* In 2013 One Woman’s War won the non-fiction 2012/2013 award at the People’s Book Prize.
* In 2016 and 2023 Candy Jar was shortlisted for The Cardiff Life Awards. This ceremony celebrates the best business in Cardiff, applauding what they have achieved in the past year and encouraging them to go further in the years to come, and we’ve been lucky enough to be nominated in the Creative Business category.
* In May 2016, The Search for Mister Lloyd by Griff Rowland was chosen as the winner of the Tir na n-Og English-language Award. This award is sponsored by CILIP Cymru/Wales (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals), and celebrates the best of fiction with a strong Welsh influence and background.
* David the Pizzly Bear, one of our Jelly Bean books, has been awarded a red ribbon in the Wishing Shelf Awards 2022. Well done, Molly Arbuthnott and Camilla Seddon.
* The Animal Says… has been shortlisted in the Wishing Shelf Awards 2023.
* Helyn Latimer, who published Bully Goat Griff with our sister imprint Jelly Bean Books, has been awarded “Welsh Author of the Year 2022” at Smart Education Wales.
*Jelly Bean Self-Publishing is delighted to have been awarded Self-Publishing Company of the Year at the 2020 Welsh Enterprise awards. The Welsh Enterprise awards recognise the contribution of small to medium sized businesses to the Welsh economy.
A big part of this huge success is down to our authors, readers, artists and friends. Every book sold, every review posted, every like, share and retweet on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and everything else goes a long way to spreading the Candy Jar word. So, thanks everybody!
We need to talk about Dementia! The illness has long been misunderstood and stigmatised. Despite millions of people being diagnosed or impacted by it every year we do not talk about it.
Enter Sally Flint. In her children’s picture book I Love My Grandpa!, Sally has approached the subject of dementia in a heart-warming and educational way. She aims to eliminate the stigma of the illness. She says: “There is still a lot about dementia that people don’t understand. We need to talk about it. Dementia is not as simple as forgetfulness.”
In the book, Sally’s explores how dementia affects all those involved, most particularly children. Her beautifully illustrated and poignantly written story tackles this issue with sensitivity, intelligence and love.
She continues: “When a family member is diagnosed with a type of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s or Lewey Body, the change to normal family life can be overwhelming. My story is about a boy, Chris and his grandpa. Despite Grandpa’s dementia they have a loving relationship. The story explores the coping mechanisms of dementia, while being entertaining, uncomplicated and thoughtful.”
The book has been published by Jelly Bean Books. Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell, says: “I Love My Grandpa! has gorgeous illustrations by artist Terry Cooper. Alongside the sympathetic text by Sally Flint, it is humorous and offers a fresh perspective on the illness. You don’t need to have experienced dementia to read the book. Its overriding message is that family is important and love will conquer.”
I Love My Grandpa! is a sincere, insightful, and uplifting story that everyone needs to read. The message is clear! Those diagnosed with dementia are still human and have so much to offer.To order the book click https://www.sallyflint.com/shop.html
If you would like to self-publish your book please visit here.
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce Old Clothes and Porridge by author Maureen Mullally-Clarke. This wonderful memoir looks back at a bygone age, particularly focusing on the 1930s and ‘40s.
Brought up by her grandmother in Glasgow, Maureen and her little sister Oonagh only saw their parents at eighteen month intervals. Old Clothes and Porridge tells the story of a childhood spent against the backdrop of the Depression, the launch of the Queen Mary, the Jarrow march, the abdication of King Edward VIII, the coronation of George VI, WW2 and the VE Day celebrations. Maureen says: “I wrote this book for my grandchildren. I’ve always told them about my childhood, and they have often said, “Why don’t you write it all down?”, so that’s exactly what I did.”
Candy Jar Publishing Co-ordinator, Keren Williams, says: “It is important to document our lives and the lives of our families, otherwise this information becomes lost. Old Clothes and Porridge is a personal memoir that the world will enjoy, and I’m certain Maureen’s family will treasure. More people should be encouraged to write about their lives, even if it is just for their family.”
