The Year of the Story Catcher
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The Year of the Story Catcher
There are years we simply live through, and then there are years we remember as the ones when the world opened up and invited us in.
For readers who have followed the winding path to Bloomsburn, this is one of those years. Not a year when stories are just words on a page, but a year when they become doorways. A year to stop rushing and start wandering.
Welcome, wanderer. You've found us. Or perhaps, we've found you.
The Year of the Story Catcher
It begins with a whisper from the imagination of the ever-enchanting and intrepid Joules Young—an invitation to step through a portal and into a world where stories blossom and imaginations run wild. Tales from the Story Catcher arrives as a year-long, open-ended adventure designed to tickle the senses and spark wonder. Throughout 2026, readers will follow along as the Story Catcher unveils secrets, each post a breadcrumb leading deeper into the enchanted forest of possibility.
"Gather around, dear listeners," the Story Catcher beckons. "Find a cosy spot, let your mind drift into the world of make-believe, and prepare to Look, Listen, Linger, Laugh, and Love."
And so we do.
Where the Stories Begin
Most stories start at the beginning. So we start here.
The Remarkable Evening of Oliver Hefflewhistle and the Gingham Glimmergit
On a peculiar January evening, under a sky full of mischief, we meet Oliver Hefflewhistle—our brave yet slightly befuddled hero. With a heart full of hope and a tune ready on his lips, he sets out on a curious mission: to serenade Sally, the clever and captivating soul who lives just beyond that lace-curtained window.
But what strange turns will Oliver's melody take? And who, or what, is the mysterious Gingham Glimmergit that shadows his every note?
The story unfolds in a delightful dance of wit, wonder, and unexpected surprises. Oliver's journey reminds us that even the simplest errand of the heart can become something far more extraordinary when the world is watching—and when something magical is watching too.
Fizzwick Tumblebutton, Toddy Brimblethatch, and the Whiffle Waffles
Next, the Story Catcher whisks us away to the curious lands of Wobbleton-upon-Jelly, where pies are plentiful, cows hum tunes, and waffles... well, they wage wars.
Here we meet two charming pig adventurers—Fizzwick Tumblebutton and Toddy Brimblethatch—who, against all odds, must defend their beloved bakery from the fearsome Whiffle Waffles. It is a tale of baked goods, bravery, and a sprinkling of sugary mayhem that leaves readers grinning from ear to ear.
In Wobbleton-upon-Jelly, even the simplest loaf of bread comes with a story, and every crumb holds a touch of magic.
Noddy Fiddlewhisk, Poppy Fizzleglint, and the Town of Here and Tweebuckle
The whimsically unpredictable Joules Young then introduces us to two very curious wanderers: Noddy Fiddlewhisk and Poppy Fizzleglint.
In a land where the fields squelch like overcooked cabbage and buildings defy gravity, our young heroes stumble into the unremarkable towns of Here and Tweebuckle. Amidst all the chaos they unintentionally create, they encounter a rather unfortunate fellow on the brink of a peculiar public spectacle—tar and feathers for fashion faux pas!
But fear not. With a rusty pocket watch and a sprinkle of mischief, our duo sets the stage for a grand adventure that even the wind can't resist. Jack-rabbits leap over skyscrapers. A mysterious disappearance leaves the mayor baffled. And the sort of whimsy that could only come from Widdershins and Outforth unfolds before our eyes.
Old Crumpet Noggin of Whistlepork
Finally, we find ourselves whisked away to the charming village of Whistlepork, a place where the air is sweet with rhubarb crumble and curious things are always afoot.
Here we meet the peculiar yet beloved Old Crumpet Noggin—a man with a face like a confused turnip, hair like mashed carrots, and a talent for playing a violin that no one else can see. On a bright Tuesday morning, under the serenade of flummywisters, Crumpet shuffles to his usual spot, ready for a day of mischief, music, and marvellous misunderstandings.
What oddities will he collect today? And will that mysterious bucket ever see a wealthy merchant's gold? In Whistlepork, the answers are never straightforward, but they are always, always wonderful.
Then Came the Box
Just when the magic feels complete, something new arrives. Something wonderful.
Hocksbox.
Published by Hollyhock Books and produced by Studio Hock in collaboration with Joules Young, Hocksbox arrives as a treasury of short, serialized adventures delivered straight to our blog feeds. Storytelling without limits. A collection of tales that wander across genres, eras, and dimensions.
And inside that box, we find three worlds we now cannot imagine living without.
Sherlock Lockwood, Little & Dickie Pembroke, Watson
In the hallowed halls of Saint Edwards Boarding School in England, two small boys with very large curiosities begin solving mysteries that would make their elders blush. Sherlock Lockwood and his companion Dickie Pembroke Watson, spend their days dodging lessons and chasing clues.
But every hero needs a villain, and these boys have a doozy: the janitor and his mysterious cat. What does he know? What does he want? And why does that cat always look so suspicious?
It is a delightful romp through childhood curiosity and unintended consequences; readers will fall hard for these plucky young detectives.
Percival: Lost in Paradise
Oh, Percival.
Poor, sweet, hapless Percival. He ran away from love when his beloved Emily's father took exception to the courtship—and expressed that exception with a firearm. Sensible man that he is, Percival fled. Now he finds himself washed ashore on a sun-drenched island, accompanied only by his new pet goat, trying to make sense of a world where the coconuts seem to judge him.
Readers embrace Percival with the kind of affection usually reserved for beloved pets and old friends. His bewilderment is our delight. His goat is our spirit animal. His paradise is the escape we all secretly crave.
Holloway and Graves: Supernatural Investigation and Other Suspicious Activities
And then there is Trinidad.
When we say this series has everything, we mean it. June Holloway, brilliant botanist and head of the Caribbean's only supernatural investigation agency. Finney Montague, her loyal research assistant, navigating the supernatural with the help of his emotional support dog, the steadfast Toby. Aloysius Duncan, a disgraced US Marshal who accidentally shot a prize-winning bull's hindquarters and found himself banished to the Caribbean to escape the scandal. And Edward Graves, a British ghost who never quite left.
Together, they tackle hauntings, mysteries, and other suspicious activities—if they can stop bickering long enough.
It is, quite simply, unlike anything else being written today. Warm, witty, and wonderfully strange.
What a Year This Will Be
As we look ahead at the months stretching before us, we are struck by something unexpected: these characters are becoming friends. We check in on Sherlock and the janitor's cat the way we might check on old neighbors. We wonder how Percival's goat is doing. We hope June Holloway has finally gotten Aloysius to stop causing incidents.
This is what Joules Young has built. Not just stories, but habitats. Living, breathing spaces where the ordinary rules of reality take a holiday. Where readers can pop in anytime, follow characters across multiple adventures, and feel like they're part of an inside joke.
The Year Ahead
The wonderful thing about a universe this rich is that it doesn't stop growing. New installments arrive regularly throughout 2026. New mysteries unfold. New characters wander in.
The portal remains open. The box remains unlocked. The stories keep coming.
For those who haven't yet stepped through: welcome. You've found us. Or perhaps, we've found you.
Pull up a chair. Let your curiosity take the wheel. And whatever you do, don't forget to Look, Listen, Linger, Laugh, and Love.
The read is the point. The stories are the gift.
Follow Tales from the Story Catcher and the entire Hocksbox universe at Bloomsburn.com throughout 2026.
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