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  Departure - From their pens to...

  Sherwood Anderson

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  Sherwood Anderson was born on 13th September 1876 in Camden, Ohio. 
  When his father’s business failed the family was forced to move on a regular basis before finally settling in Clyde, Ohio.   
  Anderson, one of 7 children, left school at 14 to take a number of jobs to help with the family finances. These were difficult years. 
  He moved to Chicago in search of opportunities before joining the Army for the US-Spanish War of 1898.  He then entered Wittenberg Academy in Springfield, Ohio to complete his education before moving back to Chicago to take up a writing job. 
  In 1904 he married Cornelia Lane, her family had resources and Anderson was keen, with this family backing, to run a business. 
  The early years of their marriage produced 3 children but a nervous breakdown in 1907 and another in 1912, despite his success as a business entrepreneur, resulted in him abandoning his family and deciding that a literary career would be best for him.   
  A move back to Chicago resulted in a job in advertising, a divorce from Cornelia and marriage to Tennessee Mitchell.  
  That same year his first book ‘Windy McPherson’s Son’ was released and in 1919, his most famous book, ‘Winesburg, Ohio’, a collection of short stories about life in an Ohio town was released. 
  Anderson continued to write short stories, novels and non-fiction but his only true bestseller came with ‘Dark Laughter’.  His influence on writers that followed, from Faulkner to Hemingway, was immense. He also married a further two times.   
  Sherwood Anderson died in in Colón, Panama, on the 8th March, 1941. He was 64. An autopsy revealed that a swallowed toothpick had resulted in peritonitis. 
  His headstone epitaph reads ‘Life, Not Death is the Great Adventure.’

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  Owd Blossom - From their pens to...

  Mary Webb

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  Mary Gladys Meredith was born on 25th March 1881 at Leighton Lodge in the village of Leighton, near Shrewsbury in Shropshire.  
  Mary was home-schooled by her father before being sent to a finishing school in Southport in 1895. Her longs walks in the countryside helped her develop a heightened sense of observation and description, of both people and places, which later infused both her poetry and prose. 
  When she was 20 she developed symptoms of Graves' disease, a thyroid disorder that caused bulging protuberant eyes and throat goitre. This caused life-long ill health and was a possible contributor to her early death.  
  Mary was first published as a teenager when her brother sent to a local newspaper her poem on a recent rail accident.  Mary, who was in the habit of destroying her work was appalled though placated when she discovered that it had received some positive appreciation in readers letters. 
  1912 brought marriage to Henry Bertram Law Webb, a teacher. He supported her literary work which, in 1917, resulted in the publication of her novel ‘The Golden Arrow.’ 
  A few years later they acquired a property in London where, it was hoped, recognition of her literary talents would be more easily recognised.   
  Her 1924 novel, ‘Precious Bane’, won the Prix Femina Vie Heureuse, the prestigious French literary prize awarded by an all-female jury. 
  Most of her poetry and various other works were only published after her death. 
  By 1927 her health was deteriorating and her marriage failing.   
  Mary Webb died on 8th October 1927 at St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex.  She was 46.

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  The Book of All-Power - A Tale...

  Edgar Wallace

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  Malcolm Hay is a young man eager for adventure, but he gets more than he bargained for when he travels to Russia for the Ukraine Oil Company. Entangled in a web of revolutionary plots, hidden fortunes, and a mysterious book said to hold ultimate power, Hay must navigate a landscape where no one is who they seem. A classic Edgar Wallace masterpiece.

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  The Maid Of Sker

  R. D. Blackmore

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  Having been invalided out of the British navy, Davy Llewellyn plies his trade as a fisherman on the south coast of Wales. Investigating the wreck of a boat during a wild storm, he discovers an infant girl—the eponymous "maid of Sker"—whom he adopts. Her beauty and wit win a place in his heart that his own orphaned granddaughter can't compete with. Llewellyn's maritime activities also bring him to the Devonshire coast opposite his home, where he becomes embroiled with a corrupt parson. Years pass, during which Davy finds himself once again enlisted into the navy and involved in many adventures, some of which edge him closer to finding out the truth of the maid of Sker's identity—but it's almost twenty years before her full story is finally revealed. R. D. Blackmore had written The Maid of Sker years before his most successful novel, Lorna Doone , and it was his personal favorite. After the success of Lorna Doone left the public wanting more of his fiction, he was able to re-draft The Maid of Sker for serialization. It shares much with Lorna Doone : a historical setting, first-person narration from a key protagonist, and evocative local environments. Later readers have tended not to share Blackmore's preference for The Maid of Sker ; still, for all that Davy Llewellyn is something of a rogue and a less reliable, or even less likable, narrator than John Ridd, his storytelling has its own humor, charm, drama, and memorable moments. R. D. Blackmore (died 1900) was a prominent voice of the late 19th and early 20th century. Their work has endured across generations and continues to be read and studied worldwide. As a work of classic literary fiction, The Maid Of Sker exemplifies the narrative craft and social insight that defined great storytelling of its era. Literary fiction of this period was characterized by careful attention to character psychology, social milieu, and the moral questions that animated public discourse.

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  A Christmas Carol

  Charles Dickens

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  Step into the timeless world of A Christmas Carol, a masterpiece of redemption and transformation that has captivated readers for generations. This enchanting story follows the journey of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly and cold-hearted man who values wealth above all else. On one fateful Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by three spirits—the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come—who reveal the profound impact of his actions on himself and others. 
  Through vivid storytelling and memorable characters, you’ll experience the joy, warmth, and spirit of the holiday season. Witness Scrooge's remarkable transformation as he learns the true meaning of generosity, compassion, and love. This audiobook is not just a tale about Christmas; it’s a story of hope and second chances that resonates with the human spirit. 
  Perfect for listeners of all ages, A Christmas Carol is a journey into self-reflection and a celebration of the magic that kindness can bring to the world. Let the rich narration and the heartwarming lessons of this classic bring a touch of holiday spirit to your ears and your heart.

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  Dracula

  Bram Stoker

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  Dr. Van Helsing and his accomplices begin the chase to track down the infamous vampire Count Dracula before he completes his quest of moving into England and further spreading the undead disease. Even with the garlic, the crosses, and the holy water, the Count manages to entrance a fellow lady vampire hunter and bring her to the undead side. An invincible foe Dracula may appear to be, but Van Helsing and his group will stop short not even to death itself until they have conquered the most notorious villain of all time. 
  From Transylvania to England and then back again, this classic 19th century Gothic horror became the cornerstone for the horror genre that boomed in the century to follow.

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