Maureen agrees and would encourage others to write down their life stories. She continues: “Yes, I would and in fact I do. I know one woman who used to be a war correspondent and one man who had a brilliant military career. People have fascinating lives and they should be documented.”
One of Candy Jar’s most popular titles is Eileen Younghusband’s One Woman’s War, which offers a vivid insight into the life of a young woman facing the grim reality of war. Shaun Russell, Head of Publishing, says: “Old Clothes and Porridge reminds me so much of One Woman’s War. As soon as I read it, I knew Maureen’s story would touch hearts across the generations. This book is attention grabbing, well-written and also extremely funny. At this time of uncertainty this book is a joyous reminder how wonderful it is to be human. ”
After being advised by her best friend’s granddaughter of the benefits of being in control of the publishing process, Maureen decided to go with Jelly Bean. Maureen says: “It was great to receive an email from Shaun on 19th January and the books arrived on 19th March! And when you hold that book in your hands it’s like having a new baby.”
Overwhelmed by the support of her family and friends, Maureen is really delighted with the end product. She concludes: “I would like to send my gratitude to everyone who has read my book and for the lovely things they have been saying about it. I am so pleased that it now available on Amazon.”
Old Clothes and Porridge is now available worldwide through Amazon. To order the book visit: https://tinyurl.com/ycybtlg3
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce its sixth ‘Book of the Month’, The Haunted Staircase by Devika Rosamund. This mind-bending time travel novel is reminiscent of classics such as Five Children and It and The Famous Five.
However, unlike the books of E Nesbit and Enid Blyton, The Haunted Staircase takes both the reader and the characters back to a realistic portrayal of Victorian servitude. Similar to Downton Abbey or Upstairs Downstairs, this book is a fascinating depiction of a bygone world, but with an added twist! What if children from the twenty-first century ended up as servants in a Victorian house?
Devika wanted to combine today’s progressive storylines, with the kind of books she used to read as a child. She says: “I always intended to write a children’s novel for 9 to 12 year olds that involved ghosts, magic and adventure, but I wanted it to be educational and fair representation of life in service.”
The characters use a magic spell to travel back in time where they investigate the mysterious death of a Victorian servant girl. For authenticity, Devika undertook a great deal of research about Victorian service. In particular, how so-called employees were often treated as no better than slaves. She continues: “I was aware that the Victorian Age was covered by the National Curriculum, so my book seemed like a natural fit. I live now in Scotland where the story is set, but I was a primary school teacher for more than twenty-five years in London and Kent. I always found that children enjoyed ghost stories, and decided to write a spooky story with realistic overtones. Hopefully my book will entertain, inform and reward today’s modern youngsters.”
Devika is also a talented artist and was pleased when Candy Jar suggested including her artwork in The Haunted Staircase. She concludes: “I had a lot of fun illustrating the story myself and I hope that my writing and simple illustrations will inspire young readers to write and illustrate their own stories. I am grateful to my editor, Shaun Russell, for improving my ghost story by adding humour. I wanted the ghost to be a pleasant character, rather than an evil one, and I always make sure my stories have happy endings. I like to leave young readers with a sense of satisfaction that all the problems are solved in the end.”
The Haunted Staircase can be purchased from here.
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce its fifth ‘Book of the Month’, I Miss Being Mrs by Abigail Hope. This thought provoking and shocking memoir will help victims of domestic abuse get through the lockdown and make plans for a better future.
The book is a journey of resilience and determination. It shows that hope can overcome insurmountable obstacles. Abigail says: “Nobody wants to leave everything behind. Often victims of abuse blame themselves for their partner’s cruelty, internalising emotions for sake of the children. I wanted to show that these feelings can be beaten. In particular, emphasize how my faith sustained me through the dark times.”
Abigail admits that not all people have faith – especially given the painful circumstances – but feels that the story of her struggle can help someone else build a better life and break free from maltreatment.
She continues: “My trust in God helped guide my decisions and show me a better path. I now live in a wonderfully safe place with my happy children beside me. My faith was my coping mechanism. However, others may have their own ways to cope. I do believe that courage is important; the courage to face up to the truth; the courage to find your own way out. People are there to help you. There is a better way to live.’
