Drifting

Bruce Gilligan

Description

Inspired by real-life events during flooding in a small leafy village on the banks of the River Thames just outside London. Drifting is an incredible story that should appeal to both children and adults alike. It follows the adventures of an ordinary couple who went to extraordinary lengths to protect their beautiful home. Recent climate changes and the ever-increasing threat of flooding to us all makes our unlikely adventurers' story a truly relevant and enlightening experience. As we are taken on their journey of self-discovery and survival, we see friendships, both old and new, put to the test, as confidence and belief diminish with the challenges they encounter. In a light-hearted manner, with illustrations, the story will inspire and educate children to recognise the true value of friendship and self-belief. As we see how important and rewarding it can be when we trust one another and never lose hope, no matter how bad things get. Reminding us that sometimes hope will be the only thing we have.

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Date de parution: 31 janvier 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528944809
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Drifting
Bruce Gilligan
Austin Macauley Publishers
2019-01-31
Drifting About the Author Dedication to Bracken: Copyright Information Acknowledgements Foreword Chapter 1: Drifting Off! Chapter 2: Rude Awakening! Chapter 3: Cast Off! Chapter 4: Whale I Never! Chapter 5: Flying High! Chapter 6: A Romp in the River! Chapter 7: No Goodbyes Chapter 8: In the Cold Light of Day! Chapter 9: Permission to Come On-Board! Chapter 10: Striking a Deal! Liked Drifting?
About the Author
Bruce has a varied background, starting his working-life as an engineer. He then went on to work as an Oncology Nurse at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. For the last twenty-four years, he has worked in the Oncology Pharmaceutical industry, including running his own consultancy company for the last ten years.
He has always had a passion for illustration and has recently begun writing and illustrating books. Drifting is his first published book for children. He lives with his wife in the Southeast of England and has two grown-up children.
Dedication to Bracken:
While this book is for anyone affected by flooding, ‘Drifting’ is dedicated to Bracken, without whose encouragement I would not have undertaken such a task, let alone completed it. His unwavering loyalty and commitment to living life to the fullest provided me with all the motivation and inspiration I needed. Bracken’s constant companionship and support throughout the floods in Wraysbury undoubtedly meant we became survivors and not victims.

