No Big Deal
Dale Tyler

When Lizzie suggests a two week holiday in Miami after the school reunion, it seems like the perfect opportunity for Charlie, Grace, Nadine and herself to rekindle their long forgotten friendships. As self-appointed leader, Lizzie organises everything meticulously. But she doesn't anticipate the fall out. Despite Grace's attempts to calm the situation, for rebellious Charlie there just isn't enough water to pass under the bridge. Within hours of setting off, she and Lizzie split the group and declare war. With years worth of resentment and competition, personality clashes and sexual tensions all flooding back from the Midlands class rooms into the Miami sun, it's only a matter of time before forced civility and 'The Time Planner' meet a brutal end.

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the shrewdness of apes
Roger Frederick

Newton Driftwood is a dope-smoking college drop-out. While temping as a 'cage rat' in the warehouse of Westing's largest department store, he develops a crush on Sophie the prim young manageress of soft furnishings. After rashly challenging a ‘sales whale’ from sportswear to compete in the Hellathon - the cross-country triathlon from hell - he decides to turn his life around, get fit and win Sophie's affections. And that's when the shit really starts to fly...

Set against a backdrop of shopping centres, bedsits and council leisure facilities, this new novel from Roger Frederick, features the author’s customary mix of black comedy and sharply sardonic reflections on contemporary suburban life. Fresh, funny and thought provoking, this is original fiction with real attitude!

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of lemonade lizards and other brief trips into post punk fiction
Roger Frederick

Based around an independent pub, the Daffodil Lion, and its eccentric patrons, this selection of short stories are set in the post-punk era of the 1980s.

The collection starts with dancing to the dead kennedys, about the last chaotic gig of battling local punk bands, and ends with the five commandments, the poignant story of a young mum forced into homelessness.

In between, retired insurance executives cross paths with travelling potters, a pie salesman mysteriously melts away into a blizzard, a hippy gardener makes friends with an ageing porn star and her telepathic cat, an unemployed ironmonger goes berserk at a nuclear protest, and a drunk alpacca runs amuck at a surreal country wedding.

All in all, anyone who's ever danced berserkly to a New Order twelve inch will enjoy this alternative take on a desperate decade that has inexplicably become fashionable again!

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the casino kid
Roger Frederick

A plectrum and spliff filled tale of two guitarists struggling against psychotic bass players, neurotic parents and dodgy music dealers as they climb the slippery slop to rock n' roll nirvana.

fishing for angels
Roger Frederick

A young painter and decorator, Eddie, takes an 'artistic pilgrimage' to Italy on a quest to become a real artist like his hero Marc Chagall. Along the way he has to face up to some home truths, including the death of his friend's brother. Could he have prevented that tragedy? Will he find a salvation of sorts among the cathedrals and Chianti in the imaginary Italian city of Govia. Will he ever become a 'proper painter'. Click here to find out...

Please note: This is not a religious book...

Walking by Water
Roger Frederick

This book describes ten formative episodes in the life of Ian, from his childhood in the late 70s to his life in bedsit land in the early 90s. Is it a collection of short stories? Is it a novel? Why does Ian sleep by day and work by night? And why does he keep a box beneath his bed containing a dog collar, a snakeskin, a pack of sparklers, a raspberry rocket lolly stick, a mottled mirror, a bubble blowing machine, a postcard of Marlene Dietrich, a cube of wind screen glass and a limp-winged inflatable spitfire. Click here to find out...

Shorts and dresses
Roger Frederick

An collection of short stories that takes an oblique look at women and men through a series of bizarre encounters. A window dresser meets a street entertainer, a travelling salesmen meets a traveller, two journalists doorstep the widow of a man impaled on screwdrivers, a man steals his sister's dress for a fancy dress party, a boyfriend goes beserk after a vodka binge, and a woman with a face like a bird overdoses on almonds and is reincaranted as a white crow...only to be shot by a farmer and eaten on a barbecue. Something for everyone, then... :-)