Anita Loughrey's blog. This is my journal about my experiences and thoughts on writing. As well as news about me and my books, it includes writing tips, book reviews, author interviews and blog tours.
For more information about me and my books see my website: www.anitaloughrey.com. Follow me on Twitter @amloughrey, Facebook @anitaloughrey.author and on Instagram @anitaloughrey
Today I will shine a spotlight on the middle grade novel, The Nine Night Mystery by Sharna Jackson, which was published by Puffin Books on the 6th June 2024.
Blurb
A page-turning, fast-paced, twisty murder mystery packed with epic reveals, red herrings and sharp, real, funny teen dialogue, perfect for fans of Robin Stevens and the Lizzie and Belle Mysteries, from the award winning author of High-Rise Mystery and The Good Turn.
Last night Wesley and his friends Josephine and Margot threw their neighbour Rachel a surprise birthday party.
This morning, Rachel is dead. And Wesley is the one who finds her body.
Rachel’s friends throw a traditional Caribbean Nine Night celebration to help guide her soul to the next world. But Wesley, Margot and Josephine don’t have time to mourn Rachel. They are determined to find out who did this – and find out what secrets Rachel was keeping…
About the Author
Sharna Jackson is an award-winning author and curator who specialises in developing socially-engaged initiatives for children across culture, publishing and entertainment. She was recently the Artistic Director at Site Gallery in Sheffield, and was formerly the editor of the Tate Kids website.
Sharna’s debut novel High-Rise Mystery received numerous awards and accolades including the Waterstones Book Prize for the Best Book for Younger Readers. Sharna lives on a ship in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
My spotlight post for today is for Bryony Pearce’s debut middle grade novel, Hannah Messenger and the Gods of Hockwold, which was released on 6th June 2024 by UCLan Publishing.
Blurb
From award-winning YA and adult author Bryony Peace comes a debut middle grade novel – a funny, contemporary fantasy story about learning that real power is in the friendships you make.
The Gods of Olympus have finally retired – not to a Greek island but to a sleepy English village, Hockwold cum Wilton, complete with a parish council, a cricket pitch and a local pub.
But the Gods of Olympus and their descendants have lost their memories. They think they are ordinary humans. Only Hannah Messenger, the great-granddaughter of Zeus, and her friends know who they really are. And that means, when the God’s objects of power start to go missing, only Hannah and her friends can stop the thief.
About the Author
Bryony Pearce is a multi-award-winning novelist working in both the YA and Adult markets. In the YA genre she has produced a mixture of dark thrillers, paranormal adventures, dystopia and horror. Hannah Messenger is her middle grade debut.
Bryony teaches the course Writing for Children at City University, regularly visits schools to speak about reading and writing and conducts creative writing workshops, as well as delivering entertaining and inspirational talks. She has performed at the Edinburgh Literary Festival, The Wychwood Festival, Comicon, YALC, the Sci Fi Weekender, The Just So Festival and a number of other festivals and events.
For my spotlight today I am shining a light on Billie’s Buzz by author / illustrator Alison Brown. This beautiful picture book is released today, Thursday 4th July 2024, by Farshore Books.
Blurb
Six Legs. Four wings. No limits!
Billie’s Buzz is a delightfully funny celebration of bees, unique friendships – and the importance of bee-ing your true self by Alison Brown.
Billie is a bee with BIG ambition… When the Festival of Talents comes to town, Billie is determined to show off her skills. She’s intelligent! She’s cute! She’s agile!
But Billie’s human friend has a bit of advice: don’t use your wings. Some people can be funny about bees… Can Billie share her talents without revealing her true identity?
A perfect book for those who are nervous of bees or learning about their unique importance to the world, little ones will also discover all sorts of facts about bees.
About the Author
Alison Brown studied Fine Art at Liverpool John Moores University and Goldsmiths College, London, and worked as a designer in an advertising agency before becoming a full-time writer and illustrator.
She learned to draw by copying cartoon strips from her comics and her father’s newspapers, particularly the Peanuts cartoons by Charles M. Schulz. Alison is the creator of Amazing Mum and Amazing Dad (2023), and Amazing Sister and Amazing Brother (2024), published by Farshore.
