Life in 16th-century Malacca—as it is in Malaysia today—was centred on power and politics, trade and commerce, rivalry and strife, race and religion, and war and peace. As the leading entrepot of the Nusantara, Malacca grew rich and prosperous. Then things took a familiar turn. The political ethos of the inward-looking and self-serving ruling elite had begun to change for the worse. Bent on enjoying the trappings of wealth and power, they ignored the needs and well-being of the rakyat and the State. At the same time, a resurgent Portugal, driven by science and ambition, was the superpower of the day. She could project power and dictate the course of history in most parts of the known world. Malacca was totally unprepared for the Portuguese ‘Mission to Malacca’ in 1509 led by Admiral de Sequeira. The subsequent ill-advised taking of some Portuguese as hostages and the retreat of de Sequeira’s fleet led to Afonso de Albuquerque’s ferocious invasion in 1511, which ends in a shattering defeat for Malacca, leaving in its wake an enduring sense of loss and a legacy of deep distrust for the ‘other’. As a work of historical fiction, Once Upon A Time In Malaysia is a stark reminder that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

A romance novel, the plot revolves around the experiences of the main character, a British woman named Nicola whose arrival in then-Malaya takes a dangerous turn when she falls into the hands of pirates.

A working-class family struggles to overcome prejudice in this “utterly gripping” novel of pride, loyalty and love from the acclaimed author of Brass (She). On the coldest night of 1975, Robbie Fitzgerald sprints through the snowy streets of a northern British town. With a Van Morrison-meets-Robert Johnson singing voice, the young crooner is on the verge of his big break, with the legendary producer Dickie Vaughn attending his show. Both his own dreams and those of his young family are on the line. Meanwhile, in a rough neighborhood on the other side of town, Robbie’s young wife Susheela and his son wait for him, as they must all too often. But when Susheela falls victim to a monstrous hate crime, the balance of their lives is thrown off-kilter—and everything they hoped for may be lost forever . . . In this absorbing story of the awkwardness of youth and the necessary maturity that comes with age, Walsh has created “the kind of book whose events you find yourself repeating to friends” (The Daily Telegraph).

Merriam Press Memoir. Once Upon a Time There Was a War is a kaleidoscope of events. It starts with World War II seen through the eyes of a child. The author was only nine years old when the war started and he writes about his memories of horrible events like hangings and executions of innocent people; senseless killings that brought misery to so many lives. But, being only a child, he also had times of fun and play. The reality of war, however, was ever-present. Despite those dark times, Les remained an optimist; he had his dreams of becoming an animator and of going to Hollywood. He didn't know how, but he was sure that someday he would reach his goal. Les reached his goal and had a long career working for studios in Poland, as well as Disney and Hanna-Barbera in the U.S., and others. Those fascinating stories, and many more, are also in this memoir.

What are the attributes of a god? Is it a cross, or a lotus flower? Is it a crown of thorns or one of gold? And what if you’re not lucky enough to worship a great god? Because there are places in the world where there are lesser gods, too. And for those who are stuck there, lesser gods demand worship too. In reality, these may not even be gods. But in truth, they still need to be worshipped. Follow the happenings in a mystical place where the timeless elements of fate, grace, power, love and many others play their parts in the story of human beings. Discover the closed doors of belief, that men of science may never enter, and see for yourself, which is the lesser story, and which the greater. Are the human beings that perform these acts, the real tale, or are they merely providing a context for the unfolding of something quite different?