Paul Magrs – författare

A fully updated comprehensive guide for improving and practicing your creative writing, including contributions from Ali Smith and Kit de Waal The Creative Writing Coursebook, edited by Julia Bell and Paul Magrs, takes aspiring writers through three stages of essential practice: Gathering – getting started, learning how to keep notes, making observations and using memory; Shaping – looking at structure, point of view, character and setting; and Finishing – being your own critic, joining workshops and finding publishers.Fully updated and including a foreword by Marina Warner and contributions from forty-four authors such as Kit de Waal and Amy Liptrot, this is the perfect book for people who are just starting to write as well as for those who want some help honing work already completed. Filled with a wealth of exercises and activities, it will inspire budding writers to develop and hone their skills. Whether writing for publication, in a group or just for pleasure this comprehensive guide is for anyone who is ready to put pen to paper.

The surely soon-to-be million-copy bestselling sort-of inspirational parody of the actual million-copy-selling bestseller by Charlie Mackesy. Enter the world of me, Panda, plus my sometime-friends Cat and Teddy. You will find us living our best lives, trying (and occasionally succeeding) to be kind to each other. The cat is quite nice but can be a little bit selfish. Teddy can come across as very nice, with his squeaky voice and looking so tiny and helpless. But I must warn you, Teddy can be a vicious little backstabber, actually.This is a book of nice illustrations and some words from which you will likely gain some sort of inspiration. Like: ‘Just because you’re struggling, it doesn’t mean you’re failing… But it might do.’ ‘Nothing beats kindness,’ said the cat. ‘Gin does’, said Panda. ‘If you don’t stop saying inspirational things to me, I’m going to punch you up the hooter.’ ‘You OK, hun?’ asked Panda, but he was just taking the piss. ‘We’re just so, so lucky to have each other as friends, and it’s going to make a marvellous book.’

The surely soon-to-be million-copy bestselling sort-of inspirational parody of the actual million-copy-selling bestseller by Charlie Mackesy. Enter the world of me, Panda, plus my sometime-friends Cat and Teddy. You will find us living our best lives, trying (and occasionally succeeding) to be kind to each other. The cat is quite nice but can be a little bit selfish. Teddy can come across as very nice, with his squeaky voice and looking so tiny and helpless. But I must warn you, Teddy can be a vicious little backstabber, actually.This is a book of nice illustrations and some words from which you will likely gain some sort of inspiration. Like: ‘Just because you’re struggling, it doesn’t mean you’re failing… But it might do.’ ‘Nothing beats kindness,’ said the cat. ‘Gin does’, said Panda. ‘If you don’t stop saying inspirational things to me, I’m going to punch you up the hooter.’ ‘You OK, hun?’ asked Panda, but he was just taking the piss. ‘We’re just so, so lucky to have each other as friends, and it’s going to make a marvellous book.’

The author of the hit parody The Panda, the Cat and the Dreadfully Teddy draws on the simple, idyllic world of Beatrix Potter to shed light on some of the most pertinent issues of our time. Beatrix, a refined and gentle lady, decides to relocate to the countryside to escape the chaotic city and exorbitant house prices of London, in search of a simpler, more holistic life. Looking forward to painting cute rural animals and writing stories about their charming ways, she desires nothing more than to surround herself with nature and to practice mindfulness and kindness. But after months spent in isolation during ‘hibernation’, all the local wildlife emerge grumpy, sweary and having forgotten all their social skills – Jemima Puddleduck has even been cancelled. Will Beatrix’s new small garden and spare room make all this aggro worth it?

The author of the hit parody The Panda, the Cat and the Dreadfully Teddy draws on the simple, idyllic world of Beatrix Potter to shed light on some of the most pertinent issues of our time. Beatrix, a refined and gentle lady, decides to relocate to the countryside to escape the chaotic city and exorbitant house prices of London, in search of a simpler, more holistic life. Looking forward to painting cute rural animals and writing stories about their charming ways, she desires nothing more than to surround herself with nature and to practice mindfulness and kindness. But after months spent in isolation during ‘hibernation’, all the local wildlife emerge grumpy, sweary and having forgotten all their social skills – Jemima Puddleduck has even been cancelled. Will Beatrix’s new small garden and spare room make all this aggro worth it?

