Search results for ""Author Fiona Collins""

The county borough of Wrexham is rich in folklore, with an abundance of tales to capture the wonders of the Welsh landscape and all its denizens, both real and imaginary: animal, human and even superhuman. This collection, which includes both traditional tales – passed down through generations by word of mouth – and archive material, brings to life the local legends, mysteries and stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things that make Wales so magical. A speaker of both languages of Wales, the author has collected some unusual material sure to enchant both Welsh and non Welsh speakers. Beautifully illustrated by local artist Ed Fisher, these tales bring to life the ancient wisdom of Wrexham.

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Four decades. Four seasons. Four chance encounters with the same man. Spring 1986, Oxford. Rachel has landed on her feet: engaged to handsome author Jonny, soon to be stepmother to his young daughter Teddy, and with a dream to open her own art gallery. It’s everything she wished for during her unsettled childhood. So when she meets candid and carefree American artist Gabe at a party and feels a familiar spark, she knows she needs to resist. But as her perfect life moves forward, Gabe is never far away, and there’s no denying the lure of the spontaneous, wildly adventurous existence he seems to offer. His is a world of endless possibilities—ones Rachel can’t let herself be tempted by if she’s ever to stay the safe course with Jonny. But how can she focus on the life she thought she wanted when she can’t help imagining the alternative? One thing’s for certain: Gabe is more than a minor character in Rachel’s life. And as their paths intersect over seasons and decades, each meeting presents Rachel with a choice that could alter everything, and she has to wonder whether the life story she once fought for is the version she’s meant to be living…

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'Collins perfectly balances the light and shade of life, resulting in an uplifting and heart-warming book that proves to be the perfect summer read' CULTUREFLY, JULY READS-------------------------------A beautiful and heart-wrenching story set over one hot summer in London, about a father and daughter who help one another to step out into the world again, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes and Lucy Diamond.Prue is not someone you would notice willingly. She likes to keep herself to herself and fade into the background. If it weren't for the birthmark on her left cheek, she might actually succeed at becoming invisible. She spends all of her time with her blind father, Vince. Scarred by a difficult past, they sit together in silence and ignore the vibrant city just on their doorstep. That is, until something forces them both to go outside and see what they have been missing. For Vince, that means discovering how to see the world without his sight. For Prue, that means finding the courage to finally love and be loved in return. About family, second chances and finding the courage to face your fears, this is a moving story that will stay with you long after you have finished the last page.'Un utterly lovely book' DEBBIE JOHNSON, author of THE MOMENT I MET YOU'The perfect summer novel, we defy you not to be captivated and will be urging them on to live the lives they deserve' BELFAST TELEGRAPH'A story about family, friendship and facing your fears head on' COSMOPOLITAN, BEST BOOKS TO READ THIS SUMMER'A unique, compelling summer read, full of heart' SAMANTHA TONGE, author of SUMMER SECRETS AT STREAMSIDE COTTAGE'It's a feel-good book, but what really stands out is Prue's voice. She's known a lot of pain, and it all comes out in a tone which is precise, impatient and cold, but which evokes immediate sympathy for her and perhaps reveals more vulnerability than Prue realises' HERALD-------------------------------**Readers are loving Summer in the City**'I'll be thinking about these characters for a very long time to come' 5 star review'An emotional tale about discovery, healing and living a life, once lost, to its very best' 5 star review'An uplifting, funny and inspiring read about getting back out into the world again' 5 star review'Captivates a wonderful relationship between a father and daughter' 5 star review'A gorgeous story about family, friendship and pushing yourself to face your greatest fears' 5 star review

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Wales is especially rich in the folklore of place, and this collection brings a new perspective to the history of Denbighshire, the oldest inhabited area of Wales. With hills, valleys, moorland and coast, this varied land has inspired many tales of ancient battles, strange creatures and curious customs. This compilation of stories from the ancient lore of the modern county of Denbighshire includes local legends, folk tales, stories of magic and mystery and tales of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Discover dragons and devils, ghosts and giants, witches and cunning men, poets, heroes, saints, kings and queens and, of course, Y Tylwyth Teg, The Fair Folk. A speaker of both languages of Wales, the author has collected some unusual material which will be of particular interest to non-Welsh speakers, who will meet these tales for the first time here.With illustrations from local artist Ed Fisher complementing the tales, this volume will be enjoyed by old and young alike. Mae'na groeso cynnes Cymreig yma i bawb. There is a warm Welsh welcome here to all.

