Book Hub Publishing

10/02/2025

What an amazing book we're about to publish for Geraldine Lavelle, 'When The Apple Is Ready, It Will Fall From the Tree'.
Book Launch of 'When The Apple Is Ready It Will Fall From The Tree' by Geraldine Lavelle

Here's a sneak look at the introduction...

"A TRAGIC CYCLING ACCIDENT that resulted in my spinal cord injury and paralysis from my chest downwards didn’t break me. Forty-eight hours after the major learning the harsh reality that I would never walk again did not break me despite the odds against me. Spending several weeks in ICU did not break me. Multiple operations and blood transfusions did not break me.
Dealing with more anxieties than I ever thought humanly possible as I lay awake staring at the hospital ceiling in a nineteen-bed ward for ten months did not break me. Infections, weight loss, pressure sores, and being bedbound for several months did not break me..."

09/02/2025

In her work, Cathy Fitzgibbon aka The Culinary Celt, is passionate about the power of words and the power of marketing to bridge the gap between generations. It’s about more than just reaching different age groups - it’s about mindfully creating authentic connections that honour the wisdom of the past while embracing the innovation of the future. Each interaction between generations offers a unique opportunity to learn, grow and inspire.🌱

09/02/2025

09/02/2025

Dr Christine Moran is an experienced IACP accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist and Supervisor. She is an educator, workshop facilitator, conference speaker, author, and life long learner.

09/02/2025

Always wonderful to work with highly motivated authors such as Margaret Connor based in New York. A long way from Ballina in the west of Ireland to America and yet so many of our ancestors have travelled there.

08/02/2025

Discover ‘Dialled In’ by Máirtín Óg McDonagh—a compelling exploration of resilience and navigating life’s challenges. This insightful read offers practical guidance on effective communication and personal growth. Dive into its pages to enhance your understanding and skills in managing difficult conversations.


Mindovermountains
Mairtín Óg McDonagh

06/02/2025

Recent studies estimate that approximately 400 million individuals worldwide have experienced , with symptoms ranging from fatigue and memory problems to cardiovascular complications. this condition continues to impact millions, underscoring the need for ongoing research and support (Source: Nature.Com).

Brian Lynch is his book, ‘Oxygenation is the Solution’ discusses various approaches to managing the global pandemic that was Covid-19. Were they successful? Time will tell.


OxyGeneration

06/02/2025

The cold breath of February

In the cold breath of February,
time is fluid, bending and twisting
like a river of memories.

The moon hangs low,
a pale spectre in the velvet sky,
entwined like lovers in a dance of shadows and light.
casting its mournful gaze upon the city below.

Streets paved with the cobblestones
of forgotten desires,
the flickering street lamps
paint the walls with a sepulchral glow,
the city is a cathedral of solitude,
and I am a worshiper
in the chapel of frost-kissed spires.

A vintage typewriter sits
on the table by the window,
its keys clicking out a rhythm
that echoes the pulse of a heartbeat.

A solitary figure stands by a wrought-iron gate,
watching the snowfall with a quiet intensity,
the flakes descend like crystalline confetti,
settling on the shoulders of statues
frozen in eternal contemplation.

A woman with eyes like fractured glass,
her gaze revealing the wounds of a broken heart,
whispers words of love lost,
and her gravelly voice is a haunting
refrain that lingers in the air,
a ghostly serenade to the February night.

(c) Kevin McManus

From the forthcoming poetry collection "A Cold Wind from the Lake" published by ShadowScript.

06/02/2025

Did you know that just under 100,000 kids play hurling in Ireland? That's an amazing statistic. And we all know kids love stories.

Indeed, the books we read as kids shape the way we tend to see the world! Stories that highlight friendship, teamwork, and physical activity—like hurling —help foster strong social bonds, resilience, and lifelong healthy habits. There's lots of research to prove this. And our Katherine Scanlon is super busy on edit duty right now crafting her story of Clipper!

