Kate Thompson

Provenance is set in and around a fictional Warlpiri community at the western edge of the Tanami desert in central Australia. It is the story of an English doctor, whose love of the red desert country brings him to work in the remote community. When a patient asks him to sell some of her paintings for her, he finds himself engaging with the wheelers and dealers who make their living out of Aboriginal art, and the ethical issues which surround the practice. And later, when he finally gets the trip out on country that he has been longing for, he comes up against the true meaning of 'the middle of nowhere'.

A new series from bestselling author Kate Thompson.'Kate Thompson's wartime novels always strike a chord and Secrets of the Homefront Girls is no exception. You can almost smell the Yardley violets drifting over the factory as the girls live lives complicated by the trials and tribulations of war' My Weekly'Kate Thompson's put the lives of women working in the Yardley factory during the Blitz at the heart of her latest novel' Woman's HourStratford, 1939. Britain may be at war, but on the home front keeping up morale and keeping up appearances go hand in hand. For the young women working on the lipstick production line at Yardley's cosmetics factory, it's business as usual. Headstrong Renee Gunn is the queen of the lipstick belt - although her cheeky attitude means she's often in trouble. When Esther, an Austrian refugee, arrives at Yardley's, it's Renee who takes her under her wing and teaches her to be a true cockney. But outside of the factory, things are more complicated. Lily, Renee's older sister, has suddenly returned home after six years away, and is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile Esther is finding life in England more difficult than expected, and it's not long before Renee finds herself in trouble, with nowhere to turn. In the face of the Blitz, the Yardley girls are bound together by friendship and loyalty - but could the secrets they are hiding be the biggest danger of all?'A compelling saga set around the tenacious women of the East End' Daisy Styles'Kate Thompson is a skillful and humane storyteller who lights up the sooty face of the old East End with tales full of drama and human interest.' Annie Murray

First published in 1998, this seventh volume of Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland reports the main findings of the Northern Ireland Social Attitudes survey carried out in 1996. In this survey, views were obtained on community relations in Northern Ireland; the growth of home ownership; attitudes to the countryside; the role of government in Northern Ireland; attitudes to the National Health Service; attitudes to the environment and belief and trust in the political process. The various chapters provide a measure of the feelings, attitudes and beliefs of the people of Northern Ireland on a wide range of matters. Many of the chapters chart trends from the early 1990s and analyse changes in attitudes over the period.

The unsung and remarkable stories of the women who held London's East End together during not one, but two world wars.'Inspiring tales of courage in the face of hardship' Mail on Sunday'Inspiring . . . Takes you back to a time of community and helping one another' 5***** Reader Review'It made me laugh and gasp in equal measure' 5***** Reader Review______Meet Minksy, Gladys, Beatty, Joan and Girl Walker . . . While the men were at war, these women ruled the streets of the East End. Struggling against poverty to survive, and fighting for their community in our country's darkest hours. But there was also joy to be found. Across the East End the streets were alive - you need only walk a few steps for a smile from a neighbour or a strong cup of tea. From taking over the London Underground, standing up to the Kray twins and crawling out of bombsites, The Stepney Doorstep Society tells the vivid and moving stories of the matriarchs who remain the backbone of the East End to this day.______'Kate Thompson's study of five working-class women who lived through the blitz shows how informal collectives can provide lasting support and inspiration . . . [a] fascinating account' Guardian'An important glimpse into a vanishing world' Sunday Express'One of the best books I have read in recent years' 5***** Reader Review'Crammed full of fascinating stories' BBC 2 Steve Wright'Fascinating . . . It was fascinating to hear how these women kept going' 5***** Reader Review'Astonishing' Radio 5 Live

The Allotment Girls is an inspiring and heartwarming novel of wartime hardship, friendship and fortitude from Kate Thompson, author of the Secrets of the Sewing Bee. During the Second World War, life in the iconic Bryant & May match factory is grimy and tough. Annie, Rose, Pearl and Millie carry on making matches for the British Army, with bombs raining down around them. Inspired by the Dig for Victory campaign, Annie persuades the owners to start Bryant & May allotment in the factory grounds. With plenty of sweat and toil, the girls eventually carve out a corner of the yard into a green plot full of life and colour. In the darkest of times, the girls find their allotment a tranquil, happy escape. Using pierced dustbin lids to sieve through the shrapnel and debris, they bring about a powerful change, not just in the factory, but their own lives. As the war rages on, the garden becomes a place of community, friendship – and deceit. As the garden thrives and grows, so do the girls' secrets . . .

