Fifty Years of the Brigadier

Saturday, 17 February 2018 - Written by Peter Nolan
Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (Credit: BBC)Moments in Time
17th of February 1968. Fifty years ago today The Web of Fear Part Three is transmitted for the one and only time; never to be seen again save for a brief sighting of a film tin in a far-flung relay station. A tin which, itself, would vanish into thin air. It would be handy to describe this as a particularly tragic loss – the moment the Doctor meets (then) Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart. But strangely even if we had the episode to include in our collections alongside the five recovered episodes, we still wouldn’t have that magical moment to see – it occurs inconveniently offscreen, with the Doctor simply showing up with the Colonel in tow, describing how they’d bumped into each other in the tunnel.

The throwaway nature with which the character debuts is an earmark of how unplanned and organic his growth into a Doctor Who legend is. It’s par for the course with this show, of course, with possibly the Master the only time a production team has set out to create the Next Big Thing and succeeded – the likes of the Krotons and the Mechanoids and the Zarbi litter the battlefield of intended recurring elements that didn’t take off, while ever since the Daleks the most in-demand characters always seem to take the creators by surprise. Yet even considering that, the Brigadier’s has been an astonishing evolution from shifty looking suspect in the mole hunt for a traitor to a character that’s such a universal totem of Doctor Who that when Steven Moffat wanted to bring the First Doctor face to face with the future life he was destined to live, it was Lethbridge-Stewart’s WWI era grandfather that he brought in to symbolize it.

In part, this evolution from guest star to icon is down to good fortune. Had it not been for the bright idea to cut costs by leaving the Doctor Earthbound then there would have been no need for UNIT to become such fixtures of the early to mid-1970s. But the lion’s share of glory must go to that magnificent gentleman Nicholas Courtney.  Circumstance promoted the Brigadier from one-off guest to regular fixture, but it was Courtney that elevated him to a legend almost as beloved by fans as the Doctor himself. His combination of warm charm, unflappable dignity, and self-knowing irony made him the perfect straight man to Jon Pertwee’s caustic egoist and Tom Baker’s mercurial oddball.

Perhaps the Brig’s best quality as a character was his attitude to “the odd, the unexplained, anything on Earth, or even beyond.” However bizarre or strange the threat, he faced it all with the same matter of fact acceptance that the world was plainly a jolly rum old place and that pondering the deep metaphysical questions that raised was less important than figuring out which bits of it he needed to shoot in the face. Sometimes, yes, as time went by that will slip over the line into giving him a kind of literal-minded stupidity instead for the sake of a quick gag but the equilibrium would always be restored. When people think of their favourite Brigadier moments, it’s his response to being confronted with a living statue animated by dark magic from beyond the dawn of the human race (“Chap with wings there. Five rounds rapid,”) his giving the best ever response to discovering the TARDIS is bigger on the inside (complaining as he finally realizes how much of his UNIT budget has obviously gone into the Doctor’s work on it), or his deep sighs at discovering he’s been transported halfway across the galaxy to a ‘Death Zone’ populated by Yeti, Cybermen, and other beasties as if he’d expected nothing less.

If anything underlines this perfect combination of actor and character it’s how forgettable every substitute for the Brigadier has proven to be. In The Android Invasion, we even get Patrick Newell’s Colonel Faraday as such a direct, and late, substitution for the unavailable Nicholas Courtney that his dialogue was practically unchanged yet Faraday is never more than a bit of plot machinery to represent the authorities in the final couple of episodes. While it’s not until the introduction of Alistair’s own daughter, Kate Stewart, forty-four years after his own, that we again get a UNIT leader worth re-visiting and not just the one-off guest that Lethbridge-Stewart himself could have been.

Such was his cache as a Doctor Who institution that for decades after he was no longer a regularly recurring character, meeting the Brig was still a box every Doctor need to tick. Not only did he reunite with the Fifth and Seventh Doctors on television, but clearly one of Big Finish’s earliest priorities on getting their license was to finally give the Sixth and Eighth proper outings alongside him. Even David Tennant’s incarnation was all set to have one last hurrah with the Brig until Courtney’s worsening health tragically robbed us of the brilliance such a team up offered.

It’s this, more than anything that has solidified the Brigadier as the Doctor’s unlikely best friend of all. While fans can’t even agree whether he qualifies as a companion or not, the fact remains that so many of those the Doctor has traveled with have been left in his past with nary a backward glance, yet it’s the Brig that he’s returned to time and again.