A charming collection of quotes about cats from our favourite authors, accompanied by artwork in the trademark style of Paul Magrs (author of The Panda, the Cat and the Dreadful Teddy).‘I love them, they are so nice and selfish’ – L.M. MontgomeryThis collection of quotes from the literary greats explores just why cats have fascinated, mesmerised and often infuriated writers for centuries. Celebrating the mystery of these daydreaming, snarky, selfish, watchful, contemplative and changeable creatures, Puss in Books helps cat and book lovers to understand these beings who have intrigued great thinkers and writers since the dawn of time.Quotes include:‘Time spent with a cat is never wasted’ – Colette‘Those who play with cats must expect to get scratched’ – Miguel de Cervantes‘If cats could write history, their history would be mostly about cats’ – Eugen Weber

A charming collection of quotes about cats from our favourite authors, accompanied by artwork in the trademark style of Paul Magrs (author of The Panda, the Cat and the Dreadful Teddy).‘I love them, they are so nice and selfish’ – L.M. MontgomeryThis collection of quotes from the literary greats explores just why cats have fascinated, mesmerised and often infuriated writers for centuries. Celebrating the mystery of these daydreaming, snarky, selfish, watchful, contemplative and changeable creatures, Puss in Books helps cat and book lovers to understand these beings who have intrigued great thinkers and writers since the dawn of time.Quotes include:‘Time spent with a cat is never wasted’ – Colette‘Those who play with cats must expect to get scratched’ – Miguel de Cervantes‘If cats could write history, their history would be mostly about cats’ – Eugen Weber

I always knew that the rest of my story is gonna be a good one. I don’t know how I knew that, but I always did. Ungow! I am Fester the cat. Welcome to my book, everyone!From when he first ambled into Paul Magrs’s yard—skinny, covered in flea bites, and missing all but one and a half teeth—Fester knew he’d found his family. Paul and his partner, Jeremy, thought it was the ragged black-and-white stray, tired from a rough life on the streets, who was in desperate need of support. But clever Fester knew better. He understood that it was his newfound owners who needed the help.Over the course of seven years, the feisty feline turned the quaint Manchester house into a loving home. Through his fierce spirit, strong will, and calming energy, Fester taught Paul and Jeremy how to listen and breathe, how to appreciate the joys of simply sitting and singing (what Fester’s purrs sounded like to his silly humans), and how to find joy and contentment in life, even when dealing with hardship.This is the true story of an extraordinary little cat whose gentle charm and trusting soul turned two young men into a family.

A new spine-chilling collection of twelve short illustrated adventures packed with terrifying Doctor Who monsters and villains, just in time for Halloween!Each short story will feature a frightening nemesis for the Doctor to outwit, and each will star one incarnation of the Doctor with additional appearances from favourite friends and companions such as Sarah Jane, Jo and Ace.

*The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) returns to Sherwood Forest in this incredible new crossover of Doctor Who and the legend of Robin Hood*Gold had come to the greenwood . . .Robin Hood is disenchanted. Maid Marion has disappeared, and the legend of the Doctor has retreated into the shadows of Sherwood Forest.But the Doctor is back! (Although this is his first visit - time travel does strange things to a story.)And the timing couldn't be better. A new Sheriff of Nottingham is in town, out to get the Outlaws, and behind the scenes, the mythical Mother Maudlin has designs on the realm that are not of this earth . . .With the Kingdom in peril, it's time for the return of the Lionheart.

