AUTHORS
S & S P Publishing began with just one writer - our Primary Author of course, my husband Steve Pennykid. Over the years friends have become aware of our efforts and asked for our help in publishing their works. We now have five authors writing a variety of fiction and non-fiction plus Eddie Penny which is the name Steve uses for his children's stories.
​
​
​
​
​
Stephen E Pennykid
Born in 1952, Steve Pennykid grew up on a Leicester council estate built to accommodate new families after the war and the baby boom of the 50’s and 60’s. Steve was an only child and although he had plenty of friends with whom to play football on the green outside his home, he had time on his hands to develop his love of the written word, and as a child always had something to read whether it be a football annual at Christmas, a thrilling children’s story or a Look and Learn comic. Writing though did not come until much later.
Steve took early retirement in 2005, which gave him a few years to achieve a number of goals he set himself to do before he was 60. One of these was to write a short story and try to get it published. This was a big ask as he had never written anything before. However, it was achieved in 2010 when a local story-writing competition gave him the opportunity. By then he had written one story – The News from Spain. He began to amend this story to suit the framework required for the competition but it soon became a completely different tale – Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.
These are both gentle romances but Steve's writing has now become more eclectic with a number of other tales including detective stories, from his Chief Inspector Robert Casey series, a couple of ghostly mysteries and two children's short stories under the name Eddie Penny under his belt.
Steve also loves music and you will undoubtedly notice a common theme in many of his stories of titles and chapters containing the names of songs, particularly those from the 60’s. His passion for music of this era encouraged him to write his own personal favourite, the non-fiction "MisHits of the Sixties" series.
Steve lives in Loughborough and is married with two sons, a daughter-in-law and two delightful granddaughters.
​
​
​
​
Martin Litherland
Born in 1945, Martin Litherland had an exciting career as a geologist, mapping large unexplored tracts of the Kalahari, the Andes and the Amazon, where he explored the legendary Lost World of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In 1970 Martin was awarded a PhD from Liverpool University, and in 1993 he received an OBE.
​
On retirement, he has turned to poetry to express his feelings, not just about geology, but many other aspects of life. A particular interest is the life of King Richard III, as these poems can attest.
​
​
​
​
John Meller
John was born in Nottingham in 1950. Having passed his 11 plus, he moved on to a local Grammar school, where he achieved a modicum of educational success. In 1968 he was accepted by the local Regional College of Technology (now Nottingham Trent University), on a four year Quantity Surveying degree sandwich course. He obtained his BSc in 1972, and then joined the local office of a national quantity surveying practice. He achieved RICS qualification in 1973. In later years he set up his own Project Management and Quantity Surveying business, which in 2013 is still going strong despite John’s personal retirement in 2000. Nowadays John occasionally carries out property development tasks, by purchasing and upgrading domestic properties for sale or rent.
John met Judith in 1981, and they married two years later. Judith went on to become headteacher of a local Infant and Nursery school. They now live in Kegworth, adjacent to East Midlands airport. They have no children.
During his school and business life, John began to take an active interest in many local sports. He became a county-standard hockey player, and a regular golfer. But his greatest love has always been cricket, and he has played for many years, albeit at a very average standard. At time of writing he still turns out occasionally for a local club. John has also played social-level soccer, squash and tennis. His support for Nottingham Forest Football Club and Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is lifelong.
Nancy Meller
Written by John Meller in 2018
​
Nancy Meller is my mother. She grew up in harder times than now, but even so, she still loves telling stories about her young life and, in particular, tales about her beloved Arnold. So when she reached about eighty years of age, I decided to do something about it: I started to take my computer up to her house, and I taught her to type on a keyboard. And so this book was born.
​
Mum has attempted to keep the book fairly light hearted. So there is no mention of when three year old Edna was run over by a tram; or of the ravages of family illnesses; or of rows with relatives. Also not covered is one of Mum’s favourite topics of conversation, namely superstitions. Even now, she can still recall a thousand things that will, without doubt, bring us all the most terrible bad luck. Perhaps therein lies a basis for ‘Volumes 2 and 3’!
Mum cannot type now. She is 91, and quite frail. Her life basically comprises sitting in an armchair being looked after by my brother Peter. So I’m really pleased this book was written when she could actually do it.
​
Well done Mum!
​
Sadly Nancy passed away on 1 January 2019. I'm so glad she had the opportunity to see her work in print. RIP.
​
​
​
​
Eddie Penny
Eddie Penny is a pseudonym used by Steve Pennykid for his children's stories.
​
​
​
​
Santa Rowly
Over the years, Santa Rowly has seen thousands of children. He's travelled many miles to various locations. You may even have seen him on television!
​
Children, and adults have enjoyed his Christmas tales, and he hopes you like this collection of his own short stories.