Lethbridge-Stewart Short Story Competition 2020

Posted by Richard Young 
· April 20, 2020 
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Following the success of the first two Lethbridge-Stewart Short Story Competitions, Candy Jar is having a third round with another competition. As with the second one, it will be open to previously unpublished writers both in and outside the UK.

Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell, says: “In these trying times, we all need something to focus on, to keep us all sane. For a lot of people that’s writing. So it’s seems the perfect time to run another competition, give people something to aim for; a chance to write something for potential publication.”

Andy Frankham-Allen, editor of the Lethbridge-Stewart range, adds: “This time we’re opting for a theme, something to combat the doom and gloom that threatens to overtake us all at the moment. And that theme is The Perfect Day. The challenge is, what can you do with such a theme? What kind of story does it suggest to you? How would such a story work for our characters (the Brigadier, Anne, Bill, Lucy, Hobo, etc)? And, like in the previous entries, everyone is free to use any original character from both the Lethbridge-Stewart and Lucy Wilson Mysteries ranges, plus our licenced characters. But, and I can’t stress this enough, not characters owned by the BBC or any other creator, without express permission (proof will be required).”

The winning entry will receive a Kindle Fire and Lethbridge-Stewart or The Lucy Wilson Mysteries publishing deal. All shortlisted entries will be published in The Lethbridge-Stewart Short Story Collection Vol 3.

Shaun continues: “Our two previous winners are Sean Alexander and Megan Fizell, and we look forward to publishing their new Lethbridge-Stewart stories very soon (subject to world events, of course).”

With the opportunity to enter the brand-new writing competition, and a much wider scope for creativity, this is an exciting opportunity for any writer or fan of the Lethbridge-Stewart world.

The entry fee is £5. Visit here to register.

Please include:
Your name, age, email, address and telephone number.

Submissions can be entered from 29 March 2020 to 24 September 2020.

Submission guidelines for the Lethbridge-Stewart South Wales Short Story Competition:

  • Maximum of 3000 words.
  • You must include your name in the document, along with the title.
  • Word (or Word compatible) files only. We do not accept PDF submissions.
  • This competition is open to anybody, whether you’re a fan of Doctor Who and Lethbridge-Stewart or not. We’re looking for stories that utilise any character from the Lethbridge-Stewart and The Lucy Wilson Mysteries range of books (list of Lethbridge-Stewart characters here: http://www.lethbridge-stewart.co.uk/characters/). It is not necessary to fit within the timeline; these stories are out of the canon of the series, so feel free to let your imagination run wild!
  • A selection of free short stories will be sent to any applicant on request, should you need to see our characters in action.
  • Our license is with the Haisman Literary Estate only, therefore you CAN use any character from the Doctor Who serials The Abominable Snowmen, The Web of Fear and The Dominators, or any original character found Candy Jar Books’ Lethbridge-Stewart and The Lucy Wilson Mysteries series (except characters from Doctor Who that appeared in the ranges under express permission).
  • You can NOT use any other Doctor Who characters or monsters. (Unless you have proof of permission from the creator of the chosen monster/character.)
  • You can NOT use UNIT or any associated characters.
  • Any entries that feature a Doctor Who character not owned by the Haisman Literary Estate (and without express permission) will be instantly disqualified, with no refund.
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THE LUCY WILSON MYSTERIES: LOCKDOWN!

Posted by Richard Young 
· May 18, 2020 
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Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce that a collection of lockdown-inspired Lucy Wilson short stories is now up for pre-order, and will be released in two weeks. The royalties from sales will be donated to NHS charities and Candy Jar will double this amount.


Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell, says: “At the start of isolation I asked Jonathan Macho, the author of the most recent Lucy Wilson book The Serpent’s Tongue, to write a short story about Lucy being stuck at home, and we received some very positive feedback. 

Jonathan says: “When Shaun asked me to write ‘Copy/Paste’ as a free download story, I was really grateful for the opportunity to make a small, positive contribution for young readers. When he got back in touch to let me know about the book, I was over the moon. The chance for me to play my part means a great deal, and I really appreciate Candy Jar making my story a part of it.”


