Adam Dickson – författare

The TV''s on. The computer''s on. The stereo''s on. Sleep is a waste of time.

Welcome to the world of Bipolar Disorder, a journey to the outer edges of the mind.

A series of conversations told with humour, honesty and insight by Adam, Faye and Alastair, three survivors who have experienced the illness first hand. With contributions from Mental Health professional, Chris Kelly.

It''s 1994. Blur and Oasis are in the charts. New Labour are on the horizon. Ladbroke Grove is the place, a thriving hub of art, music and cultural diversity.

Emerging from the wreckage of another lost weekend, Indie Guitarist of the Year, Joe E Byron, hurries home on the Tube to face the consequences of his actions. Ten years on the road has taken its toll. He should be spending more time with Justine and the kids. Instead, he''s restless, angry, and in conflict with his manager and the rest of the band. Dark habits threaten his marriage and his career. The curse of addiction which will rob him of everything. And at the heart of it all, a yearning to be free, to take off and never come back.

But that can''t happen. There''s too much at stake. Besides,

He''s a god.

He''s a legend.

And the only thing worse than dying is the prospect of fading away.

California, 1939. A young couple sail off the coast on board the yacht Indigo. We don''t know much about them, but soon realise things aren''t quite what they seem. The yacht isn''t theirs. Something''s happened to the previous owners, but even this isn''t clear. There''s a sinister element at play, an undercurrent that drives the couple away from their troubled past and on to their next destination.

Johnny Boy is the instigator, full of passion and wild schemes. All he wants is to make a new life for the two of them, banish the past forever.

Laura-Mae is an actress, a dreamer, mourning the career she left in Hollywood. She''s not alone. She has her lover and best friend Johnny Boy to help navigate the treacherous waters.

But the past can''t be erased that easily. Too many lies and broken promises that stand in the way. Things they''ve done together that can''t be forgiven.

Restless property developer, Peter Calliet meets a sullen young woman at a party and an obsession begins that links past and present in a deepening tragedy. Peter has everything in terms of material success and security. The obligatory fast car, lucrative contracts with his powerfully connected father''s property empire and a plush renovated flat. Devoted fiancée, Claudia, expects to move in and marriage is imminent. But Peter has a dark past that taints his movements. Meeting Natalie, a volatile artist with an equally disturbed background, can only lead to more heartache. If Claudia discovers that Peter has been seeing Natalie, her dream world will be destroyed, adding to his burden of guilt. But even that can''t stop him. The secure and rewarding life he has worked so hard to achieve begins to unravel.

Twelve powerful short stories that strip away the veneer and get right to the heart of the human condition. From the tensions that exist between lovers, to the heart-breaking realities of war. Out of these diverse elements, the forging of qualities that enable hope, dignity and ultimately transcendence to emerge. The essential dilemma of being human in a sometimes ruthless environment, dealing with circumstances beyond one''s control.