Tides & Tales:
Where Imagination Meets Compassion
What do a wartime mystery, a thrilling espionage adventure, a touching romance, and a journey through time have in common?
You'll find them all in Tides & Tales.
Created by members of the Bridlington Veterans Coffee Morning Group, Tides & Tales is a unique collection of 11 original fictional short stories. Each author brings their own style, imagination, and life experience to the page, creating a book that is as varied as it is entertaining.
From suspense and intrigue to humour, adventure, and heartwarming moments, every story offers something different. Some may make you smile, some may keep you guessing, and others may leave you reflecting long after you've turned the final page.
But this book is about more than great storytelling. Every copy sold helps support the incredible work of St Catherine's Hospice, Scarborough.
All profits from Tides & Tales will be donated to the hospice, helping them continue to provide care, comfort, and support to local families when they need it most.
What began as a group of veterans sharing friendship and companionship over coffee has become a project that combines creativity with community spirit. The result is a book that entertains readers while making a real difference close to home.
So whether you're looking for a gripping mystery, an unexpected adventure, or simply a collection of well-crafted stories from local authors, Tides & Tales has something waiting for you.
A book of stories.
A labour of love.
A contribution to a remarkable local cause.
Set in the 1980s, this warm and nostalgic story follows talented snooker player Jeff Osbourne, whose dedication to the game costs him the woman he loves. When an unexpected second chance comes along, Jeff must decide whether trophies and titles matter more than the people who care about him.
When young Sawyer’s kindness catches the attention of Santa Claus, he is chosen to become Santa’s apprentice. Across a series of magical Christmas adventures, Sawyer learns the true meaning of generosity, courage, leadership and love, preparing for the day when he may one day become the guardian of Christmas itself. A heartwarming festive tale for children and families filled with wonder, magic and timeless Christmas spirit.
A poignant romantic ghost story set aboard the historic RMS Queen Mary. When ship enthusiast Tom falls deeply in love with the mysterious Geraldine during a dream holiday, he soon discovers that she is hiding a heartbreaking secret. Blending romance, history, and the supernatural, the story explores love, loss, and the connections that can endure long after a life has ended.
A funny, honest and nostalgic memoir of a young East London lad who joins the British Army in 1975 in search of purpose, adventure and a better life. Through culture shocks, colourful characters, relentless training and plenty of Army humour, Daz discovers that becoming a soldier is about far more than uniforms and drill.
A supernatural mystery set in Bridlington, where a strange bottle draws the narrator and his friend Binky into an ancient maritime legend. As they uncover secrets hidden beneath the sea, they learn that some treasures are not objects at all, but memories, debts, and moments that the sea refuses to forget.
When ordinary Londoner Crispin Tart is recruited into a secret intelligence unit, his life is turned upside down. After surviving a gruelling training course, he is sent on his first mysterious assignment, filled with coded instructions, unusual colleagues and unexpected surprises. A light-hearted spy adventure packed with humour, intrigue and memorable characters.
A fast-paced Formula One thriller about rookie driver Lucas Hale, whose dream debut is shattered when he discovers someone may be secretly manipulating races from within his own team. As he and his race engineer uncover a dangerous conspiracy involving technology, power, and corruption, Lucas must decide who he can trust before the next race costs him more than a chance at victory.
Set in a Bridlington guesthouse, where an elderly woman checking in for a quiet stay brings far more than luggage with her. When a tragic death, a missing notebook, hidden family secrets, and a decades-old grievance collide, the guesthouse owners find themselves at the centre of an investigation that proves every guest has a story, and some can be deadly.
A gripping mystery set in an East Yorkshire veterans community, where internet radio host Robbo begins to notice a disturbing pattern behind a series of unexplained deaths. As cryptic messages, long-buried memories, and a decades-old naval tragedy resurface, he and his wife Andrea uncover a chilling quest for revenge that threatens to claim another victim before the truth can be revealed.
This touching story of love, family, and sacrifice during and after World War II. Separated by war, Harry and Irene endure years apart, holding onto hope through letters and a special promise that keeps their bond alive until they can finally rebuild their family together.
Lost Love is an emotional story of grief, healing, and second chances. Five years after losing her beloved husband, Margaret embarks on the Alaskan cruise they had always dreamed of taking together, where a series of mysterious encounters helps her come to terms with her loss and find hope for the future.
