Welcome

Step inside the world of John A. Emsley MBE, where a lifetime of stories awaits. From short, sharp tales to longer, thought-provoking journeys, this site brings them all together for you to read freely.

Leave the world outside, sink into a comfortable chair, and let yourself be carried along by words, ideas, and imagination.

"All the a**e holes at school were well known—Luke being one of them—and all of us enjoyed their comeuppance when it came. He was the one who always picked the teams, smiled while he picked you last, then made sure you knew how much better he was than everyone else. When it finally went wrong for him, nobody felt even slightly sorry...." (Read the full Anecdote)

"We were all sat round the lunch table when Joe decided to demonstrate his skills at the latest craze—balancing a boiled egg on a teaspoon held in his mouth while hopping on one foot. Predictably, it didn’t go well. The egg shot straight across the room, landing squarely in Peter’s tea, causing him to flinch, spill half the cup, and let out a yell that made the others roar with laughter. Joe, undeterred, tried again, only to slip on the remnants of the egg, landing flat on his back with a graceless thud. From that day on, any mention of eggs in the room was greeted with sniggers, knowing full well someone’s attempt at showing off would end in catastrophe..." (Read more Anecdotes)

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Snippets

Cause & Effect

Snake Wilkins had always believed that life moved forward in straight lines, one job leading to the next, one decision neatly replacing another. Only now, looking back, could he see the web he had woven without realising it. The smallest choices—ones he barely remembered making—had been the most unforgiving. ...(Read More of Cause & Effect)

The Entity

The landscape offered no comfort—no familiar shapes, no sense of scale—only the certainty that it had been designed with intention. Tony understood now that the tests were not random. Every obstacle, every danger, was watching him in return. Somewhere beyond sight, the Entity waited, patient and curious, learning how much fear a human could endure....(Read More of The Entity)

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