Since Nicholas Courtney’s death in 2011, Doctor Who has tried more than once to provide him a final salute. But none of them, whether a final phone call, Kate’s name-checking of him, one last act of heroism by the controversial ‘Cyberbrig’, or Mark Gatiss’ aforementioned Captain, has really stuck. None of them have felt like a final word that sums up the Brig’s contribution to the series.

In truth, probably nothing ever can. But what we can do tonight is raise a glass of good scotch, or ginger ale, or whatever you're having yourself, and give a nod to Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, fifty years on from that business with the Yeti. Cheers, Brig!

Nicholas Courtney: (Credit:BBC)Nicholas Courtney, Jon Pertwee: (Credit:BBC)Nicholas Courtney, Tom Baker: (Credit:BBC)Nicholas Courtney, Patrick Troughton: (Credit:BBC)Nicholas Courtney, Peter Davison: (Credit:BBC)Nicholas Courtney, Sylvester McCoy: (Credit:BBC)Nicholas Courtney: (Credit:BBC)




FILTER: - Lethbridge-Stewart - Moments in Time

The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Curse of the Mirror Clowns

Sunday, 11 February 2018 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Candy Jar Books have announced the latest novel in their Lethbridge-Stewart spin-off series, The Lucy Wilson Mysteries:

Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Curse Of The Mirror Clowns (Credit: Candy Jar Books)The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Curse of the Mirror Clowns
Written by Chris Lynch
Cover by Steve Beckett


The circus is coming to town – and it may never leave.

Lucy Wilson is just about getting used to life in Ogmore-by-Sea. School, homework, friends, and the occasional alien... It’s not easy being the new girl in town but, with the help of her steadfast companion Hobo, she’s making it work.

But when a mysterious circus opens for one night only, the town suddenly finds itself overrun with invisible clowns and the gang are faced with their biggest mystery yet – the disappearance of Lucy Wilson herself.

Thankfully, they’ve got help – a mysterious stranger from another world with a special box that moves in time and space.

Curse of the Mirror Clowns is written by Cardiff-based film and comic writer Chris Lynch who commented that t writing the book gave him the opportunity to tackle a personal fear:
Did you ever think you saw something, just out of the corner of your eye? It happens to me all the time and it freaks me out quite a bit. So, when I got the chance to add my own monster to the Lucy Wilson universe, I knew it had to be a monster that you couldn't always see. I also wanted it to be a clown because, if there's something that freaks me out more than things I can't see, then it's something I can see – clowns. Of course, that's not all I added – there are plenty of other surprises in there that I hope people will really enjoy. It's been great fun adding my own strange and spooky elements to Lucy's world and I hope to be back very, very soon.

The book is available to pre-order from the Candy Jar Books website.



The 29th March sees Candy Jar officially release The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Avatars of the Intelligence by Sue Hampton. The book was previously available exclusively to fans since September, but will now be made available to the wider public.

Head of publishing at Candy Jar, Shaun Russell, says:

We’ve had such good feedback for this book. Reviews have been encouraging and fans seemed to have embraced Lucy and Hobo. Moreover, we’ve also had a positive response from the general public. We’ve been trialling Avatars of the Intelligence with 1300 school children and the initial feedback has been very promising. In particular, we’ve had high praise for Steve Beckett’s cover design and, consequently, Curse of the Mirror Clowns has another fantastic piece of artwork by the talented Beano artist.

Lucy and her family have featured in two recent Lethbridge-Stewart short stories: Lucy Wilson by Sue Hampton (The HAVOC Files 3) and The Two Brigadiers by Jonathan Macho (The HAVOC Files 4). Added to this, they will also make an appearance in the upcoming short story collection Lethbridge-Stewart: Lineage in two further stories.




FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart

Lethbridge-Stewart: Lineage

Sunday, 21 January 2018 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Candy Jar Books has announced a new collection of short stories. Lethbridge-Stewart: Lineage is a series of tales about the Lethbridge-Stewart family from the early 1600s right up to the present day (including three brand new adventures featuring the Brigadier himself).

