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Candy Jar Releases a Free Book Celebrating the Life of Terrance Dicks

To celebrate the life of Terrance Dicks, Candy Jar Books has released a free PDF book, recollections of the man himself and what his stories mean to fans and authors.

Uncle Terrance, as many know him, wrote 35 episodes of Doctor Who, including Horror of Fang Rock, The Five Doctors, and State of Decay, and served as Script Editor throughout the Third Doctor’s era. In addition to this, he wrote an immense number of books, most notably Target novelisations of TV stories.

Dicks passed away last week, but this new book from Candy Jar is in tribute, showing how many lives the great man touched.

Terrance was ever-present at conventions and on documentaries, a warm, witty and humble custodian of the show he had been so pivotal in developing. In the words of James Middleditch in Candy Jar’s free PDF:

“The wisdom and twinkling joy with which he spoke about Doctor Who would… become fundamental to the experience of the series in the 1990s.”

Terrance Dicks – A Tribute is a collection of memories from the authors and artists who were inspired by Terrance’s work. This range of writers and artists – with Nick Walters, Chris Achilleos, Gary Russell, John Levene, John Peel, and many more – is a testament to the depth of Terrance’s influence.

In Nick Walters’ own words:

“I know for absolute certain that I am not the only writer who will say that Terrance Dicks was a major, if not the major, inspiration for their career. His books, with their clarity of prose, vivid descriptions, and economic yet evocative renditions of televised Doctor Who stories, were our bread and butter.”

And it’s not just writers who hold him dear. Shaun Russell, Candy Jar’s head of publishing, was motivated to compile this collection by his own debt to Terrance’s work. He says:

“Like a lot of our readers, I grew up on Target’s Doctor Who books. And when we first acquired the rights to Lethbridge-Stewart, it was their example that we aspired to. With those titles – and none more so than in Terrance’s books – you could tell that the storytelling came from a place of deep understanding and genuine love for Doctor Who and its universe.”

The free PDF also includes artwork by Adrian Salmon, Terry Cooper, and Paul Cowan.

Shaun Russell continues:

“There’s a great piece in the collection, by George Ivanoff, which talks about Terrance’s wonderful way with opening lines – how he could suck you into a story with just a few words. That’s the standard for us always: that deep knowledge, that genuine affection, but most of all that flair that came pouring off of every page of Terrance’s work. I very much doubt I’d be doing what I am today if it wasn’t for his influence. It was only right that we add Terrance Dicks – A Tribute to the many accolades he will no doubt be receiving over the coming weeks.”

Terrance Dicks – A Tribute is available free from Candy Jar.

Philip Bates

Editor and co-founder of the Doctor Who Companion. When he’s not watching television, reading books ‘n’ Marvel comics, listening to The Killers, and obsessing over script ideas, Philip Bates pretends to be a freelance writer. He enjoys collecting everything. Writer of The Black Archive: The Pandorica Opens/ The Big Bang, The Silver Archive: The Stone Tape, and 100 Objects of Doctor Who.

Candy Jar Releases a Free Book Celebrating the Life of Terrance Dicks

by Philip Bates time to read: 2 min
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