Shaun continues: “Around about the same time, Andy Frankham-Allen (the range editor of the Lethbridge-Stewart books) contacted me with an idea to send Lucy back to the 1974 dinosaur invasion. Of course, I thought this was too good of an idea to pass up. I was intrigued by how Lucy would cope knowing she could be infected with the coronavirus, but not wanting to pass it on to the Brigadier, or potentially change the past! So, in collaboration with Tim Gambrell, Andy made a start on the story. After this things just fell into place and we soon had eight stories.”


Tim Gambrell, who previously wrote The Brigadier & the Bledoe Cadets, is honoured to be a part of this collection. He says: “There’s a real sense of shared experience between the writers and the characters, and it feels special and personal to be able to give something back to the NHS in this way. Added to this, the brief was something I could not refuse. Lucy in an empty London during Invasion of the Dinosaurs! My immediate thinking was not to do the Doctor Who story over again. The biggest gap in the TV story, for me, was the lack of consideration for the poor dinosaurs, scooped up from their homes and plonked into London. There was also little appreciation, by the characters on TV, of the sheer beauty and size of the dinosaurs. So those were my starting points. ‘The London Invasion’ came together incredibly quickly after that, within the framing scenes which Andy had developed.”


The collection is aptly entitled Lockdown and contains eight short stories. Aside from Andy and Tim, the other authors include John Peel, Tom Dexter, Alan Stott, Cherry Cobb, Paul W Robinson, Adrian Sherlock and Shaun Russell.


Shaun says: “I really enjoyed working with Adrian on ‘Repetitive Strain’. He is such an imaginative writer and it was a pleasure to collaborate with him on his Groundhog Day-type escapade.” 


Adrian says: “For most of us our daily routine under lockdown is extremely repetitive, so I thought what if Lucy experienced a lockdown day over and over again? I always loved Sapphire and Steel and The Twilight Zone and these series often did stories such as this, so when Shaun approached me about contributing something to the book my imagination was fired.”


Candy Jar also released ‘Sweet Revenge’ by Paul Robinson as a free download story. Publishing co-ordinator at Candy Jar, Keren Williams, is excited to showcase Paul’s talent. She says: “When we asked Paul to contribute a short story he immediately understood the tone we were after and delivered a cracking adventure for all of us who are stuck at home.”


Our only female writer for this collection is Cherry Cobb, who successfully contributed to last year’s Christmas Crackers anthology. She says: “When Shaun asked me to write ‘Flower Power’ for this book I leapt at the opportunity, firstly because I can’t think of a better cause than raising money for the NHS and, secondly, I know that lockdown is proving a challenge for many children and adults. Reading is a great way to relax and escape from reality for a time, and with Lucy Wilson by your side you can be sure of so many great adventures along the way.”


The next story, ‘The Edge of Glory’, is written by Alan Stott, the author of the anarchic children’s book Those Kids Next Door (due to be released by Candy Jar in the autumn). Keren says: “Last year we previewed Those Kid’s Next Door at our summer pop-up shop and Alan was like a magnet to children. They really loved his energy and couldn’t get enough of his slapstick humour. Aside from this, his books sold really well, so when I needed a safe pair of hands to contribute to this collection he was my first choice.”


Another consummate professional is John Peel, the author of many classic Doctor Who, Star Trek, Quantum Leap and Lethbridge-Stewart novels. Shaun says: “John previously wrote the brilliant Lucy Wilson book The Midnight People. I wanted a story where Lucy and Hobo were trapped in the pages of fiction, so I approached John and within a couple of days he emailed ‘Get Lost in a Good Book’ back to me, and it was exactly what I’d asked for.”


Lockdown concludes with a scary romp written by Tom Dexter. Shaun says: “When we started the Lethbridge-Stewart range Tom wrote two short stories for us: ‘The Fright Before Christmas’ and ‘The Black Eggs of Khufu’. Since then we’ve tried, on many occasions, to get him back, but Tom is always very busy. Thankfully isolation has slowed him down a bit. His story ‘Home Invasion’ really rounds off the collection with its heart on its sleeve, and includes a fantastic tribute to all the nurses, doctors and NHS staff that are helping us get through these difficult times.”


Blurb for Lockdown:

Earth is in lockdown. But for Lucy Wilson, staying home doesn’t mean staying safe.

