Official Website of The Stumblebum Chronicles
by Michael Elmet. Writer. Author. Storyteller.
The Stumblebum Chronicles are a series of humorous stories following the adventures of Stumblebum during his progress from novice wizard, through the various stages of learning magic and spells at the local academy. This first story is about an awkward teenage boy who aspires to be a great wizard. Unsure of himself he is enrolled at an academy for wizards as a novice to begin his formal training.
Stumblebum is sent to stay with his auntie who is a local clairvoyant and runs a mysterious ‘new age’ gift shop from her house in the sleepy little dysfunctional English seaside town of Bilge on Sea. The Stumblebum Chronicles follows the boy's progress and mishaps as he attempts to learn his craft. His journey brings him into contact with a variety of eccentric local characters, spirits, demons, sorcerers, and witches who either help or hinder his progress as he navigates his way through life with his often unreliable magic skills.
During his development and training to be a wizard he also has to deal with a series of challenges and hilarious ordeals that he must overcome. It is a journey fraught with tensions and misfortunes, as well as success, all of which he has to quickly learn to cope with as events unfold. In this first book we see Stumblebum build his confidence as he grows into his new found life as a wizard.
The Stumblebum Chronicles. Part One. The Beginning.
After spending countless hours working up to its release, I’m proud to announce that it’s finally ready for publishing and available for purchase on the link above. Imaginative, humorous, and filled with excitement, The Stumblebum Chronicles. Part One. The Beginning. is a story about the people and events unfolding in the fictional town of Bilge on Sea, and follows the trials and tribulations of the protagonist, Stumblebum, an awkward teenage boy who aspires to be a great wizard and enrolls into the town’s prestigious academy for wizards.
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Michael Elmet, Author
Opening Page Sample
Chapter 1
‘Hello dear, how was your journey?’ Mystical Maggie greeted her nephew as he put his bag down and gazed around her shop.
‘Oh, alright I suppose, a bit tiring though.’ He replied as his attention strayed. Auntie Maggie’s little shop, Magnolia’s Magic Memorabilia, was located in the front of her house, a musty smelling old rambling Tudor building with narrow stairways and with wooden panels on all the walls and with tiny leaded windows. The shop was full of crystals, crystal balls, tarot cards, dream catchers and a range of other strange and exotic stuff. The smell of joss sticks perfumed the shop and a small income came from the sale of these items. She also charged for her mystical advice to her clients, some of whom would attend her séances in the room immediately above the shop.
The lad browsed around the shop’s stock looking at the fascinating items on sale. He came across a book rack with lots of books on magic and spells and became preoccupied with them as his auntie busied herself at the big old fashioned till. He picked up a book entitled ‘A beginners guide to magic and sorcery' which intrigued him and he thumbed through its pages with interest.
‘Auntie, do many people in Bilge on Sea buy these books on magic?’
‘Oh yes dear, there is a long tradition of magic and witchcraft here on this part of the South Coast. There are several witches covens in the town and various groups of people who practice the old religion, a pagan form of magic, as well as the Guild of Wizards and the academy. Some of them are good customers and often come to the shop quite regularly.’ She replied.
‘Why don’t you take the book up with you to look at in your bedroom before dinner dear, in preparation for your entrance to the academy? It would be a good idea to have some practice before then.’
About the Author
Michael Elmet is the author of The Stumblebum Chronicles, his first novel, the first of a series, although he has been writing for over thirty years and has published poetry and short stories under other names and has also taught creative writing classes over the years. He was born in Yorkshire but now lives in the south of England, on the coast, and draws much of his inspiration from his surroundings. He has a B.A. degree in philosophy and an M.A. in literature, philosophy and religion.