Special Guest Q & A with Thomas Taylor

I would like to welcome Thomas Taylor to my blog today to talk about his Eerie on Sea series, published by Walker Books.

Thank you for inviting me onto your blog, Anita.

Tell us a little about yourself and your inspiration for the Eerie on Sea series. Was it always planned to be five books?

I’m an author and illustrator of children’s books, though I’m mostly writing these days.

My Eerie-on-Sea books are inspired by my experience of moving to a seaside town in 2010, and discovering how such places are in the off season, when the tourists have gone home, and the weather turns bad. Winter by the sea is a moment of dramatic sunsets, bonkers weather, strange sights and eccentric characters. This is also the best time to find treasures washed upon the beach. It’s the season when those local legends of sea creatures and smuggler ghosts, which seemed so laughable in the summer, suddenly make you look over your shoulder as you hurry home in the dark.

As for the number of books, I can’t say it was always planned to be five. But As I wrote Malamander I realised that there was far more material than could be accommodated in just one book. The auction that saw Walker acquire the book resulted in a three book deal, however A trilogy also never seemed enough for me. The question I faced as I wrote Gargantis, the sequel to Malamander, was how many books more than three should I aim at? Seven seemed to be pushing things too far, but five had a nice round feel to it. And I could see that five books would allow me the space to resolve Herbie and Violet’s narrative arc properly, whilst also telling five distinct stories. I was very happy when Walker agreed.

What would you say are the underlying themes of the series as a whole?

There is a strong theme of things being lost and things being found running through the books, like letters through a stick of rock: Herbie’s job as Lost-and-Founder; Violet’s past as a baby who was lost, and who now wants to be found; Herbie’s own past as a boy who was washed up on the beach and has to find himself; the countless little examples of the same in the secondary characters, from lady Kraken’s back story, to the magical experience Mr Seegol had as a young man and which he longs to experience again.

As a keen beachcomber, I’ve seen the way lost things are changed by the tide, and repurposed by the people who find them: Yesteryear’s broken lemonade bottle is today’s sea glass gem, and tomorrow’s piece of jewellery. But it’s also the ‘mermaid tears’ of legend: trash turned to treasure by the tide, and then turned to story by human imagination.

Friendship is another theme. As is trust, and the importance of doing what’s right, and of trusting ones own instincts to determine what is right.

Was the passing of time between each book important for the Eerie on Sea series and why?

It was a challenge certainly. Most readers, I think, didn’t notice that the five books take place over the course of a single year, until I pointed it out in the last book, Mermedusa. The series runs from Midwinter to Midwinter, with a large gap over the summer, during which the town of Eerie-on-Sea becomes ‘Cheerie-on-Sea’ — replacing the letters C and H that blow off the pier every year, and pretending the be a normal little seaside town again, to attract tourists.

With the five adventures fitting into the autumn and winter of a single 12 month period, I had to make sure that the consequences of one book were still felt in the next. It also gives a relatively tight period for character growth to take place in. But I felt strongly that I couldn’t let Herbie and Violet grow out of their childhood as the stories ticked by, and they are as approximately ‘twelvish’ at the end as they were at the beginning.

How did you manage to conclude all the mysteries and tie up all the plot points from all five books without missing anything? Talk us through your planning process to achieve this.

I don’t really plan my books. I tend to rely on a lot of day-dreaming, then a lot of feverish story telling. I pay for this sloppy technique whenever I take a wrong turn and have to undo a few chapters. But it does keep things fresh and surprising. For example, in Malamander I had no idea that Erwin the cat would have the magical quirk that he has until he exhibited it in a scene. I got goosebumps when that happened, so, of course, I kept it in, in hopes that the reader would get goosebumps too.

I also have very good and observant editors.

How did you come up with the names of each of your monsters and the legends behind them for each of the books in the Eerie-On-Sea series.

With Malamander, I realised that even though I was creating a legend about a sea monster, I could help the legend seem more ‘real’ if I based its name on a real word. After listing a lot of probably candidates, I hit on ‘salamander’ because I saw that if I changed the S to an M, I would have a ‘Mal’ sound. Mal in French and Spanish means ‘bad’ or ‘evil’, which works in English too: think of ‘malevolent’ and ‘malign’. So ‘Malamander’ sounded monstrous to me.

Having done this once, it was then a challenge to create the other titles. But in brief: Gargantis was a squashing-together of ‘gargantuan’, ‘gigantic’ and ‘Atlantis’, Shadowghast was a simple joining of two words to evoke a kind of spectral creature, Festergrimm was a play on Frankenstein, the themes of which are touched on in the book, and Mermedusa is ‘mer’ from mermaid bolted onto ‘Medusa’ from Greek myth.