*The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) returns to Sherwood Forest in this incredible new crossover of Doctor Who and the legend of Robin Hood*Gold had come to the greenwood . . .Robin Hood is disenchanted. Maid Marion has disappeared, and the legend of the Doctor has retreated into the shadows of Sherwood Forest.But the Doctor is back! (Although this is his first visit - time travel does strange things to a story.)And the timing couldn't be better. A new Sheriff of Nottingham is in town, out to get the Outlaws, and behind the scenes, the mythical Mother Maudlin has designs on the realm that are not of this earth . . .With the Kingdom in peril, it's time for the return of the Lionheart.

*The Doctor meets the Greek Myths in this brand-new Doctor Who and Puffin Classics crossover.*It was a kind of portal - a portal into the myths of the ancient world . . .Everyone knows the Doctor loves museums (it's his way of keeping score).But when Jo Grant and the Doctor visit the British Museum in London, they might have got more than they bargained for.A mysterious object is revealed, which grants those who touch it strange visions of Greek Myths. Gods, warriors and monsters are contained within this device, which its discover calls the mythoscope.But there is something sinister at play. A powerful influence seems to be controlling the mythoscope . . . mastering it.Jo and the Doctor must enter the mythoscope to face an old and terrible enemy - bargaining with Zeus, battling dragons and journeying into the underworld.As dangers beset them on all sides, only an object of wondrous power can save them from total destruction . . .

*The Doctor meets the Greek Myths in this brand-new Doctor Who and Puffin Classics crossover.*It was a kind of portal - a portal into the myths of the ancient world . . .Everyone knows the Doctor loves museums (it's his way of keeping score).But when Jo Grant and the Doctor visit the British Museum in London, they might have got more than they bargained for.A mysterious object is revealed, which grants those who touch it strange visions of Greek Myths. Gods, warriors and monsters are contained within this device, which its discover calls the mythoscope.But there is something sinister at play. A powerful influence seems to be controlling the mythoscope . . . mastering it.Jo and the Doctor must enter the mythoscope to face an old and terrible enemy - bargaining with Zeus, battling dragons and journeying into the underworld.As dangers beset them on all sides, only an object of wondrous power can save them from total destruction . . .

Embark on a strange and enchanting adventure with old friends and familiar foes in this glorious crossover of Doctor Who and Alice in Wonderland.The Doctor and his companions visit the dreaming spires of peaceful Oxford, hoping for a brief respite from their travels.But when Lewis Carroll appears at a garden party and their fellow guests transform into animals, they realise that everything is not as it seems . . .An unknown cosmic foe has trapped them in a twisted version of Alice’s Wonderland. Separated from the Tardis and from each other, their only hope of escape lies in cryptic clues teased by fan-favourite characters from Carroll’s classic tale.

Embark on a strange and enchanting adventure with old friends and familiar foes in this glorious crossover of Doctor Who and Alice in Wonderland.The Doctor and his companions visit the dreaming spires of peaceful Oxford, hoping for a brief respite from their travels.But when Lewis Carroll appears at a garden party and their fellow guests transform into animals, they realise that everything is not as it seems . . .An unknown cosmic foe has trapped them in a twisted version of Alice’s Wonderland. Separated from the Tardis and from each other, their only hope of escape lies in cryptic clues teased by fan-favourite characters from Carroll’s classic tale.

A vampire is on the loose!On what they hope is going to be a holiday, the Doctor and his companions arrive in a quiet, unassuming seaside town called Whitby.The terrible significance of the place evades them, until they happen upon a theatre production that captivates their attention . . .Dracula!Suddenly, murders are occurring left, right and centre, each victim with trademark puncture wounds on their neck. Ian is soon missing, and a town shrouded in myth and legend is beginning to live up to its name.Clearly there is a Dracula at large. But the TARDIS team quickly realise: you can never trust a vampire . . .

