WHERE'S WIDDERSHINS?
A beautiful picture book that never was
The idea for this came to me one afternoon in 2002 while driving through the dark and broody fens east of Cambridge. There was no one about. Not a whisper of movement. Everything was grey and still and extremely flat, as if the landscape was waiting for something to happen, or for someone to appear in it. 'Trolls,' said I. 'There 'as to have bin trolls livin' 'ere, there just 'as to,' and thus Widdershins the troll (and his mode of speech) was born. I wrote a story, which I sold without much difficulty to a small independent publisher as a picture book text. They considered a few illustrators for it and opted for David Roberts, who responded by producing a uniquely atmospheric and amusing set of pictures. The book was then laid out and sent to the printer, a gorgeous set of proofs came back, publication was set for 2005, but then... it was suddenly put 'on hold' while the publishing house put itself up for sale and was duly taken over, the consequence for Widdershins being that he never made it between covers and to the shops. Such a shame, because, thanks to David, it's a stunning book. And Widdershins such a character too.
WORDYSOD : Michael Lawrence www.wordysod.com
A Writer's Website
Odds trollikins! What has landed in Widdershins’ rascalberry jelly? Why, a yoomun baby, that’s what! Bad news. Now the dreaded yoomuns will think the trolls of Troll Beardy have stolen their babe. The trolls decide that Widdershins must return the baby, and Snirkle and Grotta - two trusted troll children - will go with him to make sure that he keeps out of mischief. Oh, but what adventures these three have along the way!