Dinosaurs, killer plants, even Meme Lords – some enemies just don’t respect social distancing. So Lucy and her brainbox sidekick Hobo have no choice but to come to Earth’s defence again – although never forgetting to stay two metres away from each other!

In this collection of short stories, Lucy finds herself contending with the challenges of a pandemic, while continuing to rise to the mantle of her legendary grandfather, Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart. 

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries is a Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off adventure inspired by characters created for Doctor Who by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln.


The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Lockdown is available HERE!

The royalties from this book will be donated to NHS charities. Whatever is raised Candy Jar will double. This book is available exclusively through Candy Jar. It will not be available via any other retailers.

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Lucy Wilson & The Bledoe Cadets

Posted by Richard Young 
· March 23, 2019 
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Candy Jar Books is proud to announce their first crossover event, as the worlds of Lethbridge-Stewart and The Lucy Wilson Mysteries collide!

Following on from The Laughing Gnome: Rise of the Dominator, book five sees the Brigadier team-up with his granddaughter, Lucy Wilson, in an adventure through time!

In a two-book special, Lucy Wilson & The Bledoe Cadets finally solves a mystery that has been two years in the making, since 2017 and the novels Night of the Intelligence and Avatars of the Intelligence (the very first Lucy Wilson Mysteries). How did Lucy and Hobo end up in 1937 to have a picture taken with young Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart and his brother James?

Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen sets the scene: ”Ever since The Lucy Wilson Mysteries was devised, Shaun (Russell) and I had in a mind an adventure that would see Lucy team up with the Bledoe Cadets. We knew there was much fun to be had in having a mixed-race teenage girl interacting with children from 1937. We sowed the seeds in the very first novel in The Lucy Mysteries range by having her see a photograph of herself and her grandfather as a child, this was built upon in my own novel, Night of the Intelligence, in which it is revealed that James has memories of Lucy and Hobo. So, it’s been a lot of fun exploring those plot points and finally revealing the truth behind them.”

And the author chosen for that exciting story is first-time novelist Tim Gambrell. Tim’s association with the Lethbridge-Stewart series began when he won a competition to have a character named after him, this was followed by him writing a short story for The HAVOC Files 3. This story, The Bledoe Cadets and the Bald Man of Pengriffen, is what led him to being considered for Lucy Wilson & The Bledoe Cadets.

Andy explains: “From the moment I first read that short story, I knew Tim would get it right. He has a great handle on the Bledoe Cadets, who I created for my novel, The Forgotten Son, and I’m rather protective of them. But Tim ‘got’ them. Of course, the only risk was trusting a first-time novelist with this story. I’m happy to say, it’s a risk that paid off!”

Tim explains something of how it came to pass: “After my short story was published, I pitched another story idea which Andy asked me to develop into a novel proposal. I very much felt, from that point on, that Andy was keeping me on his reserve bench, waiting for the right position to ‘play’ me in. The creative process has been pretty fluid ever since the first writers’ meeting in Cardiff, with a strong sense of collaboration and mutual support between Andy and all of the writers. That’s certainly been appreciated by me, with this being my first published novel. Each of our slots came with a character to focus on, but otherwise we were pretty free to tell the sort of story we wanted to tell. However, my slot came with a shopping list. I was given the title, Lucy Wilson & The Bledoe Cadets, so I knew from the start it would be a cross-franchise book. Some of the book needed to take place in 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of Lethbridge-Stewart. Added to that, the story would have to feature time travel so that Lucy, Hobo and the Bledoe Cadets could meet. And it couldn’t contradict anything already established regarding the Bledoe Cadets and alien encounters. Finally, it had to be set before the events of 1938 in The Forgotten Son, so that Sir Alistair could spend time with his brother James. That might sound like a whole lot of limitations, but I found it really liberating. It focuses the mind, being given restrictions like that.”

Another unique aspect of the story was that it could be told twice!

Head of Publishing Shaun Russell says: “Once the story was decided, Andy and I bounced back and forth the idea of having the story told from both the Brigadier’s point of view, and Lucy’s. Telling the adventure for the more mature readers in the Lethbridge-Stewart range, and then retelling it for a younger reader as part of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries. We had hoped to release both books simultaneously, but the logistics didn’t make that feasible, especially as, for Tim, it would essentially mean writing one and a half novels at the same time! So, it was decided that Tim would write the Lethbridge-Stewart version first, and then we would sit down to discuss how to approach The Lucy Wilson Mysteries version. Lucy’s own perspective brings with it some unique things, not least a different opening before the Brigadier turns up. Although it’s essentially the same story, both books can be read independently, however reading both version will provide a more fuller take on the story.”

