The Two Worlds Of Geratica Vol.1 - The Women Of Geratica (2015).

Geratica is a planet with a live female sex at its core. In their society, women have the dominant role. Men, still the stronger of the sexes in upper body, are consigned to manual work whereas the women rule in politics, the professions and in royalty – and lead the way in sexual activity.

In the first volume of this chronicle, Alexandra Radcliffe - daughter of the indomitable and traditional Linda, Senior Court Administrator to Queen Alexandra, after whom she was named - is in her final year at Geratica’s premier public school - Charterhouse College, whose Headmistress is a strong advocate of Male Rights. Nominated as College Champion and headed for the prime University, Castra, she is under threat from her peers. She is also in love with Tom, a boy she has known for most of her life. His stepmother is the eccentric Fiona Clark, who seems to have a highly strange interest in her.

Linda must steer her daughter through the pitfalls inflicted on her by Gillian Spencer, the daughter of Elizabeth, headmistress of Charterhouse.

Alexandra is gradually drawn into a world of politics, romance, mystery, and murder, as women around her fight for their differing ideologies, and launch personal vendettas, just as she is reaching maturity, and beginning to find her way within the society within which she lives...

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The Two Worlds Of Geratica Vol.2 - Fiona (2015).

The planet of Geratica has at its core, a live dominant sex. The world is run by women and men are traditionally subservient. It is a monarchy, and its head of state must always be a queen.

A schism at the core, means that a parallel world has been created - Geraticai.

Ten years before the events of volume one in this chronicle…

On Geratica, in 5000, Queen Alexandra reigns over a prosperous realm, assisted by her Court Administrator, Linda Radcliffe, but where discontent is brewing over the issue of 'male rights' in some quarters.

Meanwhile on Geraticai, whose inhabitants tend to be more malevolent, Queen Victoria in 3950, rules as a tyrant to her subjects, many of whom are impoverished. Fiona, the Lady Chancellor,loyally administers the Queen’s business in a ruthless and bullying fashion.

Queen Victoria is struggling to produce an heir and has hatched a desperate plot to achieve her goal. If successful, this could mean the destruction of Geratica.

In this second volume, we see how Queen Victoria launches her scheme, and then Fiona’s activities as she works as a Geraticaian agent, within the Geratican Court, seeking to secretly stir up radical and subversive forces. The Male Rights Protestors have just begun their struggle for greater equality.

Meanwhile, Alexandra Radcliffe, daughter of Linda, is suspicious of the mysterious Fiona, who is stepmother of her best friend, Tom Ryder. In 5005, she starts at Charterhouse College.

Eventually, on present-day Geratica, in 5011, Alexandra discovers a strange object in their hamlet wood which ends up taking her on an unexpected and perilous journey…

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The Two Worlds Of Geratica Vol.3 - The Mistress Of Geratica (2015).

Alexandra Radcliffe had been kidnapped by the Geraticaian mongrel, Fiona, after discovering her transportation capsule. On Geraticai, Queen Victoria had held her captive, and threatened to have her executed if Queen Alexandra of Geratica married Lord George Sackville

Whilst there, Alexandra had discovered that her father, the Geratican mongrel, Robert, who everybody on Geratica thought was dead, had actually been abducted by Fiona eleven years earlier. As part of Queen Victoria’s desperate plan to produce an heir,his mind and body DNA had been surgically merged with the infertile and deceased Prince Edward of Geraticai – who Fiona had murdered previously. Then the Queen had attempted to conceive with him – in the absence of any suitable man on Geraticai.

However, as of now, she remains without issue, and the changes to his mind are beginning to reverse.

Robert has rescued his daughter from captivity and together they’ve managed to commandeer Fiona’s transportation capsule and escape back to Geratica with her.

But now a chasm between the two parallel worlds of Geratica and Geraticai has opened. From inside the planet’s core a highly unusual being appears, whose arrival will result in a momentous decision having to be made - ultimately setting in motion a chain of events that will cause great social, political and civil unrest in both the worlds of Geratica and Geraticai...

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The Most Special Geratican Of All (2016).

With the two parallel worlds of Geratica - Geratica and Geraticai - now finally separated, Geratica has a new constitution drafted by the brilliant young Alexandra Radcliffe. Her mother, Linda, is now aiming to become their first prime minister. She is determined to maintain policies which she believes in, as well as to implement new ones - and will also need to deal with the continuing issue of male rights. Alexandra is graduating from Castra University and will shortly be embarking upon plans for her own career, which Linda is keen to be involved in.

Meanwhile, Geraticai has returned to a monarchy after its recent bloody civil war, with Queen Saphron now reigning and married to Gordon, the son of a wealthy mine owner. However to be a Geratician monarch with her Geratican noble origins is controversial amongst some on that world, and her sister in law, an ambitious young woman called Christabel, aims to take the throne for herself. Geraticai now has a parliament for the first time and a prime minister, Daniella Sturridge.

At the same time the now officially deceased mongrel, Fiona, whose mind still lives on mixed with that of the other, Robert - Linda Radcliffe's former husband - as a hybrid inside the mistress of Geratica's domain, is plotting to avenge her situation by manipulating unrest on Geratica, and now sees an opportunity to infiltrate and adapt Christabel's plans for her own sinister purposes...

Even if she is defeated in this, Fiona's influence might not be over on both Geratica and Geraticai. Alexandra may seemingly need to overcome her alone, without the indomitable Linda. Only if Geratica and Geraticai can be returned to normal, will there be a chance of resolving the issues of greater equality for men and better social conditions, as well as enabling people from both worlds to be able to travel more freely and trade with each other for the first time. Still then, there will be those who seek to undermine some of these reforms...

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The Time Guardians Of Geratica (2017).

The past – a prequel to the Geratica series.

On Geratica, Linda Radcliffe is an ambitious chief administrative officer in the court of Queen Beatrix. She has just given birth to a daughter - Alexandra.

Linda is a confidante of Princess Alexandra, heir to the Geratican throne, with very determined ideas about how the Royal Palace should be run and of the policies it should implement throughout the queendom. She makes little secret of her desire to rise to the very top of the court administration department, and with the forcefulness of her indomitable personality, few doubt that she will.

Meanwhile on Geraticai, Queen Margaret is dying and her eldest daughter, Mary, is about to inherit the throne. However, her sister, Victoria, despises the princess and the reforming ideas she has for the realm. She plans to seize the crown for herself with the aid of Fiona, the commander of Geraticaian Security - who will go on to become a spy in the Geratican court. Her ideas for the future of Geraticai and its relationship with Geratica, are far more conservative and malign.

Later, we see more of Alexandra Radcliffe's early years at Charterhouse College, her bitter enemy, Gillian Spencer, the ambitions of Gillian's mother, Elizabeth as the headmistress there, Linda as Senior Court Administrator to Queen Alexandra, Fiona on Geratica and Alexandra's friendship with Tom Ryder.

Finally, past and present meet in a final twist, orchestrated by the Time Guardians of Geratica and Geraticai...

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The Robots Of Ruthamon (2018).

On the planet of Ruthamon, a race of female robots are running out of resources. They have discovered two planets in the next galaxy to theirs and their leader, Raska plans to use an energy absorber to drain that from one of them, whilst invading and conquering the other. Those two planets are Geratica and Geraticai, and their mistress must stop them.

Geratica and Geraticai are both experiencing difficulties. The economy on Geratica is faltering and unemployment rising. Some men now able to perform roles in the workplace previously only held by women, are finding the attitude of their employers and female colleagues unacceptable and demand change. Utipides and Dumas are pushing for independence from Castra and Dumas...

This book is a sequel to Anne Hampton’s Geratica series.

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Women Of Geratica And Geraticai: The Early Years Vol.1 (2022).

Geratica 4981 to 4983 and Geraticai 3931 to 3933.

This book chronicles the early years of Linda Radcliffe on Geratica, and Fiona on Geraticai.

On Geratica, another attempt to travel through the void to the parallel world of Geraticai by ‘non-mongrels’ (those without any apparent biological parents), ends in tragic failure, and a decision is made to suspend the programme indefinitely.

Linda is about to sit her final exams at Charterhouse College, before leaving for Castra University. A major abuse of authority occurs, involving a sadistic mistress, Miss Beryl Heeley, and a wayward girl. Together with the Rovers housemistress, Mrs Angela Cook, Linda must intervene to help the girl and ensure that Miss Heeley faces justice.

Meanwhile, Fiona arrives on Geraticai and after some humble beginnings, eventually sees a way to introduce herself to the Court, when she comes into contact with a wanted woman…

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Women Of Geratica And Geraticai: The Early Years Vol.2 (2023).

Geratica 4983 to 5004 and Geraticai 3933 to 3954.

This book chiefly chronicles the early working lives of Linda Radcliffe, Fiona and eventually Elizabeth Spencer.

