BEYOND THE BLUE ... a coming of age novella

BEYOND THE BLUE is a coming of age novella.

12 year old Anthony Breckenheimer is a clever boy with blue eyes, red hair and like his father, he is a little on the chubby side. He lives in the big City of Toronto with his mother, his little brother Ronald, and his little sister Leona.

His father died a year ago and Anthony misses him greatly especially when he is confronted by bullies on his way to and from school; the biggest and baddest one being Jerry Hasselbergen.

One day while in his classroom Anthony discovers a magical window. What he sees through this window and beyond the blue changes his life forever.

BEYOND THE BLUE  is available in both Kindle and Paperback formats on all Amazon sites.

Check out my author's page at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

RECOMPENSE

RECOMPENSE

Maurice Wilson lives in Salt River, a small town near Cape Town, South Africa. He is the son of a black father and a Caucasian mother. After the sudden death of his parents he makes the decision to move to High River, Alberta, Canada, the place of his mother’s birth in search of a sense of belonging.

He becomes a Canadian citizen, is employed as a mail carrier for Canada Post.

The morning of his first day on the job he meets Alison Pierce, a plain woman whose silent passions run deep. Shortly into her relationship with Maurice all her hopes for fulfillment plummet, however she continues to live with him for more than twenty-five years.

In their later years Maurice and Alison become acquainted with the Internet and with the Senior Befriender Chat Room. When temptation with the name of Conrad enters their lives the shared bonds of loyalty and trust are put in jeopardy.

Will deception rule the day?

RECOMPENSE is available in both Kindle and Paperback formats on all Amazon sites.

Poetry from A to Z

Poetry from A to Z is a collection of poems, some of which have been previously published in various anthologies.

  This collection includes a variety of subjects and styles for your reading enjoyment. 

Poetry From A to Z is available in both Kindle and Paperback formats on all Amazon sites.

Thanks for checking out my author's page at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin 

Ellen and The Hummingtree

Ellen and The Hummingtree

Ellen is a woman I came to know well during the writing of my third novel Ellen and The Hummingtree. She often puzzled me yet she also had the ability to make me laugh and cry. I grew to love her. And the more I came to know her I began to realize that she truly is a composite of the many caring spiritual women I have known throughout my life. Alzheimer is a dreadful disease and Ellen's victimization is a heartbreak. My writing of Ellen and The Hummingtree comes straight from the heart. I hope you will love her as I do.

Ellen and The Hummingtree is available in both Kindle and Paperback formats on all Amazon sites.

If you know someone with Alzheimer Disease, you will recognize in Ellen her endearing attempts to be who she truly is meant to be.

THE SILENT STAR Plus a Dozen SELECTIONS

THE SILENT STAR Plus a Dozen SELECTIONS

 The original publication of The Silent Star plus a Dozen, although available in Kindle format, is no longer available in print format. This is why I have chosen these selections to bring new life to the original anthology.

 I hope you will enjoy the "Selections".

THE SILENT STAR Plus a Dozen SELECTIONS  is available in both Kindle and Paperback formats on all Amazon sites.

Thanks for checking out my author's page at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin 

Simply BE

Simply BE is a collection of inspirational thoughts, sayings and quotations. This book is a reminder of the importance of striving to be who we really are. It’s all about choice, and knowing that who we really are is a good thing to be.

I wanted to illustrate this book although I am not a visual artist.

The most important thing I hope to illustrate is that we don’t have to be perfect. We do the best we can with what we have and give thanks.

It is my hope that Simply BE will encourage you to step up and be all that you know you can be.

Simpy BE is available in both Kindle and Paperback formats on all Amazon sites.

Cover design:  http://yuneekpix.com

The Last Drop .... a story for young children

"The Last Drop" is a storybook told in rhyming couplets written for young children.

Alison and her brother Bobby are experiencing a very unhappy rainy day but umbrellas in pink and blue save the day.

This story is educational. Each rhyming couplet begins with the letter A, B, C., etc. until the story is told. This helps the young reader to learn and enjoy the alphabet.

"The Last Drop" is written by Audrey Austin. Cover design is by Susan Ruby K. of Yuneekpix.com


"The Last Drop" is available on both Kindle and Paperback formats on all Amazon sites.

Thanks for checking out my author's page at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

Crabapple Court - a novel

Crabapple Court

Susie Donnelly is missing. Has she run away or is she just a little girl playing hide and seek? Is it a kidnapping? A murder?

