Books published by Silverbird Publishing

The self-styled, self-important civic leader could not afford to have any embarrassing stories surfacing or his hopes and ambitions for the future would be dashed. Now his problem is how to silence the woman councillor who has discovered his offer to pay the gambling debt of a council officer who has done him a big favour. He plans and executes an impossible murder carried out in a pitch dark council chamber in front of dozens of people. But Edgar Hodgkiss, sharp and observant as ever, was there on the night and missed nothing.Hodgkiss and his friend Pat Strong come to the aid of Pat''s friend Mina, who had undergone a traumatic experience as a child in a rather run-down house which had been flooded during a heavy rain 20 years ago. But the old floods and the uprooting of an old tree have current consequences and the old sins cast long shadows.Hodgkiss is peeved when Pat Strong takes a job cataloguing books at the Parliamentary Library. When Pat learns that those in charge of selling off unwanted stock are searching for a very valuable document hidden somewhere in the huge library the complications and the violence begin. 

Moving letters and photographs from Anzacs of the Wimmera.

You only live once, right? Suppose you discover you lived a previous existence. Would you want to know?

Edgar Hodgkiss is roped into opening and closing the curtains between the acts of an amateur dramatic production. But after reading the scriptHodgkiss soon decides that it has been written with murder in mind. And he is not wrong. At the climax of the unlikely plot the hero of the piece is stabbed to death while tied into a chair. The prop knife, made to retract on contact, and the real knife, that obviously did the job, both have disappeared. It is Hodgkiss'' daughter, Esme, who made her stage debut in the role of a scantily clad French maid, who makes the sharp observation that leads to Hodgkiss exposing the murderer. Behind the scenes it was the corrupt faction of the Kanundda Council that was the architect of the whole deadly performance.Readers of the mystery genre are familiar with the scenario where a person is kidnapped and held prisoner in a basement or cellar. The problem facingthe captive is how to make contact with those on the outside who can mount a rescue. In these two stories, Hodgkiss and the Miraculous Message and Hodgkiss and the erroneous eMail, we see two solutions to the problem and it is Hodgkiss'' glamourous friend, Pat Strong, who helps provide the logical answers to these two intriguing problems.

An Eco-terrorist organisation formed with lofty ideals...a ratbag wealthy industrialist egomaniac...a plot to overturn the entire Australian political process...a major natural gas processing plant at risk...a giant crocodile...RAN patrol boats...an assassination contract targeting the PM. All the ingredients for a Firebird cocktail...definitely shaken, not stirred!Book 3 in the Firebird series sees the Special Marine Strike Force (SMSF) head for the Pilbara to deliver their own special brand of mayhem and retribution on the bad guys.

Relationship difficulties, anxiety and depression are common triggers for men and women to seek counselling. Amanda Stuart describes how it becomes clear that old wounds - neglect, hurt and anger - are at the heart of the presenting problem, often decades later. She decided to write The Longest Journey to highlight the effect of buried pain.

Inspired by the author's formative years in Sri Lanka (Ceylon in the book), her loves, sorrows, and above all her muse Vivien Leigh, Serenading the Dawn is a nostalgic, at times playful, at times heartbreaking, informative, and whimsical journey in verse. Illustrated with evocative and wistful pencil sketches and written in a style that evokes imagery of an era long gone, this sentimental anthology will appeal to lovers of history, cinema, family, nostalgia and romance.

The author, who hails from Scotland, spent many hours listening to her mother-in-law recount, in vivid detail, memories of her childhood days in the tiny village of Patrick, in the Isle of Man, during the First World War. As Lou talked, the author realised she was listening to history, a lot of which no one else could tell, and that if Lou were to die, all that history would be lost forever. So she wrote it all down and turned it into Hedge of Thorns.In those days the village was dwarfed by the huge internment camp at Knockaloe, created for the accommodation of thousands of men classed as enemy aliens. Men whose only crimes were to have German, Austrian or Turkish origins.Hedge of Thorns is a true account of the impact that the Great War and the monster of Knockaloe camp had on the lives of a Manx family which still followed the traditional crofting way of life. It is a most moving and memorable story of the stresses and strains which shattered the peaceful existence of a family whose loved ones were caught up in the emergencies of war.Throughout Europe, during those dreadful war-torn years, millions of families were suffering similar deprivation, fear, loss and heartbreak.Millions died in most dreadful ways and millions more eventually returned home crippled in either body or mind. Or both!It was to be the war to end all wars, for no one could imagine such stupidity happening again but-!