Abigail wrote I Miss Being Mrs from the safety of South Wales where she lives with her five young children. Her heartbreaking story follows Abigail’s marriage from a fairytale wedding, to a deteriorating relationship full of bullying, lies and paranoia. Her story, however, is underscored with hope and optimism.
Abigail concludes: “It was very difficult leaving the father of my children. I loved him so much, and felt I could help him overcome his demons, but he is an alcoholic and needs the support that I cannot give him. Ultimately it was the children who were more important and I took the decision to start a new life elsewhere. Navigating my way through the family courts to protect my children was difficult, but it was worth it in the end.”
I Miss Being Mrs is Abigail’s first book. She works as a debt centre coach for the charity Christians Against Poverty, helping vulnerable people to become debt free.
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce their new feature entitled ‘Book of the Month’, which aims to showcase new talent on a monthly basis. We will be publishing several categories. The first is children’s 7-12.
Kickstarting ‘Book of the Month’ is Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi by Rob Willsher. In his children’s book two dogs, Rory and Harlow, find a magical Taxi which transports them back in time and into a historical adventure of a lifetime.
In a recent interview, Rob explains how the idea for Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi was, in fact, more of a collaboration. He explained: “Many years ago I was a London cab driver. At the time we had some rescue dogs and on a few occasions I took one of the dogs, Toto, to work with me in the front of the taxi. That’s when my wife Fiona came up with the idea of us doing a book about a dog that travels to historical places in London, or even all around the world!”
The book’s target audience is four to eight and adheres to the National Curriculum for this age group. In the book, Rory and Harlow travel back in time and meet Alfred the Great, who defeated the Danes by sending messages to his officers, thus highlighting the importance of being able to read and write.
Rob states: “One of the greatest skills in life is the ability to read. Even if all you are reading is a tin of beans, it can take you so far in life. I hope I’m helping to encourage a new generation of readers.”
Rob is currently working on the second book in the series entitled The Woman with the Long Red Hair, which focuses on Boadicea, who was bullied by the Romans over how much land she was entitled to after her husband’s death, and is a topic that children can relate to.
Rob continues: “They are books that you can read to your child, or that your child can read to themselves. I gave Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi to a twelve to thirteen year old to read and he couldn’t put it down, saying it was nice and easy to read, especially with the pictures. Even adults have said they’ve learned something from the book!”
Head of Publishing at sister company Candy Jar Books, Shaun Russell, says: “This book has a lot of potential and I can see lots of children and parents really taking an interest. The text is a mixture of fact and fiction and, paired with beautiful illustrations by artist Patrick Coombes, it is perfect for those who are just getting into reading. Once the Candy Jar schedule has cleared up, we are hoping to bring this book out as one of our own.”
With the promise of becoming a Candy Jar publication in the near future Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi is sure to be a hit. Both entertaining and educational, the book will make a great addition to any bookshelf and is sure to give young eyes a workout!
For now Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi can be bought and enjoyed straight from the author. To order the book visit https://roryandharlows.co.uk/
Until further notice, Jelly Bean has relocated to a number of different properties across the Cardiff area!
I know I speak for all of us – Will, Keren, Andy and myself – when I say that I sincerely hope you are safe and well in these difficult and uncertain times.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve all heard a lot of ideas about how best to keep ourselves occupied in the months to come: whether online classes, box sets – even Joe Wicks workout videos on YouTube!
Of course, you may have your own ideas: maybe working through that to-read pile , putting the final touches on a new manuscript, or starting something else creative.
Sadly, we know that the next three months are not to be ones of leisure. Every one of us will have our own difficulties to face: from setting up a workplace from our bedrooms, providing for vulnerable friends and family, or simply keeping ourselves healthy in body and mind during our suddenly constricted day to day lives.
And of course, the greatest pressures will fall on those of you who are key workers, to whom we can only extend our gratitude and admiration.
To say a big thank you to our clients and customers we will be giving free books away on Kindle every Friday until isolation is over. The first freebie is the Lucy Wilson book, Avatars of the Intelligence (available from 9am Friday morning).