It picks up at the exact point where volume one finished.

All three women are extremely ambitious and determined to get what they want - whether it be in the workplace, politically, or in their personal lives. The arch-traditionalist and indomitable Linda, the power-hungry Fiona and the sometimes radically minded Elizabeth.

The book shows how they all advance to the top, with the odd slip-up here and there, amid a whirlwind of sex, love and betrayal, bribery and corruption.

Eventually we see the first appearances of Alexandra Radcliffe, Gillian Spencer, and Tom Ryder, daughters and stepson of Linda, Elizabeth and Fiona respectively.

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The New Broom At Charterhouse College (2023).

Geratica 4982 to 4983.

 Angela Cook has just become Headmistress of Charterhouse College. Though a traditionalist, she disagrees with some of the practices and methods of punishment adopted by the ‘old-school’ mistresses and is determined to introduce a modernisation drive. Angela plans to root out the older mistresses who refuse to adapt to her reforms and feels that she has a majority of the younger ones on her side. But Mrs Cook will have to move gradually, as she has also made one or two enemies.

Then a dramatic event occurs, and Angela needs to call upon all the support which she can muster, to put things right.

A short story, available through Amazon.

The Book And The Ring (2019).

On Torka, Baroness Penelope Birkenwood has been the Brenosian ambassador to Genna for two years. Just before returning home she is visited by a member of the Council of Magic and told that of a dark spirit with an evil agenda at work in the world, looking to exploit divisions and create instability. Penelope is tasked with stopping it with the aid of a ring.

Meanwhile, George, young and inexperienced king of Brenos, is being urged my some of his advisers to marry Suzannah of Florinda, niece of King Francis of Amerton, and negotiations are taking place between the two countries. But doing this will involve a major change of foreign policy which others oppose. When Penelope - the love of his life - returns, they make a decision which turns everything upside down.

Korinth is engaged in a long running feud with Amerton, under its seemingly mad queen, Marilyn.

Penelope is cast on a journey in which she will need to use all her wits and diplomatic skills, to ease tensions between nations and prevent the dark spirit's power from taking hold and ultimately leading Torka to disaster...

'The Book And The Ring is an immersive and intricately woven work of fantasy. As with Anne Hampton's previous books, her skill with word-building is as nuanced as it is wide-reaching: from the first page we are introduced to a vibrant new world with a cast of characters who guide us through the story, using natural dialogue which successfully avoids being over-expository. The relevant themes of the book are dealt with tactfully and do not detract from the plot or risk becoming too political.'

- Stefanie Seaton, Editor, Austin Macauley Publishers.

Available through Amazon.

Torkan Tales (2019).

Two short stories relating to the planet Torka. This novrlette can be seen as a sequel to 'The Book And The Ring' - set four centuries later. They are followed by a short Torkan poem.

The first, introduces Padrik - a planet rich in minerals and essential to the economy of the Torkan Federation. The native workers who mine the minerals on rigs in the sea and live in townships are disgruntled at their settler masters who live in luxury in the walled city of Gorth. A protest movement has been set up. At the same time a monster is destroying the rigs and consuming people. But when Laura, an adjudicator from Torka is sent to mediate in the dispute, it turns out that there is more to her mission than she realized.

In the second, set on Torka, Carmen Carstairs buys a beautiful statuette of a lady, which turns out to contain a vindictive, manipulating spirit within it. This enables Carmen to travel within her own mind back to a moment in her life that she feels most aggrieved by, and extract personal retribution upon the person concerned. But others believe this to be a dangerous gift to grant and are determined to prevent Carmen carrying out her desire.

Available through Amazon.

The Spider And The Tigress (2020).

In November 1979, Constable Elaine Harding's husband, Ronald - a businessman - was murdered, leaving behind his wife and two children - Debbie and Luke. Six years later, the case remains a mystery and the culprit never found. Now a sergeant, Elaine is a strong woman and protective mother. She is very close to Luke, but Debbie resents what she feels is her mother's overbearing control. As the police investigate a drugs operation in the city and a fire at a nightclub, events concerning Elaine's own family begin to lead her towards a fateful encounter with a sinister and dangerous character...

Available through Amazon.

Alexandra Radcliffe.

The central character of the Geratica series. She is named in honour of Geratica's current monarch, Queen Alexandra, by her mother, Linda Radcliffe, Senior Court Administrator to the realm.

The Radcliffes live luxuriously in a five bedroom detached house - The Grange - at one end of a quiet hamlet - Elmsbrook, in the town of Greenacres. The hamlet is set in a private wood, and at the other end is another slightly smaller house - The Lodge.

Over the course of the series, we see Alexandra progressing from childhood to a woman. At first as a girl - very shy, nervous and lacking in confidence, despite her intelligence and tremendous beauty (tall with long blonde hair - though she will ultimately never grow beyond an inch short of Linda ) - she needs her indomitable mother's guidance and support. As a very young girl she had a stammer, which Linda helped her to overcome.

Linda Radcliffe is extremely strict and a very strong personality. She expects and demands total obedience and deference and if her daughter transgresses from the rule of her skirt, then she punishes her severely. Alexandra is rather dominated by her. She is though, on the whole an obedient and compliant girl and she is happy to follow her guidance and be told by her what to do. It makes her feel protected. Linda firmly believes that in the relationship between a mother and her child, the mother should naturally be the boss and this is very much the case for the Radcliffes. Linda often asserts that they are a partnership and discuss things together, but ultimately she makes final decisions and her daughter follows.

Alexandra is expected to help her mother with household tasks and does shopping errands. A couple of evenings a week she has to prepare supper before her mother gets home from work. Linda is gradually preparing Alexandra to become mistress of her own home, when the time comes.

It is usually quite obvious to Alexandra that her mother expects her to form the same conservative opinions as she has – and in general, often she does. But in one or two areas she takes a more liberal and progressive attitude (though she is very careful and diplomatic in expressing any contrary views – if indeed she does at all).

Alexandra dresses in a similar style to her mother.

Linda is also extremely affectionate and Alexandra loves to be in her arms. They have an exceptionally close (Fiona even once wryly remarks that Alexandra is married to her mother) and intimate relationship, and in private there are even occasions when Linda might go down fully atop of her daughter.

When Alexandra was five, her father, Robert Radcliffe, went missing in mysterious circumstances and is presumed dead, after apparently slipping and falling into the river that runs through Elmsbrook wood and being swept away by the strong current, on a stormy, wet day. He couldn't swim. There was only one witness, Fiona Clark, who lives at The Lodge and later began working as Linda's deputy at the Royal Palace. She said that it had all happened so fast that there was nothing she could do. A police investigation concluded that it was a case of accidental death. Linda accepted this. (Both Alexandra and her mother have always privately found the circumstances strange, though).

Linda obviously misses her husband - and having him with her in her bed. One night a week - normally after the first day of a weekend - Alexandra sleeps with her mother in the mistress bedroom at The Grange (an arrangement which they keep very private - although it isn't necessarily uncommon or taboo on Geratica ). They exchange affection and as Alexandra has got older, so their intimacy has increased - though it is nothing sexual, as this is not possible between same-sex Geraticans. Alexandra describes it as her mother 'taking her over' as Linda lies on top and smothers her daughter, giving her all her loving until Alexandra feels all of her senses taken over and the room spins around. She is particularly sensitive and the tingles and mild breathlessness that she experiences make her feel ecstasy. Alexandra absolutely loves the experience and Linda is pleased and proud to be able to give it to her.

Alexandra is very interested in Earth's history and culture. She often scans its musical archive and plays it on a machine in her bedroom. But she is also a keen student of Geratican classical music. Alexandra plays the piano to a high standard and her favourite Geratican composer is Philippa Barrington. (The above picture shows her playing at The Grange, during one of her mother's dinner parties).

Alexandra's best friend and confidante is Tom Ryder, the stepson of Fiona Clark, who is the same age as her and the only other child within the hamlet. They often meet and visit the wood together. She also finds the interest which his stepmother pays to her activities rather odd and sometimes unsettling.

Gradually, throughout the series, Alexandra gains in confidence and begins to make her mark (though remaining a slightly anxious person). She generally displays great wisdom and is sometimes the reluctant and even accidental heroine.

Alexandra eventually becomes a woman of some note and fame for her achievements.

The series opens with Alexandra aged fifteen, in her final year at Geratica's premier boarding school, Charterhouse College, which she attends as a day pupil.

She is beginning to feel the first signs of sexual arousal in the last year of her childhood and these are becoming more intense when she is with Tom in Elmsbrook. Alexandra is even having fantasies about making love to him. She is starting to subtly indicate her feelings when with Tom in the wood, though she isn't very confident.

Meanwhile one of Alexandra's contemporaries at Charterhouse, Gillian Spencer (a boarder), daughter of the headmistress, Elizabeth Spencer, has always teased and bullied her. She is Alexandra's greatest foe.