About our Authors
Kendrick Briscoe
Born in 1974 in Leeds, Kendrick worked in
the print industry after leaving school in
1992. Already an established fiction author,
he has had the pleasure of working with the
Bridlington Veterans since moving to Brid
in 2022.
The inspiration for his story is simple: that
sometimes what you need is right under
your nose and you only miss it when it's
gone.
Chris Dodd
Chris was born in Bedford in September
1956. The inspiration behind his story came
from his mother, who taught him to read
from a young age. He joined the Royal Air
Force in May 1976, as a teleprinter operator,
and served proudly for 12 years until
leaving in May 1988.
Chris was awarded the Imperial Service
Medal in January 2017 after working in
communications for the Ministry Of
Defence for 28 years.
Ian C. Ellis
Ian was born in Bradford a long time ago,
he did quite well at school and enjoyed
writing essays. His inspiration for this story
came from an American writer of gothic
horror, whose influences included Edgar
Allen Poe and HP Lovecraft. The idea of a
barnacle encrusted flagon, and the men
disappearing beneath the waves, is
adapted from one of his short stories: A
Vintage from Atlantis.
He hopes the readers will enjoy his story,
and states his next effort is likely to be titled
Me and Binky go Gluten Free.
Richard M. Jones
Richard is a prolific author of non-fiction,
specialising in military history and
shipwrecks, with over 30 books published
as of 2026. A Yorkshireman, he splits his
time between his home county and the
south coast, serving in the Royal Navy for
over 25 years.
His contribution to this book is a love story,
set aboard RMS Queen Mary, where he
honeymooned in 2016. Look out for a
cameo from himself and his wife, who did
actually swat him with a magazine in the
shopping arcade when he made her jump.
Mike Rubery
Born in Stourbridge in 1962, Mike joined
the Royal Navy at 17 and served as a
submariner for 17 years aboard HMS
Warspite, HMS Conqueror and HMS
Trenchant.
Although his story is entirely fictional, it
draws inspiration from the atmosphere and
camaraderie of naval life. Presenting on
Veterans Radio Net has also influenced his
writing, as sharing veterans’ stories has
reinforced the power of storytelling. The
characters are imaginary but are shaped by
a lifelong connection to the Royal Navy
community.
Barry Clarke
Barry was born in East London in 1955. The inspiration for his story was to tell people that no matter your background, you can make a success of your life. He served in the Army for 10 years until discharge in 1985.
Steve Edwards MBE
A 30 year police veteran, living in Northamptonshire. As of
2026 he is Grandad to 13 grandchildren.
Steve has been helping out at Veterans
Radio Net for five years and his story was
written for his own grandson, Sawyer, at
Christmas.
Juliette Jones
Born in Southampton, Juliette spent 10
years working for Hampshire
Constabulary before starting her own Self-
Publishing consultancy. She married Royal
Navy Engineer Richard M. Jones, from
Bridlington, and they live between
Bridlington and the south coast with their
children.
Her story is a sports thriller, set in the fast-
paced world of Formula 1 racing, featuring
an entirely fictitious team. She watched
races with her dad in the ‘90s, when she
was little, and these days Sunday race days
are spent with bestie Steph and middle son
Robert.
Anne Rubery
Anne spent the first 60 years of her life in
Bradford, the daughter of a World War II
Royal Navy veteran. After working in
childcare, she became a full-time mum to
son, Kyle, and later cared for her mother.
She married Mike, a former submariner,
and following Kyle’s departure to
university, and her mother’s passing, the
couple moved to Bridlington, where
running a bed and breakfast provided the
inspiration for Anne’s short story.
Diane Southall
Diane’s contribution is based on the true
story of her grandparents and the time they
endured during World War II. She lives
in Bempton, a small coastal village in
East Yorkshire, but was born and raised in
South Birmingham where the story is
based.
You will need to find a quiet corner to read
her story, and maybe a tissue to wipe your
tears. Diane’s wish is that you enjoy
reading it as much as she did writing it. It
certainly brought many happy memories
back to her from when her grandparents
were alive.
Patricia A. Waddington
Patricia was born and grew up in Leeds before joining the Women’s Royal Air Force at the age of 17 as an aircraft propulsion mechanic/technician, taking voluntary redundancy after servingfor 24 years.Her story is inspired by a holiday of alifetime she took a few years ago that included an Alaska cruise.