THE READING ROOM
Beyond the
Shelter Gates.
A life with dogs rarely goes to plan. Sometimes, that’s where the best stories begin.
True misadventures, fictional worlds and old friends brought to life again. Start with a short extract and see who follows you home.
Read for pleasure, share a question, or bring a story into your classroom or group.
TRUE STORIES / UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES
It seemed like
a good idea.
Some stories only become funny once you’ve got your breath back. Two chapters from my memoir, Incredible Journey.
01 / THE MEMOIR
The Italian Job
Bergamo or Bust.
Nineteen years old. A job with dogs in Italy. Naturally, I thought I was about to star in my own adventure film.
2 minute readRead the extract
02 / SMALL PONIES, BIG PERSONALITIES
Pony Expresso
Never mistake small for compliant.
Twelve rescued Shetlands. One farrier visit. Nobody had asked the ponies.
3 minute readRead the extractROCKY & ELSA IN RESCUELAND
Real dogs.
A world of their own.
A completed trilogy for readers aged 8–12. Friendship, mischief and the search for home—shaped by the dogs who shared my life.
THREE BOOKS / ONE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY
Welcome to
Hearth Rescue.
Behind the kennel doors, the dogs have their own ideas about what’s going on. Rocky and Elsa help new arrivals find their feet, while past lives, unlikely friendships and the hope of home connect all three books.
The adventures are fiction. The dogs at their heart were real.
All three manuscripts complete · Unpublished · Seeking literary representationThe Dog Who Ate Christmas
A new arrival. An uncertain Christmas. Friendship that refuses to give up.
Read the opening 6 minute readThe Dog Who Escaped to Come Back
A name from Rocky’s past. A journey beyond the gates. Answers worth coming home for.
Read the opening 6 minute readThe Dog Who Made a Better Tomorrow
A difficult past. A growing trust. The chance to choose a different tomorrow.
Read the opening 5 minute readIllustrated concept jackets · Not published editions
A NOTE BEFORE YOU ENTER RESCUELAND
Why I gave
them voices.
Rocky came into rescue as a stray. He became part of my family, and in time he became the beginning of this story.
Every dog in these books is inspired by a real dog from my life in rescue. I wanted readers to meet their humour, friendships, worries and small victories—the things a kennel door or a label on a file can hide.
I hope you laugh with them, care about what happens to them, and look a little more closely at the next dog you meet.
Writing him into this world lets me spend a little time with him again.
CID / THE CANINE INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT
The Mystery of
the Missing Things
At Rosewood House, spectacles, slippers and the occasional Tuesday go missing.
Usually, there’s an explanation. But when treasured possessions begin to disappear, the people who notice are too easily dismissed.
A chef with a past in dog rescue starts asking questions. His allies are Ludvig, a therapy dog who notices things other people miss, and Edith Mercer, a retired detective who refuses to stop investigating—even after her death.
With clues turning up between meals and residents organising their own police force, Rosewood is about to become considerably less quiet.
Two working lives. One very personal story.
Rosewood brings together my years in dog rescue and a decade cooking in Cornwall’s care homes and hospices. Ludvig is its heart. Bringing him to life here keeps his memory close, and lets other people get to know the dog who meant so much to me.
5 minute read · From Chapter One, “Things Go Missing Here”
A DIFFERENT KIND OF AUDIENCE
Some of the best listeners
have four paws.
A memory from my time in rescue that brings the stories and the shelter together.
Imagine looking for a dog to rehome and hearing Little Red Riding Hood coming from a kennel.
At Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, our volunteers sat inside the kennels with the dogs and read to them. Different voices for the characters, a little suspense, a story brought to life. The dogs loved it. Visitors would stop, surprised and fascinated.
For a dog who enjoys it, quiet shared reading can be part of a thoughtful enrichment plan. The dog’s response guides the pace. Reading, watching and listening connect a love of stories with the everyday work of care. Sometimes, the most useful thing we can offer is our time.
Talk about stories, groups and enrichment More about reading as enrichment · Best Friends Animal SocietyAGENTS, PUBLISHERS & READING GROUPS
A story worth
talking about?
I welcome conversations about the memoirs, the completed Rocky & Elsa trilogy, and CID. If a character or an idea has caught your attention, I’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch about the writingA LITTLE CURIOSITY IS ENOUGH
A question is a
good beginning.
Something here caught your interest? You don’t need a finished plan. Tell me about your group, your dog, a story—or an idea you’re still finding the words for.
Let’s start a conversation Based in St Austell, Cornwall · A simple email is always welcome.