I am pleased to announce I am on the blog tour for the 5th place finalist of the BBNYA, to shine a spotlight on young adult mystery thriller The Templar Sword by Sam Clarke.
BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.
If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.
Blurb
An ancient sword has been missing for centuries. Recovering it would prove Noah’s worth to his father and earn him a place at the Clearview Templar Academy.
When he stumbles across a Renaissance painting that holds a clue to the sword’s location, Noah’s dream seems within reach. As the death toll quickly mounts, it becomes apparent that others are hunting the sword – for far more evil ends. The future of the Templars, very much like Noah’s, is at stake.
Together with his friend Viggo and mischievously attractive Isabelle, Noah embarks on the deadliest quest of his life. The sword’s dangerous trail will take them from the canals of Venice, to the spires of Seville, to a gripping showdown in the underwater caves of the Caribbean.
A fresh, original adventure story. Can be read as a standalone novel or as the sequel to The Twelfth Ring.
Ideal for fans of Outerbanks, Indiana Jones, and Uncharted
Author Bio
Sam Clarke is addicted to rock music, coffee, and Japanese manga. Her gardening skills are abysmal and she is rumoured to have killed a potted cactus. She currently lives in London with two cats, two kids, and a husband. Her first book, The Twelfth Ring (a Page Turner Awards finalist and a BBNYA semi-finalist) reached #1 in the Amazon Young Adult Thrillers charts.
Her second book, The Templar Sword (a Page Turner Awards finalist and Ink and Insights Judges’ Favourite) was released on 7 June 2022 and hit the #1 New Release spot on Amazon US a week later.
To read some of the reviews about this 5 star book take a look at:
Always Anthony is written & illustrated by Terri Libenson and was released on May 23rd 2024 by HarperCollins and is the eighth graphic novel in the New York Times bestselling Emmie & Friends series.
Always Anthony is told from the alternating POVs of popular Anthony and timid Leah as they grapple with a bullying incident at school.
From Anthony’s perspective, the book also explores teenage boys and their mental health, and as he struggles to express his feelings throughout the story, Anthony’s journey will resonate with readers.
I’ve never been what you’d call an open book. Not to say I don’t have feelings or anything. I do. I just hide ’em well…
Read either as a standalone or as part of a series, each title in Emmie & Friends has been an instant bestseller, and the series has sold more than 2.3 million copies. Once again, Terri brings back side characters from past books in the series into the spotlight: Anthony, a Black boy with dyslexia, and Leah, a Jewish girl from a single-parent home.
Blurb
Friends. Bullies.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Anthony is TPFW (Too Popular For Words), loves science, hates writing.
Leah is a super-shy nerd who’s finally making friends of her own.
What could they have in common?
A lot more than they thought, as it turns out!
But then one day they witness Anthony’s teammates bullying a sixth grader. What happens next could cement their new friendship—or blow it up forever.
About the Author / Illustrator
Terri Libenson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Emmie & Friends series and the cartoonist of the (now retired) award-winning comic strip The Pajama Diaries.
Terri empty-nests in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, Mike. She is the proud mom of two grown daughters and a poodle. You can find her online at www.terrilibenson.com.
Cress Watercress is written by Gregory Maguire and Illustrated by David Litchfield. It was published by Walker Books.
A classic in the making, Cress Watercress is a lavishly illustrated woodland tale with a nostalgic sensibility and modern flair, from the author of the novel Wicked, which inspired the hit musical. Gregory Maguire turns his trademark wit and wisdom to an animal adventure about growing up, moving on and finding community.
When Papa doesn’t return from a nocturnal honey-gathering expedition, Cress holds out hope, but her mother assumes the worst. It’s a dangerous world for rabbits, after all. Mama moves what’s left of the Watercress family to the basement unit of the Broken Arms, a run-down apartment oak with a suspect owl landlord, a nosy mouse superintendent, a rowdy family of squirrels and a pair of songbirds who broadcast everyone’s business. Can a dead tree full of annoying neighbours, and no Papa, ever be home?
In the timeless spirit of E. B. White and The Wind and the Willows – yet thoroughly of its time – this read-aloud and read-alone gem for animal lovers of all ages, features an unforgettable cast that leaps off the page in glowing illustrations by David Litchfield.
