I like using ash or hazel for my sticks, always cut them longer than you want so that if they do crack you still have plenty of length. If you leave the bark on they will take alot longer to dry. I'm not the most patient so i usually take the bark off mine and then lie them along the top of a radiator, turning them frequently so they dry out evenly. Maybe i've been lucky but i haven't had any crack yet and i find my sticks are dry enough to work on after a couple of weeks instead of a year or so. I also find that the warmth from the radiator makes them alot easier to straighten, although i don't straighten them completely as i think this takes away some of the character. After they are dry and carved i give mine a very thin coat of danish oil and leave it soak in for a couple of days before i stain them. I think this makes the stain go further and gives a more even coat. I also tend to use more than one colour of stain as i think this ages the stick.