We are also creating a Jelly Bean ‘Book of the Month/Week’ page on our Candy Jar website. If you like your book to be considered for this please get in touch. We will be sending this information out on Twitter, Facebook and via our subscriber list.
On the flipside, if you have any work you need doing such as editing, proofreading, website design, audiobooks or illustration work please do get in touch. If not, please pass this email on to your friends.
We are just a phone call away, and would love to discuss any new projects you may have, with no commitment on your behalf. Although for the foreseeable future, individually we are all holed away in our respective homes, we offer the same personal service as ever. In short, everything to take your work from draft to print and into the hands of readers.
The wheels keep on turning, albeit through a strange new landscape, and soon, I am sure, we will return to familiar ground.
From all of us here at Jelly Bean, stay safe.
Shaun Russell Head of Publishing Jelly Bean / Candy Jar Books
Imagine: you’re in your room and you can hear the whoosh of the rain outside. Opening your curtain it seems that the people out in the rain are running for shelter. It’s probably best you don’t go out for a while. You check your phone only to see that the Internet is down. You have enough food and drink, so you turn to your bookshelf. You have no idea when the storm will pass, and you have endless amounts of free time.
What books do you choose to read?
This is my own compilation of books for just such an occasion. These are books that I have read and personally enjoyed and I hope that you appreciate these books as much as I do.
1 – The Deepest Cut by Natalie Flynn
This book made me cry.
Not many books have done that, so I definitely recommend this one if you are in need of a compelling story about death, rock bottom, and finding your way out again.
We follow Adam’s guilt-ridden perspective as he tries to cope with his best friend, Jake’s, murder. After an attempt on his own life, Adam is taken to a mental health facility where he is too traumatised to speak. Instead, he writes down the events leading up to Jake’s murder and tries to come to terms with what happened.
The entire book is an extremely cathartic experience. The first time I read it, I finished it in only a few hours. The writing is especially engaging with Adam’s distinct character voice shining through.
Overall, a fantastic book that you won’t want to put down.
2 – The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1) by Patrick Ness
The style of this book is phenomenal.
It is definitely a different type of mystery book than you’d find usually, it’s full of otherworldly things while at the same time making them seem ordinary.
Following Todd Hewitt on this alien world, we find out that while the men can hear each other’s thoughts, the women are missing; thought dead. While walking in the swamp with his dog, Todd discovers a gap in the noise of men’s thoughts. It’s terrifying. As Todd steps further into the mystery, he suspects that the men in his town are hiding something from him. Eventually, he has to run away with his dog Manchee, but he doesn’t get far before he runs into a girl. But didn’t all the women die years ago?
One of the most charming parts of the book, in my opinion, is the child-like spelling and grammar mistakes. This is because this informs you of Todd’s character immediately on the first page as someone who hasn’t had a proper education. This also helps to establish his unique character voice, which shines throughout the book.
It’s been a while since I first read it, but now, after looking at it again, I’m tempted to revisit it. It’s really one of those books you can’t put down, because you want to know where the story goes next or how the mystery gets solved, or even how everything gets worse.
I would recommend this book if you like both science fiction and mystery stories. This is well worth the read, and is only the first book in a trilogy. I guarantee that you’ll want to read the rest.
3 – Thunderbirds Agent’s Technical Manual by Haynes
As a Thunderbirds fanatic I had to include this on the list.
This is definitely a book to read on a rainy day; it’s incredibly fascinating to see how all the machines work from the 1965 era of the show.
This book shows the schematics of everything from Thunderbirds 1965; from Tracy Island to FAB1. Ever wondered how fast Thunderbird 1 really goes? Now you know. Want to know exactly how the boys make it into their respective ships, even to Thunderbird 4? It’s all right here for you to feast your eyes on.
I first received this as a birthday present and I’ve loved it ever since. With an introduction letter from Jeff Tracy himself, Haynes really gets the feel of the original show and even gives character profiles if you wanted to know more about all the lovable characters from the show.
If you yourself are a Thunderbirds fan, or you know someone who is, this is a must have.
4 – Steelheart (Reckoners #1) by Brandon Sanderson
This turns the entire superhero genre on its head.
