A very happy publication day at Pratchett towers, as A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories, is finally released. Bringing together twenty rediscovered short stories for the first time, this marks what will be the final ever ‘new’ writing from the late, great Sir Terry Pratchett.
Discovered by chance, these tales were written under a pseudonym for newspapers during the 1970s and 1980s. Though none of the stories are set in the Discworld, these tales are brimming with Terry’s trademark wit and wisdom, and his unique magic that would go on to become to recognisable and capture the imaginations of millions across the world.
Readers can meet Og the inventor, the first caveman to cultivate fire, as he discovers the highs and lows of progress; haunt the Council with the defiant evicted ghosts of Pilgarlic Towers; visit Blackbury, a small market town with weird weather and an otherworldly visitor; and travel millions of years back in time to The Old Red Sandstone Lion pub.
“The rediscovery of these stories is nothing short of a miracle,” says Rob Wilkins on the book. “While Terry was always very focused on the next novel and maintained that his unpublished works should never be released, he always held a grudging admiration for his younger self’s work, and he would be tickled to see these stories celebrated in one wonderful volume. The stories from the beginning of his career, before he became the Terry Pratchett we know and love, are no less inspired and give real insight into the development of his creative genius.”
A book that brings fun and joy, A Stroke of the Pen is out now and available via all good retailers and e-tailers. Visit Penguin (UK) and HarperCollins (US) for more information.