I get asked a lot of the same lovely, thoughtful questions by parents, grandparents, schools and professionals alike – so I’ve gathered the most common ones here. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please just get in touch.
Ordering & availability
Where can I buy your books?
Both books are available on Amazon. The links below are for UK and US orders – if you’re in elsewhere in the world, just search for the titles on your own country’s Amazon.
The Dragonfly Story
Life, Without You
Do you ship directly?
Most people find it quickest and easiest to order through Amazon UK or Amazon US, wherever they’re based. If you need a bulk order, or your organisation needs a different arrangement, just drop me an email: CDOffice@virginmedia.com
Can schools, hospitals or counselling services place bulk orders?
Bulk discounts are currently available for UK orders. If you’re ordering from the US or elsewhere, please email and I’ll advise on the best option. Email: CDOffice@virginmedia.com
Are your books available in libraries?
Some libraries in the UK and US already stock them, and many families ask for them through inter-library loan. If your local library needs ordering details, feel free to point them to the Amazon links above.
About the books
Is The Dragonfly Story only for families who’ve lost a sibling?
Not at all. The story is framed around our own experience – parents talking about the loss of a sibling – in its opening and closing pages, but the fable at its heart was written gently enough to speak to any loss a child might be facing: a parent, grandparent, friend or pet, as well as a brother or sister. Families use it for grief of all kinds.
Is Life, Without You a journal I write in, or a book I read?
It’s a journal to write in, not read straight through. At its heart are over 70 days of guided diary pages, each with the same gentle structure, so you’re never left staring at a blank page. Towards the back, there’s also space for memories, saying goodbye, special anniversaries and letters to the person you’ve lost. There’s no right way through it – some days you might write pages, other days just a line, and both are enough.
Are your books suitable for UK and US children and families?
Yes, completely. The language, tone and imagery are gentle and universal, and the dragonfly story itself is already well loved and widely used in bereavement support on both sides of the Atlantic.
I hear from families, but also from a lot of professionals who use the books in their own work – schools and pastoral teams, hospital and hospice staff, therapists, counsellors and bereavement charities, in both the UK and the US.
Are your books appropriate for faith‑based organisations?
Yes. The books are gentle and inclusive, and I’ve heard from churches, faith-based schools, chaplaincy teams, pastoral ministries and community grief groups who use them warmly. They don’t assume any particular belief system, so they sit comfortably in faith settings and secular ones alike.
Can teachers use The Dragonfly Story in the classroom?
Yes, and many do – in both the UK and US, to support a class after a bereavement or as part of pastoral care. If you’d like a little guidance on using it sensitively with a particular age group, just email me.
Is Life, Without You suitable for therapy or counselling?
Yes. A number of therapists across the UK and US use it with parents grieving the loss of a baby, child or teenager. The gentle prompts take the pressure off knowing where to start, while still offering real emotional grounding.
Can families contact you directly?
Please do. I hear from families in the UK and US fairly often – sometimes just for reassurance, sometimes to help choose the right book. I always try to reply personally.
Email: CDOffice@virginmedia.com
