Books published by Acorn Independent Press

As winter wanes, the fragile bonds of the Three Races begin to break. With Darnuir recovering from his addiction, and Blaine reclusive in the hallways of his Order, it falls to Lira to manage the mounting tension between the humans and zealous dragons before catastrophe strikes from within the city walls. In Brevia, King Arkus unveils his new weapons to the Assembly of Lords, but is it a gift to his people or a threat? Cassandra fears it the latter and vows to curb her father's new unchecked power that she herself helped to create. And beneath the burned mountain of Kar'drun, Dukoona suffers at the hands of his Master. His one hope now lies in the crippled spectre Sonrid, who is forcing his broken body back to the mountain in order to play his part, or die, and be free from his pained existence. Darnuir awakes weakened, and to an alliance on the brink. He must at last become the leader the dragons need but will he be too late to save his people, not just from Rectar, but from years of their own mistakes?

The pilgrimage continues…"A light, vibrant, feel good tale that should interest anyone with a sense of adventure and curiosity about the wider world." - Kirkus Reviews The second book in the bestselling Reluctant Pilgrim series from Stephen R. Marriott follows a young guitarist on an epic journey of self-discovery across Spain. Despite living in a village on the fabled Camino de Santiago, Diego never expected to walk the pilgrimage, but his father’s retirement and sudden death changed everything.Now, weeks later, after stopping en-route and recovering from a fever he’s determined to complete his journey and follow his true path to becoming a flamenco guitarist.But Diego soon discovers that the life of a musician is not an easy one, especially one with no formal training. Madrid beckons, but can he even summon the courage to audition or will he end up drinking too much in the murky shadows of flamenco bars? Should he follow his passion and all the uncertainty that comes with it or return back to the village bar where nothing ever changes.Perhaps he still has more roads to walk before he can transform? Journey with Diego along the ancient pilgrim routes as he battles with his demons, meet the people he encounters at their own crossroads and feel the flamenco beating in his heart.This is the sequel to Candyfloss Guitar.You can learn more about Stephen R. Marriott at his Author’s Community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StephenRCommunity or visit his website, www.stephenrmarriott.com.

"I WANT MORE" follows the furtheradventures in the life of our heroine Sarah Knowlesas she continues in her struggle to try and findpeace and happiness in her crazy World. Will she find it with new love Amanda?How will she cope with yet more tragic loss?Will she manage to stay sane?Will her crazy sexual adventures lead to her downfall?Will the predictions of a psychic turn out to betrue or lead to more heartache?And will Andy be able to save her from herself? This story - the second in a trilogy of her diaries - covers the next instalment of her World as she battlesadversity wherever and in whatever she tries to doand her raison d"etra that is: "I WANT MORE"

Like many eighteen-year-old boys, Saga's prime concerns are: listening to music his mum calls "hop-hip", learning about girls from his suave best mate Ibrahim, and making sure his considerable tummy is well-fed. In his affluent, liberal and relatively protected suburb life is pretty good, especially when his mum's special peanut soup is on the table.However, in Africa, childhoods can be snatched in an instant, especially when you live in a dictatorship. When his friends and family are dragged into the conflict, he is given no choice. Chubby Saga becomes an unlikely revolutionary, but these are very dangerous times. Their violent President Brewman has built their country on fear and even he, himself, is terrified. Spies, traps and double-dealings lie everywhere. Can one happy-go-lucky schoolboy really stand up to a murderous regime? How long can he stay one step ahead of the Zombie soldiers that will do anything to stop him?This thought-provoking coming of age story touches on many of Africa's biggest problems today.

Angels with Bruises is a collection of 39 modern short stories. 'Jesus! A roomful of weeping women and me the wrong side of the door.' 'Maud watched her sister twitch, three, four times, then peace and stillness.' 'A little Sambuca spurted from my mouth and landed on her fringe, but she was too far gone to notice.' 'He loved to sniff her all over. She was clean and full with high-end product.' 'I'm eating myself.' A wild animal scream rips from her throat.'

Tom, Minna and Finch are not your average children and the enormous hollow oak tree they live in is the oldest tree in the whole forest. It was their grandfather Beany who made it into a tree house with proper windows and doors and furniture. Beany is a magician . . . not a very good one, perhaps, but quite famous locally. Tom is the eldest of the three and likes to keep an eye on things but Minna, as the only girl,often takes over in a tricky situation and Finch, the youngest, often gets into scrapes. Sometimes they shoot off on an adventure together and sometimes one or another becomes involved in an unforeseen escapade that may be scary, may be hilarious, but is always exciting and packed with adventure and fun!

Otto Parsons, a brilliant Oxford physicist, is missing. His early experiments on zero gravity machines have produced unimaginable results. His professor, Dan Sibley, has to secure funding for their work or close the project down. A wealthy organisation has made him an offer to secure the project's future. Only now, it seems his backers may have an altogether more sinister agenda. Wheels are in motion that cannot be stopped. What is it that connects their work with the assassination of JFK, the Roswell Incident, the Wall Street Crash and a mysterious cache of priceless art? And who are the shadowy partners of the October Foundation? The answers will threaten the safety of everyone on the planet.The October Men is the stunning debut from David Impey, full of twists and turns that will keep you gripped. If you like well-crafted thrillers by John le Carré and Colin Dexter or thought-provoking science fiction by John Wyndham, then The October Men is the novel you must read.

