Author Name: Cheryl Headford
Book Length 214 Pages
Book Name: Shade’s Champion
Release Date: 18th December 2015
Cover Art by: Kellie Dennis: Book Covers by Design
Blurb
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Shade has been
kept in the dark for eight long years. Now he’s facing a world that terrifies
him. A world that seems to hold no place for him.
When the
authorities are unable to find a home for Shade, Penny, reluctantly accepts him
into the secure school she manages, despite thinking it’s the wrong place for
him. Penny fears for his safety among the other troubled children. In an
attempt to forestall the disaster she predicts will happen she appoints one of them
as his champion.
Dory, an
engaging seventeen year old with mental health issues, is proud to be chosen as
Shade’s champion and throws his heart and soul into the job. In doing so he is
forced to face the thing he fears most – his own emotions.
An unexpected
friendship begins to grow into something more, until a spiteful act tears them
apart and leaves them broken.
When Dory falls
ill, Shade is forced to face his demons and struggles to find the strength and
courage he needs to fight for the right to love, and to be there for his champion
when he needs him most.
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Excerpt
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“YOU CAN’T be serious. No. It’s out of the question.”
“Penny, you’re our last option. The hospital won’t keep him any
longer. They can’t. His own family don’t want him, and no foster family will
take him. He can’t go to a children’s home because he’s such a high risk.
Frankly, I have no idea what to do with him.”
“But this is a secure unit, and that kid’s done nothing wrong to
anyone but himself. Do you have any idea what kind of kids we have here? We
can’t watch him all the time, and half the little bastards would be queuing up
to hand him the razor blades.”
“What else can we do? He’s stable enough for the psychiatric unit
to discharge him, but he can’t live alone, and no one else wants him. We’re out
of options.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I feel for the kid. He’s in an impossible
situation, but we’re just not set up to handle someone like him. Are you sure
he wouldn’t be better in a care home or psychiatric unit?”
“Honestly? I believe that’s where he’s likely to end up, but the
kid’s sixteen and has been through the most horrific experience. He deserves a
chance.”
“And you think he’s going to get it here?”
Penelope Creedy, Penny to her friends, struggled and failed to
keep the incredulity out of her voice. It was obvious the social worker was
new; she hadn’t had the idealistic desire to help everyone beaten out of her by
“the system”.
“No, no I don’t, not really, but the poor thing has to go
somewhere.”
“I don’t understand why he can’t go to Hillcrest or Maes Y
Ffynnon.”
“They won’t take him. It’s too much responsibility for them, and
they can’t give him a high enough level of care.”
“Care? We don’t provide care to our kids, Donna. We provide food
and shelter and locked rooms. If we’re lucky we get them to study now and
again, and a couple even go to school. Most of them are under psychiatrists and
headed straight for prison. Occasionally, we see one of them turn around, but
mostly we’re marking time until they can be unleashed on society and start
committing their crimes.”
“That’s a very bleak view.” The social worker had a hint of
censure in her voice, which made Penny defensive. Damn those idealistic idiots
with their rose-coloured views.
She snapped back, “This is a very bleak place.”
“No bleaker than his last.” The comeback was soft and sincere and
made Penny feel vaguely guilty. She sighed and closed the folder that lay open
on the desk in front of her. She ran her finger over the name on the cover and
sighed again.
“It’s one prison for another,
Donna. Is that really what he needs?”
Meet The Author
Cheryl was born
into a poor mining family in the South Wales Valleys. Until she was 16, the
toilet was at the bottom of the garden and the bath hung on the wall. Her
refrigerator was a stone slab in the pantry and there was a black lead
fireplace in the kitchen. They look lovely in a museum but aren’t so much fun
to clean.
Cheryl has
always been a storyteller. As a child, she’d make up stories for her nieces,
nephews and cousin and they’d explore the imaginary worlds she created, in
play.
Later in life,
Cheryl became the storyteller for a re enactment group who travelled widely,
giving a taste of life in the Iron Age. As well as having an opportunity to run
around hitting people with a sword, she had an opportunity to tell stories of
all kinds, sometimes of her own making, to all kinds of people. The criticism
was sometimes harsh, especially from the children, but the reward enormous.
It was here she
began to appreciate the power of stories and the primal need to hear them. In
ancient times, the wandering bard was the only source of news, and the
storyteller the heart of the village, keeping the lore and the magic alive.
Although much of the magic has been lost, the stories still provide a link to
the part of us that still wants to believe that it’s still there, somewhere.
In present
times, Cheryl lives in a terraced house in the valleys with her son and
menagerie of three cats, a dog and a dragon. Her daughter has deserted her for
the big city, but they’re still close.
Immersed, as
always, in the world of fantasy, she maintains a burning desire to share the
stories and these days it’s in the form of books which all contain her spark
and unique view on life, the universe and everything.
Where to Find The
Author
Twitter:
@SevenPointStar
TRAILER: https://youtu.be/9RVTtEPOAyk
PRE-ORDER LINKS
ARe:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shade039schampion-1940720-145.html
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I have two copies of the ebook to give away to randomly
selected commenters on the Shade’s Champion cover reveal or blog post on my
website http://cherylheadford.com/
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