Sanderson has done something special with this book. He’s given us an anti-hero story wherein the people you think are superheroes are really not.
When the star Calamity first appeared in the sky, select people gained different types of supernatural abilities, but it turns out, the more they use these abilities, the more they turn bad. The story starts with our narrator, David, recalling a memory from 10 years ago that is the key in fighting the superhumans called Epics: he’s seen Steelheart bleed. Steelheart killed David’s father, and David wants to fight back. The thing is that no one fights the Epics, at least, not anyone who wants to stay alive. So David joins the Reckoners, the people who are the only ones brave enough.
This is a brilliantly written and constructed fantasy story with elements of mystery. You have my dad to thank for this recommendation, because he made me listen to it in the car as an audiobook. The journey was 6 hours and was made miles more interesting (pun intended). Sanderson really immerses you in the action of the book. A must read for fantasy and action fans alike.
5 – World War Z by Max Brooks
‘An Oral History of the Zombie War’.
If you’ve seen the movie, forget it. It’s about as different from the book as the sun is from the moon. This is a different sort of zombie book that focuses on the aftermath.
Instead of the struggle of a single man against a horde of the undead, you have a single man interviewing a number of people about their experiences during the war. He travels across the world and each character he interviews has a different horrific story to tell about their experiences. The first interview is that of the doctor that discovered Patient Zero in the small village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China. The goal of these interviews, as stated by Brooks, is to include the ‘human factor’ in his book, because it is ‘the only true difference between us and the enemy’.
With each interview, you are immersed in their story, in their descriptions and in their clearly displayed emotion. This book is an incredible collection of humanity after such a dark time, and even though it is fiction, it feels very real. This is something to read that makes you feel like you’re reading actual accounts of survivors of a real war.
6 – Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida
A deliciously horrific manga that questions who the real monster is.
For those who are unaware, a manga is essentially a Japanese comic book. This specific manga looks at the transformation of a normal human into a flesh eating Ghoul; drawing strong parallels with Kafka’s Metamorphosis.
Ken Kaneki’s story begins with his crush on a girl, Rize, and she seems to be a bookworm like him, and they agree to go on a date. However, this date turns fatal. As Kaneki walks her home, he discovers way too late that she is a Ghoul and plans to eat him. Luckily, before she can, heavy construction beams fall on them. Waking up in hospital with an organ transplant from Rize, Kaneki notices that all the food he tries to eat tastes disgusting. This follows to his later, horrifying discovery that he has become a Ghoul, a creature who craves the flesh of humans. Follow him on his journey to come to terms with what he has become and what terrors await in the dark underworld in which he now finds himself.
The story, as bizarre as it sounds, is incredibly compelling, and Kaneki’s inner turmoil continues throughout the series. I personally enjoy stories that focus on an inner struggle, and this provides that and more.
Despite the physical needs of the two opposing forces in the series, the Ghouls and the CCG (an organisation that hunts down and kills Ghouls), they appear to all be people who have their own feelings and aspirations. This series is ambiguous as to who the real monsters are, and I love that uncertainty.
Swearing in writing. This is something of a taboo. None of the children’s books you read growing up will have contained any swear words; it is un-Christian (and blasphemy in any religion is
discouraged), it is socially unacceptable, it is age-inappropriate, it would plant words into the vocabulary of children which are unacceptable in school environments. As you grew older the books or magazines you chose to read would have been edited with the age of the audience in mind or they wouldn’t have been allowed on the shelf. Books selected by schools for the curriculum would have had your level of learning and appropriateness of age as well.
Swearing in speech. Now this is something which, with each passing generation, the social standards seem to be slipping on. Language fit only for the dock yard or a building site is now part and parcel of everyday speech for some people and it is not uncommon to hear it frequently in the presence of children. While I have read arguments that the use of swear words demonstrates a lack of intelligence, a poor command of vocabulary and further evidence of a degenerative society I would like to argue that is has become part of our cultural heritage. Indeed, swearing often adds impact to what we are trying to say and I believe in some parts of the country an emphatic statement can only be made in certain social environments by including such colourful language. Given the full power of the entire English dictionary, one would not make their message – and the strength of one’s sentiments – entirely clear if speaking the Queen’s English. Furthermore, if communication is only effective when a message can be transferred successfully, efficiently and cohesively from one person to another then surely it is of the utmost importance to use language that the receiver can understand and therefore decipher. Language is after all, in its simplest form, a set of codes to be communicated and understood.