Without exception the residents of Crabapple Court do not like to draw attention to themselves or to their homes. They do not like publicity. They do not appreciate media attention but this day, whether they like it or not, the Fairmont residents are keeping them under strict scrutiny. Indeed the eyes of the entire country are fixed upon them.

About the Author

Audrey Austin's passion is creative writing. She recently celebrated her seventh writing anniversary and invites you to enjoy her many short stories, novellas and novels. Check out her author's page at https://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin  

 

Austin lives and works in Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada.

 

Cover design:  http://www.yuneekpix.com

 

 

Dinner At Seven .... a romantic novel

Dinner At Seven - a romantic novel

The story begins in 1985 at The Carrington Club in Toronto. Marsha feels in the doldrums until David arrives on the scene. Love and romance flourish until deception and betrayal raise their ugly heads. To escape Marsha flies to Bermuda where the power of love cannot be under-estimated.

From the Author:  Today, when I listen to younger people talk about love and relationship, I rarely, if ever, hear mention of the word 'romance'.    Is Romance dead in the 21st century?   I don't know.   But I do know that romance is alive and well in Dinner at Seven.     In that sense, this story is an escape back into a time when romantic love, with all its ups and downs, was expected and appreciated in our world.  ♥      

About the Author

My passion is creative writing. This summer I will celebrate my eighth writing anniversary and I invite you to enjoy reading my many poems, short stories, novellas and novels. Dinner At Seven is my fifteenth book but it is my first romance novel. I hope you will love it. Check out my author's page at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

 

 

 

 

Keeping It Simple -- a book to help you on your road to self-discovery, personal growth, and well-being

Keeping it Simple: Imagine Being Whole
Emotional Healing through Meditation, the Chakras and Psychospiritual Therapy

by
Audrey Austin
Psychotherapy Practitioner/Author/Teacher


Cover Design:
Copyright © 2010-2012 Susan Krupp:
Contact Susan:
http://www.yuneekpix.com

~ ~ ~

A note from the author:

As a Psychospiritual Therapist and co-owner of Creative Connections Centre in Caledon East, it was my privilege and pleasure, in addition to carrying on a private counseling practice, to facilitate meditation and other personal growth classes in our “One Room Schoolhouse”.

It was not uncommon for an interested student to attend his first introductory meditation class with no prior knowledge of meditation or of the chakra system. For this reason I found it beneficial and in the highest interest of all concerned to keep it simple.

Simplicity in meditation, as in life, is an admirable goal. My students and I recognized as classes proceeded that it was not always easy to be simple. Life, with its myriad of challenges, has a habit of doing its best to get in the way. Nevertheless we kept our focus on this goal and felt grateful when it was achieved.

By special request of some of our Centre’s students I put together some rough notes and this teaching material was utilized in class.

Since offering the Meditation Circles at Holy Trinity United Church and also the Emotional Healing Classes through Learning in Retirement in Elliot Lake, I have received requests for a book on the topic of self-discovery and personal growth. These requests have encouraged me to get to work and expand on my earlier rough notes to create this book: Keeping it Simple

It is my highest hope that you, the reader, will find it a useful guide as you continue your journey along the path of self-discovery and personal growth.

Audrey Austin

 

Keeping It Simple is available in both Kindle and Paperback formats on all Amazon sites.

 

Thanks for visiting my author's page at  https://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

 

 

Cover design by http://www.yuneekpix.com

 

All Them Houses - a memoir

From the author: Throughout the past two years writing my memoir has been a most difficult challenge, however, I am happy that I have, at last, completed part one. I hope one day, in the not too distant future, to be publishing part two which will be titled All Them Houses – from John, Paul, to Bedlam.

I am an ordinary woman. Each day I put one foot in front of the other and live my life, but there have been times throughout the past seventy-four years when I have felt like my life has been living me. I have sometimes felt like I am a stranger outside; an observer looking in on events that I don’t always understand.

 This writing has been cathartic for me, but I hope interesting to a reader. I find memoir writing to be very challenging, much more difficult than fiction writing and, for me, it is a very slow process. I can only hope I will live long enough to complete part two. At the same time I always hope that I will not out-live myself.

 Yes, it is true; I live in hope.


These excerpts from my life are true from my perspective and as I experienced them.

I encourage all women to write a memoir.

 

All Them Houses .. a memoir  is available in both kindle and paperback formats

on all Amazon sites.

