Bardskull: a remarkable journey
A brand new collaboration between Martin Shaw and Unbound Books sees the unveiling of a fund raising project that will help finish Martin’s latest book, a work unlike anything he has written before.
Bardskull, a powerful fusion of memoir and myth, is the record of three journeys made in the year before he turned fifty. This is not a book about myth or story. It is a sequence of incantations and a series of battles. For each of the three journeys, Martin walks alone into a forest in the heart of Dartmoor and waits.

This book can be read as a fable, as a memoir, as autofiction, as an attempt to undomesticate myth.

Says Martin: “I’m truly delighted to share news on this upcoming work I’ve embarked on with John Mitchinson and Unbound Books. This is proving the most remarkable journey. Now we need help to finish it.

“Your support to help us create this book would be fabulous – there’s all manner of rewards on offer – uncorrected proofs, an original page of manuscript, even Bardskull cider in an incendiary small batch!”

Unbound Books has launched the fund raising campaign with the aim of publishing in 2022. Rewards range from signed first edition hardbacks, t-shirts, tickets to a launch party and a one-to-one ‘story divining’ session with Martin. All those who  pledge to help will get their name included in a supporter section of the book as a thank you as long as they pledge before the list closing deadline.

There is a short film and an excerpt from the book here.
More information
Pledge here

Martin Shaw and John Mitchinson podcast

In episode 5 of the Smoke Hole Sessions, Martin Shaw chatted with publisher, author and podcaster John Mitchinson about the most powerful, precious and provocative objects in the world – books. More than simply content, more than print on paper, books are repositories of knowledge and a portal to anyone and anything, anywhere. John and Martin discuss the feeling of finding a kindred spirit in a book and extending the life of a book beyond its pages.
Listen to the Smoke Hole Sessions

Cista archives

Don’t forget the Cista Mysticaarchives, a treasure chest of golden nuggets gathered up in one place. They include interviews, videos, articles, book reviews and essays. The list can be found in the news section of the website. It’s our hope you’ll find something here to stash in your saddlebags for the road ahead, whatever it may bring.
See the archives