‘Nobody move! That lassie got glassed and no c**t leaves here ‘til we find out who what c**t did it.’ – ‘Franco’ Begbie, Trainspotting (1996).
There are a few things to note regarding the statement above. Firstly, I have quoted it as I heard it in the film – the link is at the bottom of the blog for those interested – as Welsh’s Trainspotting is often written in the accent being put across (more information on this can be found in last week’s blog). Secondly, the line is delivered with aggression as Begbie is actually spoiling for a fight having thrown the glass which injured the girl himself; that said, it is also delivered in a humour of sorts as he is looking forward to the fight that follows knowing full well he is the perpetrator of the offending act. Thirdly, while the sentence may appear disjointed and grammatically incorrect to us it is anything but to anyone from within that social environment who has shared his cultural background. Swearing can therefore not only be socially acceptable but in some cases it may be imperative to use swearing in order to be accepted socially. Finally, while films have to be rated for the appropriate audience prior to being made public this blog is under no such obligation. It is therefore my own editorial choice to have censored the swear words for the benefit of the readers – in this instance, yourselves – as well as the publisher. If we were to have referred to blasphemy of Shakespeare’s time by quoting ‘S’blood’, which is of course short for ‘God’s blood’, I doubt I would have censored it at all whereas this particular swear word still offends large groups of people and I have no wish to unnecessarily offend anyone.
This brings us to the writing element of the use of swearing and that is the editorial process. David Lodge quotes Mikhail Bakhtin as stating that ‘For the prose artist the world is full of other people’s words, among which he must orient himself and whose speech characteristics he must be able to perceive with a very keen ear. He must introduce them into the plane of his own discourse, but in such a way that this plane is not destroyed.’ (1992, 128). So when considering your novel or short story ask yourself: does the inclusion of cursing add to the dialogue or detract from the quality of it? Perhaps there are other ways to illustrate a character’s frustration which would reduce the use of swearing as the sole vehicle of frustration and anger. It could be that perhaps a fists slams against a door, tearing at one’s own hair, kicking an object or – if swearing was used to highlight despair – the character may slump to the ground. These are of course choices for you to make and there are many others besides the few proposed here. Ultimately, what I want you to think about is that if swearing is employed to make a particular character seem angrier or a situation appear more tense then when is the best time to use it for dramatic effect. Once you have decided, use it sparingly to make your writing of these passages better and not to dilute the quality of your work.
The other scenario when swearing is used is in speech and we have already discussed a few factors which contribute towards this. John Mullan states that ‘Swearing tells us of the real world of emotions out there.’ (2006, 153) and while this is true it does not account for people who censor themselves; it is undeniable however that in some circles swearing is an everyday occurrence in language. This is one of Trainspotting’s charming factors. The novel is heavily laden with cursing and yet the characters would not be authentic without it. I made reference in last week’s blog that fiction smooths speech so maybe Irvine Welsh included more swearing than was natural for that social environment, maybe he made Begbie’s line of enquiry above more comical and maybe, just maybe, he removed language which would not have ‘travelled well’ in order for the novel to reach a wider audience. Whatever he did, the series of novels following these characters are hugely successful and it would be worth reading at least one in order to identify some of the techniques used and choices made.
Rather than invite a plethora of profanities onto Candy Jar’s website I would prefer you instead to think creatively about this topic. Therefore, if you have already produced some writing which contains a lot of swearing it may be beneficial to revisit an extract of it and revise your work to try and replace some of the phrases containing swear words with descriptive phrases which tell us of the character’s frustration or anger instead. If you haven’t yet written anything containing curses it might be an idea to document some phrases which are particular to your or your kin when you are frustrated or angry (no need to share this just yet).
Finally, if you wish to see a topic discussed which you haven’t seen yet then please let me know and I’ll include it at some point. Happy writing!
