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Quarry Grove: Hicky Gets His Wings

by Clive Tandy; Illustrated by James McLean

50 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #07-2152; ISBN 1-4251-4974-X; US$11.59, C$13.33, EUR9.04, £5.99

First in a series of six. Wonderfully engaging stories, about a quirky insect community, full of fun, mischievous happenings, plenty of mayhem and action throughout, original characters and ideas, Quarry Grove will entertain the child in all of us.

About the Book

Quarry Grove is a small community sat just on the edge of the Known Universe, where Hicky the Caterpillar has applied to the B.A.U.C. (Butterflies Association of Unwinged Caterpillars) for his permanent Wings many, many times. Although he has successfully obtained his training Wings on a couple of occasions, Hicky has been lucky if he has managed to keep his learner wings for more than a day. The reason for Hicky's constant failure is his terrible safety record - he tends to spend more time landing on his neighbours than he does in the clouds.

With the Butterfly Association meeting at Log Hall already arranged, Hicky is feeling confident that this time he will get his full Wings because he has enlisted the help of his friends Snirell Snail (who is convinced that his granddad is a wizard) and Percy Verence (the only worm scientist in the Grove). With a helping hand from his quirky insect friends, Hicky is optimistic that he will finally achieve his dream of becoming a butterfly!

Meanwhile there is a sinister plot taking shape in the Grove. Crooked cockroach Eddy Kray and his confused sidekick Boris the Spider have other plans for both Hicky the Caterpillar and Percy Verance.

Just what is Percy's new top secret flying invention?
Will Snirell Snail and Berty Beetle be able to hide their fear of the dark when the lights go out at Log Hall?
Will PC Bluebottle be able to stop Eddy Kray and Boris the Spider in time for his Fly-kovsky recital night?

Read Hicky Gets His Wings for the answers!

Quarry Grove: Hicky Gets His Wings is the first tale in the fully illustrated Quarry Grove series. Find out more at www.quarrygrove.com

About the Author

Clive Tandy is the creator and author of Quarry Grove. The first story in the series was nearly published over twenty years ago. Thanks to the encouragement of his 9 year old granddaughter, Rebecca, who recently read the manuscript and described it as 'cool', Clive decided to take her advice, shake the dust off and publish it as a series of stories.

Hicky gets his Wings is the first book in the Quarry Grove series and plans are already underway to publish the second tale, Crusty Pie From Mars - featuring even more unusual insect characters and including an odd crustacean! As a youngster, Clive managed to sneak into art school. Although not naturally gifted with a pencil, he succeeded in wining a top prize for his imaginative and creative approach towards art and design.

For Clive, finding an artist to draw Quarry Grove as he envisioned, proved a difficult quest. He met several excellent artists but none could bring the characters to life as Clive visualised them. Just as he was about to give up, he met artist James McLean. The two of them found that they had a creative rapport and began to work together on creating the first book.

Clive has several stories that he aims to publish along side Quarry Grove. Muriel Gossard in Space is a particular favourite of the author and one that he hopes to start working on with James in the near future, alongside his second favourite long term project - his first book of poetry!

Clive also has plans to develop a website - www.insideclivesmind.com

When not at his writing desk, Clive is a black belt Karate expert, classical piano player and cunning linguist of German and Spanish. He wouldn't be offended if you described him as a genius - he might even buy you a coffee.

About the Illustrator

James McLean is an international illustrator who has worked in a variety of media, from books to television. James started his working life as an impoverished musician, and after his record failed to tickle the UK's musical taste buds, he swapped careers via a degree in Illustration. This choice gave James a fantastic opportunity to study art and typography at Preston, Lancashire and sunny San Diego, California.

Since then, his eclectic good fortunes have given him the role of Series Illustrator for Channel 4's Checking into History, book illustrator for Epics:Beowulf, cartoonist for The Times newspaper, and comic artist for Sabian's The Beat Within campaign starring rock drummers Bob Bryar of My Chemical Romance and Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

James works regularly as a storyboard artist for TV and video games. He's been involved in art workshops for school children and runs an online community for amateur artists.

It was through his ecology cartoons for Blackpool Council that James met Clive Tandy and was then introduced to the world of Quarry Grove. James is thrilled to be one of Clive's final pieces in Quarry Grove's twenty-year puzzle that see the likes of Dot the Ladybird, Snirell the Snail and Percy Verence finally brought to life.

In his spare time James has a keen devotion to people, pod casts and the piano - though not necessarily in that order.

He denies all rumours that he got his degree from the Eddie Cockroach School of Badly Forged Certificates.