Lethbridge-Stewart: Lineage (Credit: Candy Jar Books)Lineage
Stories by Andrew Allen, Harry Draper, Richard Dinnick, Gareth Madgwick, Wink Taylor, Chris Lynch, David A McIntee and Andy Frankham-Allen
Edited by Andy Frankham-Allen


The Lethbridge-Stewart name carries with it stories of integrity, honour and courage. But was it always so?

From its earliest origins with the Clan Stewart in Scotland, and the Lethbridges in Devon, England, the name has a storied past. Historical figures, history makers, miitary heroes…

Lethbridge-Stewart: Lineage presents six brand-new tales from some of the most popular authors previously published in The HAVOC Files collection, as well as one from the creative mind of writer and film maker Chris Lynch.


Based on characters created and inspired by Mervyn Haisman & Henry Lincoln.

The stories take place during the 1600s, 1800s, 1940s, 1970s, and 2010, and explore the ancestors and descendents of Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell says:
We’ve been pondering doing a collection like this for some time, but it never seemed to be the right time. But with the impending fiftieth anniversary of the first appearance of the Brig in Doctor Who, combined with the recent appearance of the Brigadier’s grandfather in Twice Upon a Time, and the positive response that garnered, it seemed that the time was, finally, now.

Editor Andy Frankham-Allen says:
I love exploring the Brigadier’s lineage, be it his immediate family in the shape of his mother and father, or his descendents, in the shape of his son and grandchildren. But I’ve always wanted to go deeper, to look at some other Lethbridge-Stewarts, or indeed Stewarts and Lethbridges, to find out what kind of impact they had on the world. Sometimes that impact can be huge, and sometimes it can be the smallest thing that has the biggest repercussions. With this collection, we get to explore some of the lesser known ancestors, and introduce some never even mentioned before. And, of course, we get to visit the rising star that is Lucy Wilson, the Brigader’s adventuring grandaughter!

Authors include Richard Dinnick, with Shaun observing:
We are delighted popular Doctor Who author Richard Dinnick is contributing a story to the Lethbridge-Stewart Lineage collection, tentatively called The Soothsayer and set in 1603. Richard's first piece of professional fiction was produced by Big Finish in 2005, a short story called Neptune, the first of a two-part story, the second of which was written by our range editor, Andy Frankham-Allen. This was followed by a co-authored audio script, also with Andy, for the Space 1889 series, The Lunar Inheritance. He has since gone on to write countless Doctor Who stories for Big Finish, BBC Books and Titan comics. And plenty of non-Doctor Who stuff too!

Lethbridge-Stewart: Lineage will be available as a hardback for a strictly limited time, and is available for pre-order now. This volume does not form part of any bundle offer.



There are also two free Lethbridge-Stewart stories currently available for download via the Candy Jar website.

What’s Past is Prologue by David A McIntee, and The Note by Andy Frankham-Allen were released over the festive period to subscribers of the Lethbridge-Stewart series, and are now available to the general public.

The two stories are connected by a Lethbridge-Stewart family secret which has its origins in 1902 and is not revealed until 1945. Both stories focus on the relationship between the original Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, the British Intelligence operative from the early twentieth century, after whom the Brigadier was named, and his brother, Archie. Not only do the stories feature the Brigadier’s namesake, but also takes a deeper look into the life of his father, Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.

Range Editor and author, Andy Frankham-Allen explains:
This story plays with family secrets, adding further depth to the Lethbridge-Stewart legacy. So, now we have a story set in 1917 that sets up the secret from 1902, and a story set in 1945 which reveals what really did, or did not, happen.

Both stories can be found via the Candy Jar website.

Lethbridge-Stewart: What's Past Is Prologue (Credit: Candy Jar Books) Lethbridge-Stewart: The Note (Credit: Candy Jar Books)




FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart

Lethbridge-Stewart: A Very Private Haunting

Monday, 8 January 2018 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Candy Jar Books opens its fifth series of ongoing Lethbridge-Stewart novels with the publication of A Very Private Haunting at the end of this month:

Lethbridge-Stewart: A Very Private Haunting (Credit: Candy Jar Books)A Very Private Haunting
Sharon Bidwell
Cover artwork by Richard Young


Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart is not a man who likes to leave things unfinished. He is, therefore, at a loss when forced into taking leave after his recent tussle with a ‘shadow creature’, a case that has yet to be fully resolved. Anne Travers is tired of the loss burning in her heart. So when Lethbridge-Stewart is called to Glencross to help the son of an old friend, she insists on going with him.