Both books feature artwork by The Beano and Commando artist Steve Beckett, who is responsible for all The Lucy Wilson Mysteries covers (including the logo!).

Blurb:

Sir Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart is still lost in time, cast through his own time stream by the mysterious Gnome.

Answers are presented to him when he meets the architect of his travels, and is told he has one adventure ahead of him. A chance to make sure his legacy is secure. He will be sent to 2018, and a meeting with his granddaughter, the protector of Ogmore-by-Sea, Lucy Wilson.

In 1937, young Ali Lethbridge-Stewart and his brother James find themselves face to face with smugglers, while in 2018 Lucy and Hobo are preparing for a trip to Cornwall.

What connects 1937 and 2018? The Brigadier and Lucy Wilson are about to find out, when they are cast back in time and join the Bledoe Cadets in solving the mystery at Redgate Smithy. The price will be high for at least one of the Cadets. But for the Brigadier and Lucy, it is a chance to understand what truly binds them together, what it is to be a Lethbridge-Stewart!

The Laughing Gnome series will conclude in May with book six, On His Majesty’s National Service by David A McIntee.

The Laughing Gnome: Lucy Wilson & The Bledoe Cadets is available for pre-order for £8.99 (+p&p) and will be released late April.

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: The Brigadier & The Bledoe Cadets is available for pre-order for £7.99 (+ p&p), and will be released during the summer.

 

NB: IF YOU HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION, THE LAUGHING GNOME SERIES IS COVERED BY THIS. LUCY WILSON AND THE BLEDOE CADETS IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE LAUGHING GNOME SIX-BOOK BUNDLE.

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The Laughing Gnome – An Anthology

Posted by Richard Young 
· March 13, 2019 
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Candy Jar Books is proud to announce that a brand new limited edition anthology of short stories set within The Laughing Gnome series is now up for pre-order directly from the Candy Jar webstore.

From September 2018 to May 2019, the Lethbridge-Stewart range has been releasing The Laughing Gnome sequence of novels, which sees the Brigadier, Anne Travers and Bill Bishop astral projected throughout the Brigadier’s timeline. The six-book series covers the major points in the sequence, but not all the astral jumps through time. The HAVOC Files: The Laughing Gnome explores a further eight adventures in the sequence.

Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen explains further: “Between Fear of the Web and Rise of the Dominator there are twelve further jumps; that’s twelve time periods in which our heroes find themselves. Three times twelve, in fact, as each of our heroes have an adventure in any given time period. Some of these jumps have been mentioned in the sequence of novels, but by the time of Rise of the Dominator only one of these adventures has been chronicled (the third novel in the sequence, The Danger Men, shows Bill Bishop’s adventure in 1999). This anthology chronicles a further eight adventures covering 1929, 1963, 1986, 1955, 1993 and more!”

Among the eight authors selected for The HAVOC Files: The Laughing Gnome anthology are popular Lethbridge-Stewart writers John Peel, Sarah Groenewegen, Harry Draper and Shaun Collins, as well as acclaimed Australian author George Ivanoff. A full list of authors and story titles will appear on the Candy Jar website in due course.

The cover is by ever-popular Doctor Who and Lethbridge-Stewart artist Colin Howard. “Finally, The Laughing Gnome gave me an opportunity to paint Nicholas Courtney’s likeness ‘undisguised’ on the Cover of a Lethbridge-Stewart book, after a hiatus from the covers, due to working on the BBC Animations for Shada and The Macra Terror over the past couple of years. For this cover I utilised screen-grabs from of both the Brig and Anne Travers, which I then sketched digitally into position. From there I painted them digitally, using my usual technique, whereby I start with mid-skin tones, then add shadowed areas, down to almost black, then return to adding the lighter areas on the portrait up to white to give a nice realistic feel. In the detail areas I tend to zoom-in to a minimum of 250-300 pixels per square inch to ensure a realistic finish to my painting and to achieve the finer detail. I decided to go with a classic military green for the Brigadier’s uniform rather than the awful washed-out khaki/ochre of season seven.