Will you be revisiting Eerie-On-Sea? What’s next?

I would love to write another Eerie-on-sea book one day, but it would be a standalone, and not part of Herbie and Violet’s story arc. I think Herbie and Violet would be in it though, but as secondary characters. In the meantime, I’m working on a new idea which is proving hard to get right, but which is exciting. All I can say about that is it will have more of the same sort of intrigue, mystery, creatures, magic, nice things to eat, good friends and dastardly going-on.

What writing advice would you give to people aspiring to be a children’s book writer?

I find it hard to give advice. Certainly, I think an aspiring writer for children needs to be very aware of current children’s books, and reading the books that are being published right now. However, it’s important to write the books you want to write and believe in, and not work to trends or over worry about what others are doing. Good storytelling, compelling voices, and rich characterisation are always in high demand, even if you are writing in a genre that seems over-represented. So, enjoy your own stories! Readers will notice if you don’t.

What are your social media links where can people find out about you and your books?

Instagram is probably my main social media these days (@thomskagram), though I’m still on Twitter, or whatever it’s called (@ThomasHTaylor). My website is: http://www.thomastaylor-author.com

Where is the best place for people to buy the Eerie-On-Sea series?

Your local independent bookshop! Or, failing that, any branch of Waterstones. If you would like a signed and drawn-in book, then please order through www.hastingsbookshop.co.uk, and leave a note in the order form. That’s my local indy. Thank you!

Keep your eyes peeled for my review of Mermedusa, the final book in teh series, which is due to go live on the 18th October. That is this Wednesday.

Thank you again Thomas for agreeing to be interviewed for my blog.

Book review: Curious Creatures Talking Together

Title: Curious Creatures Talking Together

Written by: Zoe Armstrong

Illustrated by: Anja Sušanj

Published by: Flying Eye Books

This book covers a fascinating topic in a simple and easy to understand way making it highly accessible to young children. It explains how animals communicate with each other without using words using a range of wild and domestic animals as examples. We just have to learn to understand the signals so we can tell when they are happy, hungry, angry, tired or afraid.

In a fun twist to this it is pointed how haw we can mimic animal behaviour to help us communicate better, from the red stag parallel walking to decide who is the strongest instead of fighting, to the soothing lullaby of the humpback whale. We learn how animals use all their senses. Colour, sound, smell and touch are all important methods of communication and again this is compared to human behaviour.

The illustrations and end pages are bold and eye-catching. On each spread the text is scattered around the page so each animal takes centre stage.

At the end of the book there is an important message of how by increasing our understanding of the different methods of animal communication we can develop our empathy skills.

Other books in the series include:

Curious Creatures Glowing in the Dark
Curious Creatures Working with Tools.

This series would be ideal in the classroom or for home learning to support the programmes of study for science human and animals. In particular, recognising the differences between each other and exploring how senses enable humans and animals to be aware of the world around them.

You can buy copies of the Curious Creatures series by Zoë Armstrong and Anja Susanj from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.

I have also shared this review on Amazon and Goodreads.

Blog Tour – Charlotte’s Snowman

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Charlotte’s Snowman by Lainey Dee.

Lainey Dee was born in Birmingham and grew up in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. As well as Charlotte’s Snowman she has also written, Let’s Celebrate Being Different and Rodasauri the Dinosaur’s Trip to London.

She was inspired to write for young people having worked with children for many years. Lainey currently looks after twins aged five years. A huge art deco fan, she lives in an art deco house which is decorated in that period style. In her free time, she enjoys baking and cooking for friends and visiting national trust properties. Her favourite ice cream is strawberry and the strangest place she has slept in was a tepee Texas.

Lainey enjoys using her imagination to invent new stories and characters. She hopes her books will help readers see themselves and the world differently and understand how special they are.

The blurb from the back of the book says:

Children love building snowmen. When they add a nose, eyes, and mouth to their snowman, they get a magical feeling that their snowman has his own personality.
And… sometimes snowmen do come alive!

Charlotte wakes up and sees that it’s snowing… it’s snowing and it’s snowing. She runs outside to build a snowman. She fixes a carrot for the snowman’s nose, a stick for his mouth, and two stones for his eyes.

But the snowman has many demands, so Charlotte has to part with her gloves, scarf and hat; so her snowman wouldn’t feel cold. But the sun comes up all of a sudden, and Charlotte cannot find her snowman anymore. She is sad. Then, she learns that her snowman hasn’t disappeared completely, but is hiding in the ground, waiting to emerge next winter.
Charlotte’s snowman by Lainey Dee

My stop on the tour will take the form of a review.