In Glencross, young Tomas Campbell has gone missing, and his friends band together to uncover the dark secret at the heart of the village. Meanwhile, Arthur Penrose had returned to his ancestral home to find a haunted residence, and a doll with a message.

What connects the doll to the strange sounds that scurry around Penrose Manor, why do the adults of Glencross seem so intent on keeping their children from leaving the village, and what has all this got to do with the ‘shadow creature’? It is up the Lethbridge-Stewart and Anne to find out.


This special edition includes an extended version of Sharon Bidwell’s short story, The Wishing Bazaar.

Author Sharon Bidwell previously wrote the Lethbridge-Stewart short story, The Wishing Bazaar, and has worked with range editor, Andy Frankham-Allen, on several projects since 2011, even co-writing a book. For this nverl, Sharon said:
Andy didn’t leave me with a choice. He’s always dragging me into things. I want to say he ‘invited’ me, but he was very adamantant that I’d write for the series. Which is a compliment, and Andy has a way about him, so one day I just emailed a first draft of the manuscript to him without any warning.
Andy Frankham-Allen said:
It did come out of the blue, but it was a nice surprise. So, I had the book in my files for almost a year before I found a suitable place for it, and then it all came down to finding a way to make it fit the ongoing narrative, tweaking it here and there, and suggestion a few changes to Sharon. In fairness, beyond series continuity, there wasn’t much to do. Sharon has always had a good grasp of story, and knows how to mix good character work with layers of meaning and emotional resonance.
Sharon adds:
I'm not a writer who consciously considers theme in a first draft. It's something that presents itself to me sometimes as much as three-quarters into a preliminary version. It's hard to choose a defining one in this book. The book questions the keeping of secrets, outmoded beliefs, what can happen if people never question their convictions. I also wanted to explore human behaviour in a macabre setting. The dictionary defines macabre as: disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with or depiction of death and injury. It seems to fit. One thing I was certain I wanted to incorporate was Edison's talking dolls. The problem I stumbled into was the 'why'. I know I wanted to use the doll but a writer cannot simply use a great idea if it doesn't fit the story. I not only constructed an answer, I formulated one that provided me with a well-rounded end to the book.

Shaun Russell, head of publishing, said:
This book has a touch of The Daemons about it, in regards the atmosphere it creates. Perfect reading for a night in front of the fire, with a storm raging outside. It gave me the creeps in places, and I don’t even have a fire to read in front of!

The cover is by regular artist, Richard Young:
I've always wanted to do a cover for a horror type novel. I love the old Hammer horror films so I wanted to do something in that vein… with my own twist.

All pre-orders of A Very Private Haunting will receive a free digital short story called The Comrades by Brian Gallagher, a tale set during the Cold War which sees Brigadier Douglas and Captain Bishop working alongside the SAS. It can be pre-ordered individually, as part of a discounted UK bundle or an international bundle, or as part of a yearly subscription offer. Full details are available from the Candy Jar website.

A Very Private Haunting will be followed by The Man from Yesterday and The New Unusual.




FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart - Merchandise

The Case Of The Missing Fairy

Sunday, 17 December 2017 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Lethbridge-Stewart: The Case of the Missing Fairy (Credit: Candy Jar Books)Candy Jar Books have released a free Lethbridge-Stewart story for Christmas that can be downloaded from their website.

Talking about The Case of the Missing Fairy, range editor Andy Frankham-Allen says:
When Shaun told me he wanted a Christmas story, I groaned and said, ‘well, I don’t have time to write one,’ but then I re-thought and realised that I may have a man who did. So I turned to a young writer I know who wanted to write for the series. Enter Steven Walton. He jumped on board with barely a second’s hesitation, and I then tasked him with sending me a few ideas set within the period that Lethbridge-Stewart served as maths teacher in Brendon School, a period of his life we’ve not really touched upon yet. Steve sent me a few ideas, but that one that appealed to me the most was the whimsical notion of Lethbridge-Stewart investigating the disappearance of a Christmas tree fairy.
Steven Walton says:
I’ve always considered the Brigadier to be the Doctor’s Watson, but as this range has him in the lead role I thought why not make him Sherlock Holmes? Set in a time when he can’t remember the Doctor, the story focuses on those mini adventures in his everyday life. And what a better time to do a silly but fun detective story than at Christmas.
Shaun Russell, head of publishing at Candy Jar, says:
Our seasonal short stories have become something of a tradition, and it was important to me that this year be no different. Steven had produced a lovely, and amusing, little ditty for Christmas, and in quick time, too. Perfect reading after a hearty Christmas dinner!

