Authors

Mick Burke has been a writer for many years. Trained at the University of Alberta, Canada, she was an actor and later a lead singer in a hard rock cover band as well as a songwriter. A barmaid in Liverpool, England and a server in the hospitality industry, she wrote throughout all of her various jobs. She is a CPA who has worked in the oil industry for more than two decades. Now on a new path, she is back to writing and music. 

Author’s Note

My recent book Ithica is a work of fiction.

I wrote this book in the shadow of things that, in my experience, are met with silence: the quiet power of institutions, the way reputations are manufactured, the way fear becomes policy, and the way people can be erased without the world noticing.

The events in this story are confronting and sometimes arrive without warning. That is intentional. In real life, the worst moments rarely announce themselves.

This story is told through a gay lens because my life is shaped by it.
My former partner of twelve years was Australia’s first openly gay Royal Australian Naval officer. He became Deputy Director within an intelligence agency. In the world we moved through, that single truth can be used by people with power and access—people who don’t need to be right to be dangerous.

The novel follows Anthea, an intelligence officer trapped inside a system of disappearances, corruption, and bureaucratic cruelty—a system that doesn’t explain itself and punishes anyone who insists on reality. Anthea is not me. This is not a memoir. I chose fiction because facts can be buried, rewritten, or made to disappear.

The story carries dark, farcical humour for one reason: sometimes farce is the only language that keeps a mind intact. Comedy doesn’t soften the horror. It makes it bearable enough to witness.

Names, places, timelines, and identifying details have been changed to protect the innocent, guilty and insane. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental.

In Ithica, nothing is safe. In an age of fake news, the truth is almost impossible to believe.

Edinaldo do Espírito Santo was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and has lived in London since 2000. 

From an early age, he developed a deep love of reading, drawing, and languages — passions that would later shape both his career and his writing.

He holds a degree in Languages and has built an international career as a teacher, translator, and interpreter. 

In 2011, he founded London Lessons Ltd, where he teaches Brazilian Portuguese to English and international students.

As a novelist, Edinaldo draws on his multicultural experience to explore themes of faith, identity, justice, and belonging. 

His work blends social reflection with spiritual inquiry and subtle satire, giving voice to characters who challenge systems — earthly and otherwise.

When not writing, he dedicates his time to teaching, drawing, trying to play the guitar, and continually exploring the connection between language, creativity, and technology.

Steve R. Hartwig began writing children’s stories later in life, discovering that age brings not only wisdom but a deeper appreciation for the small moments that shape us.

Drawn to the quiet spaces where family, culture, and kindness meet, his stories celebrate courage, belonging, and the beauty found in everyday life. Meals prepared with love, lessons shared across generations, and the simple joy of learning together often lie at the heart of his work.

The Little Chef was inspired by a deep respect for tradition, community, and the power of food to connect people across cultures. Written with warmth and sincerity, it reminds young readers—and those who read with them—that love, hope, and resilience can be found wherever life takes them.

Jody Weiner, attorney, writer and producer, wrote the acclaimed novel Prisoners of Truth (National IPPY award for mystery/suspense, Council Oak Books 2004, pb 2006). Along with Dr. Jane Goodall, Dave Soldier, William Shatner and other animal activists, Weiner co-authored Kinship with Animals (COB 2007), an anthology of true interspecies encounters, where he writes about serving as attorney to Koko the signing gorilla accused of sexual harassment. Weiner co-authored Peoplescapes, My Story from Purging to Painting, an illustrated memoir by Nancy Calef with Jody Weiner (Babu Books 2014). Weiner was a consulting producer and wrote additional dialogue for the animated feature film Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs Evil (TWC and Kanbar Ent. 2011); was consulting producer and counsel for the Genesis award-winning documentary A Conversation with Koko (1999); was writer/director of the animated music video "Lost My Mind Again" (2005). Weiner also penned the original comedy screenplay, Heck No! (adapted for streaming series in 2023). His new novel Raise Your Other Right Hand was released in March 2025 by Speaking Volumes, LLC.

Hey all,

I'm Shreya, an indie author from West Bengal, India. Recently published my debut novella: Some Connections Are Only Meant to Heal. If you enjoy gentle, introspective reads, you may like this one.