<![CDATA[Scratching Shed Publishing - ]]> <![CDATA[Words from Hyem]]> PRE-ORDER NOW – PUBLICATION DATE MONDAY 8 OCTOBER

Words from Hyem – The Life and Rhymes of Richard Oliver Heslop

by Andy Bogle and Tony Hannan

Historian, author, songwriter, poet, businessman, humourist, lexicologist, Liberal man-about-town and – from 1914 to 1916 – president of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne, along with much else besides, Oliver Heslop is the Toon’s forgotten champion. The man responsible for the region’s first nationally recognised dialect dictionary Northumberland Words – prior to then published weekly in the Evening Chronicle – was a celebrity of his day, a champion of the region, years ahead of his time. Yet sadly, since his demise, his astonishing contribution has been all but overlooked. This book puts that right.

And in fact, Words from Hyem has its own sad tale to tell. Originally, it had one single author, South Shields-born Andy Bogle, latterly resident in the USA, but drawn back frequently to County Durham and Northumberland and his second residence in Hexham. Now it has a couple. Yorkshireman and ‘adopted Geordie’ Tony Hannan has in-laws galore in South Shields, so needed little persuasion to step into the breach when Andy passed away in August 2023. In short, this is a biography like no other.

]]> <![CDATA[The Book of Bailey Dog]]> by Steve Bailey
Hellooo! My name is Baileydog. I’m not just a dog... I am a Weimaraner – which means I am almost hooman!! This book is my true life story.
It captures the humour, joy and poignancy of sharing your life with such a sentient animal like myself, a journey that is both hilarious and deeply moving. It’s about the bond that builds without you even noticing, until one day it means absolutely everything.
If you have ever loved a pet, you will see yourself – and them – within these pages. My book will make you laugh out loud while also bringing tears to your eyes. Because while loving a pet can transform your life, saying goodbye to them can change it forever.
It also captures what it truly means to love and be loved by a pet.
The Book of Baileydog is the perfect read for anyone who has ever loved, owned or lost a four legged family member ­– and for those who appreciate stories that remind us to live fully, enjoy the moment and cherish every day.
With a paw-word by Graeme Hall – TV's 'The Dogfather'
]]> <![CDATA[Matching Rucksacks]]> By Peg Alexander

The rucksacks are packed again. Radio and TV personality Peg Alexander embarks on a journey to Asia and the Middle East with husband Jim, another seminal moment in their lately-troubled relationship.

Travel – and the fortunes of Leeds United – bind the couple together as they come to terms with Jim’s mental health issues, and an adoption process that seems to thwart them at every turn. This ‘rewind trip’ is a partial repeat of their ‘Global Adventure’ ten years earlier, when travel had again been their saviour, part of a healing process that allowed them to learn about themselves, the lives of others, and cultures different to their own.

Amid the anxiety, Peg’s Yorkshire wit and innate positivity shine through. We learn about her upbringing, the duo’s time together and countries they have visited, past and present, plus how those places have since changed too. It’s a different kind of insight into human fragility and fallibility, with an understanding of alternative horizons at its heart – and also an enjoyable travel guide to those places en route.

Sometimes you have to travel halfway around the world before you can see what’s right in front you.

]]> <![CDATA[Happy Hours – A Great British Pub Diary]]> by Mike Critchley
FOR more than 40 years Mike Critchley has been on a journey through the character-packed pubs of the British Isles. From spit-and-sawdust backstreet boozers through to majestic Victorian drinking palaces, he has chronicled every new visit in a little blue notebook kept since he turned 18.
In Happy Hours, Mike recalls many of the highlights – and a few low points – of that ‘never-ending pub crawl’ in a book that charts significant changes to the way we drink and world about us.
There is a pub for all seasons, with potted histories of Britain’s finest pub buildings, observations of legendary landlords and landladies, recollections of colourful elbow-bending customers and an appreciation of good beer.
Happy Hours weaves in many personal anecdotes and aspects of social history and is delivered with a large dollop of northern humour. It is laced with the wit and wisdom of many of the folk Mike has had the crack with in bar rooms over the past five decades.
At a time when we are losing pubs hand over fist due to a multitude of reasons, this book is a timely reminder of the importance of these wonderful institutions and community hubs, and the role they play in society.
* Mike Critchley has been a journalist on the St Helens Star for the past 25 years, having previously worked for Birmingham MetroNews and the Birmingham Mail. Happy Hours is Mike’s fifth book, the four prior ones about his beloved rugby league.
]]> <![CDATA[No Plan B]]> The Story – and Diary – of One Woman’s Inspirational Battle with Motor Neurone Disease

by John Hatton

Contains a foreword by Lindsey Burrow

On 17 January 2023, mere months after her mother had died from motor neurone disease, Julie Hatton was also diagnosed with MND and passed away just 212 days later. Following her diagnosis, husband John began a diary in which he charted the progression of his wife’s condition. Then, as the dreadful disease gathered pace, that diary became a journal wherein he charted their final journey. This book is the result, a story of sadness, fear and love.

OUT JANUARY 2026 – PRE-ORDER NOW

]]>