Easy to wrap and great value. Signed books, even more so… and if you’re looking to feel good about yourself, you can buy signed copies direct from the author, like… here… https://witchesofwoodville.com/the-village-bookshop/
I sold out of The Crow Folk at a Ren Faire last weekend, but now it’s back in stock in my store. If you want signed copies of any of my books, pop along to the Woodville Village Bookshop…
I’ve got a (sort of) short story in this excellent new collection of short stories from the listeners of the Bestseller Experiment podcast (click on the image to get your hands on a copy)…
Why only sort of? Here’s my authors’ note from the collection…
What you’re about to read is not exactly a short story. I did start one — honest, guv! — and it was a belter, all set in the world of my Witches of Woodville series. It started in the 1920s and ended in the 1970s*… which is where the problems started. As I began jotting down ideas for the story it soon became clear that I wasn’t about to squeeze it all into the allotted five thousand words. No, it soon became clear that this was going to be a whopper, perhaps even a novel all of its own. And things happen in the story that, at first, I thought I didn’t want to rush. Then it occurred to me that the real reason that I didn’t want to rush it was that, actually, I might not be ready to write them yet, as it meant saying a final farewell to certain characters. So I’ve popped that story back into a drawer at the back of my mind and will wait till the time is right to go back and see if I’m ready to finally [REDACTED] to poor old [REDACTED].
And if that wasn’t enough of a tease, then what you’re about to read is the first chapter of a thing that might never happen. It’s a new story, set in the world of the Witches of Woodville, and I’m still wondering where it might go, if anywhere. But I had great fun writing this opening chapter and I think it almost works as its own little standalone moment. So, in the spirit of mischief, I offer you The Canary Girls…
Happy reading, and please send all complaints to Miss Araminta Cranberry at the Woodville Village Library,
Mark Stay
*If you’ve ever wondered why the Woodville Village motto is ‘Witch-free since 1973’ this story was going to reveal all
So there you have it… and don’t forget, the anthology is packed with terrific stories from amazing authors, including (deep breath) W. J. Grupe, Jr, Rosie Stirling, Phil Oddy, Jeevani Charika, Jan Carr, Eva St. John, Dylan Blake, Anne Woodward, Angela C Nurse, Andrea Corzatt, BR Dexter, ZA Gowland, WA Leggatt, Trey Montague, Tommy Wills, Morgan Delaney, Kate Baker, Karen Storey, Julian Barr, Jocelyn Sordoni, GM White, GB Ralph, Gareth Lewis, Emmanuella Dekonor, Andrew Guile, Andrew Chapman, Alex Weight, SC Gowland.
Treat yourself…
A new short story “Elderflower Cordial” will be featured in this splendid anthology from the wonderful people at Stars and Sabers. It’s a crowdfunded project and you can get all kinds of excellent “swag” (it says here) in return for your support.
And to whet your appetite, I can reveal that the story features a character from The Corn Bride, so if one is hankering for more Woodville thrills, then this is where you will find it. Click on the image below to support the project…
I had the best time discussing the classic novelisation of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan by Vonda N McIntyre with the Authorized podcast gang. I discuss my relationship with the film and the book and how both have inspired me as a writer…
The Authorized podcast celebrates Thanksgiving with an Alien cookbook special! Using the rather baffling instructions in the Official Alien Cookbook we were challenged to cook/bake recipes from the book.
Fellow guests Patrick Willems and Sarah Welch-Larson took up the challenge with aplomb. Me? I can’t cook or bake for toffee, so I called in an expert: namely my wonderful wife Claire. She made two magnificent face-hugger recipes. The Invasion of Pot Pies and the Pear and Cardamom Upside Down Cake (photos below…) and they were very yummy indeed.
You can listen to the podcast on your favourite podcast provider, and if you want to skip ahead to Claire’s bit, it’s at around 1 hour 14 minutes. Bon appetit!
Happy Book Lovers’ Day! When did you last give a book some love? #rebootreading #happybookloversday #bookloversday
In my tenth (count ’em!) appearance on the splendid Authorized Podcast, we discuss the novelisation of McG’s first Charlie’s Angels movie by Elizabeth Lenhard. This was a movie chosen by a randomiser, and it wasn’t a film I was familiar with, but it’s lost of fun and the book is frothy and fun read.
This was recorded on the evening that England lost the Euros (you can hear the strain in my voice) and we also get into McG’s leering gaze, the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, and why the A-Team movie had its premise all wrong, and much more! Oh, and I get to choose my next novelisation and it’s a classic!
The podcast is available on all the usual pod catchers, and you can listen on Spotify here…
I was delighted to be asked to contribute a story to the Law of Consequences anthology, which is available right now!
The anthology is the brainchild of Steve Gowland, W.A. Leggatt and G.M. White who wanted to create a collection that celebrated the talents of followers of the Bestseller Experiment podcast. There are some breathtakingly talented authors in these pages, some you might know, others you’ll be encountering for the first time. I can guarantee that you’re in for a real treat. Here’s a roll call of the authors…
And the cover art is by Lizzie Leggatt.
From surprises in hessian sacks, pubs run by stone golems, a curious packed lunch, questionable drink choices, to copper urns (best avoided), dogs in space, horrifying boarding schools, families torn apart by war, brooding strangers and suspicious jars of marmalade.
Discover drama, treachery, love and the unpredictable, and often astonishing outcomes of our actions. Each tale in ‘The Law of Consequences’ reveals the delicate balance between destiny and free will, light and shadow. Enter with an open mind…
I have a story in here, too! It’s called ‘Horrible’ and takes a moment from The End of Dragons and tells it from a completely new perspective. You don’t need to have read The End of Dragons to make sense of it. If anything, you’ll probably enjoy this moment in Dragons all the more if you read the short story first.
You can grab your copy of The Law of Consequences by clicking on the big button thing below…
And while you’re reading, why not enjoy a game of bingo? My story is the one with the hessian sack…
Download on your Kindle (it’s also on Kindle Unlimited) or you can get a signed paperback from me here…
Mark Stay Writes 