Stephen J Cherrill
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Stephen J Cherrill
by Stephen J Cherrill
After Anna’s death, the bay no longer looks the same.
Alone in a quiet Queensland seaside town, a widower returns each day to the water, casting his line into silence and speaking to the wife who is gone. Then a pelican lands on the bow of his boat.
He names her Rose.
Wild, watchful, and strangely faithful, Rose becomes an unlikely companion, listening as grief slowly finds its voice. Through her quiet presence and the new life unfolding in his son’s family, he begins to discover that love does not end with loss — it changes shape.
Tender and contemplative, this is a story of grief, memory, and the unexpected grace that can guide us home.
A Pelican Called Rose is an emotionally resonant, character‑driven novel about grief, unlikely friendship, and how love finds ways to live on in the most unexpected forms.
A widowed electrician, newly retired after nearly fifty years on the tools, spends his days fishing alone in a small bay town, trying and failing to make sense of his wife Anna’s sudden death. Out on the water, far from ringing phones and well‑meaning neighbours, he can finally stop pretending he’s ‘getting there.’ Yet even on the boat he cannot cry; his grief is locked behind a dam he doesn’t know how to break.
One afternoon, a pelican lands on the bow of his boat as if it owns it. Amused and oddly comforted, he tosses her a fish. The next day, she returns.
Day after day, the same bird appears in the same spot, listening with apparent patience as he mutters to himself about the weather, his late wife, and his grown son Brian. He names her Rose, after the rose‑tinted blush of her bill and pouch, and recognises her each time by a dark, Jersey‑shaped mark beneath her eye. Rose becomes an unexpected constant in his otherwise hollow routine.
As their quiet companionship deepens, he begins to revisit his past. On the boat and on the beach, he remembers his father teaching him to fish, his blue‑collar upbringing, and the whirlwind romance that led him to bring Swedish‑born Anna back to Australia as his wife. He relives her warmth, her music, and the gentle accent everyone loved — and the shock of the illness that took her far too soon. He realises he has never truly grieved. He has endured, not healed.
Stephen is an indie publisher and has published a series of books based on DCI Tim Cunningham who lives in the English village of Ashmarsh.
Stephen’s journey as an author is a testament to passion and resilience, shaped by experiences across three countries. Born in the historic city of Lincoln, UK, Stephen’s early fascination with storytelling began on a humble toy typewriter, where he crafted a family newsletter. His dedication to helping others led him to serve as a Paramedic with the Lincolnshire Ambulance Service, where he also honed his writing by publishing articles in *Linc Up* magazine.
Council of Lies
The lifeless body of an unidentified man emerges from a tranquil stream in Ashmarsh. Inside the victim's nondescript home, detectives Cunningham and Armstrong stumble upon encrypted computer files and a hidden firearm. This isn't a case of random misfortune; someone was intent on silencing this man.
Meanwhile, Cunningham's friend Philippe Duval departs from the council, troubled by a veiled threat and behind-the-scenes deals. DS Greg Armstrong recognises the signs—he's witnessed this corruption before. It's all too familiar: legal on the surface, yet lethal at its core.
Convinced that the stranger had uncovered something significant, Cunningham and Armstrong seek the assistance of a witch, delving into a perilous realm where power is shielded by dark incantations, and secrets are worth killing for.
ONE BODY. ONE SECRET.
AND A CONSPIRACY WORTH KILLING FOR.