Books By Sylvie

Memoirs…….

One day I’m going to be just a name on a list, no more or less important than the hundreds of others on that list, but perhaps there may be a great, great grandson or daughter who sees the name Sylvie Short and wonders what I was like. Maybe someone way down the years will be interested in more than just my name and who I married. So I decided to make a scrap book, a record of my homes for just such a person. We’ll never meet, but I’m part of your life. As the writing progressed it developed into scenes from my life  – the things that happened in those homes.

Then, in the course of selling my books, I was told by three potential customers that what they really enjoy are autobiographies. Seriously? Yes. Well this got me thinking again. As I now write books maybe a little canter through my life would be of interest to others. So I decided to make it available to a wider audience.

But – if you want to read a heart-rending autobiography where misery and suffering are laid bare for all to see, this isn’t for you. There are plenty of those around; this isn’t one of them. I want you to come on a positive journey, to travel with me and share the good times. I want to make you laugh, to show you the happy, not the sad, parts of my life. Faith, family and friends have seen me through those, and I pray they will continue to do so. 

Laugh and the world laughs with you….cry and you cry alone. 

Enjoy the laughter.

Novels…….

“… Clive was, at that very moment, unearthing a piece of family history so staggering that it caused a smile to spread across his face and linger there for a very long time. Clutching a small black book, the source of his newly acquired knowledge, very close to his chest, he crept stealthily out of the room at Manor Farm that had, until recently, been occupied by his Aunt Evelyn, and made his way silently down the stairs. His Grandmother Isobel dozed in her room a few doors away; his Uncle Geoffrey put a new thoroughbred through her paces out in the paddock; and Claude leaned on a gate, surveying with satisfaction a field almost ready to harvest. None of them could have guessed what their least favourite relative had in his possession as he clanked and rattled back to Monk’s Manor in his sister’s Morris Minor…”

Secrets kept with the best of intentions… lies told deliberately to wound – both combine with tragic consequences for Crystal. Will she find a way to life and happiness following the astonishing revelations surrounding her birth; or will Clive succeed in ruining her and hound to her death?

Readers’ Reviews

‘ In my view, Sylvie Short has strong creative abilities and paints a vivid picture with words, making ‘Home to Roost’ a pleasure for me to read. I can certainly recommend this book, and I look forward to reading more of her work.’ – Reader

‘…What a captivating read… all the characters were woven in and out of the story like a tapestry…’ – Reader

‘… a book to read curled up in a comfy chair…’ – Reader

‘ I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Home to Roost’ and was hooked from the very first page. The book is very well written and the unfolding story line is set at a comfortable pace, being skilfully crafted so that at the end of each chapter I was really keen to read on and find out what happened next. The author has given her characters both depth and credibility, and the plot has plenty of twists and turns. ’ – Review posted on Amazon

Giles is sweet, sure to grow up into a charming young man; and Rosemary… a bit bossy but sound…feet on the ground…no nonsense. Then there’s Clive, the middle child – an oddball from the start – why?

His parents would say, if asked, that he was treated the same as the other two…or did he sense, in the way children do, that Eleanore didn’t love him as much? Why? Was there something bad about him from early infancy…something inherited from his cold, indifferent father or weird aunt? If Eleanore had tried harder to love her eldest son would it have made a difference?

His schooldays are hell – a nightmare in which he is bullied mercilessly by the older boys, masters and even the headmaster, eventually turning him into the worst, most feared school bully. He feels no remorse for those he hurts and the idea is somehow planted in his brain that he can lie and cheat his way to the success and wealth he craves.

Susan Morley, the school nurse, is a victim of his need to prove himself; and later, Laura Medford, naive and vulnerable, pays a very high price for falling love with him.

But is Maria a match for him? Does Eduardo Giuseppe Vilani get the better of him? And who is the mysterious redhead?

Readers’ Reviews

‘ Gripping… I couldn’t put it down. Very sad, painful and tragic, was Clive mad or bad – or both? ’ – East Anglian Reader

For Oliver life was good.
Football…girls…the pictures on a Saturday afternoon, life was normal for a likeable young lad growing up in the Sussex countryside….until he found the letter and everything changed.
To the people of Savron Pinder Henry Trent was a blessing, a real asset to their community, but they had no idea who he really was. He kept his secret until he decided to share it with the one person from whom it should have stayed hidden forever, with dire consequences.

Readers’ Reviews

‘Beautifully written…had me gripped from the first chapter…great description of the characters and environment. Couldn’t stop reading it and can’t wait for the next one. Loved it.‘ – East Anglian Reader

Readers’ Reviews

‘ Both myself & my mum absolutely loved the Home to Roost trilogy – we couldn’t put the books down. A big thank you – you are an amazing author – Lou’ – Reader

If paradise existed on earth would we enjoy or destroy it?