A vampire is on the loose!On what they hope is going to be a holiday, the Doctor and his companions arrive in a quiet, unassuming seaside town called Whitby.The terrible significance of the place evades them, until they happen upon a theatre production that captivates their attention . . .Dracula!Suddenly, murders are occurring left, right and centre, each victim with trademark puncture wounds on their neck. Ian is soon missing, and a town shrouded in myth and legend is beginning to live up to its name.Clearly there is a Dracula at large. But the TARDIS team quickly realise: you can never trust a vampire . . .

Brought to you by Puffin.The first audio collection in the Doctor Who: Puffin Classics series featuring four adventures.Old legends and new worlds collide in this magnificent Doctor Who crossover with King Arthur and His Knights of the Round TableWhile investigating a strange energy in Carbury, the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble are pulled into a different dimension, smashing a giant hole into another world in the process.As the magic of the hidden dimension slowly seeps out, the Doctor and Donna find themselves in Camelot, where a young squire, Arthur, comes to their aid, and when the Doctor is mistaken for Merlin, they are swept up in the glamorous and daring legends of the Knights of the Round Table.But something far more menacing has been awakened. Caught in an ancient battle for power, Donna and the Doctor are sucked into a dangerous game. As each move is made and time spins faster, the Doctor must find a way to seal the rift before an unimaginable power is unleashed and the universe is laid to waste.The Thirteenth Doctor meets the Wizard of Oz in this brand new Doctor Who and Puffin Classics mashupWhen a sudden tornado engulfs the TARDIS, the Thirteenth Doctor and her fam find themselves transported to the magical land of Oz. With a damaged TARDIS and an unexpected stowaway from the 1930s, their only hope of getting home is to follow the yellow brick road.But when an army of scarecrows ambushes them, they quickly realise that everything is not as it should be, and they're thrown into a fight for survival against a mysterious enemy. As each of her companions becomes a shadow of their former selves, only the Doctor is left standing.Desperate to save her friends, she must embark on a perilous journey to seek help from the mysterious Wizard of Oz - and stop whatever forces are at work before she and her friends are trapped in the fictional world forever.The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) returns to Sherwood Forest in this incredible new crossover of Doctor Who and the legend of Robin HoodGold had come to the greenwood . . .Robin Hood is disenchanted. Maid Marion has disappeared, and the legend of the Doctor has retreated into the shadows of Sherwood Forest.But the Doctor is back! (Although this is his first visit - time travel does strange things to a story.)And the timing couldn't be better. A new Sheriff of Nottingham is in town, out to get the Outlaws, and behind the scenes, the mythical Mother Maudlin has designs on the realm that are not of this earth. . .With the Kingdom in peril, it's time for the return of the Lionheart.The Doctor meets the Greek Myths in this brand-new Doctor Who and Puffin Classics crossoverIt was a kind of portal - a portal into the myths of the ancient world . . .Everyone knows the Doctor loves museums (it's his way of keeping score).But when Jo Grant and the Doctor visit the British Museum in London, they might have got more than they bargained for.A mysterious object is revealed, which grants those who touch it strange visions of Greek Myths. Gods, warriors and monsters are contained within this device, which its discover calls the mythoscope.But there is something sinister at play. A powerful influence seems to be controlling the mythoscope . . . mastering it.Jo and the Doctor must enter the mythoscope to face an old and terrible enemy - bargaining with Zeus, battling dragons and journeying into the underworld.As dangers beset them on all sides, only an object of wondrous power can save them from total destruction . . .BBC, DOCTOR WHO and TARDIS (word marks and devices) are trademarks of the British Broadcasting Corporation and are used under licence. BBC logo (c) BBC 1996. DOCTOR WHO logo (c) BBC 1973. Licensed by BBC Studios.(c)2021 Jacqueline Rayner, 2022 & 2023 Paul Magrs (P) 2025 Penguin Audio

