Half a Creature from the Sea: A Life in Stories

(Hardback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

An anthology of dark, powerful and moving short stories from master storyteller David Almond, inspired by his childhood in the north-east of England.

David Almond says of this unique collection, "Stories on the page are so beautifully neat. All that lovely black print; those lovely straight lines and paragraphs and pages. But stories are living things, creatures that move and grow in the imaginations of writer and reader. They must be solid and touchable, like the land, and must have fluid half-known depths, like the sea. These stories take place in a real world but in fiction, real worlds merge with dreamed worlds. Real people walk with ghosts and figments. Earthly truth goes hand-in-hand with watery lies." Stories include: "The Missing Link", "Joe Quinns Poltergeist", "Harry Millers Run", "Slogs Dad", "Klaus Vogel and the Bad Lads", "May Malone", "Half a Creature from the Sea" and "When God Came to Cathleens Garden".

Reviews

He is a true example of writing what you know and turning it into perfect prose. * Buzz Words *

Author Bio

David Almond is the acclaimed author of many award-winning novels for children such as Skellig, Kit's Wilderness and My Name Is Mina, and has more recently collaborated with artists Polly Dunbar, Dave McKean and Oliver Jeffers on fiction for younger readers. David's books sell all over the world, and in 2011 he was the recipient of the auspicious Hans Christian Andersen Award. He lives in Hexham, Northumberland; for more info visit www.davidalmond.com

Eleanor Taylor studied illustration at Norwich School of Art and Design, then communication art and design at the Royal College of Art; while studying she won the Sheila Robinson Drawing Prize and was shortlisted for the Jerwood Drawing Prize. Eleanor uses a variety of different methods, combining paint, charcoal, ink, collage and digital techniques. She lives by the sea in Brighton; for more info visit www.eleanortaylor.co.uk