
Michael Ball is a legendary British musical theatre performer. Well-known for originating the role of Marius in the London production of Les Miserables, playing the titular character in Sweeney Todd, and taking over the role of Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera, he's now turning his hand to writing. The question on everyone's mind, of course, is whether he is a quadruple threat (adding writing to his list of talents), or if he should stick to performing on a physical stage rather than creating one within the pages of his debut novel The Empire.


In recent years, many people have been gravitating more towards nature to ground and guide them. Just look at the rising popularity of allotments, foraging, and house plants. And I fully admit, I'm one of those people. I've always loved exploring the natural world, but it's only recently I've become more aware and knowledgeable of so many things around me. As the seasons are changing and the days are getting darker, one might be mistaken to think that the time for explorations is over for the year. But that's not the case. Every season and every month has something that makes that moment in time unique and worth celebrating. And that's exactly what The Almanac shows its readers.