“With Anne, I used the same technique, although, when you get a nice likeness/screen grab, it often means that you have areas of the head cropped out of screen-shot, so I looked for other scenes where the rest of her hairstyle can be ascertained; in this case a  small 1960s beehive, which she had in the latter episodes of The Web of Fear, although I did exaggerate it slightly to mimic a Gnomes hat. I also did a little bit of a search online to get eye/hair colour, etc, and incorporate those into the artwork. Each Portrait is around one-two days’ work, plus background, so in the end it takes around a week to paint each cover.

“One of the things I have always enjoyed with some of the art jobs I’ve had in my career is when I get to create something from the author’s descriptions in the text, and with the Laughing Gnome a nice detailed description was available from Simon a Forward’s Scary Monsters. So I did a few slight alterations from my initial sketch, and ended up with the ‘cheery/sinister fellow’ featured on the final art, complete with a weathered look of an old Ornament with moss/lichen decorating his visage. This is probably the part of doing these books I enjoy the most, when your creative side is challenged, and you get to design your own creature from a brief, and you aren’t just copying a design or just adding effects/filters to a photograph. Like most of the other covers out there these days.”

The HAVOC Files: The Laughing Gnome will be a limited edition release, available only through the Candy Jar website. Please get your pre-orders in early to ensure you have a copy of what will undoubtably be a popular and quickly sold-out anthology.

Blurb:

Sir Alistair, Dame Anne and Brigadier Bishop have been astral projected throughout the Brigadier’s timeline by the mysterious entity known only as the Laughing Gnome. Thirteen jumps, thirty-nine different adventures.

Explore eight new encounters through time in the brand new anthology, including Sir Alistair finding himself in the body of his uncle, Matthew Lethbridge-Stewart, in the 1930s; uncovering a Silurian relic in the 1980s; and an encounter in Africa with his eldest son, Mariama Lethbridge-Stewart, in 1963! And Dame Anne encounters the Borad in 1930s Scotland, in a new story by the creator of the BBC smash, Land Girls, Roland Moore!

Featuring stories written by some of the most popular Lethbridge-Stewart authors, including Harry Draper (Lineage, Short Trips: The Last Day at Work), Sarah Groenewegen (The Daughters of Earth), James Middleditch (Piece of Mind), and John Peel (The Life of Evans, Doctor Who: The Daleks’ Masterplan).

The HAVOC Files: The Laughing Gnome is up for pre-order now for £10.00 (+ p&p) directly from Candy Jar Books.

NB: The HAVOC Files: The Laughing Gnome is not included in any subscription or multi-book deal.

http://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/thehavocfilesthelaughinggnome.html 

 

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Categories : New Titles, News

The Brigadier: Declassified

Posted by Richard Young 
· March 8, 2019 
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Candy Jar Books is proud to announce the long-awaited celebratory book, The Brigadier: Declassified.

Originally scheduled for release in 2018 under the name The Brigadier: 50 Years of Lethbridge-Stewart, this book is a non-fiction look at the many lives of Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart from his TV years through to his appearances in audio dramas and prose!

Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell, explains the background of the book: “The plan was to release a book about the Brigadier in all his many iterations to celebrate his fiftieth anniversary, but sadly due to some behind-the-scenes issues the book had to be delayed. We lost our original editor. I asked Andy (Frankham-Allen) to take over, which meant trying to fit it into his busy schedule. Andy also had to start more or less from scratch, which meant seeking out new contributors.”

Editor Andy Frankham-Allen continues: “It’s been enjoyable process, although somewhat long-winded. I wanted to get as much variety as possible, with articles looking at not only the Brigadier’s television adventures, but also his other media appearances, including his time with Big Finish and our very own Lethbridge-Stewart range of novels. The result is, I hope, a nice mixed bag, which a little something to interest every fan of the Brigadier.”

The cover is by regular Lethbridge-Stewart artist Richard Young.

Blurb:

Celebrating one of Doctor Who’s most legendary characters, The Brigadier: Declassified is a collection of articles and essays covering the Brigadier’s storied career.