 

Visit my author's page at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

 

 

Sara, a Canadian Saga

Sara, a Canadian Saga 

The time is 1916. Sara is a 10 year old girl in rural Prince Edward Island. Roy is a 10 year old boy in mining town, Nova Scotia. Through their eyes we see, feel and experience their childhood challenges.

We follow them through adolescence and their turbulent teen years. We celebrate their courtship and suffer their lost innocence in the wedding ritual. They take us through the Great Depression and share with us the frustrations, dreams and challenges they face in adulthood. As parents they introduce us to their children.

This story appeals to all ages because Sara and Roy hold up a mirror and ask the reader to recognize truth about the human condition for many Canadian families through difficult economic times. We witness love that does not come neatly wrapped and experience the quiet, sometimes desperate, drama of lives unfolding.

Sara, a Canadian Saga  is available in both Kindle and Paperback formats on all Amazon sites.

 

Thanks for visiting my author's page at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

Moose Road, a Canadian Tragedy

#15 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Drama > Canadian
#16 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Canadian > Drama

Moose Road, a Canadian Tragedy is holding its own in Amazon.ca's Kindle Store. This book has been in the top 100 in its category for quite some time now.

If you haven't read it, check it out.

Visit my author's page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

 

When God Gives Us Spring ... a novella

Michael Custis Washington is a young black slave living on a cotton plantation in the Province of Virginia. He was born in 1802. Left an orphan at the age of five he is taken into the big house by his master, Alfred Gordon, to be trained as a house servant.

While in this house he suffers severe emotional and sexual abuse. When he finally runs away with his wife Lucinda he is helped by the Quakers. Through the Underground Railway they reach the Elgin Settlement in Ontario, Canada. Freedom is his at last.

But when the American Civil War breaks out in 1861 Michael chooses to join the Union Army. He works his way back to Virginia. Is he seeking justice or vengeance?

When God Gives Us Spring is available in both Kindle and Paperback on all Amazon sites.
My author's page is found at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

Passion for Staying Put, a short story, free in the Kindle Store January 12, 2018

Eleven years have passed. Arthur and Marion attempt to move on in the aftermath of the tragic loss of their only child, Jennifer. 

 

Passion for Staying Put was a semi-finalist in the 2013 John Kenneth Galbraith Short Story Writing Award Competition.

 

From the Author

As a mother and a grandmother I cannot imagine anything more devastating than to experience the loss of a child.  To move on; get over it; get on with life must be near impossible yet there are many who, like the characters in this story, do find a way to take the steps from one day into the next.   To write about such a life event was an emotional experience for me.  God bless all who lose a child yet find the inner strength to carry on.

About the Author

Audrey Austin's passion is creative writing. She recently celebrated her tenth writing anniversary and invites you to enjoy her many short stories, novellas and novels. Check out her author's page at amazon.com/author/audreyaustin   Austin lives and works in Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada.

 

Passion For Staying Put,  a short story, is free in the Kindle Store Friday, January 12, 2018 for your reading pleasure.

 

Visit my author's page at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

 

 

The Hole In The Wall ... a short story... free in the Kindle Store January 8, 2018

The Hole In The Wall,  a short story, is free Monday, January 8th, in the Kindle Store.

Lucille is worried. The mortgage is due and she doesn't have the money. What leads her into the basement? And is the hole in the wall really an answer to prayer?

From the Author

To buy a home on your own when you are a single woman in your senior years takes a lot of courage, faith in self, and downright determination.   I know this from some personal experience.  And I was able to draw upon personal memories when writing the short story, A Hole In The Wall.   I hope you enjoy the story.

About the Author

Audrey Austin's passion is creative writing. She recently celebrated her tenth writing anniversary and invites you to enjoy her many short stories, novellas, and novels. Check out her author's page at http://amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

 

Austin lives and works in Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada, and is Coordinator for Elliot Lake Writers; a vibrant writers group.

 

 

 

 

Farewell 2017 and Hello 2018

This will be my final blog post in 2017.

What a year this has been!  A most challenging year; a most disappointing year; and a most rewarding year.  For me, that's life.  Life is good and life goes on.   Life goes on even when we are no longer participating in the human race here on this planet we call home. 

In 2017 my life focused on illness; on packing and unpacking; on down-sizing; on moving house; on losing dear Brian; my loved one.   And my life focused on  the publication of my book, All Them Houses.   More good friends moved away and my friend, Rachel, suddenly passed away.   There were family matters and, hopefully, these matters have run their course because to me, family matters.  Baby Benjamin was born and with his arrival, comes hope, faith, and trust for a better world.

