‘Essence of Humour’ is a collection of short stories which brings together the best of humour writing from 17 authors across the globe.

Thomas is a lute player and composer of songs at the Tudor court of Henry VIII.  He writes a love ballad for one of the Queen’s ladies, a dark-haired beauty he nicknames the Lady Greensleeves.  But the lady has set her ambitions on a lover much richer than a minstrel.

The Minstrel’s Gallery

Her feet in woollen slippers made no sound, only the scrape of tired velvet across the gallery’s timber slats told me of her coming.  That day the courage of a lion roared in my heart, as I looked up from my lute to brave a smile.

The lady stopped to perch on the window seat beside me, dark midnight eyes glinting.  “Do you have a tongue as well as teeth, minstrel boy?”  Her voice was sweet as honey-cake, but with the tart after bite of sour apple.

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Do you believe in Fairies? Jasmine needs a theme for her magazine’s spring edition. Her assistant hits on a sparkling idea, but it brings back uncomfortable memories for Jasmine. And what befalls the charming Eric La Fayette, who seems intent on raking up her mysterious past?

Twinkle Twinkle

It was my turn to provide the breakfast goodies for the Friday morning planning meeting. The day was a key event in the magazine’s schedule; time to decide the theme for the April edition. Of course I’m using the royal ‘we’, as I make all the decisions. Adoring all things sweet I knew of a delightful patisserie in Kensington, creating the most exquisite cup-cakes, truly beautiful works of fondant art: topped with pastel icing, pinks, lemons, baby-blues and luscious lilacs, sprinkled with glimmering balls of silver and gold. When I entered the boardroom the glass-topped table was festooned with open boxes, delivered from the bakery, and the meeting attendees were already greedily helping themselves to the dainty cakes.

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