Coming Soon - Connecting Who!

Candy Jar Books is thrilled to announce the release of Connecting Who: Artificial Beings – a Doctor Who reference book. And, for a limited time, all pre-orders of the book will receive a free copy of the celebrated third instalment to the Lethbridge-Stewart series Beast of Fang Rock!

Written by Peter Grehan, this authoritative book is a perfect read for those who want to delve deeper into the hidden mysteries and secrets of the Doctor Who universe.

Peter says: “Imagine Doctor Who as a tree trunk that keeps growing taller and taller, fed by roots that reach down into history, mythology, psychology, folktales, religion, science and the wealth of science fiction that exists in the world. It’s not surprising therefore to find that Doctor Who connects with a lot of other stuff. “

Connecting Who: Artificial Beings examines some of these connections; specifically in regards to those artificial beings (clever computers, robots, androids and cyborgs) we find in Doctor Who.

The book investigates artificial beings such as the Cybermen, Daleks, Autons, Weeping Angels, Gangers, Morbius, Xoanon and the Yeti, making connections to literary and scientific sources.

Shaun Russell, head of publishing at Candy Jar Books, feels that this new release offers a fresh perspective on the Doctor’s travels through space and time. He says: “Peter has been a fan of Doctor Who since day one and his take on the Whoniverse offers a personal outlook on growing up with the series. His childhood love of robots coincided with the introduction of the Daleks and, despite the Daleks not really being robots, their cries of exterminate cemented his love for all things Doctor Who.”

Peter is no stranger to Doctor Who, having worked as a host at the Doctor Who Experience and penning the audio drama Sontarans: Silent Warrior for BBV. He says: “In my book I have enjoyed making the connections between Doctor Who and real-life computers, robots and cyborgs. These connections run deep into culture, history and science. It is my hope that fans will not only enjoy reading my book, but begin to connect the dots themselves.”

Connecting Who: Artificial Beings is exclusively available to pre-order from www.candyjarbooks.co.uk. All pre-orders come with a free copy of Lethbridge-Stewart: Beast of Fang Rock. 


Find out more about the Lethbridge-Stewart series at its own website:  https://lethbridgestewartnovels.wordpress.com/

Lethbridge-Stewart Moon Blink Cover & Blurb Revealed

Candy Jar Books is pleased to release the cover art for the next Lethbridge-Stewart series novel, Moon Blink by Sadie Miller. It boasts a revamped logo and brand new artwork by Adrian Salmon, who has previously worked on covers for the Lethbridge-Stewart titles, The Schizoid Earth and Mutually Assured Domination.

Candy Jar Books launched the fully licensed Lethbridge-Stewart series in February 2015, with Andy Frankham-Allen’s The Forgotten Son kicking off the venture in style. Three more titles were subsequently released; each met with high praise from fans and the press.

The blurb for Sadie's Moon Blink has also been released:

July 1969, and mankind is on the Moon. Both the United States and Soviet Russia have lunar bases, and both are in trouble.

Back on Earth, Anne Travers has learned she is about to be visited by an old friend from America, Doctor Patricia Richards. Lance Corporal Bill Bishop is aware of the visit, and is on hand to meet Richards.

She brings with her a surprise, one which the Americans and Russians wish to get their hands on. But the only man who can truly help Anne, Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, is away in Scotland.

It’s a game of cat and mouse, as Anne and Bishop seek to protect the life of an innocent baby – one that holds the secrets to life on the Moon.

A series of novels from the classic era of Doctor Who, starring Anne Travers and Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, based on the characters and concepts created by Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln.

Shaun Russell, Head of Publishing at Candy Jar Books says, “We wanted to do something different this year, and the revamped logo and background colour reflects that. Colin Howard has done a fantastic job of giving Simon Williams’ original design a bit more weight.”

Adrian Salmon began his career painting illustrations for magazines before drawing his first comic strip “Judge Karyn” for Judge Dredd Megazine. Following this, he drew Cybermen for Doctor Who Magazine, and has worked with the magazine for the last twenty years. He dipped his toes into the creator-owned market with writer Robert Tinnell on THE FACELESS: A Terry Sharp Story, starring occult fighter and film director Terry Sharp, which was published by Image Comics. He created the artwork for The Schizoid Earth and Mutually Assured Domination for Candy Jar Books in 2015, and has more covers lined up for later in 2016.

Adrian says: “It was an honour to be chosen to draw Sadie’s cover for Moon Blink. We went for something emblematic, echoing the great Target covers of yore. I ended up sending two colour versions which Shaun brilliantly combined to make the final cover.”

“We are delighted with this latest piece of work from Adrian,” says series editor Andy Frankham-Allen. “And this time, not only do we highlight our co-stars Lethbridge-Stewart and Anne Travers, but we get to show the world Lance Corporal Bishop; a fan favourite from three of last year’s titles, now a regular in the series.”

