When Ripples Collide is a poignant tale of resilience, chronicling the lives of three formidable young women who defy the odds stacked against them. Cast into the protective arms of child services from troubled childhoods, the novel and its sequel explore their relentless fight for acknowledgment amidst covert biases. Battling the stigma of being raised in care and poverty, they wield an indomitable belief in themselves and a steadfast determination to shed the labels that society has imposed on them. This narrative weaves a rich tapestry of harrowing and complex journeys laden with unexpected twists. The trio confronts danger head-on, from aiding Rosie’s flight from a contemporary enslavement ring to lending their wits and bravery to The Entity, a clandestine organization devoted to repatriating treasures looted by the Nazis. Amidst their endeavours, they navigate a labyrinth of crass political machinations and duplicity, a system designed to guard the interests of an elite few. Their quest for autonomy is a trial by fire, a crucible that forges their identities and moral resolve. As they surmount each obstacle, the chains of their former ‘victim’ status dissolve, allowing them to emerge not as products of their past but as architects of their destiny. When Ripples Collide is an ode to their journey towards recognition and empowerment, proving that their value is defined by their own merits and not by their beginnings.
Stephen Beveridge was born in Hackney, London, on 2 November 1954. He describes his own childhood as one of a rollercoaster ride. From being in care until he was fourteen, he eventually went on to have a career in the Royal Navy Submarine Service. His second job, after he left the Navy, was working as a practising field social worker. A job that left him with more questions than answers. He is now retired and lives with his family in the coastal town of Whitley Bay, England.