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Whilst undergoing chemotherapy for the second time in his life, he never gave up hope, despite having to endure the most challenging conditions imaginable. Not once did Bracken ever complain.
Bracken, my best friend, you are an inspiration to all who have been fortunate enough to cross your path in life and I have been truly blessed to have always had you by my side.
Thank you from us all!

~~~ Astra Bracken ~~~
Copyright Information
Copyright © Bruce Gilligan (2019)
The right of Bruce Gilligan to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781528909983 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781528909990 (Hardback)
ISBN 9781528944809 (E-Book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Acknowledgements
Thank you to my long-suffering wife and of course Bracken, without whom I would never have started ‘Drifting.’
In memory of Mum and Dad
Foreword
Inspired by real life events during flooding in a small leafy village on the banks of the River Thames, just outside London. ‘Drifting’ is an incredible story that should appeal to both children and adults alike. It follows the adventures of an ordinary couple who went to extraordinary lengths to protect the beautiful home they had worked all their lives to create.
Recent climate changes and the ever-increasing threat of flooding to us all, makes our unlikely adventurers’ story a truly relevant and enlightening experience. As we are taken on their journey of self-discovery and survival, we see friendships, both old and new put to the test, as confidence and belief diminish with the challenges they encounter.
In a light-hearted manner, the story will inspire and educate children to recognise the true value of friendship and self-belief. As we see how important and rewarding it can be when we trust one another and never lose hope, no matter how bad things get. Reminding us that sometimes hope will be the only thing we have.
Bruce Gilligan 2019
Chapter 1: Drifting Off!
The rain was hammering hard against the kitchen window, just as it had done all day. Alison wondered if their lives would ever be the same again, as she prepared supper on her own in the kitchen. It was a year, almost to the day, since she and Grant had suffered the worst experience of their lives, and boy, there had been a few to consider. As well as being husband and wife, Alison was grateful they were also great friends and had been ever since they first met over 35 years ago. She knew it was that friendship that had kept them together and happy for all those years and she hoped things would be the same again soon.
Christmas day was only four days away, but it didn’t feel like Christmas this year. It seemed very different, just like everything else had been in their lives since they had moved back home after being forced to leave it because of the flooding. Alison used to love Christmas so much that Grant used to say he didn’t have to like it because she liked it enough for the both of them. Nowadays though, Alison spent a lot of time on her own whilst Grant seemed to spend every waking hour down in the cellar working on a project he said was ‘secret’. Kept company all the time by his loyal companion Bracken, their Border Collie dog. Alison checked the sausage rolls warming in the oven, trying very hard to listen to the latest weather report on the radio above the relentless banging and hammering coming from the cellar. She wondered if Grant would ever finish the ‘secret’ project he had been working on for many months. Not normally a worrier, lately Alison had become increasingly concerned about things. The weather, for one thing, had been particularly bad over the previous few weeks with rain days and nights similar to what happened before the floods a year ago. She also worried about how hard Grant had been working and that he might make himself ill if he didn’t slow down. But she knew Grant was a much greater worrier than her; so, with the weather being as bad as it was, she decided it was probably better that he had his ‘secret’ project to keep him and Bracken occupied and distracted.
Serving up Grant’s favourite suppertime meal of two hot sausage rolls smothered in baked beans and a generous helping of brown sauce, she interrupted the banging. “Grant, your supper is ready,” she called through the cellar door, which was always closed, even when Grant and Bracken weren’t down there, in order to keep their project a secret.
“What are you two doing down there?” Alison asked, as Grant and Bracken emerged from the cellar. “I can’t imagine what you two find to do to fill the time you spend down there,” she said. Grant smiled at her, something neither Alison nor anyone else, for that matter, had seen him do much since the floods last year.
“We’re just about finished, Alison, aren’t we, Bracken?” Grant said, as he ruffled the back of Bracken’s neck and took his place at the kitchen table.

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With her back turned to both of them, Alison made Grant smile even more at just how well she knew him when she said, “Hats off boys, and Grant, please don’t feed the dog at the table.”
Alison had never liked baked beans with sausage rolls and couldn’t, for the life of her, understand how brown sauce could complement the taste of anything, other than something you probably didn’t want to taste in the first place. Cradling a mug of her home-made chicken soup, which she much preferred for supper; Alison stood with her back to Grant staring out of the kitchen window as if she were counting every drop of rain that bounced against it. “It’s been raining cats and dogs all day, Grant,” she said, turning around just in time to see Grant quickly pulling his hand back from somewhere near Bracken’s mouth under the table. Alison decided to let that one go; there were more important things to worry about that night. “They are saying on the radio it’s going to get worse overnight. I don’t know how I’m going to sleep tonight, Grant, I am so scared we’ll get flooded again,” she confessed. Alison always considered it was her role in their relationship to be the one who didn’t worry since Grant often did enough worrying for the both of them. But tonight was different; it reminded her too much of how things were a year ago.
Seeing Alison more worried than he had ever seen her before, Grant hurriedly swallowed a mouthful of sausage roll, stood up and walked over towards Alison. Putting his arm around her, he tried his best to give some reassurance, “Don’t worry, Alison, I am sure it won’t be as bad as last time. They always get the weather wrong,” he said. Alison smiled; Grant’s optimism reminded her of how confident he used to be before the flood last year. She wondered if he was just putting a brave face on.
Or perhaps , she thought to herself, he really wasn’t worried because his special project was nearly finished and just as he had promised her a year ago, perhaps he had actually come up with something that would prevent their home from ever flooding again.
“You are a good man, Grant,” she said, looking him straight in the eye to see if there was any sign of worry there.
“I do hope you are right.” Grant seemed very calm, which made her feel a little happier. “Now, you take yourself off up to bed, Alison,” Grant instructed her, “I’ll wash up and bring you a nice mug of milky coffee, just how you like it.”
After he washed the dishes and fed Bracken the remains of his sausage rolls, Grant went down into the cellar to carry out one or two last minute checks on his project.
He was worried about Alison and the weather; Perhaps tonight, he thought, my project will be put to the test. He decided, at that moment, he would tell Alison all about his ‘secret’ project that night, which he hoped would reassure her a bit and allow her to sleep at least. He chuckled as he reminded himself how Alison always