Further news from Candy Jar Books:
  • A limited edition range of series five novels will be available early 2018, beginning with A Very Private Haunting by Sharon Bidwell. And later in the year the novella range continues with The Lost Skin by Andy Frankham-Allen. Both are available for pre-order.

  • Candy Jar Books recentlry announced that, for the forseable future, there will be no new editions of The HAVOC Files. Editor Andy Frankham-Allen has issued this statement those who submitted story ideas through this year’s open submisson window:
    There are several logistic and legal reasons behind our decision, however, please note we are not cancelling the range, just resting it for the forseeable future. So to anybody who submitted a story idea to us, please be aware that there are two options open to you; you can either retain your idea and repurpose it for other use, or you can allow us to hold on to it and look at it again if/when we do another HAVOC Files release. Please drop us an email (havoc@candyjarbooks.co.uk) to let us know which option you wish to take.

  • Candy Jar currently has a Christmas sale, covering many of their varied titles, including several Lethbridge-Stewart titles.




FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart

Lethbridge-Stewart: The Lost Skin

Sunday, 26 November 2017 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Candy Jar Books has announced the next in its limited edition Lethbridge-Stewart novella range:

Lethbridge-Stewart: The Lost Skin (Credit: Candy Jar Books)The Lost Skin
Written by Andy Frankham-Allen
Cover by Adrian Salmon

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart is on leave in New York, but in Scotland word reaches the Fifth Operational Corps that Harold Chorley, journalist and pain in Lethbridge-Stewart’s rear, has got wind of the Corps’ presence in Stirling.

A plan is set in motion to take Chorley on a wild goose chase to John o Groats, as far from the Corps as possible. RSM Samson Ware and Professor Travers travel to the edge of Scotland, leaving a trail of breadcrums, which are picked by Chorley and his old chum, Larry Greene.

But it soon becomes clear that there is a real mystery in John o Groats, a strange link between Mhairi Docherty – a woman from Huna – and the Orkney Islands, and the local legend of the Selkie. To protect Mhairi, Samson needs to sideline Chorley and Greene, but the ever-erratic Professor Travers has other plans.

What is drawing Mhairi to the Orkney Islands? What hold does Chorley have over Greene? And, more importantly, what links Chorley and Greene to the secret history of Mhairi?

Originally intended as a novella, Candy Jar previously published parts one and two of The Lost Skin in The HAVOC Files 2 and 3, and will now be completed (with 50% new material) as the novella it was originally designed to be.

Range Editor and author, Andy Frankham-Allen explains:
When I first came up with the idea for The Lost Skin, or When Harry Met Larry as I called it then, I didn’t even tell Shaun (Russell, Candy Jar head of publishing) about it, intending to simply write it without worrying about a deadline, and then let him know it existed. But when it became clear that The HAVOC Files 2 was under length I mentioned the novella, and Shaun suggested we seralise it. I was a little cautious, but decided to go for it. Sadly, when I was trying to work on part three, a few things occurred in my personal life which brought on the horrid return of depression and I just knew there was no way I could complete The Lost Skin in such a piecemeal way.
Shaun Russell observes:
Obviously the mental wellbeing of my authors, and in this case range editor, is important so I told Andy to just stop, focus on something that would help him straighten out his mind again. Which he did. Later the topic of The Lost Skin came up again, and we decided maybe it would be better to finish it as the novella Andy had intended it to be.
Andy continues:
This suited me better, and as I was in the process of ‘clearing the decks’ mentally, I decided that not only would I finish The Lost Skin, I would add material to the first two parts so that the novella version would contain a good fifty percent new material. This way, not only do I tell the story properly, but the readers will get enough new material that, for those who read parts one and two, they will feel like they’re almost reading a new book.

The Lost Skin features Professor Travers, but also brings back Harold Chorley and his old chum, Larry Greene. Andy explains:
Larry Greene was never meant to be. He was designed as a replacement for Harold Chorley in The Schizoid Earth, as Chorley’s appearance in that book contradicted the events of the then-forthcoming novel, Mutually Assured Domination. That’s the real world reason why they seem so similar. But in the fiction, there needed to be a reason for this similarity, and so I came up with a back-story, one I never revealed to anybody, although hints have been given in the Lethbridge-Stewart novels over the last few years. So, one of the main goals of The Lost Skin is to finally bring Harold and Larry together (and throw our other journalist, Charlie Redfern, into the mix) and explain their back-story.

