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Published Recently

This blog post has been a long time coming, what with jobs and personal lives, not to mention, writing, taking up most of our time.

We just wanted to mention a couple of our members recent publications.

Not Alive, Not Dead by John Donoghue

Not-Alive-Dead

Published in September 2025, by Atlantic Books. Not Alive, Not Dead follows Pablo Morales, a young priest, in 1976, Buenos Aires, as he follows rumours and confessions about those who have gone missing.

‘A gripping read’

Historical Thriller.

You can buy John’s book by clicking on the link below the image.

Girl in a Spacesuit by Mjke Wood

Girl-Spacesuit-Martian-Dreams

Published in February 2026, by Copperbird Press. This is book 2 in the Martian Chronicles; following on from Old Man in a Spacesuit, and is a stand-alone novel that takes place years after book 1. It follows Minra and her daughter as they attempt to survive and escape a Sri Lanka that is increasingly disappearing under water.

“Great book”

Science Fiction

You can buy Mjke’s book by clicking on the link below the image

Spherewide: Adventures of a Deep Space Travel Agent by Mjke Wood

SphereWide

Published in April 2026, by Copperbird Press. Spherwide is the fourth book in Mjke’s Sphere of influence series. Theodore Stern is a travel agent, who has barely left his home town of New Leicester. But now, he is forced to endure the trials and travel sickness of deep space travel.

Humorous Science Fiction

You can buy Mjke’s book by clicking on the link below the image.

The Schimmering by Alexandra Peel

Schimmering

Published in October 2025, by Sticks & Stones. Follows three operatives from the cities and streets they are familiar with, into a world of intrigue and ancient, magical factions in an ongoing conflict.

“fascinating reading”

Fantasy Adventure

You can buy Alexandra’s book by clicking on the link below the image.

Can Writers Thrive at Local Fairs?

Three of our members recently took a table at a local craft fair.

Hulme Hall, in Port Sunlight, regularly holds fairs in one of its larger rooms. They do tend to vary according to season, so there was the hint of tinsel and a whiff of nutmeg in the air as THAT season approaches.

Mike, Alexandra and Tom shared a table and displayed their wares – Mike had his Sphere of Influence trilogy, plus other sci-fi titles, as well as his humorous travel series. Tom brought A Step Beyond, his collection of short stories, and Alexandra brought five of her titles of different genres.

There were a couple of sales — nothing to write home about, But it was an experience.

We talked about the unsuitability of the fair and how there is nothing on the Wirral dedicated to writers. There is an annual Arts Festival that includes, music, visual art and a poetry event. The idea was mooted to approach someone involved in the organising of that Festival to include something for writers.

We may look around for suitable venues, such as the Floral Pavillion in New Brighton, and enquire if anyone would be interested in running a writers event. A book fair for local authors perhaps.

Watch this space!

Alternatives to Microsoft

Hello fellow Writers,

I think some of you may be aware that I have had ‘issues’ with my computer over the past year or so. I ended up having a new hard-drive installed; Windows 10 is gone as I went back to Windows 7.

I can’t say there is much improvement.

When there are updates to install, it takes time, and then, it gives me a message saying: Installing Incomplete, Windows is Reversing the process – which then takes anything from 4 to 24 hours!!!! Really Microsoft?! I pay for this?!!

So, I scoured the online FAQ’s and Help Desks and Forums etc.

I even did some of the stuff people said worked. One was a trial to see where the malfunction was occurring; it appeared to be in my Windows Word docs! Hmm, so I decided to look around and see if there was anything else to use.

I am fed up with the stranglehold that massive corporations have on products, what am I paying for if it keeps going wrong?

I have discovered a plethora of alternatives – in no order of preference, they include –

  • Deep Blue Diving
  • LibreOffice
  • WPS Office
  • Google Docs
  • Apple iWork
  • Calligra Office
  • Dropbox

But how do I know which will suit me? How do I know that I will be able to open up all the work I have done previously on Word.docs? Will I be able to open up the work on another computer?

My husband uses Ubuntu – software that uses LibreOffice – he has NEVER had an issue with it. It has security updates every couple of weeks, this takes around 30 minutes. It does everything Microsoft Word does, but at a ‘lower level’, he says. Also, Ubuntu and LibreOffice are FREE!

So why am I not rushing to install it now? Because I am terrified that if I undo all my Windows and install something else, then the whole computer will come crashing down around my ears.

It would be great to hear your experiences of an alternative to Windows; what you use and why you like it.

I Finally Made It!

Through the cyber jungle I struggle and fall.

Each time I click I meet a brick wall.

Exhausted with frustration once again I begin.

Shall I persevere or just give in?

At last I find my writer’s home,

And a space to call my own.

Look out for Juniper now and again.

Will he make you laugh or cry or just be a pain?

Though there’s many a slip ‘twixt lip and cup;

He hopes to continue and not give up.