Author's Note
Pancake & Hen is by far the most rewarding thing I've ever written. It was an idea I kept on the back burner for a long time, and when I finally began writing these short stories, it was like a trip back to the imagination of my youth. Yes, it sounds cliché, possibly even lame, but it was terribly fun to write of a time when anything is possible and the mind can create swords from sticks, conjure up monsters in every shadow, and make each new experience so fresh and new. I hope to get these illustrated someday, to have pictures to complement the writing. I think that of any of my books, this collection is definitely the most marketable to the widest audience of readers.
Pancake & Hen: Visions of Childhood (2005-07)
This is the collection of most of my short stories about Pancake & Hen, which are about a curious pair of children. The boy is energetic and prone to flights of fancy, while the girl is a bit tricky and likes to act more grownup than her age. They explore the world with the wide-eyed imagination and open-mindedness that only children have. Everything around them is fascinating, and anything is possible. Each chapter is a stand-alone short story. Included in this volume are the following short stories:
The Nature of Names - Leave No Child Unnamed, Lest They Disappear The Castle in the Willows - The Disenchanted Forest Contrary - Everything But Right King of the Ants - Learn to Live Like Another Of the Elderly and Kissing - Clearly Two Horrible Things Touching the Sky - Of Angels and Eagles Caverns and Toadstools - Faerie Secrets and Hidden Dragons Mother Versus Father - Opinions and Infallibility A Visit to the Pond Goes Awry - Cannonballs and Great Falls Tanglemouse and Mr. Samson - Cat Dreams and Stolen Cheese The Forest Dragon - Influences and the Influenced The Egg of Dreams - Of Magic in Small Places The Shade Tree and Old Man Weather - Lost and Found | Pancake & Hen: Flights of Fantasy (2007-08)
This is my second collection of Pancake & Hen stories. I've decided to start the book with the introductory chapter from the first book, to keep a little continuity. This was a revisitation of some of my favorite characters ever. As with the last collection, each chapter is a stand-alone short story. Included in this volume are ten new short stories exploring the enchanting world of Pancake and Hen, including:
The Nature of Names - Leave No Child Unnamed, Lest They Disappear Pancake and Puppy - Everyone Loves Pancakes Brown Bread and Wool - Real Boys Have Chest Hair The Mud Hole Trap - Bullfrogs and Baths The Ghost in the Garden - Howls and Hauntings Blanket Thieves - Bedroom Burglars Grandma - The Great Weaver Rooster and Hen - Mismatches and Misnomers The War in the Willows - Return to the Great Castle Diamonds and Gold - Jewels for Fools and Big Payoffs The Season Tree - Evergreens and Wrapping Paper |
Pancake & Hen: Complete Collection (2005-11)
All of the old stories have been collected into this one final volume, with four new stories added. Previous issues with editing and layout have been fixed, and you have a nice new cover.
This book is also available in e-book format. | Pancake & Hen Merchandise |
