User:Peterlbarnes/sandbox

Peter L. Barnes is an author of a series of coming of age stories set in a modern world with a mix of reality, occasional fantasy chronicling the adventures of a group of children caught up in the greed of an ancient family, without morals. Born in Torquay, Devon, Peter’s ancestors were traced to Cornish tin miners back as far as 1760’s. When tin mining collapsed in the early 1800’s, they emigrated to Australia to follow the gold. Peter’s father, John, lost his own father from First World War injuries and was put into an orphanage in the UK. John’s mother signed him up for the Royal Air Force and during the war, he was flying in Catalinas on surveillance, rescue and bombing raids at sea. Peter’s father had an unusual way of explaining the world, if he didn’t know the answer to his children’s questions, he would make up a semi-plausible answer and Peter has taken this to a new level. Peter has travelled across the world during his childhood and throughout his business life. The family settled in Devon during his teens and he started an interest in computers and watched as the industry grew from an exclusively big business-oriented product into the ubiquitous solution of today’s world. After a successful career in the computer industry, a personal tragedy set him to thinking about moving forward. Urged on by his partner to use his fertile imagination, to write books, he was inspired by a dream of a golden object to begin a series of tales for children. Imagination and plots were easy, turning it into a series of novels was not. He had some amazing help from professionals; author friends and a writer’s course in the middle of Wales. These people helped to shape a complex plot into the current book. Peter would like to thank all his friends and acquaintances who have guided him on his way, with a special mention to his wife, Lyndy, for all her support. What started as a simple exercise in channelling imagination, has turned into a major part of Peter’s life. He spends 3 to 4 hours a day writing these books, as well as a sequence of short stories (A Vet’s Nightmare). This book series is dedicated to his lost daughter and all those parents who have had a tragedy involving their children. Peter’s books are available on Amazon’s Kindle. Magical Potters - A chance discovery of hidden treasure by three Cornish tin miners, comes with sinister implications. It starts a lifetime of conflict between a psychic niece and her Uncle, whom she believes abducted her young sister and killed her father. Frustrated by her efforts to implicate her uncle or rescue her sister, she begins a lifetime of attempting to thwart his future. She creates a magical stone ring in the woods to try and contact her sister and father. Her first attempt at rescue ends in disaster but she is determined to continue her quest. Life moves on but takes a turn for the worse when she is captured and held in her Uncle’s cellar and it is her daughter who takes on the battles against the corrupt Uncle. Her powers gain in strength, as she is forced to endure her worst nightmare, and calls on ghosts from the past, to exact a meaningful revenge. Caverns of the Lost Souls - Computer games come alive for Casey and her friends when one of their sibling’s disappears and disturbing messages appear on her screen. They are forced to use all their technology and gaming skills, to try and rescue a child in the hands of the monsters, above and below ground in the ancient tin mines of Cornwall. Will an ancient treasure that Casey finds on the beach, unlock the secrets of her past and the maybe those of the future? Will Luna’s psychic powers and understanding of the supernatural, put her in touch with unexpected helpers? Maybe it’s Ryan’s weaponry that will give them the edge. The friends struggle to overcome the challenges, as time runs out and they face certain defeat by the life-threatening traps and monstrous enemies. Trapped deep underground, threatened forever to go around in circles in the dark unless they can solve the clues left behind by their forebears. Dogged by a family who are determined to keep their secrets away from prying eyes, as well as protect their ill-gotten gains, the teens have the odds stacked against them and begin to despair. Dungeons of the Darkest Dreams - A chance discovery of a magical key on the beach, helped Casey and her friends struggle against impossible odds, to rescue one of their siblings from monsters in the Cornish Tin Mines. This time, an attempt to rescue her great grandmother fails. Could the promise of Jason’s brain help them look into the past, help them to make another attempt? Casey gets embroiled in the earliest days of Roman trading port of Isis, where she is caught in a struggle between a charlatan priest and Roman family as he tries to extract a child’s blood for his own edification. Georgina, one of Casey’s friends agrees to help her, by investigating the 1920’s Art Deco era, specifically the filming of “The Way of the Lost Souls’ a film starring Pola Negri. Pola plays a ‘femme fatal’ in this Cornish, period love drama, set on the beaches of St Ives and which fulfils Georgina’s burning ambitions to be a film star. Detailed preparations are made for a final adventure down the mines, solving mysteries, taking on the draconian monsters, to reach the hiding place of the little girl. The thoughtful use of their high-tech equipment, plus help of some spirits along the way give them an insight into certain routes through the caves but there are many stumbling points and of course unspeakable monsters, determined to stop their progress. The team use their experience of gaming to solve many obstacles on their way and their indomitable spirit to keep them going, despite many setbacks. Madness of the Mithras Monsters - Casey and her friends arrive back in the current time after a previous rescue attempt that took them back to the ‘Art Deco’ period, only to find that time has changed everything. Her mother is missing and her life will be forever changed if she can’t find her. Adventures also draw them back into the mine shafts and caverns to follow clues pointing to a long-lost Roman Mithras Temple. Once there, Casey and her friends are confronted by the monsters of the deep and it looks like their adventures and lives may be at an end. Casey is still looking into the mystery of her unknown father but what will happen when confronted by the truth? A Vet’s Nightmare - A collection of short stories, some fantasy, some weird and some frightening, but all with a twist at the end. These are interspersed with a series of black and white cartoons, making light fun of people’s phobias. There are stories of love and deception; murder mystery stories and fantasy stories about dragons and unicorns. They are designed to delight and enjoy in short spurts. Some are a series of the challenges facing dragons. Some poignant stories about Christmas and lost loved ones and a couple of murder stories that are a bit darker. The story of famous authors and their struggle when faced with a blank page and no ideas, brings unrealised solutions. Designed for all ages either to be read to children or kept to yourself.