You’re Not Alone: an Indie Author Anthology for Macmillan Cancer Support

When I was afforded the opportunity to contribute a short story to an indie anthology, in support of Macmillan Nurses, it was a pleasure to be involved. My own experience with cancer, as with many others, is varied. I know people who’ve suffered, those who’ve survived and those who didn’t, and my own children have two grandparents fighting the disease. I help my beloved father as he cares for my mother now suffering with secondary breast cancer within her bones and insidious dementia. I know the intrinsic value of Macmillan nurses, and the intensive support they offer.

If I can give something back, I will.

Ian D. Moore, author of ‘Salby Damned’ wrote about the beginning of this book: ‘This Anthology began with a single thought…You’re Not Alone. Faced with the realisation that I was witnessing the beginning of the end of a fight with cancer that had raged for eight years in someone very dear to me, I felt powerless to do anything to thwart the inevitable. It was in the final days of Pamela’s life that I realised the potential that myself, and my writer friends possessed, that would enable us to make a difference.’

He then proceeded to rally his friends and fellow authors and created something special, of which I am grateful to be part.

Please read his articles: You’re Not Alone – An Indie Author Anthology for Macmillan Cancer Support and Vision to Fruition – With A Little Help From My Friends to learn more of the process and read testimonials from each of the 27 authors as to why they became involved. It will touch you.

The front cover art work was created by the very talented artist Christine Southworth and Nico Laeser turned her sketch into a beautiful cover wrap.

All net proceeds from this book will go to Macmillan Cancer Support via the Pamela Winton Fund (see below), and you can currently pre-order the eBook today: £1.99 UK or $3.11 US, this link will take you to your local Amazon site.

A paperback version will also be available once the anthology is released on 11^th July 2015.

You can also donate directly to The Pamela Mary Winton Tribute fund. This fund is in Pamela’s name but all donations go to Macmillan Cancer Support. Any kind donations are gratefully received.

In this collection you’ll find short stories to thrill you, they’ll scare you and leave you looking over your shoulder as you head back from your lunch break. There are stories of hope, stories of courage and stories of sheer determination, much like the very story that created this work to begin with.

What can you do?

Be ready to buy or reblog/share what you’ve found, help us to help those in need.

And join our Facebook Page: You’re Not Alone: An Indie Anthology and help to spread the news!

If you or anyone you know has been touched by cancer,
help us to do something to give back to those who give all to help…

Visual Dare: Tempest

Photo Source Lisa Falzon

He shivered and she slowly turned her soft gaze to meet his. “Sorry,” he whispered, the words barely leaving his mouth as he leaned down to meet her lips. Her lips were pale and cold, and her eyes tired and dark with shadows. He shivered again.

Her lips moved and he strained to hear the words that hid behind them. “Tell me…”

Goosebumps spread across his arms and he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I love you.” He nuzzled her wispy hair, the stray blond curl that escaped the scarf around her head. “I will love you now, today, tomorrow and forever.”

He wished fervently that he could extract the tempest that threatened to explode through his chest. He wished his vitality, his life, could feed through the tubes and perform the job that chemotherapy couldn’t.

He wished.

(150 Words)

I adored this picture, who wouldn’t? We all have tempests within, and this spoke to me of love. Written for Anonymous Legacy and Visual Dare 86, pop over and read the other tales inspired by this beautiful picture.

Through the Portal – Read Write Muse

This collection of stories really caught my attention and grabbed my emotions…if you’re looking for a book of poignant short stories, this could be it.

The collective of authors over at Read, Write, Muse got together to write about the theme of ‘portals’ and they created a beautiful book that touches your heartstrings! 

Through The Portal by a collective of authors at Read, Write, Muse

Sometimes it’s the most simple of stories that hit you. Rob Holliday’s Hotspots did just that, such poignancy and sadness edged with beautiful description of love and a story that will stay with me. As with The Bridge, by D.M. Kilgore, again something simple, and for a moment I thought too saccharine sweet, but it pulled at my heartstrings and took me to a beautiful place, resonating with me, because my first novel also touches on very similar places.

L.E. Custodio’s poem With Heaven as my Guide …took me to a place of wonder as references made me smile and I was right there lost within those stories.

S.R. Karfelt’s brilliant opening line of Portal Potty grabbed me with such intensity that I couldn’t stop reading and when I did, my heart broke. My heart also wept for the true stories shared, emotions that again resonated as I’ve suffered that demon depression and been touched by the sadness of cancer in my life.

This is a collection, from poetry to flash fiction, short stories and novellas to non-fiction that offers you something of everything. Whatever your favourite genre, you’ll find something here. A teaser for LaDonna Cole’s Torn series has beguiled me and I am looking to discover more from several of these authors.

I’ve only touched on a few of the stories here, you’ll have to buy the anthology to choose your own favourites!

A tender set of pieces coming from pain and suffering, but then its only through the pain and opposition in life that we get to appreciate the best of life! Tales of love, of battle and of a will to triumph…

Find it on Amazon UK, Amazon US in eBook and paperback, and on Goodreads.

And for the first year Read, Write, Muse will donate $1 per book sale to a cancer related charity.