Penelope

by Cornelius Elmore Addison

From the world of Addison's Tales comes the curious account of the fearless cat Penelope and the quite useless Knuckles – an elegant squirrel alarmed by everything except for food and fine clothes. When Knuckles tells Penelope of a reclusive gnome named Boris Bones rumoured to have journeyed as far as the distant sea, Penelope drags her reluctant friend off to find him.

But what they discover in Boris's cottage hidden in the darkest part of the Old Town History Museum Garden is far more than a cantankerous old gnome. Boris believes Penelope to be the key to a riddle that will reveal the location of the final Core – a fallen star expected to bring light to the dying Caverns of the gnomes. Stranger still, the riddle might just involve a Captain's cat named Tessello, who may or may not be Penelope's long-lost father.

Despite Knuckles' warnings that it's all just a ruse to lure them into an oversized gnomic cooking pot, the pair soon find themselves descending in Boris's submarine down into a dark underworld of ancient secrets, pirates, double-crosses, dragons, monsters, strange gnomic inventions and one-eyed seers on a search to solve a mystery as old as light itself.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 22, 2013

About the author

Greetings!

Welcome to my humble corner on Goodreads. Now you might think it strange that a shy old gardener like myself would become a writer of fantastical tales and songs so late in life. I still find it strange. But I am going to tell you why I write. Some time ago I had a dream about a character merchant called Mack who ran a "One Stop Character Shop". Since the night I first met him, I have been pestered by the idea that the world must hear about this peculiar gentleman who sells characters for everyone, great and small, to put into tales of their own.

So I began writing stories for the characters that I purchased from Mack. Many of these characters sing old songs (for whatever reason), and these I also make available for readers to learn at MuseScore. I do not know why Mack chose me of all people to reveal his shop to the world of human folk, but he did, nor why my characters sing, but they do. And this is the reason why I write - to advertise Mack's store in the world we live and share the music that comes from the realm where characters are first born. Perhaps you nevertheless think this strange. Well, perhaps it is ...

You can read about my first encounter with Mack and the deal I made with him in The Dream - the first introductory story to the Addison's Tales musical storyworld that will be quite unlike any other. Addison's Tales are interlinked tales written for the very small through to the not quite so small, and each story will be available as an audio book, ebook, PDF and printed books as well (and apps, money permitting). But you wanted to know a little bit about myself ... certainly.

I spent many years working as a gardener in the Old Town History Museum in Calladin where many (but not all) of my tales take place. The owners of the museum gave me the cottage after my many decades of service, and it is here that I enjoy writing tales of high fantasy and heart-stopping adventure complete with clever and courageous heroes, nefarious villains, magic, spells, potions, riddles, fairies, goblins, witches, monsters, animals gifted with speech, gnomes, pirates ... well, you get the picture - all the creatures that you don't see in the world every day but have a habit of being spotted and reported on in Calladin.

I trust you will enjoy reading about my characters and learning their songs. It would please me very much to receive a letter or review, as it encourages me to continue writing my tales and songs in my little cottage for the people, great and small, in the world of menfolk.

C E Addison