Happy Friday! It's not just any Friday. It's Fairy Tale Friday. This month, it's Jack and the Beanstalk. Enjoy! Music used is by Kevin MacLeod and can be downloaded from: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/ Tracks: "Fairytale Waltz" "Magic Escape Room" "Circus of Freaks"
Apr 07, 2023•18 min
It's that time again - it's Fairy Tale Friday. This month I read Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve's original version of Beauty and the Beast. It's quite a far cry from the Disney version we all know and love, but very interesting nonetheless! Just don't expect any singing candlesticks... Music used is by Kevin MacLeod and can be downloaded from: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/ Tracks: "Fairytale Waltz" "Parisian" "Dark Times" "Darkest Child" "The Snow Queen" "Gathering Darkness...
Mar 03, 2023•51 min
It's another Fairy Tale Friday - this time, it's Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid", in honour of LGBT History Month (if you know, you know - if not, look it up!). Music used is by Kevin MacLeod and can be downloaded from: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/ Tracks: "Fairytale Waltz" "Aquarium" by Camille Saint-Saëns (produced by Kevin McLeod) "Arcadia" "Frost Waltz" "Some Amount of Evil" "Tenebrous Brothers Carnival - Mermaid" "Water Prelude" "Gathering Darkness"...
Feb 03, 2023•1 hr 6 min
Happy New Year, and Happy #FairyTaleFriday! This month's fairy tale is Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper, as told by Charles Perrault and translated by Charles Welsh. Music used is by Kevin MacLeod and can be downloaded from: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/ Tracks: "Fairytale Waltz" "Some Amount of Evil" "Arcadia" "Scheming Weasel" "Sad Trio" "Royal Coupling" "Court of the Queen"...
Jan 06, 2023•17 min
It's this month's #FairyTaleFriday! This time it's Snow-White, as told by the Brothers Grimm, and translated by Lucy Crane. Watch out for poisoned apples! Music used is by Kevin MacLeod and can be downloaded from: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/ Tracks: "Fairytale Waltz" "Some Amount of Evil" "Mysterioso March" "Krampus Workshop" "Arcadia"
Dec 02, 2022•24 min
Four legs good, two legs bad... Coming soon!
Nov 05, 2022•2 min
Introducing a new regular bonus episode... The first Friday of the month is #FairyTaleFriday! I'll be reading original versions of the fairy tales we all think we know... For this first one, I've chosen Hansel and Gretel, as told by the Brothers Grimm, and translated by Lucy Crane. I thought it was appropriately creepy since we're still in Halloween week! Music used is by Kevin MacLeod and can be downloaded from: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/ Tracks: "Fairytale Waltz" "Darkest Chil...
Nov 04, 2022•20 min
FULL AUDIOBOOK NOW AVAILABLE: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/willowaudiobooks The following is a sample from Episode 4 (the final part) of Peter Pan & Wendy. In order to gain access to the full episode, please visit the link above and make a donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital. You will then be emailed a download link and access code. In 1929, JM Barrie unexpectedly and generously gifted his copyright of Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital. In recognition of the unpreceden...
Oct 24, 2022•3 min•Ep. 107
The following is a sample from Episode 3 of Peter Pan & Wendy. In order to gain access to the full episode, please visit the following link and make a donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/willowaudiobooks You will then be emailed a download link and access code. In 1929, JM Barrie unexpectedly and generously gifted his copyright of Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital. In recognition of the unprecedented generosity and the exceptional work of ...
Oct 24, 2022•3 min•Ep. 106
The following is a sample from Episode 2 of Peter Pan & Wendy. In order to gain access to the full episode, please visit the following link and make a donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/willowaudiobooks You will then be emailed a download link and access code. In 1929, JM Barrie unexpectedly and generously gifted his copyright of Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital. In recognition of the unprecedented generosity and the exceptional work of ...
Oct 22, 2022•3 min•Ep. 105
The following is a sample from Episode 1 of Peter Pan & Wendy. In order to gain access to the full episode, please visit the following link and make a donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/willowaudiobooks You will then be emailed a download link and access code. In 1929, JM Barrie unexpectedly and generously gifted his copyright of Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital. In recognition of the unprecedented generosity and the exceptional work of ...
Oct 15, 2022•3 min•Ep. 104
🧚Coming soon!🧚 By arrangement with and in support of Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity, Willow Audiobooks presents J M Barrie’s PETER PAN AND WENDY. This immersive audiobook will be available to download in return for a donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital, to whom J M Barrie left the rights to Peter Pan in perpetuity. Watch this space for more details!
Sep 17, 2022•1 min•Ep. 103
This month I had the absolute pleasure of guesting on Down the Yellow Brick Pod with Tara Tagliaferro and Emily Kay Shrader as they jumped into the third Oz book, "Ozma of Oz". I did this as an audiobook last year and loved it, so revisiting it with two self-proclaimed Oz nerds was an absolute joy. If you aren't aware of Tara and EmKay's podcast but you love Oz, you really need to listen - go back to their first season where they went through the original novel in detail, or their second season ...
Apr 21, 2022•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 102
This month I had the absolute pleasure of guesting on Down the Yellow Brick Pod with Tara Tagliaferro and Emily Kay Shrader as they jumped into the third Oz book, "Ozma of Oz". I did this as an audiobook last year and loved it, so revisiting it with two self-proclaimed Oz nerds was an absolute joy. If you aren't aware of Tara and EmKay's podcast but you love Oz, you really need to listen - go back to their first season where they went through the original novel in detail, or their second season ...
