Bøker av Tom Richards

About UnBaptized In the late 1960's, Brigid, a devout Catholic, lives on Dursey, an isolated Island in Southwest County Cork, Ireland with her husband Frank and her father-in-law John. As a small rural island, Dursey has only a few residents, most of them farmers and fishermen. The single Village has one main street with a few shops, a petrol station that's near the cable car depot, a Post Office, a pub, and a Catholic Church and its consecrated cemetery. Other than by boat, the only way on and off the Island is by Ireland's only cable car system. And that often closes due to terrifying gales and thunderstorms, as well as necessary maintenance.>During a thunderstorm, Brigid goes into unexpected labour. Unable to get to the cable car so that Annie can drive her to a Cork City hospital, and with Frank and John accusing her of theft because she has allegedly stolen IR£2,500 in cash that was meant for the Catholic Church, Brigid is locked up in the Post Office. When Annie finds her, she insists that Brigid be released and takes her back to the farmhouse to give birth to the child. Having been visited by her long-dead mother for the past week, Brigid believes in miracles. But when Frank, John, and the local Bishop witness Brigid giving birth to a stillborn child, the men see a mark on its forehead that they believe was made by Satan. For that reason, the Bishop refuses to bury the 'unholy baby' in the Church cemetery but rather in the local Cillíní - an unsanctified area for stillborn children, thieves, pirates, suicides and those who have been unbaptized by the Church. Not allowed to find the grave of her dead daughter, Brigid prays for help from her mother. When Annie attempts to help Brigid find the stillborn infant many of the villagers, particularly the Bishop, John and Frank think it's a sin. Both women are put on 'trial' which is a sham to the Irish Court system. Found guilty, Frank first shoots Annie then they hang her to a tree and burn her as a witch. Brigid faces the same fate, but her unborn infant - now a living girl of four - as well as many ghosts of the unborn including their mothers, fathers, and the souls of the crew of a Pirate ship who were betrayed by the Bishop, demand revenge. Brigid also soon discovers that Annie, who has died unjustly, lives again as a ghost to help save her from hanging and fire. This novel of Magical Realism also sees an assortment of different characters appear and talk to many Good Villagers. These include a hooting Owl named Snowy Owl, a talking Seagull named Gull, a Whispering Full Moon, assorted Angels from Heaven and many more. Sometimes, Gull talks directly to You, the Reader of this novel. A true-to-life horror tale, UnBaptized is based on the screenplay written by Tom Richards and produced by Liam O'Neill. Compelling and inspired by the many true stories of women suffering humiliation and death at the hands of the Catholic Church, UnBaptized is a tale that must be told so that the practice of the Cillíní never happens again in Ireland or anywhere else in the world.

In this 2021 edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland, American expatriate Tom Richards reflects on his 39 years of living in Ireland, and offers additional advice on how you can, too. Since first published in 2005, Richards has updated this book of essential reading almost annually to reflect the ever-changing tapestry of Ireland. In this edition, he explores how the current pandemic, as well as Brexit, has affected Ireland and its citizens, while noting the growing light of optimism as vaccines roll out here and across the world.For those dreaming of living and working in Ireland, he provides a practical guide to immigration as well as pinpointing skillsets in demand that could be the brass ring to gaining a work permit and employment in this country. In the 2021, and final, edition of A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland, Richards shows how he has survived and prospered in a country much different to the culture of his birth. In doing so, he answers a number of practical questions many pose as they consider embarking on a similar journey: Am I entitled to an Irish Work Visa? If so, how can I get one? Is Ireland really the land of my dreams? If I've thought of staying for a prolonged visit, establishing residency, or creating an Irish business, how do I do it? What would it really be like to live in Ireland, anyway?Find out in this rich volume of over 90,000 words devoted to the ever-changing tapestry of living and working in Ireland. This fun, easy to read book contains (among other things) a brief history of Ireland, the opportunities present here for would-be immigrants, and tips on how to get a work permit, become a citizen, buy a home, cope with taxation and the cost of living, and enjoy this amazing country for yourself. As an added bonus, a Dictionary of Irish Slang and Phrases coaches you to talk like the Irish do. In 1982, American Tom Richards, fresh out of UCLA, took a four-week holiday to Ireland. He's been here ever since. Witty and insightful, Richards tells how he overcame the culture shock of living in the Auld Sod, learning to twist his middle-class American thinking into a more European point of view while managing to pay his bills at the same time. Along the way, he's learned some practical lessons that he now shares: From how to understand the Irish to how to drink a perfect pint; from finding a job to how to get a work permit; from purchasing your first dream home to learning to take soaking walks on a soft Irish day. In short, he reveals that to survive in Ireland, all you have to do is discover the magic of this wonderful country for yourself. A Survivor's Guide to Living in Ireland has sold over 25,000 copies. In this edition, you can learn to Talk like the Irish, Drink like the Irish, Work like the Irish, and Live like the Irish. Essential reading for anyone considering a visit or move to this fabulous country.