Young Dublin actress Deirdre O'Dare has just landed her first big role and desperately wants to shine - and to impress David, the director she has fallen madly in love with.

The Wedding Girls is a heartwarming story of love and friendship in the East End, by Kate Thompson, the bestselling author of Secrets of the Singer Girls. If a wedding marks the first day of the rest of your life, then the story starts with the dress. It's 1936 and the streets of London's East End are grimy and brutal, but in one corner of Bethnal Green it is forever Hollywood . . . Herbie Taylor's photography studio is nestled in the heart of bustling Green Street. Tomboy Stella and troubled Winnie work in Herbie's studio; their best friend and hopeless romantic Kitty works next door as an apprentice dressmaker. All life passes through the studio, wishing to capture that perfect moment in time. Kitty works tirelessly to create magical bridal gowns, but with each stitch she wonders if she'll ever get a chance to wear a white dress. Stella and Winnie sprinkle a dusting of Hollywood glamour over happy newly-weds, but secretly dream of escaping the East End . . . Community is strong on Green Street, but can it stand the ultimate test? As clouds of war brew on the horizon, danger looms over the East End. Will the Wedding Girls find their happy ever afters, before it's too late?

Secrets of the Sewing Bee tells the story of the defiant and courageous women on the home front, from Kate Thompson, author of Secrets of the Singer Girls. Orphan Flossy Brown arrives at Trout's garment factory in Bethnal Green amidst the uncertainty of the Second World War. In 1940s London, each cobbled street is strewn with ghosts of soldiers past, all struggling to make ends meet. For the women of the East End, their battles are on the home front. Flossy is quickly embraced by the colourful mix of characters working at Trout's, who have turned their sewing expertise to vital war work. They fast become the family that Flossy has always longed for. Things aren't so easy for Peggy Piper, another new recruit at the factory. She's used to the high life working as a nippie in the West End, and is not best pleased to find herself bent over a sewing machine. Dolly Doolaney, darling of the East End, sets up a sewing circle and the ladies at Trout's play their part in defending the frontline as they arm themselves with their needles and set about stitching their way to victory. But as the full force of the Blitz hits London, the sewing bee are forced to shelter in the underground tube stations on a nightly basis. In such close quarters, can Dolly manage to contain the secret that binds them all? And how will Peggy and Flossy cope as their lives are shaped and moved by forces outside of their control?

Expressive writing is life-based writing that focuses on authentic expression of lived experience, with resultant insight, growth, and skill-building. Therapists, coaches, healthcare professionals, and educators have known for decades that expressive writing is a powerful tool for better living, learning, and healing. But until now, few have had access to practical applications that have proven successful. In this groundbreaking collection, you’ll discover: ·how expressive writing can call us into healing community ·exciting new discoveries about how writing can support neuroplasticity and actually help change our brains—and thus our thinking and behavior ·new research on the role of expressive writing for prevention of compassion fatigue in RNs ·how transformative writing can create art from the ashes of trauma ·the role of journal writing for emotional balance ·sensible ideas about the synergy of expressive writing and play therapy for children, teens, and adults ·interventions and strategies for the use of expressive writing in acute psychiatric care ·how interactive expressive writing helps deaf teens communicate inarticulate feelings and thoughts ·how cancer survivors can use expressive writing to reclaim identity and strength post-treatment ·the role of expressive writing in developing the roots of resilience for practitioners