Apr 21, 2022•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 101
Episode 100! I can't believe it. I apologise for being quiet for the last few months - I've had a lot of changes to get used to and my time has been eaten up with life commitments. Rest assured I am still working on Peter Pan & Wendy, coming to your feed as soon as possible! For now, to celebrate two years since I started Willow Audiobooks, here is a special trailer of highlights from the past two years. Thank you for listening!
Mar 24, 2022•3 min•Ep. 100
Final part! Legend tells of the gigantic spectral hound that has haunted the Baskerville family for centuries. When Sir Henry, the last remaining heir, is due to move into the ancestral home on Dartmoor, Sherlock Holmes remains coolly sceptical that he could be in any supernatural danger. Nevertheless, he sends his faithful friend Dr Watson to investigate the matter, and it soon becomes clear that there is more to the tale than meets the eye... The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan D...
Nov 28, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 99
Apologies for the delay, with no episode last week! I unfortunately got ill so my recording plans got scuppered. I made the decision to split the intended third and final part of this book into two episodes, so here is the now penultimate part, with Part 4 coming next weekend to conclude the story. Legend tells of the gigantic spectral hound that has haunted the Baskerville family for centuries. When Sir Henry, the last remaining heir, is due to move into the ancestral home on Dartmoor, Sherlock...
Nov 22, 2021•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 98
Readings of three poems to mark Remembrance Day. "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae "Dulce et Decorum est" by Wilfred Owen "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon Recording of "The Last Post" sourced from Benboncan on Freesound.org and licensed under Creative Commons: https://freesound.org/people/Benboncan/sounds/62050/
Nov 11, 2021•7 min•Ep. 97
Legend tells of the gigantic spectral hound that has haunted the Baskerville family for centuries. When Sir Henry, the last remaining heir, is due to move into the ancestral home on Dartmoor, Sherlock Holmes remains coolly sceptical that he could be in any supernatural danger. Nevertheless, he sends his faithful friend Dr Watson to investigate the matter, and it soon becomes clear that there is more to the tale than meets the eye... The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is in t...
Nov 07, 2021•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 96
Something suitably chilling for the season! I'm thrilled to be bringing a full-length Sherlock Holmes novel to your ears, and this is widely regarded as the most popular! Content warning: Please be aware that this episode contains the use of outdated racial terms ("Negro" and "Eskimo"), as well as very briefly implied sexual assault. Legend tells of the gigantic spectral hound that has haunted the Baskerville family for centuries. When Sir Henry, the last remaining heir, is due to move into the ...
Oct 30, 2021•1 hr 58 min•Ep. 95
Anna Soden is an Actor-Musician and Theatre Maker, who in 2020 adapted E. Nesbit’s novel 'Five Children and It' into a one-person stage show. In this episode, we discuss what we think makes the novel so enduring and appealing, as well as Anna’s process in adapting it for the stage, especially in the time of COVID-19. I hope you enjoy! Anna and her company, Strawberry Lion can be found on Twitter & Instagram at @annaamabel and @astrawberrylion. Website: https://www.strawberrylion.com/ This is...
Oct 26, 2021•42 min•Ep. 94
A chance meeting brings Mr Carrisford's search to an end, and promises a brighter future for Sara - but will Miss Minchin let her go so easily? (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still there, so please be aware.) A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett is in the public domain worldwide. This is a ...
Oct 23, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 93
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Starts 31 October. Sherlock Holmes returns, in a full-length novel and his most chilling adventure!
Oct 21, 2021•1 min•Ep. 92
Continuing to be mistreated by Miss Minchin and the senior servants, poor Sara becomes hungrier than ever. She is amazed to discover, however, that even when things seem at their worst, hope can always be found - and sometimes, something almost like Magic... (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still the...
Oct 19, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 91
The mysterious gentleman who has moved in next door proves a point of fascination for Sara, and even more so once she has met his Indian manservant and his pet monkey. Later, Sara's generosity is put to the test. (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still there, so please be aware.) A Little Princess by ...
Oct 16, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 90
Sara must adjust to her new life of poverty and grief, and finds herself relying on her vivid imagination more than ever. (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still there, so please be aware.) A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett is in the public domain worldwide. This is a Willow Audiobook read ...
Oct 09, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 89
In Part 2, Sara continues to make friends, including with the nervous little scullery maid, Becky. On her 11th birthday, however, Sara receives some shocking news which is about to bring her life as she knows it to an abrupt end. (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still there, so please be aware.) A Li...
Oct 02, 2021•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 88
We return to the mind of Frances Hodgson Burnett (of "The Secret Garden"), with the tale of Sara Crewe in "A Little Princess." In this first part, Sara is relocated from India by her doting father, and taken to London where she is to enrol at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies. Despite her wealth setting her apart from her peers, she soon begins to charm everyone with her grace and ability to tell stories - everyone, that is, except Miss Minchin. (Please note that this text, as with...
Sep 25, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 87
Coming soon... a tale of riches to rags! A Little Princess By Frances Hodgson Burnett Little Sara Crewe is treated like a princess by her rich father, but she is far from spoilt. In fact, when she starts at Miss Minchin's boarding school she soon captivates all the pupils with her charm and grace, as well as her wonderful imagination and ability to tell stories. However, after her father becomes bankrupt and suddenly dies, Sara's world is turned upside down as she is changed from princess to pau...
Aug 22, 2021•1 min•Ep. 86
Hello! Very excited to start releasing the next audiobook soon, "A Little Princess" by Frances Hodgson Burnett. In the meantime, this is just a very quick word about my approach to these classic texts when it comes to problematic views such as racism, sexism and so on. I try to deal with everthing sensitively, and use my best judgement as to whether to make changes/cuts or not, and I will continue to include content warnings for certain things when I judge it appropriate to do so. However, if yo...
Aug 22, 2021•2 min•Ep. 85