From 1968 to 1975, Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart was a regular feature on Doctor Who. He returned to the show several times through the 1980s and later in the spin-off series, The Sarah Jane Adventures. But his appearances were not limited to the television; he has appeared in comics, novels, audio dramas and even a straight-to-video film!

Join us as we take a look at Nicholas Courntey’s life in Thirteen Objects, explore the concept of parallel worlds with Peter Grehan, refresh your knowledge of Big Finish and the Lethbridge-Stewart range books, learn about the work that goes into bringing the Brigadier to life with artists Adrian Salmon and Colin Howard… and much more!

Also features reviews of every televisual appearance by the Brigadier with Simon A Forward and Glenn Bartlett, and an exclusive interview with the Brigadier’s right-hand man, John Levene!

With a foreword by Terry Molloy.

The Brigadier: Declassified is due for release in the summer of 2019, and is up for pre-order now for £8.99 (+ p&p) directly from Candy Jar Books.

NB: The Brigadier: Declassified was previously announced as The Brigadier: 50 Years of Lethbridge-Stewart

http://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/thebrigadier.html

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Categories : New Titles, News

HAVOC Files 2: Special Edition

Posted by Richard Young 
· February 17, 2019 
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Candy Jar Books is proud to announce that a special edition of The HAVOC Files 2 is being released at the start of March.

Originally published in 2016 as a limited print-run, The HAVOC Files 2: Special Edition is a reprint with a difference, containing as it does new editions of previous stories, and two short stories available for the first time in print.

Head of Publishing Shaun Russell explains: “We have often been asked by those who missed The HAVOC Files 2 the first time around if we’d ever reprint it. After much discussion, we decided doing so would present us with a couple of challenges and opportunities. One, at least one story in the original collection was set in the ‘future’ (Ashes of the Inferno), with information that, at the time, hadn’t been locked down. The author of the story in question, Andy Frankham-Allen, realised it would be the perfect chance to update that story so it better fit the narrative revealed since early 2016. Two, another story has since been released as part of a full-length novella, and thus it seemed redundant to print it again in this format. So, faced with this, I made the decision to instead replace it with a couple of short stories only previously available in digital format.”

Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen continues: “We have a few digital-only stories, plus some still unreleased short stories, so we had a fair few to pick from. We decided on James Middleditch’s Piece of Mind, and Chris Thomas’ Vampires of the Night (both originally planned for the cancelled HAVOC Files 5), two vastly different stories, one dealing with Professor Edward Travers, and one dealing with the Brigadier and Sally Wright. Coupled with the chance to fix previous errors that crept into the other stories, The HAVOC Files 2 is quite a different experience now. Still contains everything in the original, but with bonus material for those wishing to double-dip, and loads of fresh material for those who missed the original version. All wrapped up in the wonderful new cover design, with, once again, Adrian Salmon’s brilliant artwork!”

Blurb:

Ghosts in Cornwall, zombies in Australia, aliens at Wembley, trouble in Egypt, a siege on the Kent coast, and an investigation into the strange goings on in a small house in Mevagissey, which sees Lethbridge-Stewart and Anne Travers cut down to size. And, much later, the ashes from a destroyed Earth fall on Lethbridge-Stewart and his family.

Just a few things our heroes have to face in this volume of collected short stories.

This new revised version of The HAVOC Files 2 contains the original six short stories, plus a new version of Ashes of the Inferno, and two new stories exclusively published in print for the first time.

‘Piece of Mind’ by James Middleditch. Lethbridge-Stewart and Sally are sent on a retreat with a difference.

‘Vampires of the Night’ by Chris Thomas. World War II and Professor Travers is called in to help with a deadly experiment on British soldiers.