Expressive writing is life-based writing that focuses on authentic expression of lived experience, with resultant insight, growth, and skill-building. Therapists, coaches, healthcare professionals, and educators have known for decades that expressive writing is a powerful tool for better living, learning, and healing. But until now, few have had access to practical applications that have proven successful. In this groundbreaking collection, you’ll discover: ·how expressive writing can call us into healing community ·exciting new discoveries about how writing can support neuroplasticity and actually help change our brains—and thus our thinking and behavior ·new research on the role of expressive writing for prevention of compassion fatigue in RNs ·how transformative writing can create art from the ashes of trauma ·the role of journal writing for emotional balance ·sensible ideas about the synergy of expressive writing and play therapy for children, teens, and adults ·interventions and strategies for the use of expressive writing in acute psychiatric care ·how interactive expressive writing helps deaf teens communicate inarticulate feelings and thoughts ·how cancer survivors can use expressive writing to reclaim identity and strength post-treatment ·the role of expressive writing in developing the roots of resilience for practitioners

Secrets of the Singer Girls is Kate Thompson's heartwarming and moving novel about the brave, hardworking women who kept the homefires burning in the East End of London during World War Two.1942. Sixteen-year-old Poppy Percival turns up at the gates of Trout's clothing factory in Bethnal Green with no idea what her new life might have in store. There to start work as a seamstress and struggling to get to grips with the noise, dirt and devastation of East London, Poppy can't help but miss the quiet countryside of home. But Poppy harbours a dark secret – one that wrenched her away from all she knew and from which she is still suffering . . . And Poppy's not the only one with a secret. Each of her new friends at the factory is hiding something painful. Vera Shadwell, the forelady, has had a hard life with scars both visible and concealed; her sister Daisy has romantic notions that could get her in trouble; and Sal Fowler, a hardworking mother who worries about her two evacuated boys for good reason. Bound by ties of friendship, loyalty and family, the devastating events of the war will throw each of their lives into turmoil but also bring these women closer to each other than they could ever have imagined.

But closer to home, a dark horse is coming up on the outside... In this brilliant, bubbly and sexy tale from the bestselling author of More Mischief, Ella eventually discovers what she really, really wants - and finds a sensational way to get it.

When you're burdened with the name of a goddess and your mother's a flamboyant actress, the last thing you want from a theatrical career is to be under the spotlight. That's why Aphrodite Delaney opts for a job backstage as a designer. But the bitchcraft rampant in the theatre world means that Aphrodite's obliged to seek employment elsewhere, and she finds herself grafting as a stylist on television commercials, a forlorn Cinderella with no invite to the ball. Until - ping! - the handsome prince of Irish fashion, Troy MacNally, arrives on the scene. Suddenly this Cinderella is snowed under with fairy-tale threads and invites to the hottest events in town. Up against the most fiendish of divas, Aphrodite discovers a talent for wickedness herself...

When a slave boy shoves the reins of a sleek, beautiful horse into Marcus's hands seconds before he is killed by a soldier, Marcus knows he's in danger - because the horse is Incitatus, the Emperor's most prized and powerful animal.

'Hold the mare for me, lad. And when I come back I'll give you a golden guinea.'It's more money than the street urchin has ever dreamt of. But who is the rider, and why is there so much interest in his big black horse? And will the boy ever see the money he has been promised? There's highway robbery in the air, but it isn't always entirely clear just who is trying to rob who . . . Stunningly illustrated and fast-paced, this story for younger readers brings to life the legend of the most famous highwayman of them - and his amazing horse.

Home is where the heart is… Free spirit Rio Kinsella finds herself settled in the picture-postcard village of Lissamore on Ireland's West Coast. It's where she took her first step, had her first kiss and conceived her beloved son Finn. But now Finn's spread his wings and flown the nest, what's to keep her here? An old flame and a new prospect may provide the answer… City girl Dervla is poles apart from her bohemian sister. A businesswoman with a quick mind, a hard heart and a nose for a good deal, she has no time for love. But is there anywhere she can really call home? And will the arrival of a new client throw her glossy magazine life-style into disarray? Torn apart by a long-standing feud, the Kinsella sisters are reunited upon the death of their wayward father. But on clearing the family home, they discover a secret so intriguing it could change their lives forever… Welcome to blissfully unpredictable Lissamore. It's guaranteed you'll never want to leave…