How then did the UK reach the golden years of purposeful education, full employment, and adequate housing? More to the point, why did successive governments in the latter part of the twentieth century and early twenty-first century betray the British people by subjecting them to the overwhelming stresses of poor education, low-paid employment, and a housing crisis eclipsing even that of the immediate post World War Il era? I consider myself lucky to have been born in the UK. I also consider myself lucky to have lived through the golden years, enjoying prosperity my children and childrens children will only be able to dream of.

Those of an age to remember the 1960s and early 1970s will recall an era of ‘full employment’ educated children and adequate housing. How did we reach that ‘Golden’ era and what caused the steady spiral downwards In the decades since.

For years Professor Shaw and Alex Pullman have been looking beyond Pluto for what they believe to be a hidden planet. What they find is even more astonishing.A ship that calls itself The Ark is on a collision course with Earth, but the discovery only brings with it questions.

Who sent it? Why arent they talking?But the scientists arent the only ones involved. General Arnold J. Bernstein III heads up the military branch. When he looks at The Ark, all he sees is a threat.With the future of humanity on the line, military and scientific minds clash as they try to decide what to do.

Then The Ark sends a message.

A mysterious vessel dubbed `The Ark` was found lurking at the edge of the solar system. A team of scientists from all over the world was gathered by NASA to figure out what this Ark was, and who had sent it. The Ark rested in orbit of Earth and the empty vessel became populated with a team led by Doctor Alex Pullman and General Arnold J. Bernstein III. It was supposed to be a routine exploration mission to learn about the capabilities of The Ark, but when the powerful craft leaves Earth`s orbit and crawls back through the Solar System, panic sets in. On the Ark, tension reigns as a battle for leadership between Alex and the General distracts everyone from their duties of cracking the mystery of the Ark. But intrepid scientists push themselves to their limits, facing their fears in this race against time to understand who sent them on this journey and, more importantly, where it`s leading them.

Born at the beginning of 1952, the Author missed World War Ii by less than seven years, yet the effects were still being felt all around him. Rationing and bomb sites were the norm as he grew up in a once great country still reeling from the effects of the most devastating war in world history. He considers himself lucky to have been born in the UK. He also considers himself lucky to have lived through the golden years, enjoying a level of prosperity his children and children`s children will only be able to dream of. In both Where the UK Went Wrong [1945-2015] and Where the UK Went Wrong [Post Ww11], second edition, the author compares the post-war commitment to social cohesion and universal prosperity with the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries` weak, divisive, and ineffective political leadership (of all political parties) and the Darwinian `survival of the fittest` society they have sought to create.

In the long distant past as mankind began to walk on earth an advanced spaceship crashed amongst them. This spaceship was ‘The Ark’ and was populated by 21st century humans.The ship had brilliantly soft landed on a remote Island in the Bahamas and their engineers set about the long task of repairing their vessel.

As the homelessness among ex-service personnel topped 100,000, groups began to splinter off into armed militia. These people had not only the will to cause mayhem but had been highly trained by the very armed forces who had subsequently abandoned them. The treatment on the streets of one of his ex platoon members caused Steve Raines to snap. But Raines did not snap in an obvious outward way, he snapped inside. All his Navy training came to the fore, he was planning a campaign, and he would execute it perfectly.

For years Alex Pullman and Professor Shaw have been looking beyond Pluto for what they believe to be a hidden planet. What Alex finds is even more astonishing.A ship called ‘The Ark’, and it is on course for Earth. The scientists aren`t the only ones involved. General Arnold J. Bernstein III heads up the military and all the General sees is a threat.With the future of humanity on the line, military and scientific minds clash as they try to decide what to do.The ongoing ‘battle’ between Alex and Bernstein would take ‘The Ark’ on an epic and perilous journey through time and space.

Monsters and terror lurk everywhere in the world. It’s easy for us to turn a blind eye, to shift our gaze away towards the light and ignore the darkness. But it’s always there, festering and writhing and consuming people. Whether it’s child abuse, internet and gaming addiction, the enormous disparity between the rich and the poor, or the cruelty of war; these short stories shine a light on these pressing matters that plague the world.

Do you dare to peer into the abyss?

World War II is entering a pivotal stage. Germany’s dark influence is spreading across Europe and the grim storm cloud is swirling around the horizon of Britain. From the bleak sky death falls in the form of bombs. They crash down into the cities of Britain and shatter the idea of the war being fought on a distant shore. It has reached Britain, and the people feel vulnerable.