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Title: Charlotte’s Snowman

Written by: Lainey Dee

Illustrated by: Sarah-Leigh Wills

Published by: KA Books

Charlotte’s Snowman is a quaint, simple story which gently conveys the message of hope and belief using the familiar story of a child building a snowman that melts and the realisation she can build another snowman next year when it snows. The magical twist of the snowman coming to life highlights how children use their imagination to create their own world of enchanting make believe.

I think children from ages 1-5 years will enjoy listening to this story and exploring the charming, bold illustrations. The completed snowman in the hat and scarf with the carrot nose is rather cute. The plot is conveyed in a calm, relaxed way that would be ideal to read at bedtime to help children go to sleep with pleasant dreams.

A great book for helping to explain things may not last forever but there is always hope for the future.

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You can buy copies of Charlotte’s Snowman by Lainey Dee and Sarah-Leigh Wills from Amazon.

You can find out more about Lainey Dee and her books on the SheildCrest Publishing website: https://www.shieldcrest.co.uk/about/featured-authors/lainey-dee

To follow the rest of the tour take a look at the schedule:

I would like to thank Rachel from Rachel’s Random Tour for inviting me to take part in this blog tour.

If you have read any recent children’s picture books with a Christmas theme I would love to hear from you. Let me know of any new Christmas releases in the comments.

Special Guest Q & A with Sue Wallman

I am so pleased to welcome Sue Wallman back to my blog today as a special guest talking about her latest YA thriller, Every Word A Lie.

Sue has worked for a newspaper in Paris and for magazines in London, She then became a secondary school librarian for six years. Now she is fulfilling her dream of writing and doing writing-related events full-time.

Her journey to publication took eight years, and picked up pace when she won The Woman’s Prize for Fiction First Chapter Award in 2013. Her debut, Lying About Last Summer, was published in 2016. Seven years later she has seven books under her belt.

Her latest book, Every Word A Lie, is a nail-biting story of a catfishing prank that gets out of control and gets deadly. Two friends, Amy and Stan, plan revenge on their prankster friend Hollie by catfishing her as her crush. They only mean to do it for a day or two – but then Hollie ends up dead.

As the catfish continues to strike others, Amy needs to find out: who is really in control of the catfish? Can she trust anyone? And is she the killer’s next target?

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Hi Sue,

Welcome to my blog. It is great to have you back here and talking about your latest novel, Every Word A Lie. I think the last time you were featured on my blog was March 2020 talking about your research for your award-winning YA thrillers. I am sure Every Word A Lie will be just as popular.

Thank you for having me back on, Anita!

Tell us what was your inspiration for Every Word A Lie and why you decided to write a book about catfishing for the YA market?

This book came about because my editor, Linas Alsenas, asked me if I’d listened to the podcast called Sweet Bobby that everyone in the Scholastic office was addicted to. It’s a real-life story about a woman who’d been catfished over a period of years and it was completely shocking. Catfishing – when someone pretends to be somebody else online – is a huge thing right now, and so many people are affected by it, adults and young people alike. It takes many different forms, from dating and delivery scams to bullying and manipulation, to people trying out different identities or escaping their real lives. But whatever the reason, there is always a victim.

When I spoke to teenagers in my creative writing group about it, they didn’t necessarily know the term catfishing, but they all knew someone who it had happened to, or they had had experience of it themselves. The scary thing is that parents often try to help but can’t and even the police have limited powers.

In my young adult thriller, Every Word A Lie, Amy and Stan are best friends who are part of a friendship group that loves pranks. When they want to get back at their friend Hollie who signed them up to litter-picking as a joke, they message her as a boy they know she has a crush on. Things spiral, Hollie winds up dead, and Amy and Stan are devastated. But the deaths – and the catfish messages – keep on coming…

How do you manage to develop so many different relatable characters with their own unique back stories and traits?

I’m really pleased you think they are relatable. I start with the basic plot and work out what sort of characters I need. In my first draft, however hard I try, my characters are horribly two dimensional, but then when I know the story properly, I flesh them out as authentically as I can. It’s like chipping away to uncover something.

What is your secret to the way you always keep your readers guessing who the murderer is right to the end?

I have to misdirect the reader and hope that I’ve got the right balance of giving enough information but not giving too much away. Sometimes when I’m working on a later draft and there have been multiple changes and I’m in a muddle, and my editor is also too close to it, someone else in the Scholastic office will read it to check that there isn’t a major clanger in there and the murderer isn’t too easily guessed. Then I have to wait and see what readers think. There’s no better feeling than someone thinking it was a really satisfying read!

