A Collection of Short Stories by M. J. Copeland
The Tree at Lakeside Woods
Part 1
Pages 3-15
Ten-Year-old Annabella loved going for woodland walks down at Lakeside woods.
But on this particular visit, she stood looking up at this really big Oak tree and couldn't help noticing how very dry it was looking.
So out of the kindest of her heart Annabella gave the tree a drink of water from a
girls bonnet she found half submerged at the water’s edge.
But the tree proved itself to be very special, and became Annabella's friend, along with all the other animals that lived at lakeside woods, where the story is set within a Victorian era.
The Acorn
Part 2
Pages 16-28
Annabella saves the Lakeside Woods from the land developers
The Adventures of Captain James Launder
No Man’s Lands
Pages 29-35
In the year of 1750 Pirate Captain James Launder and his ship’s company of thirty men sailed the oceans in search of finding treasure.
When the Pirates eventually anchored their ship off an island called No Man’s Land, they came across more treasure than any pirate could dream of finding.
But the pirates were cursed from taking any of their newfound bounty from the island.
The Magic Box
Pages 36-39
Elizabeth and Cousin Thomas were going to spend the weekend staying at their grandparent’s cottage, where they lived in the middle of the Devonshire countryside.
The weekend would be extra special for Elizabeth, because on Saturday she would celebrate her ninth birthday, a birthday she would never forget.
A Christmas Star
Pages 40-44
Office worker Benjamin Blake contemplates how boring his life as become and makes a wish upon a fallen star he sees through his bedroom window. But the wish comes strangely true and gives Benjamin something different to think about when he gets catapulted from the year 2015 back to World War II where he meets British soldier Maurice Bridgman who is stationed with his comrades in France.
Benjamin eventually manages to make it back to his own time and quickly goes in search of Maurice, to keep a promise he made to him back in 1944.
William
Page 45-46
To feel warm in the cold winter months and to be loved and fed all year round, that’s all William the ginger cat wanted. But on one cold winters day William’s master did not want a cat for a pet anymore and kicked poor William out of the house. He didn't have anywhere else to go, so he curled himself up into a ball and fell asleep on his master’s snow-covered pathway.