The Rushford Times - A weekly newsletter from Jodi Taylor

Sent on Wednesdays to paid subscribers and Fridays to free subscribers

This week we have:

• Jodi Taylor - Stevenage Library and other news

• Jodi Taylor answers - Did you always intend the series to blend history, humour, and chaos so closely?

• It’s Time to Vote! Choose the winner from the Time Police Writing Competition - Regulation 847.6 Has Been Breached entries

• Jodiworld - The Movie watch now

• MAY - GUESS THE BOOK COMPETITION

• Short Story of the Month: My Name Is Markham

  There’s plenty to read this week and you can see everything on the blog too. CLICK HERE for the blog.

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Well, here I am, back at my desk after a brilliant visit to Stevenage Library. And before I go any further, many thanks to all the lovely staff there for hosting such a great event. The turnout was brilliant, and kudos to the organisers for putting all the troublemakers in the front row. Yes, I saw you. All of you.

Thanks to the unexpectedly glorious weather the trip to Stevenage was very pleasant. And, most importantly, very nearly flawless. The only problem came when, less than two hundred yards from our destination, the driver – who shall remain nameless to protect her identity, Hazel – allowed herself to be distracted by the nearby Wine Society and veered off into the wrong lane. So disappointing. However, the fault was soon rectified – there was constructive and friendly but completely unappreciated advice from me – and we were soon back on track.

There was another slight hiccup when we attempted to check into the wrong Holiday Inn – trust me, Stevenage is positively littered with Holiday Inns. We tried four different names and still they refused to let us in so we could lower the tone of their establishment with a couple of glasses of much-needed wine. Eventually, they conceded there was another Holiday Inn just around the corner so off we set again.

Incidentally, the second attempt was successful – obviously this one was much less fussy. I don’t actually drink before an event. The combination of alcohol and difficult questions plays havoc with my ever-diminishing coherence. But for those who want to know – yes, I did have a couple afterwards. Obviously I was extremely dehydrated because they disappeared faster than a politician’s promise.

Anyway – back to the event – successfully negotiated even though I still can’t handle a microphone properly. Sorry about that. And some of the questions were very interesting, requiring deep thought from me. See the para on alcohol above.

While we were away, I actually had an extremely busy couple of days, drafting a possible storyline for a new Elizabeth Cage book, having some deep thoughts about Smallhope and Pennyroyal 3, putting together some notes for a short story to accompany a possible new anthology of short stories (to be launched at Jodiworld 2027) – they’ve all been published before and I like to give my readers something new because of that – and pulled together more ideas for Time Police 7. I had to come home in the end because my notebook was full and the bottle was empty.

If anyone finds themselves in France at the end of May, I’m attending the Imaginales Festival at Epinales. I’m somewhat nervous since I’ve forgotten all the French I ever learned at school. I shall memorise the French for I’m sorry, my French is not very good. I did the same in Turkey and it was only when I eventually arrived back in England that I discovered I’d actually been saying I’m sorry, my Turkish is a cardboard box. Which, when you think about it, more than adequately conveys the message I was trying to get across.

Oh – while I think of it – check out the jodiworld.co.uk details – it’s all looking very exciting. I can’t wait for next May.

Update on The Kitchen Windowsill of Death.

On returning from Stevenage – they’re gone – they’re all gone.

Well, the surviving three have gone to my mother who has a firm hand with this sort of nonsense. How vividly I remember moments from my childhood – ‘Your leg’s dropped off? You’ve got another on the other side. No reason to miss school.’

So three were definitely dead when I arrived home. One hovered, unable to make up its mind – and the last three assumed the traditional droop the second I stepped into the kitchen.

On the plus side, the hydroponics are doing well. Three tomato plants, a pepper plant, a cucumber, three purple basil and something unnamed and sinister. I’m betting it’s a beanstalk.

I don’t know why the government bothers with Porton Down when they could just avail themselves of my apocalyptic horticultural talents.

Take care.

Jodi x

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Jodi Taylor answers - Did you always intend the series to blend history, humour, and chaos so closely?

Recorded at Stevenage Library

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It's Time to Vote for the Winner of the Time Police Writing Competition

It’s time to vote for the TIME POLICE Regulation 847.6 competition.

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Jodiworld 2025 - THE MOVIE

The film is a joyful, slightly unhinged, utterly heartfelt celebration of everything we love:

• The people

• The pandemonium

• The sheer brilliance of bringing this community together

If you haven’t yet watched it — pour yourself something suitably celebratory (margarita optional but encouraged), settle in, and prepare to lose track of time all over again.

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MAY - GUESS THE BOOK COMPETITION

Guess the book and characters speaking for your chance to win a signed copy of Out of Time

Put your knowledge of Jodi’s books to the test with our audio clip competition. Listen carefully to a short extract and see if you can identify the book and the characters speaking for a chance to win a signed copy of Out of Time.

Audiobooks are hugely popular among Jodi Taylor fans, bringing her stories to life through distinctive voices, character-driven performances, and immersive narration. For many readers, audiobooks offer the perfect way to enjoy a favourite series while commuting, walking, or relaxing. They make stories more accessible, flexible, and engaging than ever.

Tune in, trust your ears, and see if you can name the book and the characters behind the voices.

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My Name is Markham - available in Kindle and Audiobook formats - also included in The Long and Short of It anthology

Christmas is coming to St Mary’s; as always, chaos is not far behind. With preparations underway for the first-ever Children’s Christmas Party, Mr Markham—security officer, reluctant participant, and long-suffering observer of historians—is pulled into the madness. Between questionable reindeer routines and unexpected “poo-dropping” incidents, the festivities are shaping up to be anything but ordinary.

But when Markham, Peterson, and Maxwell are dispatched on a mission to Anglo-Saxon England in 878 AD, things go from chaotic to catastrophic. Their objective? To observe King Alfred the Great burning the cakes and uncover the truth behind one of history’s most enduring legends. However, this is St Mary’s, where no mission is ever simple, and disaster lurks around every corner.

Told entirely from Markham’s perspective, this short story provides a refreshingly wry and sarcastic insight into life at St Mary’s, where security officers remain highly suspicious of historians, time travel is never predictable, and History refuses to behave.

Jodi Taylor says…

‘This is the one told by Markham himself. I wanted to give a tiny but tantalising glimpse of his background.’

Buy now from Bookshop.org - UK USA

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