Brought to you by Puffin.The second audio collection in the Doctor Who: Puffin Classics series featuring four adventures.Alien pirates, and sea-faring friends abound in this incredible Treasure Island and Doctor Who crossover.'Who was that?' asked Clara. 'And what are pieces of eight?'The Doctor smiled. 'Robert Louis Stevenson. I did tell you.'Summoned to 1700s Plymouth, the Doctor and Clara must investigate a mysterious thievery from the Crown of King George.Their travels take them to a remote island - but as the secrets of the theft are unearthed, the Doctor discovers something far more sinister. The spectre of a terrible intellect is afoot.Thankfully, the Doctor and Clara won't be alone. A pirate called Long John Silver, a runaway called Janey Hawkins, and professor called River Song, are all along for the ride.Embark on a strange and enchanting adventure with old friends and familiar foes in this glorious crossover of Doctor Who and Alice in Wonderland.The Doctor and his companions visit the dreaming spires of peaceful Oxford, hoping for a brief respite from their travels.But when Lewis Carroll appears at a garden party and their fellow guests transform into animals, they realise that everything is not as it seems . . .An unknown cosmic foe has trapped them in a twisted version of Alice's Wonderland. Separated from the Tardis and from each other, their only hope of escape lies in cryptic clues teased by fan-favourite characters from Carroll's classic tale.He tidied his hair, smoothed down his vest, and extended a hand. 'Perhaps we can begin anew,' he said. 'Dr V. Frankenstein, at your service.'When an unsettling folk tale leads the Ninth Doctor and Rose to a remote village in Wales, they get more than they bargained for.A scientist has taken it upon himself to create new life - imitating Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a book that has sent shock waves around the country.But, much like his fictional counterpart, this doctor is playing god, and with forces beyond his understanding. As the Doctor and Rose attempt to put the brakes on the experiment before it gets out of control, a sinister supernatural presence reveals itself . . .A vampire is on the loose!On what they hope is going to be a holiday, the Doctor and his companions arrive in a quiet, unassuming seaside town called Whitby.The terrible significance of the place evades them, until they happen upon a theatre production that captivates their attention . . .Dracula!Suddenly, murders are occurring left, right and centre, each victim with trademark puncture wounds on their neck. Ian is soon missing, and a town shrouded in myth and legend is beginning to live up to its name.Clearly there is a Dracula at large. But the TARDIS team quickly realise: you can never trust a vampire . . .BBC, DOCTOR WHO and TARDIS (word marks and devices) are trademarks of the British Broadcasting Corporation and are used under licence. BBC logo (c) BBC 1996. DOCTOR WHO logo (c) BBC 1973. Licensed by BBC Studios.(c)2023 Bali Rai, 2024 Paul Magrs, 2025 Jack Heath, Paul Magrs (P) 2025 Penguin Audio

Someone has painted the Doctor''s likeness into a famous poster by Toulouse-Lautrec, leading Mrs Wibbsey and him to Paris in the 1890s. There the streets are thronged with artists and their muses - ladies of the night such as the young girl La Charlotte. But a murderer is also at large, and Lautrec''s name is whispered with fear and suspicion. As they become immersed in the delights of the Moulin Rouge and the shadows of Montmartre Cemetery, the travellers gradually uncover the gruesome truth about the missing women of Paris. They also realise that someone has been expecting them... With Tom Baker as the Doctor, Susan Jameson as Mrs Wibbsey, Mark Meadows as Lautrec, Finty Williams as La Charlotte, Rowena Cooper as La Concierge, Rupert Holliday Evans as the Artist and Richard Franklin as Mike Yates, The Demon of Paris is the second of five linked stories written by the acclaimed Paul Magrs.

In the icy wastes of the Murgin Pass, the Doctor and Mike take refuge in a remote lodge alongside Albert Tiermann, storyteller to the king. But the owner’s hospitality is repaid with a grisly attack, and suddenly death is amongst the small party. What is the significance of a book of fairy tales, one of which prophesies the Doctor’s encounter with an Ice Queen monster? What long-held secret is Albert Tiermann holding back? And what dark figure stalks the snowy mountainside? The answers to these questions add up to a terrifying encounter with a strangely familiar foe. With Tom Baker as the Doctor, Richard Franklin as Mike Yates, Samuel West as Tiermann, Carole Boyd as Frau Herz, Jan Francis as the Ice Queen, Tom Lawrence as Hans, and Susan Jameson as Mrs Wibbsey, A Shard of Ice is the third of five linked stories written by the acclaimed Paul Magrs.