The cover is by regular artist Adrian Salmon, who was selected specifically for this cover by Andy. He says:
All our artists have their own particular approach and we love them because of this. However, I really wanted Adrian’s stark style for this cover. It really sums up the emotional isolation I’m trying to depict in the book.
The cover features both Harold Chorley and Larry Greene, as well Samson Ware and the ‘lost skin’ of the title, against a nice backdrop of the Orkney Islands. Adrian comments:
I love a good symbolic cover, and this was the perfect opportunity by showing Samson examining the empty skin representing the mystery of the Selkie that gives title to Andy's book.

The Lost Skin is now available for pre-order as a limited edition hardback, and is only available directly from Candy Jar Books or from the Lethbridge-Stewart website.




FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart - Merchandise

Travers and Wells

Sunday, 19 November 2017 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Candy Jar Books have announced that the expected third volume of their novella series will be Travers and Wells, with the original title Day of the Intelligence being cancelled.

Travers and Wells (Credit: Candy Jar Books)Travers and Wells
Written by Robert Mammone
Cover by Richard Young

"For a time I believed that mankind had been swept out of existence, and that I stood there with my friend, Edward Travers, the last men left alive."

Edward Travers, pulled out of time by a mysterious force, finds himself on a hill with a young man called Herbert George Wells. Together the men travel across England, intent on discovering where they are; a world distinctly different from the one they know. And yet, for Edward Travers, it is one that seems vaguely familiar...

For strange, meteor-like objects have landed in the heart of England, and the inhabitants of Earth have found themselves victims of a terrible attack. A ruthless race of Martians, armed with heat rays and poisonous smoke, is intent on destroying everything that stands in its way.

Only things have not turned out the way Travers' expected, for this is not the war of the worlds HG Wells wrote about, but something much worse.

As the title suggests, this novella features Edward Travers teaming up with the grandfather of sci-fi, HG Wells in what may be the first in a series of adventures exploring the inspiration behind many of the Wells’ classics.

Range Editor, Andy Frankham-Allen explains:
This novella serves as a kind of back door pilot for a possible series. It’s all dependent on the reception the book receives, and whether or not there is enough interest in an occasional series with Travers and Wells at the helm. The original plan was for me to write a sequel to The War of the Worlds, but then word reached me of the Stephen Baxter sequel and it was clear that we’d not be able to compete with that, so, not wanting to waste all the research and notes, I hit upon the idea of turning the story into an alternative take on the classic novel, and utilising the Doctor Who connection with Wells that Glen McCoy created for his 1985 serial, Timelash. And so we worked out an arrangement with Glen and set the potential series up with, first, the end of Times Squared, and then a short story called Time and Again.

Due to scheduling conflicts, Andy handed over the writing duties to Robert Mammone, who previously wrote the short story, Eve of the Fomorians. First Robert wrote a kind of prologue, Time and Again, that was published into the first novella, The Life of Evans, before turning his attention to his own novella.

Robert says:
When Andy and I were chatting on Skype about the upcoming novellas it suddenly dawned on him we could set up the range with a prequel short story. I immediately said yes and then knuckled down to getting the ideas, themes and plot straight. I didn’t want the story to be a direct sequel to Timelash, but I did want to take elements from that story as a way of looking at how those who assume authority after toppling a dictatorship can end up aping some of the actions of those overthrown.

I jumped at the chance to write this first story in the series. After I sent off the email saying yes, it suddenly hit me that I would be dealing with one of science fiction’s foundational texts. Some days later, when the shock had worn off, I began my research. Of course re-reading The War of the Worlds was a must, but also an early Wells short story called The Crystal Egg as it related in part to the story I was crafting. Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds also helped inspire me, especially during some of the very late night writing sessions.

In writing the novella I drew inspiration from images of the Blitz – particularly St Paul’s wreathed in smoke. Given the events I describe in my story, it seemed appropriate that I pay homage to another, more terrible invasion. There are also hints and nods to Wells’ other works, and I weave in real world events from the period the original was written in, as I find that approach adds flavour to the reading experience. Andy was a great sounding board in helping the plot come together, and his editing skills and input helped shape the novella.