Thousands have found inspiration reading Candyfloss Guitar.Choose Your Way…"Stephen R. Marriott takes us on a journey through the eyes of Diego, a young guitarist, as he struggles to find his path in life. It's a touching tale which will not only have you reaching for the next in the series, but maybe your backpack as well." - Richard Paul Evans, #1 New York Times Bestselling AuthorDiego is drifting. He has been content with living his life in a sun-scorched village that lies on the route of the pilgrim path: The Camino de Santiago. But one stormy night, change is forced upon Diego when his father, Eduardo, the local candyfloss maker, unexpectedly catches him entertaining a captivated crowd with flamenco guitar rhythms. At that moment, Eduardo lets go of the ghosts from his past and realises it's time for Diego to find his path in life.Eduardo arranges for Diego to live and work on a farm and sends him on his way with the gift of his old Spanish guitar.Will Diego commit to working on the farm, or will he confront his destiny on the road where a million pilgrims have passed before him?- - - - What Readers are Saying - - - - -"Very inspirational!""I could NOT PUT IT DOWN!!""Loved it""great characters""A great read!""This story sucks you right in.""Very well crafted, and executed.""I would recommend this story to everyone.""A very enjoyable read.""Excellent storytelling...""I am looking forward to hearing more""Fascinating story!""swept away in this story about self-discovery""I wanted more, much more.""Thought provoking!""a fantastic story about self-discovery.""I absolutely loved it.""I definitely recommend reading this.""Filled with lushly descriptive language""Surprised me with both its subject and quality."The people Diego encounters on the way and the faith they share will take him on a much longer journey, one that once would have seemed unimaginable.Candyfloss Guitar is the first book in the Reluctant Pilgrim series about one man's journey of self-discovery and the hope he will eventually bring to others. A journey both physical and spiritual, guided at times by the unlikeliest of angels!At 60 pages this first book in the series can be read in almost one sitting!- - - - - - - - Now Out - - - - - - - -Santiago's Guitar (The Reluctant Pilgrim sequel to Candyfloss Guitar). For updates:http://www.stephenrmarriott.com

A compellingly readable contemporary fantasia set in a vivid New York of the mind. - Kirkus John, part radicalised anarchist, part ticking time bomb, is haunted by a particular story, that of Willow, a 9-year old mute who flees to New York after her brutal rape. The only way his girlfriend, Felicity, can stop the clock counting downis by disentangling the riddle of their pasts , before their entwined futures are blown to pieces. Quentin Canterels second novel presents a collage of voices, dead and alive, in a unique and unnerving novel that experiments with form, structure and language. Truly a mystery shrouded in an enigma.

Evil wakes while the people sleep.Amongst the strip malls, concrete blocks and empty parking lots of the Southern town of Hokum, the American dream lies broken. A helpless immigrant the state has declared dead finds himself unable to prove otherwise. Abused Mexican kids abduct their schoolteacher escaping back across the border. A haunted hillbilly dangles from a flagpole refusing to believe his wife and children aren't ghosts. The Warden, a camo-wearing military obsessive pedals drugs whilst blaring Stockhausen. A down on her luck junkie fails to drown herself and resurfaces to find love. All these characters have one thing in common: they will all find a way to wind themselves in to the coroner, Billy's life. Billy's love of celebrity and aversion to hard work leaves a growing trail of wronged members of the public a trail that he just can't seem to shake. Although he can't understand why, the townsfolk begin increasingly to mistake him for the devil. Amidst all the fun, THE JOLLY CORONER poses questions about moral decay and proves that a casual string of circumstances, in the right conditions, can lead to the rise of a dangerous man... only it's so accidental no one seems to notice.

A fast-paced epic fantasy, perfect for fans of Raymond E. Feist, R.A. Salvatore and Brandon Sanderson. Now a complete trilogy!Arrogant. Scornful. Full of pride. Darnuir, Prince of Dragons, cares nothing for the damage he's doing to the faltering alliance against the Shadow. He thinks himself invincible - until a mortal wound forces him to undergo a dangerous rebirthing spell, leaving him a helpless babe in human hands.Twenty years pass and demonic forces are poised to sweep across the land. With the alliance between humanity, dragons, and fairies fracturing, Darnuir will have to uncover the secrets of his past, seek redemption for his sins, and rally the disparate races if they are to survive.Only Darnuir can do this. For he's the last member of the royal bloodline and only he can wield the Dragon's Blade.His second chance is the world's last hope.

Today, we face the greatest challenges in human history.There is a widespread collapse of confidence in current politics and economics, and our environment is teetering on the brink of catastrophe. The challenges are enormous, but so are the opportunities to create a society based on the wellbeing of all. This rigorously researched, compact and accessible book makes sense of the situation, offers hope and radical solutions. Above all it empowers you to get involved and shows you how you can actually make a difference.Do you want to create a happier, fairer, greener, more peaceful world? Then this book...