Pat Walsh's Blog

One of the things I look forward to most at Christmas is a good ghost story. I enjoy them all year round, but in the darkness of a northern hemisphere winter, they take on a special resonance. I have my favourites - anything by MR James and several of Charles Dickens' short stories, as well as A Christmas Carol. But there is one story I read every year - it is part of my Christmas, even though by now every word is as familiar as an old and much loved friend. I came across the story in an anthology I bought in a charity shop and it's by a writer who has since sadly died, but whose other work I have searched for and read over the years. The story is Welcome Yule and it was written by Jan Mark. It tells the story of a group of medieval Waits who still sing their carols every year on St Thomas's day, just before Christmas. One year, the new vicar decides to take his parish choir carol singing but he unwisely refuses to listen to warnings that it might be better not to do so on St. Thomas's day, because the Waits might not like it. The vicar goes ahead with his plans and is duly punished for his actions. Towards the end of the story, one of the characters suggests that it might be time to have a word with the vicar and warn him again about crossing the Waits. 'And tell him about Midsummer's Eve,' she finishes. She is told, 'Midsummer Eve's none of his business, or mine. Lord alone knows how long THAT'S been going on.' This, for me, is a tantalising little ending: what DOES happen on Midsummer's Eve? I really want to know! Why did Jan Mark never write THAT story? Every year, as I close the cover with a feeling of contentment, there is the smallest niggle of disappointment to realise yet again that I will never know the answer.

I'm giving away three copies of The Hob and the Deerman here on Goodreads. If you want to put your name down for a copy, you have until midnight on 28th August to do so.

Nearly two years ago, I had the glimmer of an idea for a story. At that time, I thought it was going to be a picture book - something I've always wanted to try writing. The story grew and changed, twisting off into odd directions, and I found that my short text was turning into something much longer. I realised I was writing a novel. Over the next year and a half, after a lot of hard work and some sleepless nights, it became The Hob and the Deerman.

So, here I was, writing a book I hadn't intended to write, and an odd little book it was too. After a talk with my agent, I realised it was going to be just that little bit too odd to try and tempt a publisher with, so we decided to publish it ourselves, and this is what we did. It was a leap in the dark for both of us - we had no idea what to expect or how successful a venture this would be. It's early days and at long last the book is slowly edging its way into the world.

Publishing is changing quickly and nobody has a clear idea of where it will all end up. But risks have to be taken,and new ways of thinking have to be adopted. Leaping into the dark when you believe in what you are doing and can see no other way of reaching the people you hope will read your work, is scary and exciting in equal measure. As I look around, I can see other writers lined up along the cliff top either on side of me, ready to step out into the unknown. If you see us on the way down, please - give us a wave!