05/02/2025

✨ The journey from idea to manuscript to polished draft is never easy, but today, we celebrate a HUGE milestone! The final edited draft of a heartwarming children's book, by Eric McNamara is officially complete and landed in our indie publishing house's email earlier today!

This story wouldn't be where it is today without the author's incredible dedication, the support of his amazing wife, and the work of our in-house editing team. Every page holds passion, perseverance, and the magic of wonderful storytelling.

So, to all the dreamers, writers, and creatives out there—keep pushing forward! Your words matter, your stories deserve to be told, and the world is waiting for them. In fact, Eric posts about this on his social media so be sure to take a look.

03/02/2025

A Deep Dive into 'Lonely Boy' by Daragh Fleming

The author of "Lonely Boy" Daragh Fleming grapples with several specific anxieties that significantly impact his life, often intertwining and exacerbating each other. These anxieties are not isolated experiences but rather recurring themes that shape his thoughts, behaviours, relationships, and mental health. This is a deeply honest and raw book. Here are some of the key anxieties that are discussed in the book (we all suffer from a few if not all of these to be fair...).

Production Anxiety: This is a consistent and pervasive anxiety for the author, characterised by constant pressure to be productive and a feeling of guilt when he is not working. He describes it as a "persistent ni**le in the back of the head". This anxiety makes it difficult for him to relax or enjoy himself, as he always feels like he should be doing something more "productive". This leads him to prioritise work over other important areas of life, such as friendships and relationships. He recognises that this anxiety has warped his sense of value, causing him to think of everything in terms of productivity]. It also leads to him feeling stressed and agitated. This anxiety also causes him to become scattered and unfocused, as well as jealous of others with Daragh admitting, "My mind is always thinking about work to some degree," and says that he is often "half-present around family and friends, at events, on dates, holidays," due to this anxiety. He says that production anxiety is "maybe the most consistent bastard going". Happily, he learns to manage this anxiety by setting aside specific times for work and relaxation.

Death Anxiety: The author experiences a profound fear of death, which manifests as intense panic attacks and a persistent sense of dread. The thought of non-existence causes him considerable distress and can lead to sleepless nights and a feeling of being "shaken to my core". Although the panic attacks are temporary, the "lingering doom" can last for weeks afterwards. He also observes that the fear of death is exclusively human and attempts to mitigate this fear by forcing himself to think about it often to become more grateful for the present. His death anxiety also encourages a sense of gratitude for being alive and he realises, "Our lives have meaning because of their impermanence".

Social Anxiety: While not explicitly named, the author's behaviours and thought patterns point to underlying social anxiety. He often isolates himself, and he acknowledges he is "a bit of a loner by nature" admitting that he prefers time spent alone, but then laments the loneliness he feels. He describes feeling awkward and out of place in social situations, and often retreats to his own thoughts or avoids them entirely by staying busy. With a great sense of humour, he acknowledges that he can have a "wicked afternoon of anxiety" if he compares himself to others online and writes "If you are lonely when you're alone, you are in bad company". His social anxiety is also reflected in his difficulty forming meaningful relationships, his fear of commitment, and his tendency to sabotage connections as they become serious.

Anxiety Related to Control: The author expresses a need for control, often feeling anxious when things feel unpredictable or chaotic. He notes that "We tend to crave control in general, so when things spiral out of our control, or when we never had control to begin with, it can cause us to become anxious". This anxiety manifests in his tendency to become fixated on things he cannot change. Daragh also notes that a lack of control "butted heads" with his "compulsion to be in control", observing "Taking some sort of control back when the world around us is unpredictable and chaotic makes us feel more at ease".

Anxiety About the Future: The author grapples with anxiety about the future, particularly regarding his career and personal life. He experiences stress when he compares his actual reality with his idealised vision of the future. He also notes that he has "always been searching for more" which makes it difficult to be "present and happy in my life". This fear of not achieving his goals and his lack of a clear path forward contribute to his overall anxiety levels.