The cover is by regular artist Richard Young, who was responsible for all the novella covers so far. It features a younger Travers and Wells, as well as Richard’s own take on the infamous Martian war machine. Richard says:
I was over the moon to be doing the cover for Travers & Wells. I treated this slightly differently than the previous two novellas, in that I wanted something that would had a film poster quality to it. In fact there is a version of the artwork knocking around that has been put together as if it was a film poster.



Travers & Wells is part of the three novella bundle, and also available to pre-order separately. Customers who pre-ordered the three-novella bundle will automatically receive Travers & Wells upon release. Only available directly from Candy Jar Books or from the Lethbridge-Stewart website.




FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart

Lethbridge-Stewart website launched

Saturday, 4 November 2017 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Lethbridge-Stewart website (Credit: Candy Jar Books)Candy Jar Books have announced the launch of a website dedicated to the character of Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.

Head of publishing, Shaun Russell, said:
With the fiftieth anniversary approaching we wanted to do something special for the fans. This website collects together everything you need to know about the Brigadier and we plan to add much more content as the months roll by.
The site has been designed by Richard Young of North East Design Consultants:
Creating a website for Candy Jar is one of the most enjoyable projects I have ever been involved with. There are so many different elements to the site. It’s something you can easily get lost in and thoroughly enjoy exploring.
Candy Jar’s Publishing Coordinator, Lauren Thomas, added:
With the fifth Lethbridge-Stewart season due soon, Richard has managed to create a website which celebrates our beloved Brigadier. The site contains interviews, forums, and never-before-seen material, and the chance to sign up to a newsletter and download a variety of free stories.
Editorial Co-ordinator, Will Rees, said:
Since we launched the books we’ve had lots of questions and comments from fans about the Brigadier’s time in Doctor Who, as well as our novels. We wanted this site to keep readers completely up-to-date with every aspect of the series, explore the mythology of the Brig, and act as a news portal for new releases.

The site will continue to be developed, with updated on upcoming books in the series added in due course. Alongside this, information about The Lucy Wilson Mysteries, a separate series about the Brigadier’s granddaughter, is also available.


The Lethbridge-Stewart website can be found here.





The Brigadier (Credit: Candy Jar Books)To celebrate the launch of the website, Candy Jar Books is offering readers a chance to win a one-of-a-kind Lethbridge-Stewart original painting created by Richard Young. To enter the competition, just visit the new website and enter Candy’s Jar poll to vote for your favourite book, short story and cover design, and then you will automatically be entered into the prize draw.





FILTER: - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart - Online

Doctor Who wins Ally Award for LGBT inclusiveness

Friday, 20 October 2017 - Reported by Marcus
Pearl Mackie - Pink News AwardDoctor Who has been awared an Ally Award by PinkNews for its long-standing policy of LGBT inclusiveness.

The award was collected by Pearl Mackie, who played Bill Potts in the most recent series, accompanied by the outgoing executive producer Brian Minchin.

Since the return of the series in 2005, Doctor Who has featured a string of one-off and recurring LGBT characters.

In the first series Russell T Davies introduced the omnisexual Captain Jack Harkness, played by John Barrowman, who traveled with the Doctor on and off until the regeneration of the Tenth Doctor. This year Steven Moffat gave us Bill Potts, played by Pearl Mackie, who became the series first openly gay companion.

Speaking to PinkNews, Mackie said:
It’s lovely to be able to accept this Award on behalf of Doctor Who. I feel quite honoured to even have been invited, let alone for Doctor Who and the character of Bill.

It’s testament to how well she was received. I met a couple of young girls who were BAME, and talked to me about how watching Bill on Doctor Who enabled them to come out and feel comfortable with their own sexuality. For me, that’s a massive achievement.

The thing that I liked most about Bill was that she wasn’t grappling with her sexuality, she didn’t need to come out, it wasn’t an issue! It was always just about, I’m gay and happy and this is who I am, this is who I like and this is who I’m in love with.
The PinkNews Awards celebrate the contributions of politicians, businesses and community groups towards LGBT equality in the UK and around the world.

The event was attended by British Prime Minister Theresa May, Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.