Gillian pressurises Alexandra into making a serious error of judgement which briefly gets her into trouble with the law. Linda has to step in and take control, in order to steer her daughter back on to the right road (after having first given her a severe reprimand and beating, with sanctions following).

Linda Radcliffe - Senior Court Administrator of Geratica.

Although her daughter, Alexandra, is the character upon which the Geratica series is based around, in many ways the heroine in the purest sense of the word is Linda Radcliffe. An extremely dominant and assertive woman, very conservative and traditionalist in her views and beliefs, she leads the way and it is often the strength, determination and sheer force of her personality which sees things through, and she who makes a decision on what to do in a crisis.

Linda is a matriarchal figure within her house (where she rules with a rod of iron). She believes in a traditional relationship between a woman and a man and expects them to be submissive to her (and sexually, she is particularly attracted to those who are shorter). In this she found her perfect man in Robert - though he is now sadly departed from her.

As Senior Court Administrator, working at the Royal Palace in Castra (capital region of Geratica), she is the most powerful person in realm, after the Queen herself. She refers to the administration department as 'her little empire'. She demands that things be done exactly as the Queen and herself wish.

Geratica is an absolute monarchist state and all of the Queen's legislation is administered by the court, which presents bills before parliament to be passed. This is the responsibility of Linda, as Senior Court Administrator. The state is not a dictatorship and parliament can read a bill and vote on it up to three times, with the court amending it as required if it is rejected on the first or second. If it should be rejected a third time, then it has to be withdrawn - and redrafted from scratch if necessary. But the Queen's will is usually respected and in the end most are passed and sent to her for ascent.

Over the years the equivalent women in Linda's position at court have always been closely involved with deciding on policy with their monarch. Most Queens rely upon them quite heavily for advice and tend to allow them a substantial input. It is them who draft the bills – including the crucial annual budget – though nothing is ever presented to parliament without a Queen's express approval. Sometimes she will request a policy be implemented herself. Her will is of great importance, and some have proved more 'hands on' than others.

Linda Radcliffe has been a confidante of Queen Alexandra since before she ascended to the throne – and they are essentially friends. Therefore they have a close working relationship. Linda is regarded as one of the most renowned court administrators in history, and thought to have a significant input to Court policy. Fewer bills have been rejected by parliament during her tenure than for any of her predecessors – largely due to her skill and efficiency and her dominance in the final debates. Since becoming responsible for Geratica's annual budget, its economy has grown significantly. Staunchly conservative, Linda can in fact be pragmatic enough to adapt slightly to change, when she sees that it must happen. She generally takes an open-minded view on sexual matters, so long as they happen strictly within the law and by consent.

Linda is known almost  as 'Mrs Radcliffe' by those who work for her and has a fearsome reputation amongst some in the Queendom. She also can have an explosive temper when crossed and many prefer to stay on the right side of her. Supremely confident of herself, she will seldom admit to having made a mistake (nor indeed to having ever done so in the past). This can occasionally make her come across as boastful (perhaps even arrogant), which combined with the forcefulness of her personality can annoy people. But those who know her best often see it as part of her charm. In fact she has a very good sense of humour and quite a sharp wit and when in company can be very entertaining. Dinner parties hosted by her are usually quite convivial affairs.

A strong disciplinarian, Linda is a particularly strict mother to Alexandra. The rule of her skirt is wide and she demands total obedience and deference. Naturally, she uses traditional methods of punishment when necessary, and they are severe. However, Linda is also extremely affectionate and her relationship with Alexandra is built upon a combination of strict discipline, love and protection. They are exceptionally close and intimate. Linda has even found that she and her daughter can communicate by just using their eyes, sometimes with the addition of their fingers. 

Linda is very well paid for her job - money is an incentive to her- and being very shrewd in savings and investments, is quite a wealthy woman. The Radcliffes live luxuriously in a five bedroom detached house - The Grange - at one end of a quiet hamlet - Elmsbrook, in the town of Greenacres. The hamlet is set in a private wood, and at the other end is another slightly smaller house - The Lodge.

Linda is quite an accomplished cook and likes fine food and drink. Both she and her daughter enjoy music and theatre, and often go to classical music concerts. They are not though, fond participators in the art of dancing.

Still a beautiful woman in her mid-forties, tall and slim with blonde hair to just above her shoulders, Linda dresses in traditional clothing for the period. At home she will wear a blouse or jumper and skirt, whilst at work a skirt suit and neck bow. (The standard attire for women working in the professions is this, or a a smart dress). At a social event she will often be seen in a glamorous dress (sometimes with gloves).

Linda is a keen exponent of Crown Green Bowling and captains the local team, Greenacres Town, during the summer weeks. Since Alexandra started partnering her (three seasons ago at the start of the series), the team have won the Castra League Division One Championship each year. She is highly competitive.

At the beginning of the series, Linda is revealed to have fallen in love with Queen Alexandra's personal chauffeur, James Spencer (and him with her). He is the wife of Elizabeth Spencer, headmistress of Charterhouse College. Mrs Spencer has views on 'male rights' and what should be done to change the Geratican gender balance, which Linda very strongly disagrees with. She knows that James is unhappy with Elizabeth and would like to leave her, but also that Elizabeth is unlikely to allow a divorce. Having been previously happily married and a natural Geratican woman, with a healthy sexual appetite, Linda naturally misses making love to a man - which she regards as the greatest pleasure that a woman can enjoy, particularly with one who is fully available and submissive to her desires.

Fiona Clark - Court Administrator of Geratica.

The stepmother of Tom Ryder since he was five, when she married his father, Colin Clark, widower of Jane Ryder.

As the series begins, Fiona is the most mysterious character. A tall woman in her early forties, with long dark hair and green eyes, she lives at The Lodge. Little is known about her, except that she seems to be the only person who can explain what happened to Robert Radcliffe (though Alexandra often privately wonders whether there is more to the story than she tells). Fiona also seems to take a huge interest in Alexandra's activities (which she finds odd and at times a little unsettling).

She works at the Royal Palace as Court Administrator (under Linda Radcliffe who was made Senior Court Administrator upon her appointment about a decade ago. There is sometimes a personality clash as Fiona is almost as assertive and bossy as Linda and there are disputes over who should take responsibility for certain projects. Linda was always used to having complete control herself and jealously guards it. Under the later arrangement, she has overall responsibility for the entire palace staff is in charge day to day of the court administration department (meaning she retains responsibility for Geratica's annual budget and the court's major business) whilst Fiona is responsible for the Queen's personal courtiers, domestic staff, caterers and the palace receptionists.

Fiona generally has a cooler temper than Linda. She has a sense of humour and can sometimes use it in a way which she knows will rile Linda. Both are not averse to manipulating a situation to their own advantage (and Fiona sometimes seems to get particular satisfaction at gaining an advantage over Linda).

They certainly don't disagree over everything though, and on many of the major affairs of state, Fiona is at least as politically conservative in her views as Linda. She despises socialism - even once remarking that she would like to have anybody of that persuasion lined up against the palace wall and shot.

Despite her conservative outlook, at The Lodge, (whilst being a dominant mistress of the house and wife to Colin), in terms of discipline, as a stepmother to Tom, Fiona is surprisingly much more liberal than Linda is to Alexandra. Tom has apparently only ever been caned by her once - though that one occasion had proved to be a very savage beating. (Again, Alexandra finds this a slightly strange response from Fiona, as to her mind the offence seemed relatively minor).

Like Linda, Fiona has a lot of money (which she is strongly motivated by) and is skilled at knowing what to do with it. But she also likes to enjoy her wealth in lavish style, regularly frequenting clubs and bars to gamble on the tables and at cards (where she sometimes makes more money) and visiting massage parlours (where she makes love to escort men - unbeknown to her husband). Sometimes these activities are combined.

When Fiona makes love to her husband, she is fond of handcuffing him to the headboard. When in the bedroom, Colin calls her 'Mistress.'

She dresses highly glamorously. At a club she will wear one of a number of fabulous gowns. When at work she can often be seen walking around the Royal Palace in a long black flowing dress – which matches her long dark hair.

Elizabeth Spencer - Headmistress of Charterhouse College.

Seen as the main opponent to Linda Radcliffe in the first book, Elizabeth (at that time an attractive blonde woman, aged thirty six) is the headmistress of Charterhouse College. She has also recently become more and more passionate in her belief that men should become more prominent in Geratican society, and has radical ideas about how to try and achieve this. These views are considered highly controversial and have set her on a collision course with many traditionalists - of which Alexandra Radcliffe's mother, Linda, is an extremely vocal member. She finds it difficult to get along with some of these people – particularly the women - and can allow her temper to get the better of her judgement. Elizabeth Spencer's desire to have a relationship which more reflects her own views on the subject is also starting to cause problems in her marriage. James Spencer prefers to be a more traditional man.

Elizabeth is in addition convinced that boys should be formally educated in the same way that girls are, and has established two schools which will specifically do this.

She has always been sceptical of the theory that should the head of state ever not be a Queen, then 'the Divine Being' will automatically abandon Geratica and condemn her world to destruction. In fact, she is convinced that it is nonsense.

Initially a scientist, Elizabeth's career stalled and she instead embarked upon a teaching career which saw her becoming a science mistress at Charterhouse. The irony is that she has never been greatly fond of children – especially girls - but that was the path she ended up following. In truth she was never the best of mistresses either, often being too impatient with girls who struggled to understand her subject and too quick to lose her temper badly when any of them misbehaved in her lessons. She had a reputation for sometimes being a little over-zealous with her cane in relieving her frustration and once almost got into trouble for doing so. Despite this she was made head of the department – she was actually the best qualified in the subject of all the science mistresses.

Then eventually, a year before her own daughter started in the seniors, she became the headmistress. Hers was a somewhat controversial appointment in some parts of the college – several of the mistresses, including some department heads considered her to be unsuitable for the post – but she was on good personal terms with some members of the board of governors who ensured that she was given the position. It also helped that Elizabeth has always had an ability to assess whether a person might be susceptible to bribery. The chairwoman did indeed prove to be one such person. A generous personal payment was offered and accepted.

Elizabeth does believe very strongly in traditional discipline, and there are many occasions when she feels fully justified in punishing the girls who genuinely transgress in the college – and that most other people would agree. However, she personally disliked some of the girls who she used to teach before becoming the headmistress. The tiresome little brats caused her no end of headaches. In one or two cases she also had issues with their haughtily mannered mothers. Though sometimes a perfectly charming and agreeable woman, there is also a spiteful, vengeful, and even occasionally sadistic side to her nature when she is crossed, and once she gained the run of the college and Gillian is in the seniors she began to engage her daughter in ploys to get the relevant girls to do things which would give her the chance to punish them and act as her eyes and ears by reporting any instances or evidence of mischief to her. She also wanted Gillian to undermine the authority of certain mistresses by causing a lot of trouble in their classes, in order to give her the excuse to say that they were incompetent and incapable – and then get rid of them, to be replaced by ones who would not give her problems and let her run the college how she saw fit, politically. To a degree these activities have continued as her daughter has progressed through each year.

Gillian, who is the only child that she has from her marriage to James (now Queen Alexandra's personal chauffeur, based at the Royal Palace) was not planned (a fact that Elizabeth kept secret), but once she had been born, Elizabeth had been determined that only the best would do for her in everything which is part of the reason why she has been so badly spoilt. Also, whilst never flinching in her duty or desire to cane girls at the college for any perceived bad behaviour, paradoxically she never feels able to apply the same measure to her own daughter in any part of life. As part of their deal at Charterhouse, in return for helping her, Elizabeth turns a blind eye to any activities which Gillian is directing herself. She has ordered all of the mistresses that as the headmistress's daughter they are not to rebuke or discipline her in any way, claiming that she will discipline her privately for any mischief (though of course she never genuinely does in reality). This has caused a bit of resentment in some quarters and as result Gillian is a tearaway. Their family home is also in Greenacres – on the other side of town to the Radcliffes.  Elizabeth is by no means as wealthy as Linda Radcliffe and it is a more modest abode, but she still earns a reasonable salary and they are comfortable. Elizabeth also plays Crown Green Bowls for Greenacres All-Comers - the rivals of Greenacres Town (and has a similar competitive relationship with Linda Radcliffe).

Elizabeth feels very strongly about certain things and is perhaps a bit of a rebel. Her heart is sometimes in the right place. She means well, but unfortunately often undermines the position of herself or the cause she believes in by taking vindictive or vengeful actions. She is a woman who is sometimes minded to use physical force to gain retribution - not just within Charterhouse, but in the outside world as well.

Elizabeth Spencer is a very political person and certainly seems to be pivoting towards radicalism, regarding the issue of male rights. But in many areas, despite her rebellious tendencies her heart is actually more conservative. Although she might have her differences with Linda Radcliffe on gender equality and resent any criticism from her over the way she runs Charterhouse, Elizabeth might also privately concede that Mrs Radcliffe is doing quite a good job as Senior Court Administrator. However, the jury is still out on precisely where her political opinions will solidify. For as long as conservative Geratican society maintains current attitudes towards the role of men, then Elizabeth will not support it.

As the series begins, the Radcliffes and the Spencers are heading on a collision course. Elizabeth wants Gillian to undermine Alexandra Radcliffe's reputation - both for personal reasons and political ones too within Charterhouse. But this will unwittingly uncover a much bigger scandal. At the same time she is becoming involved with the 'Male Rights Protestors' group and also growing suspicious of her husband's close working relationship with Linda Radcliffe, at the Royal Palace.

In fact, she and James now also have a rather unsatisfactory sex life. Perhaps somewhat in line with her desire for men to have a more dominant role within society, Elizabeth's preferences (and fantasies) have increasingly changed to wanting her husband on top. It is unusual for this to be the favourite sexual position of a Geratican woman, rather than the opposite way around - and James is not comfortable with the one that it puts him in, as a result.

Queen Alexandra Of Geratica.

Geratica's monarch for the last eleven years - ably advised and assisted chiefly by her senior court administrator, Linda Radcliffe (whose own daughter she named in honour of the then Princess Alexandra).

Queen Alexandra is a warm natured, friendly young woman, with an empathetic quality that her court administrator has successfully sold to the Geratican people. When the Queen is on official engagements throughout Geratica, Linda has initiated a tradition whereby if appropriate, she gives ‘walkabouts’, meeting the subjects of her realm. The senior court administrator marshals these events with a firm hand, and they have proved extremely popular.

But Queen Alexandra is also quietly assertive and has proved it on occasions during her reign, when she feels particularly strongly about something. She makes sure that her subjects in parliament are in no doubt about who is in charge of her Queendom, when necessary.

Geratica is an absolute monarchist state and all of the Queen's legislation is administered by the court, which presents bills before parliament to be passed. The state is not a dictatorship and parliament can read a bill and vote on it up to three times, with the court amending it as required if it is rejected on the first or second. If it should be rejected a third time, then it has to be withdrawn - and redrafted from scratch if necessary. But the Queen's will is usually respected and in the end most are passed and sent to her for ascent.

Over the years Court Administrators (or their equivalent) have always been closely involved with deciding on policy with their monarch. Most Queens rely upon them quite heavily for advice and tend to allow them a substantial input. It is them who draft the bills – including the crucial annual budget – though nothing is ever presented to parliament without a Queen's express approval. Sometimes she will request that a policy be implemented herself. Her will is of great importance, and some have proved more 'hands on' than others.

Her reign has been largely successful and popular, but storm clouds may be looming ahead. Gradually, calls for reform are growing – from the issue of male rights, to the economy and even maybe the constitution itself.

Geratica's monarch must always be a Queen, therefore the succession is a crucially important matter. Queen Alexandra has not yet married. She has suitors, but - wishing to marry for love – she does not want to be rushed into anything.

Tom Ryder.

Fiona Clark's stepson and Alexandra's best friend since he first arrived in Elmsbrook (ten years ago as the series begins). Boys are not formally educated on Geratica, though Fiona has taught him some basic skills and he is reasonably intelligent.

He and Alexandra are very close confidantes, discussing many things together - including the death of Alexandra's father and Fiona's odd interest in her activities. He sympathises with her thoughts over these, being a little unsure of Fiona himself sometimes, but since she is his stepmother, also naturally feels a loyalty towards her.

Both Tom and Alexandra are developing more advanced romantic feelings for each other – though not yet openly. He is considered a very handsome boy and Alexandra finds him extremely desirable. But she is shy and not yet confident enough to initiate anything. She hopes too that Tom also finds her attractive...

Though he is not yet of adult age, he works part time hours at the Sackville Estate, local to Greenacres as a trainee gardener, and general labourer..

Throughout the series Tom often proves to have wise counsel for Alexandra, and being somewhat less naturally confident and assertive than most average Geratican females, she finds his support very valuable.

James Spencer - Personal Chauffeur to Queen Alexandra of Geratica.

A likeable and jovial man, James Spencer is Queen Alexandra's personal chauffeur, based at the Royal Palace.

He is also the husband of Elizabeth Spencer, the headmistress of Charterhouse College and father of Gillian. The Spencers' marriage is not a happy one, principally because Elizabeth increasingly wants their relationship to reflect her views on greater gender equality. He much prefers a traditional marriage where the woman led and took control. Since gaining his position at the palace three years ago, he has had quite a lot of contact with Linda Radcliffe (a woman nine years his senior, whenever his services are required to drive Queen Alexandra to an official engagement. They plan out a suitable route – and Mrs Radcliffe is in charge of the whole operation, right up until the Queen is safely returned home. They get on extremely well – so well in fact that he has felt able to discuss his marital problems with her. She sympathises with his position completely and he is in no doubt that if he was with her, Linda would dominate in the traditional fashion – and almost certainly even more than most other women. He is falling in love, knowing that she is a widow and is possibly looking for love again herself (and he can't help dreaming of what it might be like to have enjoyable sex again – with Linda on top, rather than Elizabeth's more recent preference for being beneath).

In fact, Linda has been gently trying to hint that she does have similar feelings and might be interested in being with him (should he be free) – though she hasn't fully come on at him yet. However, he is nervous of tackling Elizabeth over the possibility of a separation, and also knows that she will not grant him a divorce.

Benita Davis.

Alexandra's best friend at Charterhouse. Benita Davis has quite a strong, confident personality and an ability to lead others. She often acts as a sort of unofficial minder to Alexandra - and despises Gillian Spencer.

Her personality at its most dominant, can clash particularly with that of one of her other Charterhouse contemporaries – Imelda Thomas.

Benita is a gifted mathematician and is proving to have an excellent head for business. She is making confident assertions about where she sees herself going in terms of a career. Some are impressed and believe that 'Young Miss Davis,' could be going to go far...

Imelda Thomas.

Another of Alexandra's contemporaries at Charterhouse. Whilst there, Imelda Thomas has a close friend in Rachel Cuthbert. They have a habit of finishing each other’s sentences.

More of a language scholar, there are a couple of career paths that she might choose, but whichever, she is just as ambitious as Benita – who she has something of a personality clash with.

Geratican men should perhaps be on their guard though. As she matures into a woman, Imelda has rather a roving eye. It is already quite obvious to her peers that she finds some men irresistible and Imelda herself has declared an intention to enjoy to the full as many as possible once she is an adult. This may eventually get her into some hot water...

Robert Radcliffe.

Linda Radcliffe's first husband, Robert Radcliffe went missing in mysterious circumstances and is presumed dead, after apparently slipping and falling into the river that runs through Elmsbrook wood and being swept away by the strong current, on a stormy, wet day. He couldn't swim. There was only one witness, Fiona Clark, who lives at The Lodge and later began working as Linda's deputy at the Royal Palace. She said that it had all happened so fast that there was nothing she could do. A police investigation concluded that it was a case of accidental death. But both Linda and Alexandra have privately always found it strange that he would have gone anywhere near the river – particularly on such a day.

Robert was a mongrel – he had no parents of his own.. His existence – and that of all those who had preceded him – remained a mystery to everybody. He had suddenly appeared in the town of Rushmore as a boy, and was drawn towards an elderly woman, Fanny, who was another of his kind and had somehow anticipated his arrival (as generally seemed to be the case on such occurrences, though they were by then happening seldomly). She had taken him in, and he had found work as a miner. He had eventually met Linda, and it was shortly after Fanny died that they had married. Latterly the few mongrels left had married standard Geraticans, and he had been believed to be the last of his kind on their world when he died.

He was a very submissive man, which Linda (being a dominant woman) liked – and still does. He was also slightly shorter and her pet name for him was actually 'My little man.'

Robert had been a miner, before becoming an oil rig worker at Linda's instigation, not long before his death.

Alexandra's birth five years before had been a joy to him, and he is obviously still much missed by her and his widow.

Gillian Spencer.

A rather nasty natured girl, Gillian Spencer is a big rival and arch foe of Alexandra Radcliffe. Very intelligent academically, but also extremely competitive, she hates anybody else doing better than her. She often comes top, but so sometimes does Alexandra. Being extremely shy and nervous, Gillian finds it easy to bully and intimidate her. Alexandra is frightened of Gillian.

Gillian's mother (the headmistress of Charterhouse College, Elizabeth Spencer), never planned to have her. But once she was born, Elizabeth was determined that she would lack for nothing – and as a result has been badly spoilt. Elizabeth takes advantage of her sly nature, to serve purposes which benefit and satisfy her personally at Charterhouse. But when at the start of the series, Gillian attempts to discredit Alexandra's reputation by trapping her into making a serious error of judgement, she finds that she has bitten off more than she can chew, and Elizabeth is horrified as a major scandal begins to unravel...

Colin Clark.

The husband of Fiona Clark and father of Tom Ryder, Colin Clark is a delivery driver and a somewhat weak man, who really needs a woman in the traditional Geratican sense. The early part of volume two of the first chronicle, goes back and reveals some of Fiona's past. We briefly see how before she became Court Administrator at the Royal Palace, she was Head Chef. Fiona meets Colin when he is making deliveries there. She invited him out on a date and then goes with him to his home where she first encounters Tom and finds that Colin lives in a state of near chaos. His late wife, Jane Ryder, used to deal with everything.

Fiona immediately straightens out his financial accounts, then makes love to him ferociously in a way that Colin has always dreamed of. The following morning she proposes marriage, and with lightning speed this happens and they are all within The Lodge together.

Colin rather stays in the background and is rarely with Fiona at social events. She dominates him and they have a particularly healthy sex life – where he generally loses control very quickly. The prequel to the main series. 'The Time Guardians Of Geratica And Geraticai' shows him to be handcuffed to the headboard during this activity and he calls Fiona 'Mistress,' when in the bedroom.

Queen Victoria of Geraticai.

A despotic ruler and a tyrant to her people (in the manner of most Geraticaian monarchs - and without any parliamentary system of governance), Queen Victoria hates the parallel world of Geratica, viewing it (erroneously, as many have traditionally done before her) as an inferior copy of Geraticai.

She gained the throne before the age of sixteen, in place of her sister, Princess Mary, who tragically died just moments before their mother, Queen Margaret. Very spoilt as a young girl, she has retained a habit of stamping her foot to get her way, and sometimes throws tantrums when angered. (Her rise to the throne and early period as Queen are described in more detail in the prequel to the series, 'The Time Guardians Of Geratica and Geraticai').

A short, well built young woman, with fair hair, who wears voluminous skirts, Victoria nevertheless has an extremely long geratis, which she boasts is the biggest in her queendom. Despite having a voracious sexual appetite, she has not yet managed to secure an heir and the problem appears to be that her husband, Prince Edward, is unable to have children.

Added to this difficulty is the fact that Queen Victoria's lavish (and corrupt) personal lifestyle has bankrupted the queendom, and to make matters worse a terrible disease recently spread through its subjects, killing many. An antidote was eventually found, but unfortunately, apart from the Queen and Prince George, the entire Geraticaian nobility (a number of whom had been having elicit affairs with 'commoners', amongst whom the disease was most rampant) are now completely wiped out.

Not wishing to copulate with a commoner from her own world for fear of catching a disease of some kind, the Queen launches an audacious plan to finally establish the heir that she desperately needs, which involves making use of somebody from Geratica. Once this is accomplished, the final part of the plan will, Victoria hopes, see Geratica destroyed forever and Geraticai (as she sees it) restored to its rightful position as the one true planet.

Daniella Sturridge.

Initially Queen Victoria's deputy Lady Chancellor, Daniella gains the senior position on a temporary basis whilst the incumbent is away on a secret mission.

Later when Geraticai is in a political power vacuum, she attempts to govern. But the situation is very unstable, with a succession of new leaders taking power. After a way is found to travel safely from one world to the other, Daniella (who often seems more amenable to the Geraticans than some of her race) ends up (largely by accident) on Geratica and seeks asylum. This is accepted and she works at the court of Queen Alexandra for a while.

Eventually Daniella goes back to Geraticai and becomes their first prime minister, though she will face some challenges from within...

The Mistress Of Geratica.

A mystical being of tremendous power, she created the world of Geratica based on her ideals. The planet's core is her – a live dominant female sex. Originally known as 'The Divine Being' by the inhabitants of Geratica and Geraticai, they all feel her presence in their minds. With both worlds having become aware of the other through scanning techniques, they believe that something must have happened at the core to produce a parallel world – though they are not sure what. Each also believes that its head of state must be a Queen and that if this should ever not be so, then The Divine Being will leave and their world end as a result.

Matters ultimately come to a head when (having herself concluded that something is wrong) the being suddenly appears before all of the people as a huge blue figure of a woman, which has the effect of brining both worlds together, with her rising above a chasm between them. A clearly powerful personality, she commands to be known as ‘The Mistress.’

Gradually The Mistress begins to solve the mystery – with the aid of deductions from Alexandra Radcliffe, who she has identified as somebody special.

After this, Linda and Alexandra Radcliffe have a unique bond with the Mistress. She appears again from time to time when there is an urgent need for her help, or a threat to the security of her worlds (including the sequel to the series, ‘The Robots Of Ruthamon’).

Angela Cook.

The Rovers housemistress when Linda Radcliffe was at Charterhouse College. A traditional Geratican mistress with regard to teaching methods and discipline, Mrs Cook believes in being strict and firm, with a reputation for a sharp tongue and particularly effective usage of her cane when necessary (that can cause a girl to flinch or yelp at the short, sharp shock – the mistress is renowned for the subtleness of her actions and the speed of her delivery, sometimes beating a girl more than once before she’s barely even realized that the cane is in her hand), and whom they might sometimes fear and always ultimately respect – but not in being unfair or nasty. She strongly disapproves of the ‘old school’ type of mistress, who sometimes seems to take sadistic pleasure out of disciplining girls for even the most trivial of offences and humiliating them. Angela favours the more progressive approach, of being a little more concerned with the girls’ individual welfare and personalities sometimes. She often sees the role of housemistress as being like a mother to the girls in her charge, during the time when they are at Charterhouse. Angela does not have any children herself, being medically unable to.

Mrs Cook is generally well respected by the girls at Charterhouse, some of whom feel that she understands them, and is on their side if they have problems, including those with other mistresses. The Rovers housemistress would privately prefer to say that she doesn’t like to see girls unfairly treated and tries her best to help them if she can, but there is only so much which she can do, as it is a mistress’s prerogative how she conducts a lesson once the classroom door is closed. She is a mistress and still believes that there needs to be some divide between them and the girls.

Angela is also slightly ambivalent in her attitude towards the whip (which is still held by Geratican schools at this time, for the punishment of the gravest offences).

Beryl Heeley.

A geography mistress of mature years, when Linda Radcliffe was at Charterhouse. Miss Heeley is one of the ‘old school’ type of mistresses, who often takes sadistic pleasure out of disciplining girls for even the most trivial of offences and humiliating them. She has made an enemy of Mrs Cook, the Rovers housemistress, and hates her. Beryl is very interested in the ‘fine arts’ of discipline. She is a virgin, and at one point actually confesses to Linda (who is Head Girl at the time) that whilst she was never interested in carnal passion, she believes that the feeling a mistress can get when disciplining a girl, might be comparable to that which a sexually charged woman gets when making love to a man.

A vindictive and vengeful woman with a nasty temper, when somebody breaks into and vandalises her chambers, Beryl instantly believes a girl in one of her classes to be responsible and wants to personally punish her. When the culprit eventually confesses and she is then permitted to punish her with a horsewhipping in the headmistress’s study, her actions prove over-zealous. Miss Heeley subsequently finds herself in conflict with Mrs Cook (who was furious that she’d been allowed to do it herself in the first place), Linda and the girl herself…

Alexandra Radcliffe. (The 'Geratica' series).

The central character of the Geratica series. She is named in honour of Geratica's current monarch, Queen Alexandra, by her mother, Linda Radcliffe, Senior Court Administrator to the realm.

The Radcliffes live luxuriously in a five bedroom detached house - The Grange - at one end of a quiet hamlet - Elmsbrook, in the town of Greenacres. The hamlet is set in a private wood, and at the other end is another slightly smaller house - The Lodge.

Over the course of the series, we see Alexandra progressing from childhood to a woman. At first as a girl - very shy, nervous and lacking in confidence, despite her intelligence and tremendous beauty (tall with long blonde hair - though she will ultimately never grow beyond an inch short of Linda ) - she needs her indomitable mother's guidance and support. As a very young girl she had a stammer, which Linda helped her to overcome.

Linda Radcliffe is extremely strict and a very strong personality. She expects and demands total obedience and deference and if her daughter transgresses from the rule of her skirt, then she punishes her severely. Alexandra is rather dominated by her. She is though, on the whole an obedient and compliant girl and she is happy to follow her guidance and be told by her what to do. It makes her feel protected. Linda firmly believes that in the relationship between a mother and her child, the mother should naturally be the boss and this is very much the case for the Radcliffes. Linda often asserts that they are a partnership and discuss things together, but ultimately she makes final decisions and her daughter follows.

Alexandra is expected to help her mother with household tasks and does shopping errands. A couple of evenings a week she has to prepare supper before her mother gets home from work. Linda is gradually preparing Alexandra to become mistress of her own home, when the time comes.

It is usually quite obvious to Alexandra that her mother expects her to form the same conservative opinions as she has – and in general, often she does. But in one or two areas she takes a more liberal and progressive attitude (though she is very careful and diplomatic in expressing any contrary views – if she does at all).

Alexandra dresses in a similar style to her mother.

Linda is also extremely affectionate and Alexandra loves to be in her arms. They have an exceptionally close (Fiona even once wryly remarks that Alexandra is married to her mother) and intimate relationship, and in private there are even occasions when Linda might go down fully atop of her daughter.

When Alexandra was five, her father, Robert Radcliffe, went missing in mysterious circumstances and is presumed dead, after apparently slipping and falling into the river that runs through Elmsbrook wood and being swept away by the strong current, on a stormy, wet day. He couldn't swim. There was only one witness, Fiona Clark, who lives at The Lodge and later began working as Linda's deputy at the Royal Palace. She said that it had all happened so fast that there was nothing she could do. A police inquiry concluded that it was a case of accidental death. Linda accepted this. (Both Alexandra and her mother have always privately found the circumstances strange, though).

Linda obviously misses her husband - and having him with her in her bed. One night a week - normally after the first day of a weekend - Alexandra sleeps with her mother in the mistress bedroom at The Grange (an arrangement which they keep very private - though it isn't necessarily uncommon or taboo on Geratica). They exchange affection and as Alexandra has got older, so their intimacy has increased - though it is nothing sexual, as this is not possible between same-sex Geraticans. Alexandra describes it as her mother 'taking her over' as Linda lies on top and smothers her daughter, giving her all her loving until Alexandra feels all of her senses taken over and the room spins around. She is particularly sensitive and the tingles and mild breathlessness that she experiences make her feel ecstasy. Alexandra absolutely loves the experience and Linda is pleased and proud to be able to give it to her.

Alexandra is very interested in Earth's history and culture. She often scans its musical archive and plays it on a machine in her bedroom. But she is also a keen student of Geratican classical music. Alexandra plays the piano to a high standard and her favourite Geratican composer is Philippa Barrington. (The above picture shows her playing at The Grange, during one of her mother's dinner parties).

Alexandra's best friend and confidante is Tom Ryder, the stepson of Fiona Clark, who is the same age as her and the only other child within the hamlet. They often meet and visit the wood together. She also finds the interest which his stepmother pays to her activities rather odd and sometimes unsettling.

Gradually, throughout the series, Alexandra gains in confidence and begins to make her mark (though remaining a slightly anxious person). She generally displays great wisdom and is sometimes the reluctant and even accidental heroine.

Alexandra eventually becomes a woman of some note and fame for her achievements.

The series opens with Alexandra aged fifteen, in her final year at Geratica's premier boarding school, Charterhouse College, which she attends as a day pupil.

She is beginning to feel the first signs of sexual arousal in the last year of her childhood and these are becoming more intense when she is with Tom in Elmsbrook. Alexandra is even having fantasies about making love to him. She is starting to subtly indicate her feelings when with Tom in the wood, though she isn't very confident.

Meanwhile one of Alexandra's contemporaries at Charterhouse, Gillian Spencer (a boarder), daughter of the headmistress, Elizabeth Spencer, has always teased and bullied her. She is Alexandra's greatest foe.

Gillian pressurises Alexandra into making a serious error of judgement which briefly gets her into trouble with the law. Linda has to step in and take control, in order to steer her daughter back on to the right road (after having first given her a severe reprimand and beating, with sanctions following).

Linda Radcliffe. (The 'Geratica' series).

Although her daughter, Alexandra, is the character upon which the Geratica series is based around, in many ways the heroine in the purest sense of the word is Linda Radcliffe. An extremely dominant and assertive woman, very conservative and traditionalist in her views and beliefs, she leads the way and it is often the strength, determination and sheer force of her personality which sees things through, and she who makes a decision on what to do in a crisis.

Linda is a matriarchal figure within her house (where she rules with a rod of iron). She believes in a traditional relationship between a woman and a man and expects them to be submissive to her (and sexually, she is particularly attracted to those who are shorter). In this she found her perfect man in Robert - though he is now sadly departed from her.

As Senior Court Administrator, working at the Royal Palace in Castra (capital region of Geratica), she is the most powerful person in realm, after the Queen herself. She refers to the administration department as 'her little empire'. She demands that things be done exactly as the Queen and herself wish.

Geratica is an absolute monarchist state and all of the Queen's legislation is administered by the court, which presents bills before parliament to be passed. This is the responsibility of Linda, as Senior Court Administrator. The state is not a dictatorship and parliament can read a bill and vote on it up to three times, with the court amending it as required if it is rejected on the first or second. If it should be rejected a third time, then it has to be withdrawn - and redrafted from scratch if necessary. But the Queen's will is usually respected and in the end most are passed and sent to her for ascent.