Gregory Maguire
Gregory Maguire is the author of the incredibly popular books in the Wicked Years series, including Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which inspired the musical. He is also the author of several books for children, including What-the-Dickens, a New York Times bestseller, and Egg & Spoon, a New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book of the Year. Gregory Maguire lives outside Boston.
David Litchfield
David Litchfield started to draw when he was very young, creating comics for his older brother and sister. Since then, his work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, and books and on T-shirts. His first picture book, The Bear and the Piano, won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. He is also the illustrator of Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and War Is Over by David Almond. David Litchfield lives in Bedfordshire.
Praise for Cress Watercress: …the story strikes a resonant chord: Like Cress, we must all continue to seek pleasure and connections in a dangerous and uncertain world. – The New York Times
David Litchfield’s illustrations have such bright, glowing colours that even the nocturnal scenes seem bathed in light. – The Wall Street Journal
A hungry fox, a sneaky snake, a blundering bear, and “human beanpoles” add drama and suspense to Cress’ mini adventures, which are luminously depicted in Litchfield’s color illustrations. . . this novel of family and friendship will please fans of animal fantasies. – Booklist
The Pirates of Darksea must be one of the best books I’ve read this year. Max Reid’s big brother, Christopher, sends a message in a bottle to the pirate Captain Thomas O’Malley asking if he and Max could go on an adventure with him in the magical realm of Darksea.
Two years later Squawk the Parrot brings an invitation to join them on their pirate ship, The Stolen Sunrise, but Christopher is ill in hospital being treated for cancer. Max decides to go in his brother’s place in the hope he will be able to discover a magical miracle to cure his brother. When he arrives on The Stolen Sunrise, Max discovers Captain Thomas O’Malley has died and his sister Eliza O’Malley is now captain and sent the invitation.
Max befriends the cook’s sister, Ruby and together they embark on an epic quest to save Darksea from being munched by the Dreadmaker and its evil captain Red Fin who is on a mission to get rid of all the stardust in Darksea.
The characters are all well constructed and believable from Max’s motivation for leaving home to Squawk’s hilarious banter. I particularly liked the way the sibling relationship is explored from many different angles such as Ruby’s relationship with her elder brother and how he watches out for her and Max’s desire to save his elder brother taking on a big brother role. But what makes The Pirates of Darksea stand out for me is how all the main characters are being affected by grief and the effect this has on their behaviour. Catherine Doyle cleverly demonstrates how people cope with grief in different ways to how Eliza sleeps a lot and has found it difficult to take on the role of being Captain, to Max’s fear of seeing his brother so ill so is unable to visit him in hospital.
The Darksea world has also been crafted to perfection with the different islands with their magical quirks vividly described. At the launch, I bought another copy of the book as my proof copy did not have the map which for me is a major part of reading the book. Checking where the islands were and the order they were visited so I could work out The Stolen Sunrise’s route added to my enjoyment of the book.
I would highly recommend this book to all KS2 readers who love adventures.
From the author of When I See Red comes a powerful and gorgeously illustrated exploration of bravery and its constant companion, fear.
In When I See Red much-loved author and illustrator Britta Teckentrup expertly gave voice to a girl’s feelings of rage. Now, with this same wisdom and sensitivity, the author looks at what it means to be brave.
Filled with evocative collage illustrations and dynamically positioned type, When I Feel Brave tells the story of a child wandering through a forest and being startled by a bear. At first the bear is terrifying—it is huge and unknown. But as the girl moves through the forest she becomes the bear’s companion and, by the time they reach the end of the forest, its friend.
Offering important insights into the nature of fear, this book helps young readers understand why things are scary, and discover the satisfaction of making friends with the very things that make them feel afraid.
Praise for Britta Teckentrup’s When I See Red: “A potent, powerful storm of a book.“ – Books for Keeps
“At a time when we are learning to listen to our emotions rather than suppress them, this book is a helpful reminder of the benefits.“ – Juno Magazine
“Stunning full-page paintings compliment a flowing, rhyming verse in the first person, from the point of view of an angry girl … this is a beautiful book to have on your shelf.“ – Teach Primary
Britta Teckentrup has written and illustrated more than one hundred and twenty children‘s books, which have been published in more than twenty countries. Her books include The Seedling That Didn‘t Want to Grow, When I See Red and The Swing. Born in Hamburg, Germany, she currently lives with her family in Berlin.
It is my honour to be spotlighting Time Marked Warlock by Shami Stowall.
Shami Stovall is a multi-award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction. I have previously spotlighted her book Academy Arcanist. You can read my interview with Shami about this book here: Blog Tour – Academy Arcanist by Shami Stovall.
Before writing full-time, she taught history and criminal law at the college level, and loved every second.
When she’s not reading fascinating articles and books about ancient China or the Byzantine Empire, Stovall can be found playing way too many video games, especially RPGs and tactics simulators.
Time Marked Warlock is am urban fantasy of 402 pages and is released in June 2024. Here is the blurb:
Blurb
Adair Finch is the most powerful warlock in the world, and one of the best private investigators for hire. He has dealt with corporate vampires, murderous werewolves, and even fae royalty. Everything was perfect until he lost one case—the case where he also lost his brother.
So Finch retired. From magic. From PI work. From everything.
Bree Blackstone, a twelve-year-old witch, doesn’t know or care about any of that except Finch’s reputation. In the middle of the night, she bangs on Finch’s door. Her mother has been murdered, and now the assassin is after Bree as well.
Reluctantly, Finch agrees to help, only to discover something sinister has been brewing in town while he ignored the world… He’ll need to dust off all his old skills and magic before it’s too late.
My stop on the blog tour will take the form of another author interview, this time about Time Marked Warlock.
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Tell us a little about Time Marked Warlock and your inspiration to write this book.
First off, I’d like to gush. Time-Marked Warlock is getting a full-cast audiobook production! Soundbooth Theatre is putting together an amazing team to bring life to the whole book, and it’s one of the greatest things ever.
But to more accurately answer your question, Time-Marked Warlock started because I love the trope “grumpy one, sunshine one” which is basically when a grumpy character is forced to work with someone who is blazingly optimistic and happy.
Adair Finch, the warlock, is jaded and sarcastic, but Bree, the young witch, loves life. They’re also joined by Kull, the mischief spirit, which is a more comical character.
So, this might be one of the first instances of “grumpy one, and TWO sunshine ones,” which is a lot of fun.
Why are book awards important to you?
It’s always so humbling and amazing whenever someone enjoys my work. I’m so very lucky to have this opportunity, and it really makes everything seem bright and wonderful to know there are readers out there enjoying my stories.
I think I was born to be a storyteller. Ever since my time as a DM in Dungeon and Dragons, I’ve derived a lot of pleasure from crafting stories and building engaging characters. The fact that other people think I’m good at it just fills me with joy.
How do you manage to be so prolific with your writing?
I love writing. It isn’t a chore. It isn’t something I “just have to get through.” I do it every day because it’s a delight and fills my soul with nourishment, just the same as a hamburger chases away gnawing hunger.
What risks have you taken with your writing that have paid off?
I quit my job to write full time. I also started a business (Capital Station Books) and both have paid off for me in spades. I knew they were risks, but if you don’t bet on yourself, who will?
What is your favourite childhood book and why?
My favourite childhood book is Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. It’s about a young woman who is deserted on an island. She had her brother, but after he’s killed by wolves, she’s all alone.
It was the first book that really blew my mind. I had never thought about living on an island alone, and I devoured the book multiple times just thinking about all the crazy things that could happen.
My favourite part is when the main character kills the wolf that killed her brother, but then later goes on to adopt its pups.
Is there anything else you would like to tell readers about Time Marked Warlock and the Adair Finch series?
The book involves people healing from trauma. Adair Finch lost his brother, and he basically gave up on life, but when Bree enters the picture, he learns to get back on the horse, so to speak.
I love stories about healing. And not only does Finch heal, but Bree does, too. Her mother was killed, and Finch helps he move past that terrible moment in her life.
Also, please look out for the crazy release of the full-cast audiobook, and the brand-new cover done by Chris McGarth (the man who does the Dresden Files covers).
Much To Do About Writing 