Harry Stevens, a Middle Eastern war hero, thought that recovering in Eden with his huge and mystical cat, Jasper, after his catamaran is bashed around by a storm, would be a delightful break from his sailing voyage around Australia. However, the finger of fate in the very pleasant form of an abused, runaway wife and her two lively, wilful and beautiful teenage daughters lands Harry in more trouble than he could ever imagine.Harry's hopes for a quiet time in this beautiful and peaceful town are shattered as he learns that the psychotic, vengeful husband is pulling out all stops in an effort to locate, not just his wife, but even more so the girls for his own, much darker purposes. Suddenly on the run, Harry is forced to fall back on his natural inventiveness and SAS training to combat an increasingly resourceful foe who shows that there is truly no limit to human lust, greed, depravity and treachery.Barely staying one step ahead of his pursuers, Harry forms some most unlikely alliances to try to defeat his many opponents with their limitless resources.

Once upon a time there was a young frog who was dissatisfied with his lot in life. He yearned to fly around the world and do exciting things. Much to his surprise a good fairy drops by his pond and grants him his wish. She turns him into a goose but she could not change his colour. At long last he flies off to lead an adventurous life. But after months of travel he feels lonely and totally dispirited. He quietly dreams of returning home to be with his friends and family. In a cold, remote, forsaken cave he finally reaches the point where he wants to throws in the towel. But the fairy returns and, after a discussion, grants him a second wish…

Harry Stevens, the Middle-Eastern war hero from Hitch-Hikers, the first book in the Firebird series, thought that having dinner at the pub and chatting up the waitress was a safe and pleasant way to pass an evening, but circumstances conspire to dump the delivery of a new super-drug as well as a large bag of bikie gang cash in his lap. Assumptions are made, confusions are leapt to, shots are fired, people are dead and Harry finds himself in the middle of a bikie gang war with both sides looking to take him out. And that's not to dinner!Being on the hit lists of all the Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs in SE Queensland, Harry is forced to run for his life, but not before stocking up on lovely girls, rum and a few select close friends. Harry's mystical giant cat, Jasper once again proves that he's more than worth any two humans in a fight.Harry, the floating trouble magnet, discovers that being shot in Afghanistan was nothing like being the focus of attention of all the OMC's in South East Queensland. His inventiveness gets the workout of a lifetime as he tries to stay one jump ahead of the bad guys as they form strange alliances to find him.

Many people have described Hilary as being "brave" and "courageous". Hilary describes herself in this story as someone who just got on with living her life. Two very important aspects of Hilary's character were her ability to live life and her overwhelming love and concern for her fellow humans. Despite all the problems she faced and the extreme level of her disabilities, she worked hard to build the most satisfying and fulfilling life possible.This was not something new, a character trait developed as a result of her accident, rather it was something which has characterised her whole approach to life. Life may not have been easy, but it was for living. Hilary loved people and was deeply concerned about their welfare. This love was a dominant factor in her working life. One of the things she regretted most after her accident was that she could no longer continue working as a nurse helping other people. Despite that, loving and caring continued to be important aspects of her life. Both of these aspects of Hilary are very evident in this book. I hope you enjoy reading The Day I Fell Off My Bicycle.

'Life is a bit like a patchwork quilt. You have to make the best quilt you can with the fabrics you have, not the ones you might have wished for.'Danny McBride knew full well he would one day marry a Catholic girl and was troubled by his father's hostility to his friendship with Jane, the Protestant girl who lived next door. Where was the harm in a few games of tennis? The local priest assured Danny the Church was happy for him to be neighbourly with Jane but cautioned him to be careful - people's attitudes towards one another can change. The priest was correct, but no one could have foreseen the extent of the changes to the lives of Danny and Jane which would be wrought by the fall of a marble in the National Service ballot of 1965.