Over the years the equivalent women in Linda's position at court have always been closely involved with deciding on policy with their monarch. Most Queens rely upon them quite heavily for advice and tend to allow them a substantial input. It is them who draft the bills – including the crucial annual budget – though nothing is ever presented to parliament without a Queen's express approval. Sometimes she will request that a policy be implemented herself. Her will is of great importance, and some have proved more 'hands on' than others.

Linda Radcliffe has been a confidante of Queen Alexandra since before she ascended to the throne – and they are essentially friends. Therefore they have a close working relationship. Linda is regarded as one of the most renowned court administrators in history, and thought to have a significant input to Court policy. Fewer bills have been rejected by parliament during her tenure than for any of her predecessors – largely due to her skill and efficiency and her dominance in the final debates. Since becoming responsible for Geratica's annual budget, its economy has grown significantly. Staunchly conservative, Linda can in fact be pragmatic enough to adapt slightly to change, when she sees that it must happen. She generally takes an open-minded view on sexual matters, so long as they happen strictly within the law and by consent.

Linda is known as 'Mrs Radcliffe' by those who work for her and has a fearsome reputation amongst some in the Queendom. She also can have an explosive temper when crossed (the above picture shows her in one such mood) and many prefer to stay on the right side of her. Supremely confident of herself she will seldom admit to having made a mistake (nor indeed to having ever done so in the past). This can occasionally make her come across as boastful (perhaps even arrogant), which combined with the forcefulness of her personality can annoy people. But those who know her best often see it as part of her charm. In fact she has a very good sense of humour and quite a sharp wit and when in company can be very entertaining. Dinner parties hosted by her are usually quite convivial affairs.

A strong disciplinarian, Linda is a particularly strict mother to Alexandra. The rule of her skirt is wide and she demands total obedience and deference. Naturally, she uses traditional methods of punishment when necessary, and they are severe. However, Linda is also extremely affectionate and her relationship with Alexandra is built upon a combination of strict discipline, love and protection. They are exceptionally close and intimate. Linda has even found that she and her daughter can communicate by just using their eyes, sometimes with the addition of their fingers. 

Linda is very well paid for her job - money is an incentive to her - and being very shrewd in savings and investments, is quite a wealthy woman. The Radcliffes live luxuriously in a five bedroom detached house - The Grange - at one end of a quiet hamlet - Elmsbrook, in the town of Greenacres. The hamlet is set in a private wood, and at the other end is another slightly smaller house - The Lodge.

Linda is quite an accomplished cook and likes fine food and drink. Both she and her daughter enjoy music and theatre, and often go to classical music concerts. They are not though, fond participators in the art of dancing.

Still a beautiful woman in her mid-forties, tall and slim with blonde hair to just above her shoulders, Linda dresses in traditional clothing for the period. At home she will wear a blouse or jumper and skirt, whilst at work a skirt suit and neck bow. (The standard attire for women working in the professions is this, or a a smart dress). At a social event she will often be seen in a glamorous dress (sometimes with gloves).

Linda is a keen exponent of Crown Green Bowling and captains the local team, Greenacres Town, during the summer weeks. Since Alexandra started partnering her (three seasons ago at the start of the series), the team have won the Castra League Division One Championship each year. She is highly competitive.

At the beginning of the series, Linda is revealed to have fallen in love with Queen Alexandra's personal chauffeur, James Spencer (and him with her). He is the wife of Elizabeth Spencer, headmistress of Charterhouse College. Mrs Spencer has views on 'male rights' and what should be done to change the Geratican gender balance, which Linda very strongly disagrees with. She knows that James is unhappy with Elizabeth and would like to leave her, but also that Elizabeth is unlikely to allow a divorce. Having been previously happily married to Robert who she very much misses, and a natural Geratican woman, with a healthy sexual appetite, Linda naturally misses making love to a man - which she regards as the greatest pleasure that a woman can enjoy, particularly with one who is fully available and submissive to her desires.

Elizabeth Spencer. (The 'Geratica' series).

In her fight for greater gender equality on Geratica, Elizabeth Spencer might be considered a heroine to some.

Seen as the main opponent to Linda Radcliffe in the first book, Elizabeth (at that time an attractive blonde woman, aged thirty six) is the headmistress of Charterhouse College. She has also recently become more and more passionate in her belief that men should become more prominent in Geratican society, and has radical ideas about how to try and achieve this. These views are considered highly controversial and have set her on a collision course with many traditionalists - of which Alexandra Radcliffe's mother, Linda, is an extremely vocal member. She finds it difficult to get along with some of these people – particularly the women - and can allow her temper to get the better of her judgement. Elizabeth Spencer's desire to have a relationship which more reflects her own views on the subject is also starting to cause problems in her marriage. James Spencer prefers to be a more traditional man.

Elizabeth is in addition convinced that boys should be formally educated in the same way that girls are, and has established two schools which will specifically do this.

She has always been sceptical of the theory that should the head of state ever not be a Queen, then 'the Divine Being' will automatically abandon Geratica and condemn her world to destruction. In fact, she is convinced that it is nonsense.

Initially a scientist, Elizabeth's career stalled and she instead embarked upon a teaching career which saw her becoming a science mistress at Charterhouse. The irony is that she has never been greatly fond of children – especially girls - but that was the path she ended up following. In truth she was never the best of mistresses either, often being too impatient with girls who struggled to understand her subject and too quick to lose her temper badly when any of them misbehaved in her lessons. She had a reputation for sometimes being a little over-zealous with her cane in relieving her frustration and once almost got into trouble for doing so. Despite this she was made head of the department – she was actually the best qualified in the subject of all the science mistresses.

Then eventually, a year before her own daughter started in the seniors, she became the headmistress. Hers was a somewhat controversial appointment in some parts of the college – several of the mistresses, including some department heads considered her to be unsuitable for the post – but she was on good personal terms with some members of the board of governors who ensured that she was given the position. It also helped that Elizabeth has always had an ability to assess whether a person might be susceptible to bribery. The chairwoman did indeed prove to be one such person. A generous personal payment was offered and accepted.

Elizabeth does believe very strongly in traditional discipline, and there are many occasions when she feels fully justified in punishing the girls who genuinely transgress in the college – and that most other people would agree. However, she personally disliked some of the girls who she used to teach before becoming the headmistress. The tiresome little brats caused her no end of headaches. In one or two cases she also had issues with their haughtily mannered mothers. Though sometimes a perfectly charming and agreeable woman, there is also a spiteful, vengeful, and even occasionally sadistic side to her nature when she is crossed, and once she gained the run of the college and Gillian is in the seniors she began to engage her daughter in ploys to get the relevant girls to do things which would give her the chance to punish them and act as her eyes and ears by reporting any instances or evidence of mischief to her. She also wanted Gillian to undermine the authority of certain mistresses by causing a lot of trouble in their classes, in order to give her the excuse to say that they were incompetent and incapable – and then get rid of them, to be replaced by ones who would not give her problems and let her run the college how she saw fit, politically. To a degree these activities have continued as her daughter has progressed through each year.

Gillian, who is the only child that she has from her marriage to James (now Queen Alexandra's personal chauffeur, based at the Royal Palace) was not planned (a fact that Elizabeth kept secret), but once she had been born, Elizabeth had been determined that only the best would do for her in everything which is part of the reason why she has been so badly spoilt. Also, whilst never flinching in her duty or desire to cane girls at the college for any perceived bad behaviour, paradoxically she never feels able to apply the same measure to her own daughter in any part of life. As part of their deal at Charterhouse, in return for helping her, Elizabeth turns a blind eye to any activities which Gillian is directing herself. She has ordered all of the mistresses that as the headmistress's daughter they are not to rebuke or discipline her in any way, claiming that she will discipline her privately for any mischief (though of course she never genuinely does in reality). This has caused a bit of resentment in some quarters and as result Gillian is a tearaway. Their family home is also in Greenacres – on the other side of town to the Radcliffes.  Elizabeth is by no means as wealthy as Linda Radcliffe and it is a more modest abode, but she still earns a reasonable salary and they are comfortable. Elizabeth also plays Crown Green Bowls for Greenacres All-Comers - the rivals of Greenacres Town (and has a similar competitive relationship with Linda Radcliffe).

Elizabeth feels very strongly about certain things and is perhaps a bit of a rebel. Her heart is sometimes in the right place. She means well, but unfortunately often undermines the position of herself or the cause she believes in by taking vindictive or vengeful actions. She is a woman who is sometimes minded to use physical force to gain retribution - not just within Charterhouse, but in the outside world as well.

Elizabeth Spencer is a very political person and certainly seems to be pivoting towards radicalism, regarding the issue of male rights. But in many areas, despite her rebellious tendencies her heart is actually more conservative. Although she might have her differences with Linda Radcliffe on gender equality and resent any criticism from her over the way she runs Charterhouse, Elizabeth might also privately concede that Mrs Radcliffe is doing quite a good job as Senior Court Administrator. However, the jury is still out on precisely where her political opinions will solidify. For as long as conservative Geratican society maintains current attitudes towards the role of men, then Elizabeth will not support it.