When you are writing an emotional difficult scene how do you approach it? Talk us through your writing process.

I just go for it and write it how I see it in my head. Often in later drafts when I’m polishing it, I can wring more emotion from it.

What are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing?

The authors who influenced me from way back are Anne Tyler, who writes for adults, who conveys so much in a few words. I was astonished by Meg Rosoff’s How I Live Now when it first came out (2005) and E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars (2014) – deceptively simple writing which resonates and is achingly poignant. I also think Holly Jackson is also a great writer and deserves her huge success.

Do you have a particular place you like to write?

I can write anywhere as long as there is coffee and preferably a few snacks to hand.

Now you have several more YA thrillers under your belt what writing advice would you give to people aspiring to be a children’s book writer?

Learn the craft of writing. I didn’t understand about all sorts of things when I started, even though I’d worked as a magazine journalist. Fiction is different. To improve, you need to know about show not tell, how the mid-point of a book is important, and so on. I read a few books about writing, and read successful fiction books, looked up free resources online, was a member of a critique group for a while and joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Is there anything else you would like to tell readers about Every Word A Lie and writing for Young Adults?

Yes, this was the first title of mine that made it through the whole process! All my previous titles were ditched in favour of one thought up by my agent, editor or someone else at the publishers.

Thank you Sue for agreeing to be interviewed on my blog. It has been fantastic having you back and thank you for letting us into your secret to keeping your readers guessing.

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To read my previous interviews with Sue Wallman take a look at: An interview with… Sue Wallman and Another interview with… Sue Wallman.

To find out more about Sue Wallman and her novels visit her Website: www.suewallman.co.uk. You can also follow her on X: @SueWallman, Instagram: @suewallman and Threads: @suewallman.

You can buy copies of all Sue Wallman’s novels from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.

Blog Tour – Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson

Today is my stop on the Ultimate Write Reads tour for the Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson.

Victoria Williamson grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, and has worked as an educator in a number of different countries, including as an English teacher in China, a secondary science teacher in Cameroon, and a teacher trainer in Malawi.

As well as degrees in Physics and Mandarin Chinese, she has completed a Masters degree in Special Needs in Education. In the UK she works as a primary school special needs teacher, working with children with a range of additional support needs including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, physical disabilities and behavioural problems.

She is currently working as a full time writer of Middle Grade and YA contemporary fiction, science fiction and fantasy, with a focus on creating diverse characters reflecting the many cultural backgrounds and special needs of the children she has worked with, and building inclusive worlds where all children can see a reflection of themselves in heroic roles.

Feast of Ashes is described as Book One in an explosive dystopian YA series, which is exciting news.

The publicity leaflet about the book says:

It’s the year 2123, and 16-year-old Adina has just accidentally killed 14,756 people. Raised in the eco-bubble of Eden Five, Adina has always believed that the Amonston Corporation’s giant greenhouse would keep her safe forever. But when her own careless mistake leads to an explosion that incinerates Eden Five, she and a small group of survivors must brave the barren wastelands outside the ruined Dome to reach the Sanctuary before their biofilters give out and their DNA threatens to mutate in the toxic air.

They soon discover that the outside isn’t as deserted as they were made to believe, and the truth is unearthed on their dangerous expedition. As time runs out, Adina must tackle her guilty conscience and find the courage to get everyone to safety. Will she make it alive, or will the Nomalies get to her first?
Blurb for Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson

Victoria Williamson is donating 20% of her author royalties from Feast of Ashes to CharChar Literacy, a charity that aims to improve literacy rates in Malawi.

My stop on the tour takes the form of a book review:

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Title: Feast of Ashes

Written by: Victoria Williamson

Cover design by: Anna Morrison

Published by: Neem Tree Press

Victoria Williamson once again shows us how talented and versatile a writer she is with this magnificent YA debut. I am always gripped from the start of a Victoria Williamson novel and this is no exception for it has one of the best opening paragraphs I have read in a long time:

“I’ll never forget the date September the third, 2123. How could I? that was the day I killed fourteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty-six people.”
Opening paragraph of Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson

Set in Africa in a biosphere called ‘Eden 5’ one hundred years in the future, Feast of Ashes is written in first person from sixteen-year-old Adina’s point of view. I am always impressed on how Victoria Williamson creates characters that are always very different and stand out as individuals. Adina starts off being a very selfish, self-centred character in the way many teenagers are, but as the story progresses we see her grow and change into a strong dynamic woman with a strong sense of right and wrong, until finally she makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her sisters and best-friend.

