A magical adventure story, packed with colourful characters and exciting situations, in a battle of good versus evil. Set in 1950’s Naples and Norfolk.
Welcome to one of the October 4th stops on the blog tour for The Foxes of Foxham by Matteo Sedazzari with Bewitching Book Tours. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, and author guest posts!
Note: You may see me listed on prior hosts’ posts as a review stop. I was indeed slated as such! I was very excited to read this one and thought it sounded hilarious. I accidentally double booked myself for reviews on this date, crammed too many pages into my weekend, and this is the one that suffered. I got about 40% in and wasn’t feeling it, but seeing as the Good Reads average rating is a perfect 5 out of 5 stars, I’d like to acknowledge it’s probably me, not the book, and I chose not to push through and end up giving it an unfair review. I plan to give it another shot at a fair fun when my schedule slows down.
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About the Book
Tales from The Foxes of Foxham
by Matteo Sedazzari
Illustrated by Andy Catling
Published 2 April 2021
ZANI
Genre: YA Humorous Low Fantasy
Page Count: 207
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
It is the late fifties and the Witches of Benevento are determined to plunge the world into darkness by kidnapping and sacrificing the jolly and young Neapolitan fox, Alberto Bandito, in a sinister ritual.
Yet, fortunately for Alberto, he is rescued, then guarded, by his loving mother Silvia and mob boss father Mario with his troops, a good witch Carlotta with an uncanny resemblance to Marilyn Monroe, the Bears of Campania, the boxing wolves’ brothers Francesco and Leonardo, and other good folks of Naples and beyond.
However, their protection is not enough, for Alberto has been cursed. So, the young fox, along with his family, has to travel to the village of Foxham in Norfolk, the spiritual home of foxes across the world, to rid himself of this spell. The ritual has to be performed by a good fox witch, Trudi Milanese, but there is a problem, Trudi doesn’t know she is a witch… Tales from The Foxes of Foxham is a magical adventure story, packed with colourful characters and exciting situations, in a battle of good versus evil.
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Excerpt
In Foxham Hill Hall’s study stand a deflated Charles, Mario, Diabolo, Boris, Trudi and Carlotta. After Boris crashed the Bentley into a false field surrounding the village, they wandered through Foxham back to Reynard’s residence, jaded and in shock.
Charles tries to raise their spirits. ‘Foxham won’t die from the fever or starve to death.’
Carlotta replies with reluctance, ‘Charles, the witches are getting stronger by the day and I can feel their allies nearby. They are going to try everything they can to plunge this world into darkness.’
‘Are you saying we are doomed?’ asks a sad Boris.
‘No, we are not,’ cries out Diabolo in perfect English, the tough Doberman from Albania who survived the cruel sea.
‘There might be more of them, yet we are smarter and our bond is stronger,’ delivers a determined Trudi.
Suddenly, there is a loud banging on the oak front door of Foxham Hill Hall. ‘It is George. I will let him in,’ says Carlotta, seeing him in her mind’s eye.
‘No, allow me,’ says Boris, leaving the study to greet George.
Within two minutes, George is standing in the study. With concern and some fear, he says, ‘All my workers are ill. I see no food was delivered today. And half an hour ago, I tried to leave the village to see what has happened, but I crashed into something, I don’t know what. Please, Charles, what is going on?’
‘Let us go into the sitting room and I will explain,’ reveals Charles.
About the Author
Matteo Sedazzari developed the zest for writing when he produced a fanzine entitled Positive Energy of Madness during the height of Acid House in 1989.
Positive Energy of Madness dissolved as a fanzine in 1994 and resurfaced as an ezine 2003 which became ZANI, the ezine for counter and pop culture in 2009, promoting online optimism, along with articles, reviews and interviews with the likes of crime author Martina Cole, former pop star and actor Luke Goss, soul legend Bobby Womack, Clem Burke of Blondie, Chas Smash of Madness, Shaun Ryder of Black Grape/Happy Mondays and many more.
After producing and writing for his own publication, Matteo’s next step was to pen a novel, A Crafty Cigarette – Tales of a Teenage Mod.
Matteo is influenced by Hunter S Thompson, Harlan Ellison, Kenneth Grahame, Arthur Conan Doyle, Mark Twain, Irvine Welsh, DH Lawrence, Alan Sillitoe, Frank Norman, Joyce Carol Oates, Mario Puzo, Iceberg Slim, Patricia Highsmith, Joe R. Lansdale, Daphne du Maurier, Robert Bloch, George Orwell, Harry Grey and many more. American comics like Batman, Superman and Spiderman, along with Herge’s Tintin, also provide Matteo with inspiration.
Matteo also finds stimulus from many films like Twelve Angry Men, A Kind of Loving, Blackboard Jungle, Z, Babylon, This Sporting Life, Kes, Midnight Cowboy, Scum, Wild Tales, The Boys, Midnight Express, La CommareSecca, Dr Terror’s House of Horrors, so on and so forth.
As for music, anything that is passionate, vibrant and with heart is always on Matteo’s playlist.
Matteo Sedazzari resides in Surrey, which he explores fanatically on his mountain bike. Matteo supports Juventus, travels to Italy and Spain, eats and dresses well, as he enjoys life in the process.
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Tour Schedule
| Sept 20 | Paranormalists | Sept 20 | Sapphyria’s Books |
| Sept 21 | Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read | Sept 22 | The Book Junkie Reads |
| Sept 23 | Supernatural Central | Sept 24 | Bewitching Book Tours |
| Sept 27 | Booklikes | Sept 28 | Lisa’s World of Books |
| Sept 28 | Midnight Musings with Bertena | Sept 29 | JB’s Bookworms with Brandy Mulder |
| Sept 29 | Fang-tastic Books | Sept 30 | Roxanne’s Realm |
| Oct 1 | The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom | Oct 4 | Jazzy Book Reviews |
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Hopefully it turns out to be the funny book you thought it was when you get a chance to try again!