This Anthology is composed of short-stories, poetry and plays, most having an Irish Theme. Creating somethingas wonderful as an anthology penned by great writers was an honor. Special thanks goes to all of the peoplewho submitted manuscripts and were chosen for publication by our Storylines Entertainment editorial board.Special acknowledgment must go to Bill Leece, English educator extraordinaire.Toward the end of this volume is a white paper on Writing a Bestselling Novel for Publication. This paper tellsall would-be authors how to write for the screen, stage, and online publication. Will your work be produced orresult in a bestselling novel? To answer the question, do what I do: put your bum in the seat, turn on yourcomputer and get started! That's all you have to do to see if you have what it takes! All my best wishes, TomRichards

"Is it possible to love someone so completely they never die?" This is the question Dawn asks us when she and her son, Jason, watch her husband Michael die in a fiery boating accident off the wild coast of Ireland. Yet, when he is rescued by a dolphin, and he waves to them as if alive, Dawn thinks she's gone crazy. He beckons to his family to follow him to Solas Mor, a magic Irish island. Now knowing that she's gone mad, and with Jason unable to talk because he's seen his father die, Dawn works to find a cure for her son, which professionals state is impossible. Taking a leap of faith, Dawn and Jason join Michael and are transformed beyond recognition just like he is. This tale of romance, adventure, faith and legend finishes as Dawn realizes that death is not the end, rather it is a beginning of a loving eternity together.

Having attempted suicide in New York and accused of stealing $3 million, DAVID BLOOM travels back to his Irish home when informed that his father died. There, he encounters his ghost. Frightened, David meets his boyhood girlfriend, Irishwoman DOLORES. With her, he goes back to the farmhouse to prove to himself that he's sane. There, he sees not only his father but also his dead mother. Learning of this, and certain that he is psychotic, his Ex-wife checks him into a local Psychiatric Ward against his will. Prescribed incorrect medication, David will be released only if he proves his sanity. But with release pending, and learning that Dolores had died years before, David knows that he will stay imprisoned forever. Based on a true story, this novel helps people to understand the horrors of involuntary psychiatric admission. It also applauds the work of those campaigning for the rights of psychiatric patients and their families.

Grace Upendo is a Sexually-abused Swahili African. Despite her strength, she is unable to reach out to those who could help heal her heart but is saved by Sean Hope, a Catholic Missionary. They fall in love. But when Sean understands how damaged she is, he comes to realize that to heal her he must leave her. Years later, Grace steals a yacht and begins a voyage of discovery through stormy seas to an uncharted, magical island near Brisbane, Australia. There, in this unearthly land of honey, she begins to find new hope. On the island an adventure begins with a magical play, LOST LOVERS based in part on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Its cast of strange animals includes a talking Kangaroo called Sue the Two-Headed 'Roo. When she recognises the 'Roo as Sean, and he understands that Grace is his lost lover, then the magic of a loving future begins.

At last, the secrets of Ireland's megalithic Newgrange Monument revealed! Not by an archaeologist but by an untidy Maths teacher, BARNABUS, and his two brave students, JONATHAN and CATHY. When this adventurous couple leave school on an April day to find their missing teacher, they did not know what lay in store for them. On the other side of the Centauri star system near the Andromeda Galaxy, they would experience adventure, excitement, a crash course in astrophysics, and a relentless and all-powerful ruler: PSORSIS, the master of the Universe. Tom Richards has written an utterly compelling science fiction novel for Young Adults; an unputdownable read for all those whose imaginations soar. This re-release, newly edited for contemporary times, allows a new generation to enjoy the wonders of the Universe and the mysteries of the Archaeological enigma of Newgrange. This book was selected by readers for the Young Adult Irish Times Top Five Bestseller List.

At last, the secrets of Ireland's megalithic Newgrange Monument revealed! Not by an archaeologist but by an untidy Maths teacher, Barnabus, and his two brave students, Jonathan & Cathy. When this adventurous couple leave school on an April day to find their missing teacher, they did not know what lay in store for them. On the other side of the Centari star system near the Andromeda Galaxy, they would experience adventure, excitement, a crash course in astrophysics, and a relentless and all-powerful saint: PSORSIS, the master of the Universe. In 1994, Tom Richards wrote an utterly compelling science fiction novel for Young Adults; an unputdownable read for all those whose imaginations soar. This re-release, newly edited for contemporary times, allows a new generation to enjoy the wonders of the Universe and the mysteries of the Archaeological enigma of Newgrange. Also available soon from Barnes and Noble, good bookshops, and Amazon outlets everywhere.

NEW RELEASE ~ "Tom's work has an 'Ah Ha!' quality to it that can inspire people to just step into the unexplored a bit further and deeper. He demonstrates significantly enhanced healing and pain reduction for patients who explore sensory-grounded signals and follow nature using sentient awareness. This approach, which suggests a new healthcare paradigm, can also benefit health care professionals, caregivers, and family members who yearn for ways to access the sacred, but are not given enough time with their patients and loved ones, nor training, to even have a conversation about someone's life, let alone dive into the dreaming of a person's symptoms. This book will be inspiring for people interested in body healing, including anyone yearning for more of themselves and the ones they are working with, to be recognized and interacted with. It is a teaching tool as well as an inspiring story for all who read it." Ann Jacob, Sacred Art of Living Center