FILTER: - Awards/Nominations - Doctor Who - Pearl Mackie

Lethbridge-Stewart: The New Unusual / fifth series limited edition run

Thursday, 12 October 2017 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Lethbridge-Stewart exclusives (Credit: Candy Jar Books)Candy Jar Books have announced the fifth series of the Lethbridge-Stewart range of novels will be released as limited editions available exclusively via their website, with the first book, The New Unusual, now available for pre-order.

The New Unusual sees Anne Travers and the team investigate strange goings-on at hippy dream-ins, which sends them to Australia. Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen says:
Adrian Sherlock first came to my attention via John Peel, and when Shaun and I discussed the idea of sending the team to Australia, it seemed common sense to have an Australian write the novel.
Adrian continues:
That was an idea I warmed to immediately, having always wanted to see Australia more connected with world of science fiction. Australia’s an amazing country, with many exotic and fascinating wonders, so it was a lot of fun to include them in the narrative.

The New Unusual takes its title from a favourite line of dialogue spoken by the Doctor in the opening episode of the Doctor Who serial, The Mind of Evil. He states that the purpose of the Brigadier's team is to investigate new and unusual menaces. When Andy first gave me the chance to pitch an idea for the novel, I knew I had to tap into the spirit of the times and that meant a fad or a craze, something the kids were into. Furthermore, I knew there had to be a hint of the mind-bending surrealism of the time, which reflected some of the experimentation with drugs such as LSD. But it had to have an explanation that was right for the world of Lethbridge-Stewart, something unearthly and threatening.

Anne Travers takes centre stage for the first half of this novel, with Shaun Russell, head of publishing, explaining:
Anne continues to be a popular character, easily strong enough to lead a book on her own. When planning these books out we like to keep a balance between our two lead characters, and this year we’ve already had two Brig-centric novels and one Anne. This marks Anne’s second major plotline this year, as she continues to deal with the fallout of her father’s death and what effect it has on her place in the world.
Adrian adds:
I had the idea that Anne knows there is a menace and becomes increasingly determined to uncover it. But in any good story, the main characters encounter opposition when they pursue their goals. It seemed to me that Anne might do what she has to do to succeed, overcoming opposition, yet feeling increasingly that she is unhappy with herself. A crisis comes when any one of us betrays our own values in order to achieve an end. I was fascinated by the notion that she might not like who she is becoming, if she goes too far and leads her friends into too much peril.

And with Lethbridge-Stewart, the story offered a good opportunity to present him as a man in total contrast to the youth of the time and their willingness to seek that which is ‘new and unusual’. I knew that he had to go beyond simple soldiering and face real threats and the possibility of his own death. I knew he had to see himself, to learn a little something about himself, in this adventure into the unknown.

The book continues a trend running through Beast of Fang Rock, Moon Blink and Night of the Intelligence, taking a look at aspects of the hippy movement of the late-‘60s, early-‘70s. The striking cover art, featuring Anne Travers and Bill Bishop is full hippy get-up, is by Adrian Salmon:
I knew my wife would kill me if I didn't draw the cover. She's a tough Aussie gal and when I found out The New Unusual was set in Australia, I asked to be the artist to bring Old Tom, Anne and Bill in all their grooviness to life!


Novels in the fifth series are limited editions of 400 copies, and will only be available to buy from Candy Jar Books - they will NOT be made commercially available. The New Unusual can be pre-ordered individually or as part of the discounted UK bundle, international bundle, or part of the yearly subscription offer.

Lethbridge-Stewart: The New Unusual (Credit: Candy Jar Books)It's the early 1970s, a time of change, a time of turmoil, a time of surrealism, LSD and the Age of Aquarius, a time of fads, Moon landings and wars, and the young people of the world are seeking something new - and unusual!

For Anne Travers, an encounter with a so-called 'dream egg' is just the beginning of a long nightmare. Her scientific curiosity aroused, Anne begins to probe the secret underground scene known as 'dream-ins', where students and others meet to get involved with a new craze and, perhaps, something far more alien to human experience.

And for Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, who finds himself drawn into Anne's investigations, this probe will lead him and the Fifth Operational Corps to the wilderness of the Australian Outback, to a little opal mining town called Coober Pedy and a search for answers.

The New Unusual includes a revised ‘exclusive’ version of The Playing Dead short story.



Please note this is the final week to be able to get a preview copy of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries: Avatars of the Intelligence. The book will not be made commercially available until March 2018.




FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart