David Vernon: 36 books

Slowly, the hole grew deeper as he found his rhythm. Dig, swing, dump. Dig, swing, dump. His laboured breathing synchronised with the turning of his shoulders; dragon’s breath in the morning chill. He was grateful for the wattle trees enshrouding the lower garden, for they shielded him from prying...

Twenty-five award-winning short stories from the Twisted Stringybark Short Story Awards will intrigue and delight you in this anthology of twisted tales from Australian and international short story writers. "I don’t want this to seem like a sob story. I’m not trying to reach out for...

Murder most foul. Ghostly images. A stumped detective. Lost treasure. An icy poltergeist. A lost boy. A skilled taxidermist. They are all here in this malicious collection of mysterious short stories from the Stringybark Malicious Mystery Short Story Award. Twenty-two award-winning tales that will...

Lachlan Dunn lifted his eyes from the book he was trying to read. He studied his uncle in the dim lamplight. “What you all done up for?” Thaiter grinned and finished tucking his clean shirt into his trousers. “It’s me birthday. I’m off ta the Cosmopolitan for a couple.” “Your birthday?”...

"So here I sit, yet again, at the end of another day wondering how on earth this happened. Why? No seriously, why? Did I sit on a fairy godmother with PMS? Why is this happening to me again? And as I stare at my bleeding knees and the strange mutated pulp of once fresh and really quite expensive...

Lust, envy, greed, wrath, sloth, gluttony and pride. What a collection of sins to make the heart beat faster. This is the second anthology of short stories we have published that explores these dark human motivations. Our first anthology, The Seven Deadly Sins, was published in 2012 and was so popular...

We weren’t the church going types but Sally didn’t want to get married in a garden. People don’t listen in gardens she’d said. Too many distractions with barking dogs and noisy kids. A wedding is an important thing apparently; vows should be absorbed by all guests. Not sure why this is a priority...

This is the memoir of a young mother struggling to feed, clothe and house her family on “the most bombed island on earth” — Malta, during World War II. Written by two generations of eye-witnesses to the destruction wrought on the strategically vital island of Malta by Nazi Germany and...

"Thick red Northern Territory mud coated Barry’s shins and arms up to his elbows. Every time he slapped a mosquito he left another muddy handprint. Mud — streaking his face, coating his clothes — had swallowed one of his sneakers; sand itched in his underpants and his bare back burned with...

Thirty award-winning stories fill this entertaining book. Written by Australian and international authors these stories explore Australian history from the arrival of the British to contemporary events. Each story is based upon a real episode in Australia's past. There is no better way to discover...

"Meg works her way down into her new sleeping bag and smiles to herself. It was a good find. She found it in the Salvos. Someone must have given it to them because the zip broke, but it’s fine. Not as good as the doona on her bed at home, maybe, but fine all the same. She is safe here. She...

Twenty-two award-winning short stories from the 'Stringybark Future Times Award' will propel you into a world beyond 2020. These stories will delight and intrigue you in this anthology of clever tales from Australian and international authors. Mika was elbow-deep in the torso of an android...

Arms, legs and breasts were thrust through the bars and the desperation caused Mr. Fox to stumble back, muttering, “Good God!” before being accosted on the other side and pinned by dirty arms to the bars and his waistcoat pocket was explored by boney fingers. Fortunately Mr. Fox had displayed...

Twenty-seven award-winning short stories from the Stringybark Short Story Awards will delight and intrigue you in this anthology of clever tales from Australian and international short story writers. "As he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a grubby rag, Paddy caught a movement from...