Do you have a light in your back garden or on your flat balcony? You know, the type which hangs from a bracket on the wall or from a post holding birdfeeders, perhaps. Have you ever looked closely at it when the light is shining? Well, Molly did just that and saw strange creatures moving about inside it. It turned out they were faeries, from The Land of Faerie: a fantastical world where pixies, faeries, unicorns, and other magical creatures live. We can briefly experience what it is like through our dreams – providing we have enough imagination. But Molly discovered it is possible to see and talk to some of these magical creatures not just in her dreams but also when she was awake: through what the faeries called “gateways” between our world and theirs. Yes, you guessed it, the gateways are usually garden lights. However, as you will know I am sure, such lights sometimes don’t work – most often because their batteries are run-down. When her light stopped working, Molly discovered that there was more to it than just some run-down batteries. Desperate to be able to talk again with her friends – Maple Leaf, Iris Flower, and Mayfly – she found herself on a journey of discovery which involved learning more about global warming and global dimming. It also involved the whole of The Land of Faerie trying to solve the problems which such conditions were creating for their gateways to our world.
Stuart is a professor emeritus of lifelong learning. He retired from full-time work at the University in 2010. Since then, he has continued to write, publish, and present in his academic field of expertise. He also has begun writing fiction – and especially fiction fantasy for young children. The Land of Faerie is the latest in a series known as The Molly Adventures. Stuart and his wife Dilys share their time between their home near York in the UK, and another in SE Spain. Along with writing, he loves to watch sports on TV and occasionally loves playing golf.