Massive congratulations to our alumni authors who have have had their books published.
Take a look at the latest books available from our alumni authors:
Marianne Adams (English, 2004) has published A Lesson in Perfection.
Life for English teacher Samantha Sheffield seems pretty much perfect â the perfect job, the perfect home and the perfect fiancĂ©. But that is all about to change. With a wedding to plan and an Ofsted inspection looming, the last thing Samantha needs is to find that her very own Mr Perfect has secrets. A lot of secrets. And then thereâs the small matter of her dangerously handsome but married head teacher who keeps popping into her classroom⊠and her thoughts. Will Samantha discover who her fiancĂ© really is before itâs too late? And will she succumb to temptation elsewhere? Either way, itâs time for Samantha to be taught a lesson in perfection.
This book is available to be purchased online.
Charlotte Beeston (LLB, 1997) has published her debut novel The White Flower.
In contemporary and Edwardian London, two women are grieving the loss of a loved one. Stella, turning thirty, is increasingly isolated after her mother died of cancer; Julia, surrounded by friends, is longing for solitude as she mourns her daughter, a young photographer who died after her return from an expedition in the jungle of Sri Lanka. Mysteriously connected across time and space by a haunting image, each explores, in her own voice, the complexities of the mother-daughter bond and family estrangement. Charting the ebb and flow of the grieving process, The White Flower captures the impact of loneliness on the female psyche, and the permanence of love, art and friendship.
This book is available to purchase online.
Gerry Brown (Economics & Economic History, 1966) has published Disaster in the Boardroom.
This is a must-have book for anyone operating in the boardroom, those aspiring to board positions, and anyone interested in why boards fail, so that the boardroom disfunction and their impact on society can be clarified, mitigated, and avoided. Disaster in the Boardroom identifies and discusses six common psychological dysfunctions found in almost every boardroom (globally) based on extensive research and careful study 300 years of global business scandals and boardroom failures.
This book is available to purchase online.
Isolde Martyn (History, 1969) has published a history picture book for children: Country Town.
Happy times, sad times, boom times and gloom times! During research for the bicentenary volume ‘Events and Places’, author Isolde realised that inland country towns had a pattern to their histories. Country Town shows the typical changes from decade to decade. With Robyn Ridgeway bringing a First Nations perspective and Louise Hoganâs great artwork, Country Town interweaves the story of main themes of Australian history into a the narrative of our a fictional inland town. From the First Peoplesâ camp at the river crossing in the 1820s through to Carols by Candlelight at the showground in todayâs world, this is a decade by decade wonderfully illustrated story of a small country community. The book was awarded the Children’s Book Council of Australia Eve Pownall Award in August 2024.
This book is available to purchase online.
Rachel Thompson (English and French, 2011) is publishing her second book in January 2025: The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World.
Dating apps have completely altered the way we we think and talk about our romantic lives. Swiping, situationships and shifting standards of communication have created an emotional gap between what we want and how we actually date, leading us to wonder if these apps are helping us find love, or leaving us lonelier than ever. In The Love Fix, journalist Rachel investigates how the internet shapes our expectations, self-esteem, and search for intimacy as we date online and in-person. Are ‘preferences’ every truly just that, or do they couch hidden prejudices? Can you feel a ‘spark’ when you meet someone online? How do you find meaningful connections while honouring your feelings and your mental health? Weaving personal anecdotes with ground-breaking research and interviews with real people, sociologists mental health experts, this book will help you make sense of the modern dating landscape.
This book is available to pre-order online.
Michael Waller (Social Studies, 1967) has recently published his first book of poetry: The Full Works.
Divided into two parts – ‘Comedy’ and ‘The Serious Stuff’ – this collection of poetry was published by fellow Exeter alum – and author of ‘Locked Down Lives‘ – Les Gallop (Sociology, 1967) who has been trying ‘”for a decade or more to persuade him {Michael} to publish a collection of his poetry”.
This book is available to purchase online.
Lucy Weldon (Spanish, 1984) has published her debut short story collection: Ultramarine.
An award winning collection of eleven beautifully observed stories, Ultramarine is a finely tuned short story collection for the times we live in that was awarded the 2024 Rubery Book Award for Short Fiction. Whether the protagonists are dealing with migration or climate change, acts of terrorism or the intricacies of family relationships, each story turns on a moment that touches the human condition, connecting us to a single encounter.
This book is available to purchase online.
Kate Williams (English & Philosophy, 1978) has an upcoming debut collection of animal poetry – Squeak! Squawk! Roar!: Amazing Animal Poems – about to be published in January 2025.
Come on a nature adventure, in over 50 poems about all kinds of animals, from the albatross to the wombat! This is a wonderful, wide-ranging debut collection for animal-lovers everywhere. Kate shares how her Exeter degree inspired her to write: “I found myself focusing on words more closely than ever before, and appreciating their music as well as their meaning. I remember reading under blossoming trees in the beautiful campus grounds, feeling doubly buoyed up by nature and language together. At weekends, I’d sometimes take off to Dartmoor with friends, and I’m sure it’s no coincidence that I found myself writing a poem about red deer on a moor for this book. I found the whole Exeter experience an exhilarating learning curve, and I left feeling fired up to get writing myself one day.“