This book is the life's story of Elvira Ramirez Rostata, a woman with strong family values and a strong faith in God.Although she had suffered many tragedies from her childhood, it did not deter her to chase her dreams, and the determination to succeed. Her dedication to help her parents and siblings for a better life will be admired by the readers.This is a book for all ages, from all walks of life.A book that will inspire readers to believe in themselves regardless of all the difficulties and obstacles they will encounter as they walk through the journeys of their lives.

Wondering how you can get to sing that song you always wanted to without running out of breath, and sing it all in tune? Need to sing at your best friend's wedding or maybe in a school production? Perhaps you want to sing with a band, start a professional career or maybe you are a grandparent who just wants to know that every time you sing to your grandchildren you are singing those family songs in tune.Are you tired of criticism for singing out of tune & running out of breath? You know you cannot always make those high notes sound good. Do you really want to make an impression? Well, you can.Whatever your desire may be, it is achievable.With I Can Sing But Where Is My Voice? finally there is a guide for the student who wants to know how to sing well. This guide will help you to identify what it is you need to know and gives you the tools to apply the skills required. Advice that works given time and genuine input from you, the singer.Besides the sections on how to breathe and using breathing control for singing, what you can learn from I Can Sing But Where Is My Voice? is how to use scales to sing in tune, including interesting vocal exercises & techniques that strengthen your voice. Learn the correct microphone technique,and more. There's even a section on how to practice and use charts to get results. You can read through the students stories & FAQ's too. They were once where you are now.I Can Sing But Where Is My Voice? has been specially crafted by Ricci Carr as a practical guide for the beginner, and for the seasoned performer who really wants to get ahead.

The mighty water-wheel at Laxey mines in the Isle of Man has been set in motion. In its great shadow, Sarah and Patrick have fallen in love. It is a love that must be kept secret, for Patrick is Irish. Sarah’s mother — Judith — has lost her mind and blames an Irishman for her husband being imprisoned ‘across the water’ in Liverpool, where she can never visit him.The two young lovers desperately desire to wed and be together, but Judith’s increasing madness, which began when she lost some of her childer to a savage disease and deepened on her husband’s incarceration, proved too strong a pull.Sarah’s deep loyalty to her mother also stands between the lovers, indeed life itself thwarts their every effort to find a way toward their happiness.Patrick’s friend — Robert — is going to Australia to make his fortune mining for gold and has asked Patrick to accompany him. With no other option and seemingly with the cards stacked against them, Patrick and Sarah are both heartbroken.Knowing that her mother will never recover from her illness and will always need her support, Sarah tells Patrick he must go with Robert to make a life for himself without her, and to forget her, and the love they share.

As I held her in my arms and kissed her, I remembered those vows we said to each other on that Friday night so many years ago. We had certainly kept our word to each other. She was the only woman I had kissed in the 49 years since I was19 years old and probably the only woman I will ever kiss. My life changed the day I met her.She was in a hospital…How and why did her lung collapse?How and why did she go into cardiac arrest?How did the femoral artery become blocked?28 hours ago she only had the fluI shouldn’t have to make this decision…21 days of agonyA wife, mother, sister, friend, a life destroyed.

What is the mysterious violin music that seduces young Tom Dolmer one day at the market with his mother? Music that appears only once and then is gone. But music which thereafter haunts and tantalises him as he struggles to find his place in life. His mother had marked him out to run the family engineering firm, but now the music of Esther’s violin has turned his head and opened his heart to other possibilities.Who is Esther and why does she bring together Tom’s practical and prosaic family with the glamour and enchantment of the bohemian Gilles family and their beautiful, highly-strung but wonderfully talented daughter, Clara?The answers are found in this sensitive and stylish new novel — set in Europe in the early 1960s. Populated with a cast of richly-drawn and eccentric characters it is a novel that will resonate with all who have fought against their own family circumstances to find their place in life.