Tiermann's World: a planet covered in wintry woods and roamed by sabre-toothed tigers and other savage beasts. The Doctor is here to warn Professor Tiermann, his wife and their son that a terrible danger is on its way.The Tiermanns live in luxury, in a fantastic, futuristic, fully-automated Dreamhome, under an impenetrable force shield. But that won't protect them from the Voracious Craw. A gigantic and extremely hungry alien creature is heading remorselessly towards their home. When it gets there everything will be devoured.Can they get away in time? With the force shield cracking up, and the Dreamhome itself deciding who should or should not leave, things are looking desperate...Featuring the Tenth Doctor and Martha as played by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman in the hit Doctor Who series from BBC television.

Kidnapped by armed robots and whisked into the far future, the Doctor and Mrs Wibbsey embark upon another epic adventure in Time and Space. Plunged into conflict between warring Robotovs, humans and the deadly Skishtari, they come into possession of a Skishtari egg, whose powers are both wondrous and deadly. Back on Earth, the Doctor and his companion find mishaps around every corner. In 19th century Hexford they uncover the dark secret of a mysterious boy and his tutor, but escalating events soon lead them into a netherworld of treasure, genies and sentient scarfs, where fairy tale logic applies. When modern day Hexford comes under attack, Mrs Wibbsey and Mike Yates discover that two Doctors aren''t better than one, and finally the stage is set for a terrifying showdown when the Skishtari come calling for their rightful property. Not everyone will live to see another dawn in Hexford... Tom Baker stars as the Doctor, with Susan Jameson as Mrs. Wibbsey, Richard Franklin as Mike Yates, and a cast including David Troughton, Michael Jayston, Simon Shepherd, Terrence Hardiman, Joanna David, Sophie Ward, Andrew Sachs, and Nerys Hughes in these linked stories by Paul Magrs.

Know your frenemy.‘I’ve had adventures too. My whole life doesn’t revolve around you, you know.’When she's not busy amassing armies of Cybermen, or manipulating the Doctor and his companions, Missy has plenty of time to kill (literally). In this all new collection of stories about the renegade Time Lord we all love to hate, you'll discover just some of the mad and malevolent activities Missy gets up to while she isn't distracted by the Doctor.So please try to keep up.

‘Even though they’re gone from the world, they’re never gone from me.’The Doctor is many things – curious, funny, brave, protective of her friends...and a shameless namedropper. While she and her companions battled aliens and travelled across the universe, the Doctor hinted at a host of previous, untold adventures with the great and the good: we discovered she got her sunglasses from Pythagoras (or was it Audrey Hepburn?); lent a mobile phone to Elvis; had an encounter with Amelia Earhart where she discovered that a pencil-thick spider web can stop a plane; had a 'wet weekend' with Harry Houdini, learning how to escape from chains underwater; and more.In this collection of new stories, Star Tales takes you on a rip-roaring ride through history, from 500BC to the swinging 60s, going deeper into the Doctor's notorious name-dropping and revealing the truth behind these anecdotes.

‘Stories are the most important thing of all because they are just about the only living thing that lasts…'At the end of the universe, a mysterious storyteller builds a campfire to draw his audience. He has gathered tales like any minstrel of old – and his specialty is tales of the Doctor. In this book of stories both long and short, you can experience Doctor Who’s adventures through the prism of folk tales and fables. Retold from unusual perspectives, 1001 Nights in Time and Space is a bubbling mix of heroes and villains, soldiers and monsters, princesses, goblins, demons, tricksters, computers, ghosts and gods from all across the universe… taking inspiration from the entire 60-plus years lifespan of Doctor Who.