Sadie Miller enjoyed a career as a child actress through many voice-over parts, making her screen debut when she was eight playing Penny in the BBC film Royal Celebration. She is best-known to Doctor Who fans for her role in two series of Sarah Jane Smith audio dramas produced by Big Finish in 2002 and 2006. Sadie won much critical acclaim for the role of the wheelchair-bound Planet 3 researcher, Natalie Redfern, particularly in the story Test of Nerve. She completed courses with the National Youth Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre’s Young Writer’s Programme, and RADA’s Shakespeare Course. She earned a BA in English and Related Literature, and graduated with honours. She is currently working on an original Young Adult novel, having already contributed to anthologies. In 2014 she was a finalist for the Glass Woman prize with Mirandolina.

Sadie’s book headlines the 2016 series of Lethbridge-Stewart novels, and is published in the spring, followed by The Showstoppers by Jonathan Cooper and The Grandfather Infestation by John Peel. A further three novels will be released in the autumn.

The usual discounted pre-order bundles will be on offer from Candy Jar, with a new subscription deal for those wishing to get six books for the price of five!

Lethbridge-Stewart: Moon Blink by Sadie Miller is due to be released April 2016. It can now be pre-ordered (individually, or as part of a bundle/subscription) from Candy Jar Books HERE.

PRESS RELEASE: Lethbridge Stewart Will Return

Candy Jar Books have just released the fourth - and what was thought to be the final book - in the Lethbridge-Stewart series: Mutually Assured Domination by Nick Walters. But fans who have already received the final instalment may have noticed the very exciting revelation at the end of Walters' book: Lethbridge-Stewart will return in 2016. and, not only will the publisher be releasing another series of novels, it has been announced that the next book will be written by none other than Sadie Miller!

The fully licensed Lethbridge-Stewart series was launched in February 2015, with Andy Frankham-Allen's The Forgotten Son. Three more titles were subsequently released; each met with high praise from fans and the press. 

Sadie miller is set to return to the worlds of Doctor Who with her debut novel, Moon Blink - an exclusive preview of which is printed at the end of Mutually Assured Domination. 

Gary Russell, former script editor of The Sarah Jane Adventures and long-time family friend, said: "When I first heard that Sadie was writing a novel, my initial reaction was 'ahh, a chip off the old block' - her delightful mum was one of the most creative, sharp and incisive individuals I ever knew. But then I realised I was doing Sadie a disservice, because from the first day I met her, Sadie Miller has always been her own person, utterly talented and rapaciously gifted which, other than encouragement and support, owes nothing to either of her parents and everything to Sadie's own determination to be brilliant. And with this novel, she's proven that she is."

Sadie is no stranger to Doctor Who, of course. Her father is actor Brian Miller, who has appeared in both Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures, and her mother is Doctor Who legend Elisabeth Sladen, the actress who won the hearts of millions of Doctor Who fans in the 1970s as Sarah Jane Smith, and once again in 2005 when she brought Sarah back to the modern era of Doctor Who. Elisabeth Sladen sadly passed away in 2011, which led to Sadie distancing herself for some time from Doctor Who fandom. 

"I needed time to mourn, to be there for my dad. The constant reminders of my mum, obviously very hard to avoid, it was just too painful. But now I feel that the time is right to reconnect with Doctor Who, and the fans," said Sadie. "My dad did so last years with an appearance in Peter Capaldi's first episode, and so now it's my turn. It's exciting to be writing my first novel, and that it features the Brig adds another layer of importance. He, in the form of Nicholas Courtney, was there when Mum debuted as Sarah in 1973, and she was there for his very last onscreen appearance as the character in 2008. So in many ways this is important."

Sadie enjoyed a career as a child actress through many voice-over parts, making her screen debut when she was eight, playing Penny in the BBC film Royal Celebration. She is best-known to Doctor Who fans for her role in two series of Sarah Jane Smith audio dramas produced by Big Finish in 2002 and 2006. She won much critical acclaim for the role of the wheelchair-bound Planet 3 researcher, Natalie Redfern, particularly in the story Test of Nerve. 

"I almost worked with Sadie a good ten years ago on the second series of Sarah Jane Smith," said series editor Andy Frankham-Allen, "but alas that did not come to be. We've kept in touch since, and as soon as I learned she was switching careers I immediately asked if she wanted to write for the Lethbridge-Stewart range, feeling it may be the right time for her to reconnect with Doctor Who fandom. And bless her, she agreed without a second thought!"

Candy Jar's Publishing Co-ordinator Hayley Cox said: "It's a great honour to be here at the start of Sadie's writing career, working with her on her debut novel."

Sadie's book headlines the 2016 series of Lethbridge-Stewart novels, followed by The Showstoppers by Jonathan Cooper and The Grandfather Infestation by John Peel. A further three novels will be released in the autumn. 

The usual pre-order bundles will be on offer from Candy Jar, with a new subscription deal for those wishing to get six books for the price of five!

Lethbridge Stewart: Moon Blink by Sadie Miller is due to be released April 2016. It can now be pre-ordered (individually, or as part of a bundle or subscription) from Candy Jar Books.