THE LAUGHING GNOME!

Candy Jar Books is releasing a series of six titles to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Brigadier. The first five fall under the banner of The Laughing Gnome, and follows Sir Alistair, Brigadier Bill Bishop and Dame Anne as they adventure through time, visiting the 1930s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and the 2010s! These are followed by a novel that takes the readers right back to the start of the Brigadier’s journey and reveals the decision that changed his life forever!

The Laughing Gnome consists of Scary Monsters by Simon A Forward, The Fear of Web by Alyson Leeds, The Danger Men by Nick Walters, Day of the Matador by Robert Mammone, and Lucy Wilson and the Bledoe Cadets by Tim Gambrell. These are followed by On His Majesty’s National Service by David A McIntee & Dr Lynette Nusbacher.

Kate Lethbridge-Stewart is set to reunite with her legendary father!

Candy Jar Books is very pleased to announce a new addition to the forthcoming 'Lineage' anthology. Fully approved by Reeltime Pictures, Kate Lethbridge-Stewart is set to reunite with her legendary father!

The story is called Of the Future and is written by range editor Andy Frankham-Allen.

"It's a great to finally make this happen. Keith, Marc and I have been in discussion for a while now about bringing Kate into the LSverse, and what initially began as a cameo in another Lineage story, has evolved into something much bigger. Of the Future is just the start, and takes us right back to the moment that tore Kate and her father apart, setting up the situation we found them in, in Marc Platt's Downtime. Marc, who created Kate for Downtime in 1995, with Mervyn Haisman's approval, is very happy with the story I've put together, which is good enough for me."

Lineage is due out in the summer, but can be pre-ordered now:

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

Lineage line-up:

• Prologue: The Soothsayer by Richard Dinnick
• The Bone Merchants by Andrew Allen
• As the Son Falls by Wink Taylor
• What's Past is Prologue by David A McIntee
• The War Romance by Harry Draper
• The Note by Andy Frankham-Allen
• Inheritance by Gareth Madgwick
• Of the Future by Andy Frankham-Allen
• Acceptance, and then Understanding by Andy Frankham-Allen
• The Arcade of Doom by Chris Lynch
• Epilogue: The Soothsayer by Richard Dinnick

Top Tips for Submissions!

If you’re thinking about submitting some work to us, we’d love to hear from you, but you might like to have a look at these guides for sending your work to us. 

1. Include a cover letter – We’d like to know a little more about you and your story. You can tell us anything you think is relevant about who you are and where your inspiration for the story came from.
2. A synopsis is always helpful – You will only be sending us a small portion of your book, so it’s helpful to us if you can send us a synopsis. Just a brief account of the plot of your book is what we need. 
3. Don’t send us too much – We love reading your work and finding new authors, but we do receive a lot of submissions. Just 2-3 chapters are enough to give us an idea of what your book is like.
4. Is your book like another you’ve read? – It’s always helpful for us to know the sort of books you think yours is like. If you’ve written the first book in a series of books about a boy who discovers he’s a wizard, and also the son of a god, you might liken your book to Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.
5. Who is going to read it? – It’s also useful to us to have an idea of who your book will appeal to. Is it a general fiction novel? Is it a children’s fantasy novel? Or a Young Adult Contemporary novel? Either way, we’d like to know.  
6. Have patience – We receive a lot of submissions, and while we try hard to get through all of them as quickly as possible it does take time, so please have patience with us while waiting for a response.

So there you have it! 6 key tips for sending in your submissions to us. For more information on where to send them, visit our website!

SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER - VIDEO

Check out an interview with See You In September author Joanne Teague:

When Joanne Teague learnt that she may only have a few months to live she decided to take her three children out of school and, with her husband, spend six months travelling around Europe. See You in September is the hilarious and uplifting account of this family’s journey through Europe. From the interviews with the children’s eccentric headteacher, to the vagaries of negotiating the Paris Metro with a toddler, the joys of navigating through Italian cities and the challenge of purchasing food for a family on a remote Greek island using only sign language, the book deals with every family’s holiday dreams – and nightmares – with a wonderfully light touch.

About the Author: Joanne Teague has lived in the Vale of Glamorgan for the last 16 years. She trained as an occupational therapist and is married with three children. Joanne's life changed when she became seriously ill and was diagnosed with Vascular Ehlers-Danlos -- a rare and still incurable, life-threatening condition. Notwithstanding, she continues to work, to travel and to have lots of fun.

See You In September is available from all good retailers, Amazon.co.uk, Play.com and the Candy Jar Books website. It is also available as an e-book via Kindle and all other e-reader devices.

Visit the Candy Jar Books website (www.candyjarbooks.co.uk) to order your copy of See You In September and check out our other titles!

CANDY JAR TAKES A TRIP TO THE AIRPORT!

In September 2013 the Candy Jar team took a trip... to Cardiff airport. Unlike the others there we had different plans. Our mission? To give 400 lucky travellers a free copy of our wonderful new publication See You in September – the perfect travelling companion.

When Joanne Teague became seriously ill and was diagnosed with Vascular Ehlers-Danlos – a rare and still incurable, life-threatening condition – she decided to grab as much life as she could get. Her solution was to spend six months travelling around Europe with her husband and three young children. Their travels were restricted to one continent but we want this book to travel the world.

If you are reading this with a copy in your hand please do read and enjoy it. All we ask is that you leave it somewhere (a train, hotel, coffee shop...) or pass it on to someone once you’re finished so that its adventure can continue.

Please share your experience with friends and keep us updated on its journey via Twitter #SYIS and like See You in September on Facebook.

 http://seeyouinseptember.wordpress.com/

LATEST TITLE COMING SOON FROM CANDY JAR BOOKS!

Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce its latest book, 'Beware of the Mirror Man', published in collaboration with Screaming Dreams.

Due for release in the new year, 'Beware of the Mirror Man' is the debut novel from Benjamin Burford-Jones and tells the story of two children who befriend the mysterious 'mimics':

"Gathering dust in Sophie’s deserted attic is an ancient black and white television set. Beyond the cobwebs and the old bits of furniture, it serves as a refuge, a home, and a studio for the strange little creatures, known as mimics, who perform live from inside the TV. Sophie quickly finds new friends among these peaceable creatures, but very soon she begins to receive mysterious notes of warning...‘Beware the Mirror Man’."

This is a fantastical and heartwarming tale of curses and mirrors, ancient foes and the fluffy little creatures living in your attic.

You can pre-order your copy of Beware of the Mirror Man, available in hardback, for the price of just £9.99 (RRP £12.99), by going here.

Candy Jar Books is a fresh, new publishing company based in South Wales. To find out more, please visit out website: www.candy-jar.co.uk

Screaming Dreams is an independent horror and fantasy publisher. Discover more by visiting www.screamingdreams.com

KANGAZANG! GETS THE COMIC GURU TREATMENT!

Last week, Kangazang! author Terry Cooper visited Cardiff comic specialists 'Comic Guru' to sign preview copies of the sequel to his cult sci-fi comedy.

'Star Stuff' is the second in the Kangazang! trilogy which follows Jeff and Ray as they cut short their holiday in paradise to embark on a quest to find their missing loved ones, while an unholy alliance of evil forces pursues them across the galaxy – hell-bent on destroying the duo once and for all!

While at the signing, Terry did a short interview for ComicGuruTV, the Guru's YouTube channel. Check it out here:

Filmed and Edited by Adam at the Comic Guru

The Comic Guru

Candy Jar Books

MERLYS - COMING SOON FROM JELLY BEAN BOOKS!

Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce its forthcoming title, MERLYS.

Produced through Jelly Bean Books – Candy Jar's Self-Publishing Imprint – this is the début novel of octogenarian Barbara Pontin.

The book is the story of a fiery and headstrong young girl who embarks on a journey of adventure and discovery across South Wales in the sixteenth century.

Merlys and her older brother Jeremy run away from their comfortable and secure home in a Welsh valley after disagreeing with their father over his plans for their future.

They head to the coast, seeking help from their aunt, only to find their lives in danger when Merlys overhears two men talking. One of them – a packman selling buttons, lace and ribbons to farmer’s wives and daughters – is the leader of a gang of thieves, murderers and wreckers.

Merlys learns of their next crime, inspired by information gleaned from idle gossip about wealthy travellers and well-laden ships. When the criminals discover she knows of their intentions, they attempt to silence Merlys – but each time they try, she and her brother manage to escape.

Arriving at the relative safety of their aunt’s home, Merlys and Jeremy soon learn that danger continues to stalk them.

As the criminal underworld of a sleepy coastal town closes in, only time will tell if they both will find peace and – ultimately – happiness.

Merlys will be available from Candy Jar books soon. If you wish to reserve an advance copy via the Candy Jar store, please go here.

KANGAZANG! BOUNCES INTO SPRING WITH A FANTASTIC SALE!

Candy Jar Books have announced their spring sale. The four disc Kangazang! CD has been slashed from £15.99 to £7.99, with the book dropping from £9.99 to £5.99*.

Colin Baker narrates the story about Earthling Jeff Spooner and his alien barber, Ray Scump, as they search for the fabled Universal Remote Control – avoiding danger, doom and embarrassing situations as they go. Aided by two badly programmed robots and an army of warrior Space Hoppers, our heroes dive and try to dodge the biggest threats in the galaxy: Supreme Overlord Kelvin (Emperor of Skragg), the terminally depressed Emo people and Queen Shelley (a bald, cannibalistic Amazon who has a score to settle from way back)...

Actress Claire Cage, who also features in Kangazang!, can be seen this week in Submarine – the highly anticipated movie from The IT Crowd’s, Richard Ayoade.

Kangazang! – a triple CD disc set, with a bonus DVD – was actually produced in the same building where the Doctor Who episode Blink, and the new series of Torchwood, was filmed.

Shaun Russell, director of Candy Jar Books, is excited that Kangazang! will reach more listeners. He said: “We’ve had fantastic reaction to both the book and CD. However, at Candy Jar we are focusing on new projects including a wartime memoir and children’s book. It is now time to clear the decks, so if you have not purchased the CD yet this maybe your last opportunity to do so. We also have a handful of Mike Collins prints to give away.”

For every Kangazang CD or book sold online, we will give a £1 donation to the Atlantic Dash team. They will be rowing the Atlantic for three months later this year, raising money for three worthwhile causes: Help for Heroes, Breast Cancer Care and The Fire Fighters Charity.

Don't delay - get your copy of Kangazang! here.

*plus p&p

CANDY JAR TITLES FOR 2011

Candy Jar is working hard on two titles due to be launched in 2011.

One Woman's War is a memoir by Eileen Younghusband who worked in the top secret Filter Rooms during the Second World War. Her story is one of love, loss, courage and humour. It reads like a novel, but every word is true.

Release date: July 2011.

Beware of the Mirror Man is a fantasy novel for children. It tells the story of Sophie and her brother who discover strange little creatures – whose only aim in life is to entertain – living in the television in the attic. But what are the mysterious notes they keep getting? And who is the terrifying Mirror Man?

Release date: October 2011

We are also working on various other, exciting projects - watch this space!