Wild Folk: Tales from the Stones
By Jackie Morris and Tamsin Abbott
An exquisite collection of shape-shifting tales from two magical artist-storytellers.
Thursday, 23 March 2023
New Pledge Levels: Badges!!!!!!!
When I was a kid we didn't have many books at home, nor much money to buy books. At the time, as a child, I knew little about publishers, or publishing. When I had money to buy books I would go to W H Smiths, who sold magazines, stationary, and books. And I always knew the books with the little bird on the spine were good. Alan Garner, Watership Down, Tarka the Otter, these are the few I remember, but I remember clearly that symbol, and also the Puffin Club. How I envied kids at school who sported those enamel badges.
I still carry that child inside me, along with all the ages I have ever been, and she rises to the surface with delight at the sight of an enamel badge. So, Tamsin and I got to talking, about growing a community of supporters for Wild Folk. We have a desire to do more than just get people to pledge so our book will be published. We would like to draw people together. We are hoping to do events in support of teh book as it grows, share process with supporters, and also share the wild work of others working in different fields, woods, mountains and the same. And so, to the delight of the small child me, Tamsin is creating a series of 7 enamel badges, one for each tale, AND we have a Wild Folk badge, with lettering by Stephen Raw, and amazing calligrapher. Do take a look at his work. His lettering is just amazing. I first met him when we worked together .
Tamsin has done all the work on this one, from design to sourcing what we hope is the best enamel pin service. We had help with this from an artist known as SinEater. His advice was that the pin people we have chosen to go to might be a bit more expensive, but they are the best he has used. ( It is always good, but sometimes unusual when people share such info). Do take a look at his instagram account. It is light and life and death and tradition and deeply rooted in wildness.
So, at the moment we will jus have the two badges, but Tamsin will work on the other six as the book developes.
Above is the only visuals we have of them so far. I will post images as soon as I have them. You can upgrade a pledge. Follow this link to see how to upgrade, and if you have problems ask teh Unbound site for help. They will guide you through.
https://unbound.gorgias.help/en-US/can-i-upgrade-my-reward-level-209017
I always panic and don't read things properly when doing stuff like this, so understand that it can be difficult.
I am working on the Black Fox story now, so that Tamsin can continue to illustrate it, and she is looking at Wayland, a longer and more finished piece about the man who crafted Excalibur, his swan bride, and the courage of a wren.
We hope badges delight your hearts, as they do ours. I must get back to the bird book now. Today I am gilding great skuas and hoping for clear weather to walk on the beach at low tide. Thinking of taking a stone to leave as a gift, for the sea, or whoever finds it. Tell me, what were your favourite books as a child; fiction, non fiction, classics, adventure ( I loved all the Willard Price books- guilty pleasure at a young age, but also, My Friend Flicka, The Green Grass of Wyoming, Call of the Wild, Watership Down, Alan Graner's strange tales and Susan Cooper's books. But also a book called The Runaways, about a boy and a cheetah).
Top rewards
Wild Folk Club Badge
PLUS:
- Your name in the back
Wild Folk Club Badge Set
PLUS:
- Your name in the back
Comments
I am very much up for the badges.
I hadn't heard that Wayland forged Excalibur. They both feature in a book series I'm writing, but I hadn't thought to link them before. Your post has inspired me with an idea, so thanks for that.
posted 23rd March 2023
It is odd how a small thing can stir a memory long forgotten: your mention of Willard Price (who I also read) brought to mind the books of Rene Guillot, of which I can recall little but the fact of having enjoyed them greatly (this was mid-late primary school) and that they were (I think) illustrated with pencil drawings, one of which showed a Fennec Fox.
posted 23rd March 2023
I love these badges - and the concept of bring ‘wild folk’ together. Currently in the final edit of my ‘Watership Down for badgers’ story, and immersed in seeing through the eyes of my local woodland animals - so this development speaks to me so much! Off to upgrade my pledge.
posted 23rd March 2023
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posted 23rd March 2023
...and another book of my boyhood long forgotten till reading this reminded me: 'My Side of the Mountain' by Jean George.
posted 23rd March 2023
I loved the Little Grey Men by BB, all the Alan Garner books though I didn’t always understand them and of course The lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis
posted 23rd March 2023
Love the badges but a bit shocked at the price! I was hoping everyone who wished to could buy a badge so we can recognise each other should we pass in the street... Favourite books as a child include:
The Midnight Folk - John Masefield
The Owl Service - Alan Garner
The Magician's Nephew & Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C S Lewis
Black Hunting Whip - Monica Edwards
An Enemy at Green Knowe Lucy M Boston
Marianne Dreams - Catherine Storr
Joan Aiken's Dido Twite books.
posted 24th March 2023
Echoing Gaynor here - the badges are such a wonderful idea but I feel it's an opportunity missed to make them quite so expensive (being part of a package pledge). So many people love Jackie and Tamsin's work and have been supporting for years. I understand the principle about pledging - and have done so myself when I could. Many simply cannot afford to do so.
I believe the idea behind those older clubs was to to feel kinship around collective, shared ideas something that isn't possible if the price excludes so many.
I'm with Gaynor too on her choices - many of my favorites there too, especially with Dido Twite being a huge influence on me! A shout out too for Alison Uttley's Little Red Fox. An absolute treasure.
posted 26th March 2023
The thing about the badges is, they are expensive to make, and we can't make a loss in making them. Books also are becoming so much more expensive to produce. And then they are sold at high discounts through online sites who pay poor wages and everything goes around. BUT there are still amazing indie shops, and also libraries. The single Wild Folk badge is the best we can do..... the seven badges do become expensive, because there are so many, like pieces of jewelry.
posted 26th March 2023
Are the badges sent with the book or do they get sent out when you have pledged?
posted 20th May 2023