Reading Feast of Ashes is an emotional rollercoaster. It is truly a unique dystopian with a very plausible theme of large global corporations destroying the ecosystem for profit. There are a lot of important themes covered that make you think, such as greed, environmental sustainability and corporate corruption. Victoria Williamson has used science and technology to make the whole plot seem entirely believable and rather scary. So many times I stopped and exclaimed, “You What?” at the things the Armonston Corporation had done. So wrong but you can imagine it happening for real.

The book is written in two parts. Part One is the Beginning of the End which contains thirteen chapters which outline how Adina’s inconsiderate actions cause the catastrophe that brings about the end of everything as she knows it. I thought it rather poignant that Eden Five’s downfall started with the temptation of an apple. Each chapter counts down the hours to the biodome destruction.

Part Two is entitled Countdown and follows Adina and a small group of survivors for their twenty-seven days after the biodome explodes. They journey through the wasteland, a genetically modified world where the crops people used to eat contain pesticides coded into their DNA and the air mutates the blood so they have to constantly wear a biofilter. Searching for answers, they uncover the shocking truth of how far the corruption really goes.

I can imagine Feast of Ashes being a big screen movie in the same way as Hunger Games, Maze Runner and Divergent. I wonder who would play the roles of Adina and Dejen? Suggestions welcome in the comments.

I would recommend Feast of Ashes to all fans of YA dystopian novels.

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You can buy copies of Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.

To follow the rest of the tour check out the schedule below:

You can read my review of Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson also published by Neem tree Press here: Blog Tour – Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson

You can read my interview with Victoria Williamson about the writing of Norah’s Ark here: The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour – Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson.

You can read my review of another of Victoria’s books, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams published by Tiny Tree Publishing here: Blog Tour – The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams by Victoria Williamson.

You can read my spotlight on The Whistlers in the Dark by Victoria Williamson published by Scotland Street Press here: Blog Tour – The Whistlers in the Dark by Victoria Williamson

You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com and follow her on X (formly known as Twitter) @strangelymagic

I would like to thank The Write Reads for inviting me to take part in this ultimate tour and Neem Tree Press for their superbly boxed book package with the review copy. Thank you.

I hope the lettuce seeds have not been genetically modified.

Cover Reveal – Arvia: Wings of the Wild

Today I am excited to reveal the cover for D. H. Willison’s fourth book in the Tales of Arvia series.

Arvia: Wings of the Wild is a humorous romantic adventure fantasy and will be released on November 22nd, 2023. The harpy-human duo are challenged as never before in this witty fantasy adventure. Before I reveal the cover let me tell you about the book:

Blurb

It’s easy to stand up for your friends. What about for anonymous creatures nobody else cares about?

With their homes apparently safe from the magical storms, Darin and Rinloh venture to an isolated elven village and another ancient mystery: ruins of an imperial city whose entire population vanished centuries ago.

The duo befriend a host of eccentric new characters, from a chipper ogress and hipster troll to a deadpan griffin. Yet the Forest of Nightmares challenges them as never before. Merciless carnivorous trees, subterranean horrors, ethereal creatures no mortal weapon can slay… and most sinister of all, the greed and ambition lurking within the human heart.

Darin and Rinloh’s empathic connection grows stronger the deeper into the wilderness they go, but will it be enough to stop a dark conspiracy from ravaging the land?

Arvia: Wings of the Wild challenges the harpy-human duo with their grandest adventure yet. They must balance their deepening relationship as they sharpen their skills and work together as never before to unravel a deadly new plot.
blurb for Arvia: Wings of the Wild by D. H. Willison

Now take a look at this fantastic cover designed by artist Papaya Style:

And the back cover too:

There is also a cute video which will tell you more about the series.

You can find out more about D. H. Willison and the Arvia series here: www.dhwillisoncreates.com and follow them on X (formerly known as Twitter) @dhwillison.

Cover Reveal – Midsummer Night Curse: Paranormal Misadventures

Much To Do About Writing is pleased to reveal the cover for Romanian author, Anca Antoci’s new paranormal mystery novel, Midsummer Night Curse: Paranormal Misadventures.

This exciting romantic urban fantasy focuses on Romanian mythology and is released on October 20th, 2023. It is available for pre-order from:

Amazon Goodreads

Here is the blurb:

Amidst the misty hills and ancient forests of Transylvania, Ella Martin thought she found a perfect place to escape from her old life. She’s a witch on the run from her coven and no one would think to seek her amid vampires at Count Dracula Inn. What could go wrong?