A blog by Steve Marshall
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Further reading:
Lodge, D. (1992) The Art of Fiction. London: Penguin Books.
Mullan, J. (2006) How Novels Work. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Welsh, I. (1993) Trainspotting. Secker and Warburg: London.
Bright Eyes – Art Garfunkel (inspired by Watership Down by Richard Adams)
Hurricane – Bob Dylan (inspired by The Sixteenth Round by Rubin Hurricane Carter)
Tom Joad – Woody Guthrie (inspired by The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck)
Atticus – The Noisettes (inspired by To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee)
Song for Clay – Bloc Party (inspired by Less Than Zero by Easton Ellis)
The Dark is Rising – Mercury Rev (inspired by The Dark by Susan Cooper)
A Rose for Emily – The Zombies (inspired by A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner)
Bell Jar – The Bangles (inspired by The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath)
I am a Rock – Simon and Garfunkel (inspired by Meditation XVll by John Donne)
China In Your Hand – T’Pau (inspired by Frankenstein by Mary Shelley)
Firework – Katy Perry (inspired by On the Road by Jack Kerouac)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John (inspired by The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum)
Off to the Races – Lana Del Ray (inspired by Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov)
Rhiannon – Fleetwood Mac (inspired by Triad by Mary Leader)
The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins – Leonard Nimoy (inspired by The Hobbit by J.R. R. Tolkien)
Tomorrow Never Knows – The Beatles (inspired by The Psychedelic Experience by Timothy
Leary and Robert Alpert)
Video Killed the Radio Star – The Buggles (inspired by The Sound Sweep by J. G. Ballard)
Wuthering Heights – Kate Bush (inspired by Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte)
Across 110th Street – Bobby Womack (inspired by 110th Street by Wally Ferris)
Willie Burke Sherwood – Killer Mike (inspired by Lord of the Flies by William Golding)
Same Drugs – Chance the Rapper (inspired by Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie)
Thieves In the Night – Black Star (inspired by The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison)
For Whom the Bell Tolls – Metallica (inspired by For Whom the Bells Tolls by Ernest
Hemingway)
Motorcycle Emptiness – Manic Street Preachers (inspired by Rumble Fish by S. E. Hinton)
One Brown Mouse – Jethro Tull (inspired by To a Mouse by Robert Burns)
Paranoid Android – Radiohead (inspired by Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
Ramble On – Led Zeppelin (inspired by Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien)
Red Right Hand – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (inspired by Paradise Lost by Milton)
Soma – The Strokes (inspired by Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones (inspired by Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov)
The Invisible Man – Queen (inspired by The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells)
The Tomahawk Kid – The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (inspired by Treasure Island by Louis Stevenson)
Venus In Furs – The Velvet Underground
Inspired by Venus in Furs
by Leopoid von Sachor-Masoch
Walk On The Wild Side – Lou Reed (inspired by Walk on the Wild Side by Nelson Algren)
Whip It – Devo (inspired by Gravity’s
Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon)
White Rabbit – Jefferson Aeroplane (inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by
Lewis Carroll)
Backyard Skull – Frightened Rabbit (inspired by Where the Bodies are Buried by Christopher
Brookmyre)
I Fought in a War – Belle and Sebastian (inspired by For Esme with Squalor and Love by J. D. Salinger)
True Ways of Knowing – Blue Rose Code (inspired by True ways of Knowing by Norman MaCaig)
A Man for All seasons – Al Stuart (inspired by The Play by Robert Bolt)
Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell (inspired by Henderson and the rain by Saul Bellow)
1984 – Joni Mitchell (inspired by Henderson and the Rain by Saul Bellow)
1984 – David Bowie (inspired by 1984 by George Orwell)
Boot Stamping On a Human Face – Bad Religion (inspired by 1984 by George Orwell)
Welcome to 1984 – Anti-Flag (inspired by 1984 by George Orwell)
I am the Walrus – The Beatles (inspired by The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll)
Brave New World – Iron Maiden (inspired by Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Soma – Smashing Pumpkins (inspired by Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Catcher in the Rye – Guns ‘n’ Roses (inspired by The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger)