Generalised Anxiety: The author's narrative reveals a general tendency toward anxiety, as he seems to worry about many different things. He says that, for a long time, his default experience was feeling stressed. He also notes that his mind was "always thinking about work to some degree" and that his "thoughts were terrible lies", noting he is "easily distracted," and has an "inability to ignore" his phone (who isn't these days?). He describes anxiety as "that restlessness, that inability to relax or enjoy yourself because you know there is something you ought to be doing".

These anxieties are interconnected and contribute to a cycle of negative thinking and behaviour. The author's journey involves learning to understand and manage these anxieties, which involves facing his fears, challenging his negative thought patterns, and developing healthier coping mechanisms. He learns that it is important to accept his flaws and to forgive himself for past mistakes so that he can move forward with his life. He also comes to understand that his anxieties have been a barrier to his own happiness, as he believes that he does not deserve to be happy.

-Harry Hickey, February 2025.

* Lonely Boy is available from www.bookhubpublishing.com Amazon and selected bookstores.

02/02/2025

21st Century life, eh? Here's a QR code to Christina Hennemann gorgeous poetry volume we published last summer. 'Witch/Womb' is available to buy on our website at www.bookhubpublishing.com and in selected bookstores.

02/02/2025

📚💖 Love is in the Air... and Between the Pages! 💖📚

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
At Book Hub Publishing,
We’ve got the perfect books for you!

This Valentine’s Day 2025, we’re celebrating love in all its glorious, messy, magical forms with ‘Love-Themed Bespoke Book Bundles’ – curated just for YOU (or that special someone who deserves a literary love affair).

💌 For the hopeless romantic – swoon-worthy Titles that will have you (back) believing in fate.
😂 For the love cynic – witty, relatable reads that prove relationships are a battlefield.
💔 For the heartbreak healers – Self Help and Poetry Titles because sometimes, the best love story is learning to love yourself.

Whatever your status, single or coupled up, give the gift of a story to fall in love with. Because let’s be honest, book characters never forget to text back.

So, tag your book-loving Valentine or treat yourself – because self-love is a classic worth re-reading!

❤️📖

*Check out our website commencing the week of 10th February to see our discounted book bundles on sale for a limited period.

01/02/2025

From: Bittern Cry by Fergus Hogan (Book Hub Publishing, 2019).

Imbolc

Imbolc day breaks through the longest night of the year
I wake from Winter in search of my poem of self-forgiveness –
A blood blue moon fills the sky as Brigid’s healing rises
A pair of Blackbirds chase each other around the garden
I try to follow them into the promise of Spring’s new life
I cut a swath of reeds and rushes, braid them like sweetgrass
I make a Cross for St Brigid
I daydream myself back into Ériu’s ancient energies
Back into Brid-time
I pray to the daughter of Dagda for a poem
Forged in time through self-forgiveness

01/02/2025

Brigid’s day
On the feast of Brigid, Imbolg blessings,
the exalted goddess of healers and poets,
daughter of Dagda from the isle of Iona,
keeper of the flame,
protector of sacred wells.

The earth is slowly reawakening,
Brigid is envisaging Spring into life,
renewal, regrowth, rejuvenation,
green shoots pushing up through the frozen earth,
a swan on the morning lake of mist,
the lamb on the hill,
the cross of rushes.

The dawning of the light growing stronger every day,
the sap is rising, the life blood of nature,
Spring is closer.

From the forthcoming poetry collection, a cold wind from the lake by Kevin McManus, published by Shadowscipt

31/01/2025

We're returning to Brian Lynch's book, 'Oxygenation is the Solution' which we published in 2022. Now, with distance from the global epidemic event of COVID-19, let's look at some of Brian's arguments.

