A brand-new anthology of short stories inspired by Andover has officially gone on sale, bringing together a diverse collection of tales while also raising money for a local charity.
“Once Upon a Time in Andover” features fifteen stories written mainly by local authors, with the town itself acting as the central character throughout the collection. The anthology spans a wide range of genres, including crime, romance, supernatural fiction and real-life memoirs, all set in and around Andover.
The project is the latest release from independent publisher Sonder Books, which specialises in community anthologies designed to give amateur writers the opportunity to be published while supporting charitable causes.
With stories by:
Andrew Middleton
Bonnie Flowers
Cecil Dunne
Christopher Webster
Jennifer Mungham
Jenny Betteridge
Kim Whatmore
Marie Dyke
Michelle Rae Lee
Montserrat Andreu Marin
Robin Milton
Sean Anderson
Theresa Whitmore
Victor Peterson
Editor and author Ruth Masters said Andover was chosen because of the strong connections she and her partner Tim Hirst have with the town.
“My partner Tim lived in Andover during the 1980s and has remained friends with his teacher Pete Govey, who now runs Andover Writers Group, so we had instant access to a fantastic talent pool,” she explained.
Ten per cent of profits from the book will be donated to Andover Foodbank, helping to support people in the local community.
Katie Vincent, Head of Andover Foodbank, welcomed the initiative.
“We’re thrilled to be a beneficiary of this wonderful project. Once Upon a Time in Andover is a fantastic way to celebrate our community and raise vital funds for local people who need our support — and we’re so excited to get our hands on a copy!” she said.
The anthology was first announced earlier this year, with aspiring and established writers from across the area invited to submit stories celebrating Andover and its surrounding villages. The finished publication now showcases contributions from a variety of local voices and highlights the creativity within the town’s writing community.
Among those involved is Pete Govey, a fondly remembered former teacher at John Hanson Community School who taught there from the late 1970s until the early 2000s. He now runs the Andover Writers Workshop, a weekly group supporting local writers.
The book is available now in paperback, hardback and Kindle editions through Amazon, with hopes that it will also soon be stocked in local shops.