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Can twenty-four hours on an island paradise lead them to an unexpected reunion? When Maggie accepts one last commission before retiring from journalism, she’s given twenty-four hours on a remote tropical island to interview former Hollywood heart-throb Ed Cavanagh. There are just two problems: firstly, Ed doesn’t want anything to do with Maggie’s exclusive, and secondly, he’s the only man who ever broke her heart… It’s a scenario she never expected—to be in paradise with a man she first met as a teenager but has been trying to forget for the past fifteen years. As each precious hour brings back memories of their tangled love story, Maggie is forced to confront the painful twists of fate that kept them apart. Was a different future for them ever possible? Is it still possible now? They’ve both been burned by love in the past, but as the clock ticks down on their time on the island; will this fleeting reunion extinguish the spark between them for good? Or is it one last chance for Maggie and Ed to rekindle that flame to live the love story they always thought possible? This heartwarming and poignant story of forgiveness, hope and love is perfect for fans of Josie Silver, Sally Page and Lucy Diamond.

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A love story like no other! Perfect for fans of David Nicholls, Jojo Moyes and Richard Curtis films, You, Me and the Movies will leave you crying tears of joy and sadness.When Arden meets Mac she quickly falls for the handsome, charismatic film lecturer. Their love is the sort you see in movies: dramatic, exciting and all-consuming... and complicated. A love like theirs could never last. But years later, whilst visiting a friend in hospital, Arden sees the one face she could never forget. Badly injured, Mac can only make brief references to the classic films they once watched together. Which is all it takes for Arden to remember everything... Will Arden ever find a movie-worthy love again?________What everyone is saying about You, Me and the Movies:'Moving and emotional' Eva Woods, bestselling author of How to be Happy 'I LOVED THIS BOOK!! You, Me and The Movies is beautifully crafted, funny, uplifting and guaranteed to leave you smiling!!! This is one of those BIG WONDERFUL books that pulls you in and doesn't let you go until the very last page.' Lauren North, author of The Perfect Betrayal'It made me laugh, cry and want to watch lots more old movies' *****'Nostalgic and lovely and just leaves you with a warm feeling' *****'Pulls you in and doesn't let you go until the very last page' *****'I can't begin to say how much I LOVED this book. It had me laughing, falling in love and ultimately crying.' *****'I'm an absolute mess. This is a beautiful novel. Completely unexpected... I was captured by the now and then aspect of the story... I'm off now to re-watch The Way We Were.' *****

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Do you think that legends are all about princes and princesses, knights and heroes, giants and monsters? Well, they aren’t always. The stories in this book are about girls like you and girls you might know: clever, strong, brave and resourceful. Here you can read the story of Vasilisa, who wasn’t afraid of the deep dark forest; Mollie Whuppie, who knew how to trick a giant; Tipingi, who was able to call on her friends to help her get out of trouble; Seren, who used her love of singing to help others; and many more fearless characters. Storyteller Fiona Collins has chosen the best of the old tales from all around the world and reworked them into new and exciting versions to be enjoyed by everyone, accompanied by magical illustrations by talented artist Ed Fisher.

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This collection of five tales and one play contains the definitive Robin Hood. They are the earliest ballads and play and still the best of the bunch. ‘Robin Hood and the Monk’ is the earliest surviving manuscript, dated c.1450, and is considered the greatest of the ballads, though it was probably not sung, being described as a ‘talkyng’; ‘Robin Hood’s Death’ is one of the most satisfying tragedies in the English language; while ‘A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode’ is a comprehensive account of the famous English outlaw - complete, unified and pointing quite clearly to the reign of Edward II as a probable time for an historical Robin Hood, despite the opinions of most of the experts.

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There is a time and a season to all things, and death is an inevitable part of the circle of life.Oral traditions from all over the world are full of stories giving shape to the very human wish to defy death – our own death and the deaths of others. Folk Tales of the Ever After is a collection of traditional tales from a range of cultures which is, by turns, funny, challenging and touching.From a man in Baghdad who tries to outrun Death, to Sir Lancelot’s ride on the hangman’s cart and an Ancient Sumerian ball game that leads to a trip to the underworld, storytellers Fiona and June invite you to share stories from their repertoire, and insights into their working practice, as a journey through the mysteries of death, dying,bereavement, loss, grief and the ever after.

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If you love magic and adventure, here is the book for you. In this treasure trove of tales, storyteller Fiona Collins has collected the best-loved stories from the misty, magical mountains, rushing rivers and green rolling hills of North Wales. In these stories you will meet dragons, giants, wizards, monsters and one extremely powerful witch – and of course the Tylwyth Teg, the Welsh fairies. From ‘Once upon a time…’ to ‘Happy ever after’ you will be transported to North Wales, where even the stones have stories to tell.

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Around the round table there was always one seat which remained empty. This was the place left for the knight who would one day attain the Grail and restore the land. This mysterious piece of furniture, the Seat Perilous, has been part of Arthurian myth for a 1,000 years. It was the original hot seat – if you sat there and were not the one, you would be consumed by fire. These are the untold tales of the knights who went out into the world and the ladies of the lake they found there. This book follows them into an unknown interior where they encounter the Queen of the Wasteland and through her story, return with the greatest prize of all.

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