Includes:

‘Vampires of the Night’ by Chris Thomas

‘In His Kiss’ by Sue Hampton

‘House of Giants’ by Rick Cross

‘The Black Eggs of Khufu’ by Tom Dexter

‘The Band of Evil’ by Roger J Simmonds & Shaun Russell

‘Piece of Mind’ by James Middleditch

‘The Playing Dead’ by Adrian Sherlock (revised edition)

‘Ashes of the Inferno’ by Andy Frankham-Allen (new edition)

‘The Lock-In’ by Sarah Groenewegen BEM

‘Schädengeist’s Lot’ by Jonathan Cooper (interludes from ‘The Showstoppers’)

‘Exodus from Venus’ by John Peel (original prologue from ‘The Grandfather Infestation’)

Candy Jar is also releasing updated versions of Mutually Assured Domination by Nick Walters and The Forgotten Son by Andy Frankham-Allen. Both books have around 3000 words of previously deleted material. These books can be pre-ordered from:

http://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/lethbridge-stewart.html

THESE TITLES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN ANY SUBSCRIPTION OFFER

The HAVCOC Files 2: Special Edition is available for pre-order now for £15.00 (+ p&p). The book is due for release at the beginning of March.

http://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/thehavocfiles2revised.html

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Categories : New Titles

THE DOMINATOR RETURNS!

Posted by Richard Young 
· February 11, 2019 
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Candy Jar Books is proud to announce book four in its anniversary series of Lethbridge-Stewart novels, The Laughing Gnome: Rise of the Dominator.

Following on from The Laughing Gnome: The Danger Men, book four sees the team get back together when they all arrive in 1973 and face off against the Dominator, Director Vaar!

Rise of the Dominator sees the return of popular Lethbridge-Stewart author, Robert Mammone, who previously wrote two short stories for the range, and the first of the Travers & Wells novella range.

Robert says: “When Lethbridge-Stewart range editor Andy Frankham-Allan reached out to me and asked if I was interested in being a part of the latest run of Lethbridge-Stewart books, I was, of course, surprised, ecstatic and to be honest, a little daunted.  Writing my Travers & Wells novella had been a relatively smooth affair, but a 40,000 word novella is a different beast to a full novel.  There were a few times during the writing process where I wondered whether I had bitten off more than I could chew but, thankfully, Andy talked me off the ledge and here we are!”

Rise of the Dominator sees the return of Director Vaar, the Dominator behind the nuclear machinations in the 2015 novel, Mutually Assured Domination (a special edition of which is due publication to tie-in with Rise of the Dominator). Andy talks about why it took so long for the Dominator to return: “The Dominators, in particular Vaar, was originally planned to return in 2017 but sadly that novel fell through, and then it was planned for 2018 with a different author, but the cessation of the ongoing narrative put it on hold once again. The Dominators are, of course, the main antagonists behind the Travers & Wells range, as seen in the short story, Time and Again. But the idea of bringing Vaar back as a gangster in 1970s London has been on the backburner for a couple of years, and when it was decided that The Laughing Gnome would be set in the various decades of Lethbridge-Stewart’s association with Doctor Who, it seemed the time was right to finally do a Gangster Dominator story.”

Robert talks more about the development of his gangster story: “I’d long had a story idea lurking around in the back of my head for a while about alien knowledge that looks like black magic, with Nazis thrown into the mix, which I readily adapted to this new storyline. The setting was the key for me, and early ‘70s Britain, with its Satanic rituals in cemeteries, and the tabloid coverage of it, seemed the place to be. There’s something about the grit and grime of the 1970s that is inherently appealing, against the rather slick and superficial modern day we’re forced to endure. 1970s London is set, is a case in point. I’ve strived for verisimilitude for the most part – sideburns, flares, corduroy, The Sweeney, end of empire ennui, three-day weeks, uncollected rubbish, criminal gangs, Soho are all there, but so are an alien warlord on the make and a lurking Nazi.”

As well as alien warlords and Nazis, Rise of the Dominator finally reunites the Brigadier, Bill and Anne Travers, who have been separated since the end of book one, Scary Monsters. This was Robert’s first time writing for the Brigadier, who was absent in his previous works: “I really enjoyed writing for Anne Travers and Bill Bishop in my short story for Candy Jar, Eve of the Fomorians, so it was a pleasure to return to them in far different circumstances. And the chance to have Lethbridge-Stewart front and centre in the novel was something I could barely have thought possible. He was a lot of fun to write, in what is effectively a dual role. I hope that in my hands, the stoic, upright soldier with a twinkle in his eye still shines strongly through.”