There were times throughout 2017 where it was all I could do to simply put one foot in front of the other and pray for positive outcomes.   There were times of comfort and reassurance when supportive friends made me know they were there for me.   

The behaviour of my fur babies improved day by day throughout 2017.  They are now the loves of my life; the centre of my world; and I know I would be lost without them.   Yes, they are far from perfect and that is perfectly fine with me.  They accept my imperfections and love me as I love them; unconditionally.

And this old lady has registered to take some on-line university studies.  And I hope to do well enough, especially once the specialist will finally remove the film from the lens of my eyes so that I can, once and for all, be rid of the blurred vision I've been dealing with the last few months.

I don't look for converts but it is my belief that all dis-ease originates in the emotions.   I experienced sadness in 2017 that I truly did not want to see; the suffering of a loved one and the necessity to accept that I could not fix it.  No, I did not want to see this.   So I am not surprised when the specialist tells me the lens of my eyes need a laser zap to clear my vision.

Yes, there have been challenges and disappointments throughout 2017.

There has been joy, happiness, and hope throughout 2017.   There has been much learning.  I have learned who my true friends are and I love my friends.

I have let go and I have let God guide me often throughout this year.   Some people viewed me as being very strong in trying circumstances.   I saw me as someone who had no choice.  I saw me as someone who knelt and prayed for understanding; hope; and strength.   I learned to say, "Thy will be done" and mean it.

I have learned to love my house.  The necessity for the move to this house no longer existed but I was in it anyway and perhaps one day I will once again appreciate the necessity for being where I am.

I have learned that expectation is an invitation to disappointment.     I am learning to let go of expectation; it is a process.

There is joy.  There is the joy of watching Sam and Lila bark, play, eat, and wag their little tails as they run around their new backyard.   There is the joy of a new adventure with oil painting.   I have the joy of attempting to paint faces on canvas.  I know that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.   I don't mind waiting and, in the meantime, I paint anyway.

There is the joy of creative writing.  I am working on two books currently.  The working title of one is From John, Paul, to Bedlam and of the other One Woman's Journey Through Grief.   I hope to successfully complete each of these manuscripts.

There is the joy of new beginnings.  I have bitten the bullet and I am happy to say that I accept the leadership responsibilities of Elliot Lake Writers from my dear friend who has been meeting the challenge throughout the past four years.   With the participation and help of my writing friends, I know we can be a vibrant and positive addition to our arts community.

Life is good and life goes on.

Thank you to all who read my blog posts; buy and read my books; and thank you all for caring about me.  I love you too.

Happy New Year!  Welcome 2018!  ♥♥♥

Recompense

Maurice Wilson lives in Salt River, a small town near Cape Town, South Africa. He is the son of a black father and a Caucasian mother. After the sudden death of his parents he makes the decision to move to High River, Alberta, Canada, the place of his mother’s birth in search of a sense of belonging. He becomes a Canadian citizen, is employed as a mail carrier for Canada Post. The morning of his first day on the job he meets Alison Pierce, a plain woman whose silent passions run deep. Shortly into her relationship with Maurice all her hopes for fulfillment plummet however she continues to live with him for more than twenty-five years. In their later years Maurice and Alison become acquainted with the Internet and with the Senior Befriender Chat Room. When temptation with the name of Conrad enters their lives the shared bonds of loyalty and trust are put in jeopardy. Will deception rule the day?

Bringing two worlds together was my goal in bringing together Maurice from Salt River, Capetown, South Africa and   Alison, a postal clerk in High River, Alberta, Canada.  Cultures blend but passion is lacking.  I thought of these two people living together as a couple; not too unlike many couples who live together for years in unsatisfactory, unfulfilling, and boring relationships. Then I thought what if, when they reach their senior years, something happens to wake them up?    That's when I decided to introduce Conrad and the Senior Befriender Chatroom.    Writing "RECOMPENSE' was an enjoyable challenge.  Most of us are unused to reading about senior men and women in romantic situations .......... I thought maybe it is time that I write something that will make us see our elders through new eyes. 

RECOMPENSE  is available in both Kindle and Paperback formats on all Amazon sites.

Thanks for visiting my author's page at http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

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Your positive reviews are always welcome on Amazon and on Goodreads.