Backstories Free Taster - Like Magic
Thea Van der Velde Thea Van der Velde

Backstories Free Taster - Like Magic

Find the lost little girl in the story.

Two girls step out back of the children's home chewing gum like their lives depend on it. Kitty leads the way of course, swaggering down three dusty steps to the cracked concrete with its overflowing bins and buzzing flies…

But who is the famous girl?

Take the Challenge to find out.

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Backstories Free Taster - The Guitar
Thea Van der Velde Thea Van der Velde

Backstories Free Taster - The Guitar

No doubt about it, he was a bright kid, talented even. He was quick on his feet and with his mouth too, and he could smack a baseball out of the park. But he was a Jew, and he was short. I mean like really short.

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About the Author
Thea Van der Velde Thea Van der Velde

About the Author

Simon Van der Velde has worked variously as a barman, labourer, teacher, caterer and lawyer, as well as travelling throughout Europe and South America collecting characters and insights for his award-winning stories.

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Backstories Charities
Thea Van der Velde Thea Van der Velde

Backstories Charities

I am proud to be giving 30% of all profits from Backstories to Stop Hate UK, The North East Autism Society and Friends of the Earth. Of course, there are many worthy charities, but as anyone who reads Backstories will see, these are the causes that resonate most deeply with me.

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Second in the Queue
Thea Van der Velde Thea Van der Velde

Second in the Queue

Shocking and darkly humorous, Second in the Queue is a clear warning of where healthcare is heading – unless we do something about it.

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The Derby Winner
Thea Van der Velde Thea Van der Velde

The Derby Winner

A real heart-warmer, with a message we all need to be reminded of. Winning isn’t everything.

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Your Pension Guarantee
Thea Van der Velde Thea Van der Velde

Your Pension Guarantee

A vision of where pension deregulation will leave the elderly and vulnerable. Which will one day be you.

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The Letterbox
Thea Van der Velde Thea Van der Velde

The Letterbox

The malevolence of stereotyping at work – but who is the famous person hidden in this story?

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