The lifestyles of the people of Devon have traditionally been as diverse as its spectacular scenery. Little wonder then that the county's curious stories are so numerous and so varied. Including a train trapped in a giant snowdrift in Devon's worst blizzard; Lapford's murderous parson; Devon's ill-fated involvement in D-Day at Slapton Sands; black magic on Dartmoor; visitations by the Devil in South Devon; as well as witchcraft; heroes; piracy; record breakers; villains and eccentrics, this cornucopia of the peculiar and marvellous elements of Devon's history will surprise and delight everyone who knows and loves this county
The West Country's colourful past encompasses a pageant of historical figures and peculiar stories – from Lawrence of Arabia's flamboyant motorbike forays across Dartmoor and the terrifying account of a lion attack on the Exeter mail coach, to Devonian wives still being sold at auction until the 1900s and the unsolved mystery of the Devil's footprints at Dawlish. Here too lies the truth about the location of Arthur's Lyonesse, the devilish deeds of the murderous pirate queen of Penryn, and the Cornish knight who ordered his corpse to overlook St Mullion for eternity. All these tales and more can be found in this collection of amusing, surprising and downright odd true stories from Devon and Cornwall.
Do you know? Which MP was the first woman to take her seat in parliament? Who was the man they could not hang? Which member of the Beatles lost his temper at a famous Devon landmark? A compendium of fascinating information about Devon past and present, this book contains a plethora of entertaining facts about the county's famous and occasionally infamous men and women, its towns and countryside, history, natural history, literary, artistic and sporting achievements, agriculture, transport, industry, and royal visits. A reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.
A gripping, gritty and award-winning coming-of-age novel for young adult readers. When Te Arepa Santos is dragged into the river by a giant eel, something happens that will change the course of his whole life. The boy who struggles to the bank is not the same one who plunged in, moments earlier. He has brushed against the spirit world, and there is a price to be paid; an utu (revenge) to be exacted. Years later, far from the protection of whanau (family) and ancestral land, he finds new enemies. This time, with no one to save him, there is a decision to be made: he can wait on the bank, or leap forward into the river. At the 2013 NZ Post Childrens Book Awards Into the River was judged the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year. It also won the Young Adult Fiction category of the awards. An engaging coming-of-age novel, it follows its main protagonist from his childhood in small-town rural New Zealand to an elite Auckland boarding school, where he must forge his own way – including battling with his cultural identity. This prequel to Ted Dawe's award-winning novel Thunder Road is gritty, provocative, at times shocking, but always real and true. The awards' chief judge Bernard Beckett described a character "caught between two worlds ... the explicit content was presented as the danger of people being left adrift by society. And within that context, hard-hitting material is crucial; it is what makes the book authentic, real and important." The Deputy Chief Censor of Fim and Literature ruled that the book is not offensive: 'The book deals with some stronger content. There are sexual relationships between teenagers, encounters with possible child sexual exploitation, the use of illegal drugs and other criminal activities, violent assault, and a moderate level of highly offensive language. These are well contextualised within an exciting fast moving narrative that has as its protagonist, a young teenage Maori boy from a rural community who is finding his way through the strange uncomfortable environment of a boys’ boarding school and unfamiliar social mores. The story captures the raw and real extremes of adolescence in teenage boys along with their yearnings and obsessions. The book is notable for being one of the first in the New Zealand which specifically targets teenage boys and younger men — a genre that does not have great representation. The genre character is therefore significant. The content immerses the reader in action, wit, and intrigue, as well as a level of social realism, all likely to engage teen and young adult readers and with particular appeal for older boys and young men.'
Devon is a county rich in history and folklore, the roots of which lie in the beliefs of ancient Celtic inhabitants. Long ago, whilst middle England was converted to Christianity, the Celtic people of the edge-lands were still Druids. With no explanation offered for the cycles of hardship and abundance, a large amount of folklore and superstition emerged. Moulded by the land, weather and generations of people's attempts to make sense of the world, these thirty tales are full of Devonshire wit and wisdeom, and tell of the strange and macabre; memories of magic and otherworlds; and proud recollections of folk history. The captivating stories, brought to life with unique illustrations from the author, will be enjoyed by readers time and again.
Take a spine-chilling trip to Wisconsin and discover a world of ghosts and paranormal activity . . . photos included! The Chippewa Valley is nestled snugly in a vast tract of Wisconsin farmland that offered early settlers a secure place to settle into the American dream. But the valley also harbors a strange and sometimes confusing past. From the boisterous activity of the lumber boom to the lingering stillness of the Eau Claire Asylum, this northwestern corner of the Badger State is filled with tragic stories and tall tales. Cast off with the ghost ferries of Caryville or stand vigil in the small, secluded cemetery where the spirits of children come out to play, in this journey into the eerie history of the Chippewa Valley.
Legacy: Phoenix and the Dark Star is a continuation of the story from Legacy: The Mark of Merlin. In Savannah, Georgia, on Halloween night, the benevolent sorceress Ellen Anderson learns from Andie Cornell (a fifteen-year-old medium) that she had drawn the attention of a sinister wizard from New Orleans who practices an elite type of magic-a type of magic that Ellen has never heard of before. As Ellen puts a plan into motion to defend herself, she meets several individuals who will stand with her when she faces the sinister wizard. Among Ellen's new allies is the eighteen-year-old Seminole shaman and vampire hunter Winona (Winnie) Rivers. Winona and her crew (Riley and Brad) had been sent to Savannah, Georgia to capture and execute two vampires. The two vampires don't feed on humans though; however, Winona has never met a vampire that didn't. When Winona's group, Ellen's group and the two vampires come face to face with one another, Ellen demands irrefutable proof that the two vampires are in fact feeding on humans before she will allow Winona's group to execute them. As a compromise, Winona agrees to let Ellen's group cast the 'Memory Talebearer' spell-a spell that transfers memories from an individual to anyone within range of the spell-on the vampires, and so the two vampires were taken to a secluded location in order to do so. Once there, Winona shares her story about how she had become a vampire hunter. About the Author Gerald Pruett was born and raised in St. Louis. His interest in writing spans many years and is a contributor to Fan-Fiction on the internet. Continually striving to improve his writing, Gerald is currently working on his next project.