Who Wrote Haulden Caulfield? – Green Day (inspired by Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger)
Lucy in the Sky With
Diamonds – The Beatles (inspired by The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll)
Frankenstein – Lenny Kravitz (inspired by Frankenstein by Mary Shelley)
Walk this Way – Aerosmith (inspired by Frankenstein by Mary Shelley)
Feed my Frankenstein – Alice Cooper (inspired by Frankenstein by Mary Shelley)
Lolita – Lana Del Ray (inspired by Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov)
Gothic Lolita – Emilie Autumn (inspired by Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov)
Don’t Stand Too Close to Me – The Police (inspired by Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov)
Lord of the Flies – Iron Maiden (inspired by Lord of the Flies by William Golding)
Shadows and Tall Trees – U2 (inspired by Lord of the Flies by William Golding)
Rivendell – Rush (inspired by Lord
of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien)
H.W.C – Liz Phair (inspired
by The Picture of Dorian Gray by
Oscar Wilde)
The Ocean – U2 (inspired by The
Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde)
The Stranger Song – Leonard Cohen (inspired by The Man with the Golden Arm by Nelson
Algren)
Angelene – PJ Harvey (inspired by Pretty Mouth and Green my Eyes by J. D. Salinger)
Been Down So Long – The Doors (inspired by Counterculture Classic by Richard Farina)
Scentless Apprentice – Nirvana (inspired by Perfume by Cobain)
My Blaeken Year – Patti Smith (inspired by Unknown by William Blake)
We are the Dead – David Bowie (inspired by 1984 by George Orwell)
Banana Co – Radiohead (inspired by One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
Hurricane – Thirty Seconds to Mars (inspired by The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe)
Sympathy for the Devil – Rolling Stones (inspired by The Master and the Margarita by Mikhail
Bulgakov)
Prince Caspian – Phish (inspired by Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis)
Narnia – Steve Hackett (inspired by Narnia Series by C. S. Lewis)
Mock Turtle Song – Steely Dan (inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll)
Alice – Tom Waits (inspired by Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll)
Barefoot Children – Jimmy Buffett (inspired by The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by
Mark Twain)
Return to Pooh Corner – Kenny Logins (inspired by The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne)
Charlotte Sometimes – The Cure (inspired by Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer)
Tom Sawyer – Rush (inspired by The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain)
Bucking Bronco – Scarth Locke (inspired by Bucking Bronco by Shel Silverstein)
Dollars and Cents – Radiohead (inspired by No Logo by Naomi Kiens)
Atrocity Exhibition – Joy Division (inspired by Condensed Novels by JG Ballard)
Dead – Pixie (inspired by The
Bible)
Jocasta – Noah and the Whale (inspired by Sophocles by Oedipus Rex)
Yertle the Turtle – Red Hot Chilli Peppers (inspired by Dr. Seuss’s Yertle the Turtle by Dr.
Seuss)
Journey to the Centre of the Earth – Rick Wakeman (inspired by Journey to the Centre of the Earth by
Jules Verne)
Are Friends Electric – Gary Numan (inspired by Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip
K Dick)
Friendly Fires – Pala (inspired by Island by Aldous Huxley)
Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by Eurythmics (inspired by 1984 by George Orwell)
by Daria Morgan and Verity Russell
Our Books
Compared to other publishers that I approached, Jelly Bean always listened, gave advice and were interested in the book itself. Self-publishing can be daunting but Jelly Bean guide you all the way.
★★★★★
Ingrid Stow
All of our reviews can be found on our Google Business Page
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Our team of publishing pros bring insider knowledge to every project.
Personal Service
We work one-on-one with our authors, and we’re only ever an email or a phone call away.
Quality Craftmanship
No cheap templates or generic AI. All of our interiors, covers and illustrations are bespoke.
Edited For Humans, By Humans
An editor is more than just a spellchecker. Technology is only used to complement, never to replace the human eye.
Expert Printing, Economy Prices
We’re partnered with a range of printers, and our long-standing relationships ensure you the best prices.
100% Your Book
We don’t retain any rights, extract any royalties, or withhold any files. Our contracts are clear and catch-free.
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce its six