For the villagers of Upper, Lower, and Middle West Side, life in 2020 is a mad scramble to achieve and acquire; a dash into each day which they have come to accept as normal. One or two of the older inhabitants occasionally cast wistful backward glances to an age when people seemed kinder to each other; still, time marches on…. changes are inevitable.

Then the bubble comes suddenly and without warning one cold January day. Clearer than glass, harder than diamond, the villagers stare through the bubble in bewilderment at the familiar, yet unreachable, scene beyond. They gaze upwards. Is there a top to this? Will the air run out? What will happen when the water, gas and electricity are cut off? What exactly is it? Why is it there and where has it come from? They try everything to break through it, but to no avail.

Is it some kind of Joke? They are perplexed when no-one, from family to work colleagues, seems to be missing them. They are afraid; but outrage and panic gradually give way to a calm resourcefulness as a new and fulfilling way of life is created under the guiding hand of a stranger who appears in their midst. But who is he? And is this paradise sustainable, or will it be shattered by the corrupt and evil Gordon Golightly…?

Readers’ Reviews

‘ The writing is excellent with moments of intensely evocative prose, notably in the internal monologues of the principal characters.’ – Reader

‘A masterful work with, potentially, a very large readership.’ – Reader

‘A wonderful book! I absolutely loved it and read the whole thing in two hours. Really thought-provoking and interesting. When’s the next one? ’ – Reader

‘ The Bubble’ by Sylvie Short is based on one of the most inventive premises I’ve come across in a very long time.’ ‘…a truly haunting message…’ – Local Publisher

‘ Final review.. pretty impressive! The reviews from the Club members were really positive and the final score really high. One of my friends liked it so much that she wrote a review on Amazon. She and a couple of others felt very emotional about it and I loved it too! ’ – Review from a member of a local Book Club

‘…A remarkably moving work with an important message….’ ‘…it is a work of profound cultural and social importance, relaying a relevant message with finesse and clarity.’

– New Generation Publishing launches ‘The Bubble’ – the latest novel By Sylvie Short (July 2012)

Audiobook Format now available.

‘It Rained in Bora Bora’ lifts the lid on cruising, probing beneath the superficial glamour of a Round-the-World voyage to reveal the discontent resulting from unrealistic expectations promoted by the hype in glossy travel brochures. We laugh at Edie’s antics as she raises selfishness to an art form, always pushing to the front of every queue and making a miraculous recovery from her need for a wheel-chair whenever it suits her. We shake our heads in disbelief at ‘Gracie the Grimmie’ and ‘the Crankies,’ but can’t help wondering why they behave in the way they do. And what exactly is it that poor, dour Margie is planning to make a splash off the coast of St. Lucia? More importantly – why?

Back stories are told and relationships develop as ‘The Matisse’ ploughs on through the ever-changing sea. For some, like Jack and Chrissie, lives will never be the same, while others fail to learn the error of their ways.

We laugh and cry at the reactions of this group of assorted travellers and, as their stories emerge, are occasionally shocked beyond belief by the extraordinary behaviour of a few in the confines of a small cruise ship.

The book explores the enigma that is human behaviour while taking the reader on an exciting journey to over twenty different countries.

Readers’ Reviews

‘ A very enjoyable book. I found it both entertaining and informative with a slice of good humour too. This engaging story features a range of characters of the type which many seasoned travellers (and not only sea-faring ones) will recognise from the descriptions of their behaviour and attitude. It’s well written and a pleasure to read, and I can highly recommend it’- A West Sussex reader.

‘ It Rained in Bora Bora’ is a fascinating read… the book is a real page-turner… her most accomplished novel yet and the perfect companion for a rainy afternoon’– East Anglian Reader

What happens when you put a bright spark amongst dead wood?

For Selena it’s exhilarating to discover that she can make a difference, but is the price of going it alone just to high?

Lodging with the zany Cole family and relishing her new-found independence as a career girl, Selena Lang becomes increasingly unsure about her feelings for her fiancé, Chris.

Does she want to develop a career or be a soldier’s wife? Insight into the lives of her new friends and colleagues proves to be interesting, surprising and sometimes sad. Why is ‘the Grint’ so bitter? What makes Irene Brown suddenly change towards her?

Still unsure of her feelings, Selena learns that Chris has been involved in a near-fatal incident and this propels her towards a decision – but is it the right one? And if this going to work, does Chris have lessons to learn too?

‘Starting Out’ explores the conflict that existed for young women in the sixties – the era that opened the doors for them to the possibility of making it on their own, and a time that didn’t really swing until well into the seventies!

 Living in a married quarter with Chris and their baby daughter,  Samantha, Selena is doing her best to adjust to life as an Army Officer’s wife. She’s trying to fit in and do the things they do, baking cakes, arranging flowers and drinking coffee while their husbands work; struggling to make sense of the constant round of dinner parties, dances and events in the Mess. She has everything a woman should want…she must be happy…surely. 