But locals don’t take kindly to outsiders, so when a teenage girl goes missing on the midsummer night at the inn, the villagers point their fingers at Ella. But then handsome Inspector Felix Goia starts digging into her past, suspecting she must be hiding something. And the witch knows she must find the missing girl to get everyone off her back. If she fails, she has to flee before everyone finds out she’s a witch and they turn on her.

Adding to the chaos, the recently appointed police captain, Radu Lupu, dove into the fray. Beneath his charming exterior lies a ruthless streak that few people have seen. They reluctantly work together to solve the case of the missing girl, and the jaw-dropping discovery they make leaves everyone speechless. Faced with magic, they resort to mischief to save the girl. But can they succeed in their paranormal misadventure?

And… drum roll please… here is the cover designed by Florin Antoci:

Anca told me:

“For my new series inspired by Romanian folklore, we decided on a different cover approach. Instead of showcasing the main character, he wanted to highlight symbolism and traditional motifs for an original, witchy vibe, deviating from our usual style crafted by my talented husband. Usually these motifs are embroidery patterns, stitches applied to traditional folk costumes. Then we played with cosmic symbols—the sun and the moon, symbols of regeneration, what has been will be again, repetition of seasons, death and rebirth of nature. I’m thrilled with how it turned out. My husbands insist on making the covers only after he’s read the book because he wants to infuse it with the right vibe. I know I’m biased because he’s my husband and my biggest supporter, but I think he did a terrific job.”
Quote from Anca Antoci

To find out more about Anca Antoci and her novels take a look at her website: www.summonfantasy.com and follow her on X (previously known as Twitter) @AncaAntoci.

Book Review: Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine

Title: Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine

Written by: Claire Fayers

Illustrated by:

Published by: Firefly Press

Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine is one of the best middle grade science fiction novels I have read for a long time.

Our two 12-year-old reluctant heroes are from very different worlds. Tapper Watson is from Erasia and is the youngest of sixty-eight cousins and has recently become the apprentice to Argo and Belladonna on their submarine at the insistence of Uncle Five. Fern Shakespeare is from Earth and works during the holidays with her volunteer dad in their submarine repair / guided tour shop in Swansea. She has a brilliant plant that talks using Morse code and helps them on their adventures through the Lethe. This is the river that connects the different worlds and contains all the memories of everyone who ever lived. Sometimes the memories in the Lethe appear as Echolings. Fern’s dad is the inventor of the Nemo Machine, which can retrieve these memories from the Lethe. The rivers only drawback is, it can make people lose their memories if they swallow any.

Tapper has an unusual talent that he can hear the Echolings. When one that is the spitting image of Tapper climbs out of the river to talk to Tapper, Argo throws a stone at it and the Echoling explodes, showering water over Fern’s dad who accidently swallows some causing Lethamnesia. His only hope is for restoring his memories is to find the Nemo Machine. Our epic adventurers go on a highly original, fast-paced quest to find the Nemo Machine before it gets into the hands of Cousin Twenty-Three, the claws of the Lobster Mobsters, or the tentacles of the innocent-looking Zymandian octopods.

The plot is action packed but not at the expense of the character development. I particularly liked the friction between Fern and Tapper. Their behaviour and reactions are very different from each other. In fact, every character is well-rounded with their own good and bad traits. The different aliens were hilarious but my absolute favourite had to be the lobster monsters, Charybdis and Scylla. I liked the contradiction in character in that Scylla dreamed of being a language teacher. And is instead turning people to stone with his Medusa blaster. It was these little character touches that makes Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine such a great book.

I was impressed with how all the different segments of this amazing world and brilliant characters fitted together like a perfect jigsaw puzzle so the plot makes perfect logical sense.

The perfect book for all young sci-fi fans and readers who love adventures. Ideal for fans of another of my favourites, Interdimensional Explorers by Lorraine Gregory. I can’t wait to read more innovative middle-grade science fiction like these.

You can read my interview with Claire Fayers about the writing of Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine, which we did as part of her blog tour here: Blog Tour – Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine by Claire Fayers

You can read my review of Interdimensional Explorers by Lorraine Gregory here: Book Review: Interdimensional Explorers

You can buy copies of Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine by Claire Fayers from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.

This review has previously appeared on NetGalley, Goodreads and Amazon. I would like to thank NetGalley and Firefly Press for accepting my request for a digital copy of the book.

Special Guest Q & A with Loretta Schauer

On my blog today I would like to welcome the renowned illustrator Loretta Schauer.

Loretta paints, draws and prints by hand in a variety of media, and finishes her artwork digitally. She is a self-taught artist and has won the Waterstone’s ‘Picture This’ competition in 2011. Since then she has illustrated picture books and fiction titles for a wide variety of publishers. Her first middle grade book as author illustrator is The Legend of Ghastly Jack Crowheart, which is released on Thursday, October 5th 2023 by Anderson Press.