As the series begins, the Radcliffes and the Spencers are heading on a collision course. Elizabeth wants Gillian to undermine Alexandra Radcliffe's reputation - both for personal reasons and political ones too within Charterhouse. But this will unwittingly uncover a much bigger scandal. At the same time she is becoming involved with the 'Male Rights Protestors' group and also growing suspicious of her husband's close working relationship with Linda Radcliffe, at the Royal Palace.

In fact, she and James now also have a rather unsatisfactory sex life. Perhaps somewhat in line with her desire for men to have a more dominant role within society, Elizabeth's preferences (and fantasies) have increasingly changed to wanting her husband on top. It is unusual for this to be the favourite sexual position of a Geratican woman, rather than the opposite way around - and James is not comfortable with the one that it puts him in, as a result.

The Mistress Of Geratica. (The 'Geratica' series).

A mystical being of tremendous power, she created the world of Geratica based on her ideals. The planet's core is her – a live dominant female sex. Originally known as 'The Divine Being' by the inhabitants of Geratica and Geraticai, they all feel her presence in their minds. With both worlds having become aware of the other through scanning techniques, they believe that something must have happened at the core to produce a parallel world – though they are not sure what. Each also believes that its head of state must be a Queen and that if this should ever not be so, then The Divine Being will leave and their world end as a result.

Matters ultimately come to a head when (having herself concluded that something is wrong) the being suddenly appears before all of the people as a huge blue figure of a woman, which has the effect of brining both worlds together, with her rising above a chasm between them. A clearly powerful personality, she commands to be known as ‘The Mistress.’

Gradually The Mistress begins to solve the mystery – with the aid of deductions from Alexandra Radcliffe, who she has identified as somebody special.

After this, Linda and Alexandra Radcliffe have a unique bond with the Mistress. She appears again from time to time when there is an urgent need for her help, or a threat to the security of her worlds (including the sequel to the series, ‘The Robots Of Ruthamon’).

Angela Cook. (Geratican Women: The Early Years).

The Rovers housemistress when Linda Radcliffe was at Charterhouse College. A traditional Geratican mistress with regard to teaching methods and discipline, Mrs Cook believes in being strict and firm, with a reputation for a sharp tongue and particularly effective usage of her cane when necessary (that can cause a girl to flinch or yelp at the short, sharp shock – the mistress is renowned for the subtleness of her actions and the speed of her delivery, sometimes beating a girl more than once before she’s barely even realized that the cane is in her hand), and whom they might sometimes fear and always ultimately respect – but not in being unfair or nasty. She strongly disapproves of the ‘old school’ type of mistress, who sometimes seems to take sadistic pleasure out of disciplining girls for even the most trivial of offences and humiliating them. Angela favours the more progressive approach, of being a little more concerned with the girls’ individual welfare and personalities sometimes. She often sees the role of housemistress as being like a mother of the girls in her charge, during the time when they are at Charterhouse. . Angela does not have any children herself, being medically unable to.

Mrs Cook is generally well respected by the girls at Charterhouse, some of whom feel that she understands them, and is on their side if they have problems, including those with other mistresses. The Rovers housemistress would privately prefer to say that she doesn’t like to see girls unfairly treated and tries her best to help them if she can, but there is only so much which she can do, as it is a mistress’s prerogative how she conducts a lesson once the classroom door is closed. She is a mistress and still believes that there needs to be some divide between them and the girls.

Angela is also slightly ambivalent in her attitude towards the whip (which is still held by Geratican schools at this time, for the punishment of the gravest offences).

Baroness Penelope Birkenwood. ('The Book And The Ring').

The main heroine of ‘The Book And The Ring’. On the planet of Torka, Penelope has been the Brenosian ambassador to Genna for two years and is about to return home. Her late father was a former ambassador to the Assembly of Nations in Genna before his retirement, and she has inherited his sharp acquaintance with international matters.

A glamorous blonde of thirty eight years, she is ambitious and a very strong willed, assertive personality, not accustomed to taking orders (in fact quite the reverse). Penelope has also throughout her life been a woman with an eye for a good looking man, and since losing her husband at the age of twenty four, has had a number of affairs – often for pure sexual satisfaction. But she has always been very discreet, and those in the know (who are relatively few) have been also.

It is due to the particular strength and determination of Penelope’s character that the Council of Magic select her to do battle against a ‘dark force’ that threatens the stability of Torka, by taking advantage of current religious and political tensions. For assistance her, a ring with magical powers is placed upon her finger – with a blue gemstone at its tip.

The Baroness has also been very close to the twenty three year old King George of Brenos, since he was heir to his father, King Harold. His late mother was her friend. Penelope taught George much of what he knows about life. When she returns to Brenos, their future relationship and the political choice that King George makes upon the advice of Penelope, will set the country upon a different path to the one which some are seeking to take it at present…

Laura Elkins. ('Torkan Tales').

Four centuries after the events of ‘The Book And The Ring’, there is now a Torkan Federation. The first short story in this novelette, 'The Monster Of Padrik', features this particular planet in the federation. A dispute has arisen between the native workers and the Torkan settlers. Laura Elkins, an adjudicator (and a descendant of Penelope) is sent from Torka to mediate. However, it also transpires that another ‘dark spirit’ is at work on the planet, which she must defeat (this time the threat is from a renegade within the Council of Magic itself. As before, Laura is told that she’s been chosen because the council believe she has the particular qualities needed to defeat the spirit – and she needs to do so urgently, as if not Torka will ultimately be destroyed. This time she is aided by a pendant – and the opponent will prove to be somebody unexpectedly close to Laura.

Helen Horton. ('Torkan Tales').

The finance administrator on Padrik, Helen sympathises with the native workers and is in love with their union leader, Terry Heggarty. She also exposes the real truth behind a failed bank raid and later helps Laura Elkins to defeat Lady Petra.

Helen eventually takes over as Committee Leader for the planet.

Carmen Carstairs. ('Torkan Tales').

I hesitate to include Carmen Carstsirs in the category of 'heroine'. Her character's adventure in the second short story of this novelette, 'The Statuette', is driven purely by an opportunity offered by a mysterious being, to satisfy the desire to avenge a past wrong which she perceives to have been done to her. Although it takes place solely within her own private mind, which is seduced by an outside force, and nobody would ever know about it in the real world, the action she attempts to take is surely disproportionate and (for me) morally, slightly questionable. This makes her a little different to the others in this section, who by and large do not have quite such dishonourable principles.

However, every other story which I've written has the main character (or characters) as a heroine (or heroines), therefore it seems unfair to leave her out completely and I suppose she can qualify as a sort of anti-heroine.

Carmen is a mature, recently widowed and wealthy woman. When she was younger, she lost the great love of her life to her best friend - something she has remained extremely bitter about.

Carmen buys a statuette at an auction on Torka and takes it home. From there, the main story begins...

Elaine Harding. ('The Spider And The Tigress').

Elaine is a police sergeant in England, 1985. Six years earlier, when she was a constable, her businessman husband, Ronald, was murdered. The case remains a mystery and the culprit has never been found.

A very strong woman and protective mother of two teenagers, Elaine is very close to her son, Luke, who tends to respect and follow her judgement and advice. But Debbie resents what she feels is her mother’s overbearing control. She regards her as strict. In fact, Elaine is quite liberal minded with regards to discipline, but nevertheless does still impose boundaries upon her children, and when Debbie behaves unlawfully and wilfully breaks her rules, she takes very firm action.

Elaine enjoys music and both watching and playing snooker. An extremely attractive tall blonde of forty five years of age, she likes male company and finds some very sexually desirable. She is capable of flirting by just looking at a man in a certain way, and getting a favourable reaction. Elaine adores every part of a man’s body and would very much like to make love to one again. But she isn’t the type of woman to go to bed with a man she doesn’t feel genuine love for. Debbie is attempting to play matchmaker, but her mother wants to choose somebody on her own terms. Simon Jones, the headmaster of a secondary school which as a sergeant Elaine pays community visits to, is somebody she gets on well with and invites out on a date. Then when Luke is invited to join a snooker club as a junior member and she goes with him to sort out the details, she is instantly extremely attracted to the manager, Glen Price. When Simon breaks off his relationship with Elaine, she begins to date Glen and eventually one night after going out for a meal, she seduces him into letting her go back to his house and stays the night – making love to him twice.

Meanwhile, as the police investigate a drugs operation in the city and a fire at a nightclub, all of these events in Linda’s own family life lead her towards a fateful encounter with a sinister and dangerous character. It seems that she might be about to discover the answer to the mystery of her husband’s murder in a most unexpected way – and find out some shocking revelations too.