My new novel The Wondrous Kingdom of No Such Things is almost here. Or, depending on when you read this, it might already be here. But ‘new’ is probably not the best word to describe it. The book will be new for you, but it’s old for me. How old? Thirty-plus years. And some of its elements are even older than that.
The character, Jack Stumblewick, arrived to me in the early 90s. He was part based on an old friend who always seemed to do the most peculiar things. And he was also partly inspired by someone I barely knew who’d dress in a strange motley of clothes that reminded me of a jester’s costume.
The seeds of the story itself were born even earlier when I used to cycle over the Sussex Downs with my father in England. I’d gaze up at the trails winding over the round green hills and wonder what adventures might lie on the other side of them. The map, which you can see below, is also partially based on that part of Britain.
Would you like to read the blurb? Here it is:
An epic journey of bravery and wonder in a battle to save a magical kingdom.
12-year-old Jack Stumblewick has never left his village. Why would he? The place brims with magic. There’s glittering gold deep inside the mines, and faeries and leprechauns flit through the hedgerows.
But Lady Fate has other plans for Jack, and soon he finds himself embarking on a perilous quest across a land teeming with dangers.
here’s vicious vampires, gargantuan giants, and the most sinister Terriblists.
Even though he’s as optimistic as a summer day is long, Jack soon realizes it’s only a matter of time before something monstrous brings his valiant journey to an end. The question is, can he complete his quest before the entire kingdom falls beneath the shadow of a terrifying dragon and comes crashing down around him?
I wrote the first draft of the novel in 1999 on my lunch breaks at work. Because I had a bad habit of starting stories and switching to new ones when I got distracted, I vowed to finish this one. And then I rewrote the entire tale at least three times, maybe more.
So the story has changed a lot over the years, but the main character, Jack, and the land of Fabulis have remained the same.
And now I hope you’ll enjoy your trip to ‘The Wondrous Kingdom of No Such Things’ (and a huge thank you to Jack for his patience)!
You can get signed copies on Whidbey Island from: Madrona Supply Company in Clinton, Wish-By-The-Sea in Langley, Kingfisher Bookstore in Coupeville, and Wind & Tide, and The Book Rack in Oak Harbor.
Alternatively, you can buy the book on Amazon in both Kindle and Paperback.