Legal and Ethical Arguments for HBOT in Treating COVID-19
The text presents a compelling case for the ethical and legal imperative of considering hyperbaric oxygenation (HBOT) in treating COVID-19, particularly in light of the significant risks associated with severe COVID-19 and the potential benefits of HBOT in mitigating those risks. The author constructs his arguments around the principles of informed consent, the application of the best available evidence, and the ethical considerations surrounding randomised controlled trials in the context of a pandemic.

Informed Consent and Balanced Disclosure:
Duty to Inform: Lynch argues that doctors, aware of HBOT's established use in wound care and its potential to address hypoxic tissue injury (a key feature of severe COVID-19), had a clear ethical and legal duty to inform patients about this treatment option. This duty, he suggests, stems from the legal and ethical principles of informed consent, which mandate that patients receive balanced and comprehensive information about all reasonable treatment options, even those considered outside standard care. Failing to present HBOT as a potential treatment pathway, particularly given early anecdotal reports of its efficacy, potentially constitutes a violation of informed consent.

Patient Autonomy: The author emphasises that the ultimate decision-making power in healthcare rests with the patient. This principle of patient autonomy dictates that after receiving full and unbiased information about the risks and benefits of all viable treatment options, patients have the right to make choices that align with their values and preferences. In the context of COVID-19, the author contends that withholding information about HBOT, even if not yet universally accepted or supported by large-scale trials, undermines patient autonomy by limiting their ability to make informed decisions about their care.

Best Available Evidence in a Pandemic:
Ethical Guidelines vs. Rigid Adherence to RCTs: The author criticises the overreliance on randomised controlled trials (RCTs) as the sole basis for treatment decisions, particularly in the urgent and evolving landscape of a pandemic. He argues that the ethical guidelines for decision-making in a pandemic, as published by the Irish Department of Health, emphasise using the "best available evidence at the time", which may include early clinical experiences, case reports, and a broader understanding of scientific principles related to oxygen and tissue healing. Waiting for large-scale RCTs, while important for long-term scientific validation, could have potentially resulted in preventable deaths during the pandemic, representing a failure to act on the best available evidence at the time.

The Opelousas Example: The case of the nurse in Opelousas, Louisiana, who recovered from severe COVID-19 after receiving HBOT, serves as a potent illustration of the potential consequences of prioritising RCTs over timely action based on available evidence. This case, mirroring the success reported in earlier studies from Wuhan, China, suggests that HBOT, even if not yet embraced as standard care, held promise as a treatment option and should have been offered to patients as part of informed consent.

Ethical Considerations of RCTs in a Pandemic:
The Nuremberg Code and Deprivation of Known Benefits: The author argues that the insistence on RCTs, particularly those involving a control group receiving a placebo or standard care, raises ethical concerns in the context of a pandemic where potentially life-saving information is already available. Citing the principles outlined in the Nuremberg Code, he highlights the ethical imperative to avoid exposing patients to known and potentially avoidable risks by withholding a treatment (HBOT) that demonstrated early signs of efficacy. This argument highlights the ethical responsibility to prioritise patient well-being and act on available knowledge, even when that knowledge falls short of the gold standard of RCTs, especially in a public health emergency where the potential benefits of timely intervention are substantial.

Conclusion:
The book underscores the urgent need for a shift in the approach to medical decision-making, particularly concerning interventions like HBOT, which, while not always fully embraced by conventional medical guidelines, hold significant promise based on existing scientific understanding and early clinical experiences. Lynch advocates for greater transparency, more balanced consideration of available evidence, and a stronger emphasis on patient-centred care, where informed consent, driven by comprehensive and unbiased information, is paramount. This shift, he argues, has the potential to improve patient outcomes, foster greater trust in doctor-patient relationships, and ensure that medical practices align with legal and ethical obligations, especially during public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

- Harry Hickey, January 2025.

*'Oxygenation is the Solution' is available to buy from www.bookhubpublishing.com Amazon and selected bookstores.
OxyGeneration