November 30th, 2015 6 comments

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Sadie Miller to Join Lethbridge-Stewart Novel Writers

Candy Jar Books have just released the fourth book in the Lethbridge-Stewart series: Mutually Assured Domination by Nick Walters. Fans who have already received the final instalment may have noticed the very exciting revelation at the end the book that Lethbridge-Stewart will return in 2016. And, not only will the publisher be releasing another series of novels, it has been announced that the next book will be written by none other than Sadie Miller!

Candy Jar Books launched the fully licensed Lethbridge-Stewart series in February 2015, with Andy Frankham-Allen’s The Forgotten Son kicking off the venture in style. Three more titles were subsequently released; each met with high praise from fans and the press.

Sadie Miller is set to return to the worlds of Doctor Who with her debut novel, Moon Blink – an exclusive preview of which is printed at the end of Mutually Assured Domination.

Sadie’s book headlines the 2016 series of Lethbridge-Stewart novels, and is published in the spring, followed by The Showstoppers by Jonathan Cooper and The Grandfather Infestation by John Peel. A further three novels will be released in the autumn.

About the books:

Moon Blink by Sadie Miller
A new drug is on the streets, and it appears to have come from the moon. Only, Apollo 11 has only just landed on the moon! Lethbridge-Stewart and Anne Travers are all set to investigate, when Anne receives a very unexpected visitor.

The Showstoppers by Jonathan Cooper
A new TV show is about to hit the airwaves, one connected to a notorious Nazi war criminal. Lethbridge-Stewart and Anne Travers investigate. (Jonathan Cooper is the author of two novels in the Space: 1889 steampunk series, and Doctor Who correspondent for The Independent.)

The Grandfather Infestation by John Peel
Something strange is happening in the North Sea, bringing Pirate Radio to its knees. The Fifth Operational Corps is called in to investigate. (John Peel is the author of countless novels, including several for Star Trek and Doctor Who. But he’s not a DJ.)

Gary Russell, former script editor of The Sarah Jane Adventures and long-time family friend of the Millers, said: “When I first heard that Sadie was writing a novel, my initial reaction was ‘ahh, a chip off the old block’– her delightful mum was one of the most creative, sharp and incisive individuals I ever knew. But then I realised I was doing Sadie a disservice, because from the first day I met her, Sadie Miller has always been her own person, utterly talented and rapaciously gifted which, other than encouragement and support, owes nothing to either of her parents and everything to Sadie’s own determination to be brilliant. And with this novel, she’s proven that she is.”

Sadie enjoyed a career as a child actress through many voice-over parts, making her screen debut when she was eight, playing Penny in the BBC film, Royal Celebration. She is best-known to Doctor Who fans for her role in both series of Sarah Jane Smith audio dramas produced by Big Finish in 2002 and 2006. She won much critical acclaim for the role of the wheelchair-bound Planet 3 researcher, Natalie Redfern, particularly in the story Test of Nerve.

She completed courses with the National Youth Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre’s Young Writer’s Programme, and RADA’s Shakespeare Course. She earned a BA in English and Related Literature, and graduated with honours.

Sadie turned from acting in 2011. “After University, I went to drama school and was actually in my final term when mum died. This obviously impacted how I looked at my future and I decided to switch to writing instead so that I could have a little more control and flexibility to be around for my dad.” She is currently working on an original Young Adult novel, having already contributed to anthologies. In 2014 she was a finalist for the Glass Woman prize with Mirandolina.
Sadie is no stranger to Doctor Who, of course. Her father is actor Brian Miller, who has appeared in both Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures, and her mother is Doctor Who legend Elisabeth Sladen, the actress who won the hearts of millions of Doctor Who fans in the 1970s as Sarah Jane Smith, and once again in 2005 when she brought Sarah back to the modern era of Doctor Who. Elisabeth Sladen sadly passed away in 2011, which led to Sadie distancing herself for some time from Doctor Who fandom.

“I needed time to mourn, to be there for my dad. The constant reminders of my mum, obviously very hard to avoid, were just too painful. But now I feel that the time is right to reconnect with Doctor Who, and the fans,” said Sadie. “My dad did so last year with an appearance in Peter Capaldi’s first episode, and so now it’s my turn. It’s exciting to be writing my first novel, and that it features the Brig adds another layer of importance. He, in the form of Nicholas Courtney, was there when mum debuted as Sarah in 1973, and she was there for his very last on screen appearance as the character in 2008. So in many ways this is important.”

“I almost worked with Sadie a good ten years ago on the second series of Sarah Jane Smith,” said series editor Andy Frankham-Allen, “but alas that did not come to be. We’ve kept in touch since, and as soon as I learned she was switching careers I immediately asked if she wanted to write for the Lethbridge-Stewart range, feeling it may be the right time for her to reconnect with Doctor Who fandom. And bless her, she agreed without a second thought!”

Candy Jar’s Publishing Co-ordinator Hayley Cox said: “It’s a great honour to be here at the start of Sadie’s writing career, working with her on her debut novel. She came to us with an amazing idea and it was a case of how could we not do it.”

The usual discounted pre-order bundles will be on offer from Candy Jar, with a new subscription deal for those wishing to get six books for the price of five!

The Lethbridge-Stewart series of books can now be pre-ordered from www.candy-jar.co.uk

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