For Lil, life at the Squawking Mackerel inn couldn’t be more miserable. She’s tasked with the sloppiest, grottiest jobs and picked on at every turn. Her only friend is Augustus Scratchy, a cantankerous crow with a habit of stealing. When the dread villain Rotten Bob Hatchet and his gang of cut-throat highwaymen begin attacking travellers on the road, things get really dire.

Joining forces with a new servant boy, Ned, and armed with the contents of the inn’s lost property cupboard, a pocket full of revolting dumplings and some knicker elastic, Lil comes up with a plot to scare off Rotten Bob. And so the legend of Ghastly Jack Crowheart the Demon Highwayman is born!

Dangerous highwaymen, furious crows, ludicrous underwear, and a turnip apocalypse – stand and deliver!
Blurb for The Legend of Ghastly Jack Crowheart by Loretta Schauer

This amazing looking book will be released on October 5, 2023. So we only three more days to wait. I can’t wait to read it see the illustrations.

Loretta has kindly agreed to be interviewed about the inspiration and writing process for The Legend of Ghastly Jack Crowheart.

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Welcome to my blog Loretta. Please tell us what inspired you to write a book about highwaymen?

Why Highwaymen? – Well, when I was a kid I had a big Smash Hits poster of Adam Ant on my wall so I guess my admiration for a dandy highwayman goes back to then… We see a lot of pirates in kids books but I’ve never seen a recent one featuring highwaymen.

How long have you been writing as well as illustrating for?

I’ve been illustrating for about twelve years. My first book as illustrator was published in 2012 and I became a full time illustrator in 2015. Crowheart is my first title as author and illustrator and it’s the first middle grade fiction title I’ve written – so it’s been couple of years now for the writing. I’ve experimented with a few picture book texts in the past but never quite got them to the stage where they were ready for submission. I also wrote a graphic novel script a long time ago, but again, never got round to submitting it properly – mainly because the pictures were so important to the story, and I never got further than making the first two pages!

For The Legend of Ghastly Jack Crowheart, what came first for you the text or the illustrations? Talk us through your writer-Illustrator process.

The illustrations definitely came first – the characters and setting were there from early on, and that meant there was lots of sample artwork to send out with the story when it went on submission.

The idea for the book started with some character sketches. I love historical fashions so I’d drawn some 18^th century ladies or “wig wafters” as I like to call them, and a crow character, Augustus Scratchy, who definitely needed to appear in a book. I had been playing with the idea of a young girl who uses a Highwayman’s disguise to go off on adventures too and somehow they all fitted together. (Must have been all the feathers!)

When I write, I tend to imagine various scenes and incidents, and quickly write them down in no particular order. Then I begin to expand on them; what happens before or after? What links them to the characters inner story? What elements do I need to write about more? This all helps set the tone and voice for the book. I then do some plotting; shaping the narrative, making sure the character’s motivations are clear, and working out where scenes should go, and what’s missing. There’s obviously a lot of cutting of scenes with this process, and I keep a working doc of bits that I “save for later”. They often end up discarded, but it’s all part of the process. I then do a “proper write” which becomes the first draft. Then it’s editing all the way! By this stage I already have a good idea of what I want to show visually, so once the text was approved, I went through the book and made a list of potential illustrations. There were rather a lot so I was expecting to cut most of them , but my editor and designer at Andersen said “let’s have them all!” so it ended up being a heavily illustrated tome!

What would you say were your main protagonist, Lil Scroggin’s best and worst qualities?

Lil is a little over-enthusiastic when it comes to her grand schemes – which gets her into trouble. As does her unfortunate habit of answering back! She tries really hard to fix the mistakes she makes, but the odds are stacked against her and things have a nasty habit of going from bad to worse. She’s brave and funny and deeply empathetic at heart. Her refusal to be taunted into being cruel is evidence of this, as is her relationship with Scratchy the crow and Ned the shy servant boy. She also takes no guff, and she practically runs things at the Squawking Mackerel, despite being on the receiving end of Ma’s temper and the other kid’s mockery.

As for the villain of the story, Rotten Bob Hatchet, would probably want to be just as ghastly and notorious as Jack.

What advice would you give to other illustrators wanting to write their first book?