The 1970s setting carries with it something special for fans of Doctor Who. Head of Publishing Shaun Russell explains: “As this range is a journey through the Brigadier’s association with Doctor Who (each book is set in a decade that featured him on the television series), setting a book during the UNIT era was a forgone conclusion. Of course, UNIT and the Doctor do not appear, but there are plenty of fan-pleasing nods to that era.”

The cover is by regular Lethbridge-Stewart artist Adrian Salmon, currently best-known for his work on the recent Doctor Who DVD animations, including the forthcoming The Macra Terror. Adrian says: “Illustrating Dominator Var as a cross between Al Capone and Reggie Kray was probably the best thing I’ve ever been asked to do by Candy Jar Books; I mean how can you go wrong? Once I’d settled on the central image, which included a menacing Golem from the story, I worked out the car chase. This being the ‘action scene’ of the cover, it needed to be dramatic and exciting, breaking out of the design template. Finally, I created a suitably seedy London street at night (think Soho), resplendent with neon lights and noir shadows. Eagle-eyed viewers might even spot that a certain film, which was doing the rounds at the time the book is set, is showing at the private cinema club.”

Blurb:

London 1973 – A man in police custody burns to death with no known cause of ignition. Anne Travers and Bill Bishop find themselves catapulted into the middle of a police investigation into the rise to power of the newest criminal godfather – the Big Man, aka, the Dominator, Dominic Vaar!

A Spanish safe cracker lands on the English coast and is whisked away to a secret meeting with none other than Vaar. His mission?  To liberate a priceless sword forged when Sumer was young, a sword whose unshakeable thirst for life threatens the existence of all life.

And lurking in the background, plots a fugitive Nazi, using Vaar’s rise to power and his own knowledge of the occult as cover for his plans to build a new Reich on British soil.

Lost in time and brought together by destiny, can Sir Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, Dame Anne Travers and Brigadier Bill Bishop stop Britain being pitched into a new age of darkness?

The Laughing Gnome will continue in April and May with books five and six. Lucy Wilson and the Bledoe Cadets by Tim Gambrell, with On His Majesty’s National Service by David A McIntee.

NB: IF YOU HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION THE LAUGHING GNOME SERIES IS COVERED BY THIS. THIS BOOK IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE LAUGHING GNOME SIX-BOOK BUNDLE.

The Laughing Gnome: Rise of the Dominator is available for pre-order now for £8.99 (+ p&p). The book is due for release at the end of March.

http://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/riseofthedominator.html

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Categories : Cover Unveiling, New Titles

FREE ADVENT DAYS 23 & 24

Posted by Richard Young 
· December 24, 2018 
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Two more days, and two more Candy Jar Christmas Advents.

For Christmas Eve eve there is a special sample of Downtime: Children of the New World. The official sequel to the 1995 film, Downtime, Children of the New World reunites the Brigadier with his daughter Kate, and sends them and their allies on a rescue mission when the Brigadier’s grandchildren, Gordy and Conall, are kidnapped!

And for Christmas Eve there is a Lucy Wilson Mysteries Christmas Special. Two stories from Tim Gambrell and Chris Lynch. One a Christmas caper in Ogmore-by-Sea, and another displaying a Lucy Wilson spin on A Christmas Carol!

Download both here for FREE: http://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/adventcalendar.html

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Categories : Christmas, New Titles, News

FREE ADVENT DAY 22

Posted by Richard Young 
· December 23, 2018 
· No Comments

For Day 22 of their Christmas Advent, Candy Jar had released another BRAND NEW free short story set in the Lethbridge-Stewart universe.

This time it’s Vampires of the Night by Chris Thomas. It’s 1942 and Professor Edward Travers and the Home-Army Fourth Operational Corps are called in to investigate some very strange goings on…

Download it free now: http://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/adventcalendar.html

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Categories : Christmas, New Titles, News

FREE ADVENT DAY 20

Posted by Richard Young 
· December 21, 2018 
· No Comments

Candy Jar’s Advent Day 20 is something special. A full and FREE documentary about Eileen Younghusband, a hero from World War II who entered the fictional Lethbridge-Stewart universe in 2016’s The Last Duty and The Flaming Soldier. She returns to the series in 2019 with the series seven novel, Home Fires Burn by Gareth Madgwick!

To watch the documentary just click here: http://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/owwdoc.html

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Categories : Christmas, General, New Titles, News
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