For Whom the River Runs is a novel set in a country town in 1954. Peter Devereau is the only child of the newly appointed Shire Secretary, and Aadje Kuiper the son of Dutch immigrants. As outsiders, they face intolerance and brutal rites-of-passage.The fate of the town's inhabitants is wedded to the river that flows through its heart. The river's tranquillity masks a menace that rends the town asunder. The river defines the limits of privilege and has spawned a festering social and political divide.The novel takes the reader on a romp through a small country town, where chicanery, defiance and humour define the ethos. It is also the story of a small town local government steeped in conservative values, controlled by a small elite.The two friends, mocked and spurned, find solace in each other's company. Cameos by a variety of colourful characters are the tint and glaze of Bowater's tragic and discordant canvas. It is into this troubled setting that the newly appointed Shire Secretary, his wife and young son are inexorably drawn.

Beth Ormonde lives in a beautiful wooded valley, surrounded by the nature that she loves. She is close to her family, tolerates her school and detests her younger brother. And she is becoming very afraid of the dark. In particular, the darkness beneath her house, where an ancient, disembodied voice is infiltrating her dreams and attempting to control her life.She resists, but the tug of the voice is strong. Soon she fears for the safety of her family and friends. What will happen when the creature fully awakens? Will it destroy her home in breaking free?She discovers a link between the being and the pre-European history of the area, and attracts the unwanted attention of her parents, teachers and an increasingly unhinged scientist.The already frayed strands of Beth's life begin to fall apart. She must find allies in her struggle. But who can be trusted, and who will believe her?Set in a small town on the fringes of a great city, Goldenscale weaves myth and the modern world, the pains of growing up and the joy of discovery.

During a business trip to Taranga, a Pacific Island nation, Douglas Van Ekeren, a second generation Australian, is mistakenly invited to a clandestine meeting held by a group planning a coup d'état. The mistaken identity is due to a similarity in surname to another coup member, who is flying into Taranga from overseas and scheduled to stay at the same hotel but who has been delayed. Initially Douglas believes the meeting relates to his business trip, but slowly realises the true situation, feigns illness and manages to get out without arousing suspicion.He flies back to Australia from Taranga the next day, but the coup plotters have realised their mistake. To ensure the coup is not betrayed, they kidnap him from Sydney Airport on his arrival and hold him captive, but after several days he escapes.But with no money or means of communication, deep in country Victoria and pursued by his late captors, unable to contact police because his captors have incriminated him, can he reach ASIO in Canberra and forestall the coup?

“The girl was terrified, her head vibrating as she shook. She probably would have run but Rosie was standing in the only exit from the room to the safety of the night.”Rosie Bannister is in her last year of a turbulent experience in primary school. Staying with her grandparents on their farm in the Paterson Valley over the Easter break of 2015 while her parents are away, she is confronted in the wee hours of the night by a young girl from a foreign land stealing food from their kitchen cupboard.Set against the backdrop of a ferocious storm in the Newcastle/Hunter Region of New South Wales, Rosie, her cousins and her grandparents become embroiled in a life-changing experience that begins in a derelict dairy on the banks of the Paterson River and takes them to the mighty halls of power in Parliament House, Canberra.

Gaunisala Ni Bula is a Fijian term for the “Road of Life.” It reflects what has been my road of life in many ways. My life has been one where I have likewise had to endure some very testing times and often it has felt like there is only a narrow road that is keeping me sane and alive. The fact that I am both is an absolute miracle with many witnesses — Christian and non-Christian — who can testify to that fact.This book is not only a story of my rather miraculous survival against some trying odds but also a testament of my own Christian beliefs, which feature prominently. My purpose is not to preach; rather, it has to clearly demonstrate what the case was.There is an old conversation that begins when a man who has a lousy boss asks God, ‘Why are things the way they are?’ God tells him, ‘Well, you know what it is like to be treated roughly, so nowyou know how not to treat other people.’ As you read this book, the purpose of its title becomes very relevant indeed.