While the government wants to create a film to harden the people’s resolve, the victims of the bombings have other ideas. As long as they have the chance they seek to escape the borders, fleeing all around the world in order to preserve their families and their sanity. Their intentions are good, but they’re seen as treasonous. Everyone has their reasons for fighting, it’s just that some are fighting for their families rather than their country.

Will the British government be able to hold their people together, or will their resolve crumble in the face of the domineering German war machine?

"I had been Drew`s friend from the beginning. I was the first one who realized he could sing. Since then I`ve been with him every step of the way, from the highest highs to the lowest lows and there`s something I`ve come to realize;
People are too demanding of their gods.
Drew`s fans number in the millions and they all want more than he can give. He comes alive on stage, but off of it he`s no more than a shell. I have to stand by and watch him lose more of himself every day as they leech away from him, when all I want to do is protect him.Then an opportunity arose for me to help Drew, to give him a life away from all the demands of his obsessive fans. There`s only one requirement for him to live; he must die."

Due to a terrible accident the world is a barren wasteland.A virus originating from a small research facility in the arid desert of southern USA has swept across the globe and rendered every electrical device impotent The lead researchers, Anna, Aiko, and Evan, have to try and steel their community against a world that has fallen into darkness. But can human invention ever overcome human nature?

A young woman called Petra, alone after her father’s death, wanders the world in search of a mythical place known only as Haven. But Haven has lost its way. Their walls are closed to outsiders. Tension brews and Petra finds herself thrust into the conflict. Is Haven truly a safe place, or is it merely an illusion? Will compassion, love, and a sense of community win over greed, envy, and fear?

From the distance between us to the vast expanse of time, decisions shape the universe. Decisions that are often foolhardy, naïve, and selfish.
Temptation tugs at souls and ambition turns men into heartless creatures. Sometimes even the most noble intentions can lead to dark and grim endings. Even when a man has the gift of all the time in the world he will lose all that he holds dear. Even when people have the benefit of learning from history the past will repeat itself. In this collection of short stories such decisions are made, and the folly of humanity is exposed.
The only constant is destruction.
Life must always result in death.

Jinchek has left a horrible, cruel place called Las Vega Clu.

(`Las Vega Clu’ had gained its name among residents from the remnants of the only sign left in the city, the official name was Freedom City`)

Looking at the smashed up remnants It was not hard to imagine the once grandeur of Las Vega Clu before the devastation, before the humans were left scurrying round like rats, before Darwin’s theory became a reality.

He dresses in rags to hide his grotesque features and his voice is a rasping whisper. Like others he seeks Haven for refuge and a new beginning, but he cannot leave behind everything he wishes.

What`s more, people of Las Vega Clu are not happy to see him leave.

He hopes to find salvation in Haven, but will he end up bringing destruction to this hallowed place?

As children we’re always raised to believe that stories have happy endings. But, as we grow older, we realize that the world is a cruel and vicious place. Life rarely works out as we want it to. There are obstacles, challenges, and global tragedies that shatter hope and ambition. We intoxicate ourselves on illusions of happiness and meaning. We delude ourselves by thinking that there is a reason or a plan behind it all.But there’s not.
There’s only chaos, ill fortunate, and a bleak end to this tormented ride we call life.
It’s time to lift the veil and see the truth. It’s time to leave our childish naivete behind and accept the irrefutable evidence we see in every snippet of news, in every corner of the world.

There are no more happy endings.

After fighting off the forces from Las Vega Clu, Petra and Mike have gone their separate ways. Now leader of the Savages, taking his father’s place, Mike is trying to let go of the past. Petra is trying not to miss him. Living in Haven was the dream that she and her father shared, but can she be happy without Mike? There’s plenty to keep her occupied though, as a resident of Haven, Elsa, begins to have ideas about how the community can evolve. Her ideas are radical and Petra doesn’t like the sound of them at all, but the people of Haven seem to be eager to follow Elsa’s lead. Petra is determined to stop her, until she receives terrible news; Mike has been captured. The man who has taken him is called Kai, and he is the last warrior of Las Vega Clu. He wants revenge, but not for his fallen allies, no, his thirst for revenge goes back far deeper and is personal with Petra. Haven has always been her future, but this time Petra is going to have to face her past.

While I was in hospital recently I contracted Covid and was placed on a Covid ward.
In the next bed to me was an elderly gentleman who was suffering from a form of dementia (and Covid). He talked and shouted incessantly which was obviously an irritation as I too was unwell; however, I started to listen to his rants and cries for help and took notes.It soon became obvious to me that he was reliving his childhood and adulthood in his mind and struggling with his reality.
This book is a fictionalised expansion of the notes I took while in hospital next to the poor man.