteran, and the story of a young woman living as an outsider in rural Thailand.

The author is in court with a murderer, she is invited to drink tea from a urine filled pot, she covers theatre and cinema reviews as a London reporter, she works amid opulent carpets and heavy old typewriters with former criminals below in the printing works. She rides a Honda 90 motorbike across the English Fens on her way to cover stories in March, birthplace of the fabled March hare. She writes stories about a drunken turnip planter, a man named Jack Spratt, and another man who didn't travel as far as his own bees.

It's Not Your Fault delves into what can only be described as communication nightmares as a patient of the medical system. This true accounts show how fragile the trust between medical practitioner and patient can be and how it can be psychologically compromised bringing about negative effects. For example the author was already halfway through her first pregnancy when a well known and respected obstetrician/gynaecologist began treating her for infertility and the possibility of a dangerously big tumor. That large lump turned out to be a baby.

Ivy tells the story of a brave young woman who was awarded a special war commendation in signals during World War II in the Women's Arny Corp. She disarmed a German officer pointing a pistol in her face, survived strafing by a German bomber as she walked along a farm path as a Land Girl and lived in a garage with a dirt floor and cold water tap after migrating to Australia, She raised three young children after her husband dropped dead aged 39.

Two young lovers have a number of adventures together, much to the approval of those around them. They watch movies together, dance together, share beach and park catch ups, frolicking like no others. But one evening one of them becomes stuck under an old building where not even the fire brigade nor the emergency services can get them out. But as the last light fades there is a solution.

Walking Towards Gold tells the story of the author's pioneer colonist forebears who arrived in newly formed Adelaide, South Australia from Portsmouth, in June 1838 and how thirteen years later three of them walked 580 miles from Adelaide to the Victorian goldfields pushing a wheelbarrow.. There are intrepid accounts and interesting descriptions of early Adelaide and life on the Victorian goldfields. This is part of the Downer family's story.

Mirrors is a look at the panopoly of mirrors we confront in our modern daily life - for better or worse. Ongoing self reflections are unavoidable and come in all forms from the expected to the unexpected.

Who's at the door tells the story of two dogs crashing through a beach wedding, of their rambunctious play on the sand, of another family dog knocking over a Christmas tree and eating all the chocolate decorations, of a guinea pig wearing sunglasses, of a rabbit wearing dolls clothing sitting in a pram and a Mexican walking fish blowing bubbles in a book case.. Not to mention a child and goldfish in the same outdoor bath.

Ask The Agent is an amusing look at some aspects of selling a house including when the wrong house is put up for sale, when the back of a bus is one way to see a dream home, when a kitchen leaks badly before an Open For Inspection and when a young couple render their house with mud, poo and glue.

Spiders sometimes create terror, admiration and fascination and in this account spiders are heroes and victims. They induce one arachnophobe to pull over in blind panic as one of their members crawls out from behind his car pedals while he is driving at speed along a country road. Another toys with a spider, bouncing it up and down on its web as if it were a yoyo. Spiders create strong reactions in many of us. This story takes us into their web of life.

Roadworks and train station overhauls are confusing this author who has driven into oncoming traffic, avoided a kangaroo crossing a new roadwork barrier, got lost and couldn't find her train station carpark and who believes her amygdala must be growing as she negotiates new roundabouts, traffic lights, new road hazards and witches' hats. Follow her journey.....