For me, writing was quite an organic, instinctive process, so I’d say just give it a try. There’s no wrong or right way to approach it. Just as with your artwork, you have to experiment, and get words on the page. The idea is key, and your personal voice is what makes the story unique to you, just like your art. I know many people benefit from going on writing courses to learn about craft, and although I’ve not been on a writing course as such, I’ve definitely absorbed lots of wisdom and tips over the years being involved in the visual side of making books. My punctuation and grammar is terrible, but I write as if I’m telling a story, whether it’s from the character’s point of view (hello drama skills!) or from my own. And that’s the thing, we illustrators are natural storytellers, and illustration is all about communication – so I guess we’re already halfway there!

Do you play music while you work and, if so, what’s your favourite?

I don’t play music while I write, but I do play music or listen to podcasts while I draw.

If I’m feeling stressed and have a stack of deadlines looming I’ll go for some rousing like S.P.O.C.K, as it always cheers me up, but if I’m feeling creative and want to get “in the zone” I’ll listen to something atmospheric and a little bit spooky like Lorn or Fever Ray.

I love listening to history podcasts, and lots of true crime. For some reason there seems to be quite a few kidlit illustrators who like to hear about serial killers while they are drawing fluffy bunnies. I’m not sure why.

Is there anything else you would like to tell readers about The Legend of Ghastly Jack Crowheart?

This is a book full of the things I find funny about life in the 18^th century. The second half of the 18th century was fantastically extravagant and thoroughly revolting in equal measure – especially for ordinary people who had to navigate the filth and grime on a daily basis. So if you want to be submerged into a world of ridiculous wigs, pestilential residences, and the indignities of highway travel, this is the book for you. (Spoiler – There’s a lot of mud!)

It’s also the perfect Halloween read, with a lot of creeping about in the woods, a flock of haunted crows and a horrifying demon highwayman on the prowl! Stand and deliver!

Thank you Loretta for your fantastic answers to my questions. It has been a privilege to have you on my blog and I hope we see you again here soon.

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You can find out more about Loretta Schauer, her books and beautiful illustrations on her website: Loretta Schauer – Author Illustrator. You can follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter @Lorettta_Schauer and on Instagram @lorettaschauer.

To purchase a copy of The Legend of Ghastly Jack Crowheart by Loretta Schauer you can go direct through her publisher And e rson Press here: or from your local indie bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.

Book Review: The Silver Road

Title: The Silver Road

Written by: Sinéad O’Hart

Cover art by: Manuel Sumberac

Published by: Piccadilly Press (an Imprint of Bonnier Books)

I have always enjoyed the Celtic myths and legends and so when I read the description of The Silver Road – a middle grade inspired by Irish folktales – I knew I had to read it and what a fantastic read it was. This exhilarating, action-packed magical quest with themes of believing in yourself, dealing with grief and finding your place in the world, will have you on the edge of your seats. I particularly liked the intricacies of the plot and how they linked together modern Ireland with Irish mythology and legends.

Rosaleen Darke has started at the local Grammar School as she was awarded a scholarship but is bullied by Emer McGuire and her gang. On top of that she is grieving the loss of her Mamó (grandmother). After a particularly bad day, Rose is unable to sleep and looks out of her window to discover it is hailing. She goes outside to investigate and the hail forms itself into a Frost Giant who gives her the tathlum, a magical red stone that contains the power to do great good, or great evil depending on who wields it.

The next morning Rose shows the stone to what she feels are her only friends since starting at Carriganawn Grammar School – two elderly shopkeepers called Nellie and Gracie and their not-cat, Catshee. They explain she has been chosen as a Guardian to protect Ireland from an ancient evil that is awakening and they open her eyes to a world of mystical magic. Rose is plunged into an exciting adventure where she discovers the Silver Road and how it casts a protective net over Ireland and sees for herself how it is in danger of disappearing due to excessive land development where her father works for Emer’s dad.

The ensuing battle of good versus evil is reminiscent of the battle in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where instead of animals – an army of spirits, a warrior queen, a wolf-warrior and his pack and an Irish elk join forces to defeat the evil witch, Cethlenn, and her giants from resurrecting her husband Balor who plans to incinerate Ireland and the rest of the world.

Through their courage and determination Rose and Emer manage to work through their differences to join the battle to defeat Balor. They also help their fathers to become more environmentally aware.

There was a brilliant addition by the author of information at the beginning and end of the book outlining the background of the legendary characters and pointing out which ones were from mythology and which were from her amazingly inventive imagination. I found this fascinating.

Ideal for middle-grade who love fantasy based on real legends.

You can buy copies of The Silver Road by Sinéad O’Hart from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org, an organisation which supports a wide range of independent bookstores.

I would like to thank Piccadilly Press and NetGalley for organising a copy of this book for me. Thank you.