But she’s not. Far from being fulfilled by the trivial round of sherry mornings and gossiping with the other wives, she’s bored to tears. Then The Camp Theatre Club seems to offer a solution. Producing a play rouses her from the slough of domesticity giving her a new purpose in life, a chance to use her talent again, be creative.             

And through this she meets Robert Delaney.      

Like a breath of fresh air, he opens her world, reminding her of the career she left behind, talking a language she understands.    

But what exactly does this relationship mean? 

Do they touch and move on, or will it change the course of her life?

  

‘Just Another Winter’s Tale ’ is a sequel to ‘Starting Out .’ It stands alone but is enhanced if ‘ Starting Out ’ is read first, so Sylvie is offering a package of the two books together at the greatly reduced price of £10.00.

A History of the village where Sylvie was brought up…

Two Churches Together – A History of Swaffham Prior

“Two Churches Together in the same Churchyard? – Why?”

“Well, it was like this, see; there were two sisters and they quarrelled so they each built a Church” …..

No there weren’t and they didn’t! So what is the reason?

What was the Fountain and why was it pulled down?

Why is Pulpit Corner so called?

What – or who – was Cephos Mission?

How did the Deal Hole get its name?

Dip in and discover the answer to these and other questions.

Enjoy a snapshot in time of this quintessentially English Village.

Readers’ Reviews

‘What a brilliant book it is…’ – Reader.

A collection of Short Stories, Several of them published in a Cambridgeshire Magazine

All human life is here:

There’s poor Jane whose lifelong envy of Susan, more gifted than her in every way, tempts her to steal in an effort to compete, only to discover, too late, that true charm and grace are natural, have little to do with outward appearance, and can’t be bought or emulated.

We meet well – meaning Margery, so full of her own importance that she is totally unaware of the effect her behaviour has on others.

Stella, coping with her husband’s illness, is reminded that where there is life there’s hope; and Jenny in ‘Red’, fights back, in an unexpected way, when she discovers she is in danger of losing the man she loves.

Two tales deal with the ups and downs of family life; one of them, ‘The Lottery Ticket,’ questioning the benefit of a huge lottery win to a moderately contented family; and the other reminds us never to underestimate children’s ability to listen – especially when they are not supposed to.

Two spooky tales make us wonder again if there may really be more things in heaven and earth…..

Reflections on life, some thought- provoking and some amusing…

What’s more important than money?…

Can we really trust anyone?…

Do we need rules for living?…

Points to Ponder and lift the Spirits on a dull day.

Readers’ Reviews

‘I wanted to say how much pleasure I have gained from reading these books and found them very thought-provoking, encouraging and inspirational…’ – WI Member

Ever found yourself making a fuss about something that you realise, on reflection, doesn’t matter at all?… Should we drop a coin into the beggar’s bowl as we pass by on the street?… Do we find ourselves judging by appearances, however hard we try not to?… Elaine did in ‘The Perfect Neighbours’ with dire consequences. Should we listen to advice?… Have you ever been driven to distraction by someone’s smug complacency?… Find out how Jenna deals with this in ‘I’d Better Tell you about Damien’.

All this and more. Browse and ponder on these reflections of life – the things that bug, perplex and delight us all. Some will make you smile, others are thought – provoking.

Something for everyone …………………………..

Reflections to enjoy – you may not agree with the sentiments expressed, but I hope they make you think and perhaps raise a smile.

…Stories for the young…

(What happened when Percy got left behind…? And why do pigs have curly tails…?)

…For the not so young…

(How did Jason learn an important lesson…? And why was Giles bored? If only he’d opened his eyes and ears…)

…Poems for Christmas…

(When love truly comes down… And what must it have been like fo those shepherds on the hillside…?

… A cautionary tale about canal boating!

…And finally a song… or two.

Is anything ever random, or is it all part of a grand plan?

Can we nourish our souls as well as our bodies?

Should being a Christian make you miserable?

Can your efforts, however small, make a difference to someone’s life?

Is divine guidance available to us all?

Pause for thought with these little snapshots; take time to reflect on the finer things in life – what are they? And who are the best people? Is it possible to solve  a problem without losing face – or your temper?

Is it always right to insist on your rights?

You will laugh out loud at a woman who completely misinterprets a situation – and a sign – leaving a trail of angry motorists in her wake as she drives away, unaware of the chaos she has caused.

There’s midsummer fun and some serious thoughts about love, what survives, and the nature of happiness along with its close relative, joy.

Dip in and enjoy!

A collection of poems, some funny, some thought-provoking and others that i hope will touch your heart; for poetry surely reaches parts that other writing, however clever, cannot reach.

Together with flowers to brighten up each page.