Claire Fayers - Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

We are so super excited to tell you about this book. I was hooked and reeled in by the title never mind the book cover illustration (above) which looks absolutely amazing. My expectations were high and I was really looking forward to starting the journey. I had read many of the author's previous books which I enjoyed but this book is absolutely earth-shatteringly brilliant. I loved every page of this fishy-bonkers, zany out-of-this universe adventure. It has to be one of the best books I've read this year. It has the most imaginative plot that fitted me like a fantasy glove. 

The more you read the bigger your smile. The characters are written with real depth as they move straight to your heart. They are an eclectic bunch of the weird and wonderful as they uniquely pull you through the narrative. You'll weave in and out of disaster and danger with high-octane, octopod action. The main characters are Fern Shakespeare and her talking plant, Morse. There's also Tapper Watson, an Erisean boy, who loves adventure stories and has 67 cousins. 

The adventure begins when the two galaxies (Fern and Tapper's) collide on an unscheduled visit to Earth. All aboard the submarine and the River Lethe where you'll catch up with a pair of trigger-happy lobster monsters carrying laser guns that turn everyone to stone. You'll then be introduced to a pair of smugglers that just can't help finding themselves in the thick of it. Finally, all the characters search for the mysterious Nemo Machine with the inventor (Fern's dad) whose favourite food is curry!

This book is fantastic - it is really refreshing with some excellent plot ideas that will keep you engrossed and captivated. The story is packed full of unique worlds and some clever, well-worked-out ideas. It's humourous in parts but also warm and tender in others. It delivers an ecological and social message that does not come at the expense of the story.  I was really sad to turn to the final page, however, these characters will stay with me (in my fantasy head and heart) for some time. I'm really hoping and wanting more books in this series soon. PLEASE! 

Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine will be published with suckers and tentacles on the 7th September 2023 by Firefly Press. Book Cover illustration by Becka Moor. Make sure you put it on your pre-order list order now. You will not be disappointed. 

Claire Fayers - Storm Hound Blog Tour - Guest Post - Finding the Right Place

Hello everybody. Welcome to Day 4 of Claire Fayer's Storm Hound blog tour. HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY. To celebrate the book release today, we are flying across the Welsh sky in search of "Finding the right place" which is the brilliant topic of today's guest post. So sit down, relax and hopefully, this post will inspire you to pick up and read this loveable rogue of a book. 

If you fancy reading my book review click Here. Make sure you check out all of the stops on this fun blog tour - please see the banner below for all the tour stops.

Storm could see mountains from here: a low peak rising up in the distance, and three hills in front of it, which, if he squinted, looked a bit like the paw of a giant dog. He knew the mortal world was indifferent to the world of magic, but the sight cheered him a little, as if the landscape had made an effort to welcome him. 

I’ve been asked many times already why I chose to set a fantasy adventure in Abergavenny. It doesn’t seem a likely place for adventure – a little Welsh town, tucked away between mountains. What could possibly happen in Abergavenny?

A few years back I’d have agreed. I’ve always loved fantasy set in invented worlds, and when I started to write, that’s where my imagination went. Fantastical stories needed fantastical settings. But, after two adventures with the Accidental Pirates, and a mystery set in an alternative Britain, I began to wonder. What if we didn’t have to go to other worlds to find magic? What if magic could find us (as we say in Wales) over by here?

That’s why, when Storm fell from the sky, he didn’t crash into a fantasy landscape or even somewhere big and important, like New York or London, or even Cardiff.

At first, I did it purely for comedy. I thought it would be hilarious to dump my arrogant young stormhound in a place that had no pretensions of grandeur. Within a couple of chapters, though, I knew this little town was absolutely right. I love the way the town is surrounded by mountains as if they’re standing guard. Walk along the narrow High Street and you’ll find all the essentials – a book shop, some lovely cafes, and a cheese shop.

Also, of course, there is a castle. 

(Abergavenny Castle – photo by Claire Fayers)

Storm enjoys going for walks here. The site dates back to 1087 and there’s a real sense of history. Most of the castle was destroyed during the civil war in 1645-46, but there’s a small museum sitting right on top of the original motte.

I had to invent a few things for the story. Abergavenny High School doesn’t exist. Neither does the Abergavenny Dog Rescue Centre. But I know exactly where Jessie’s house is. If you stand in the back garden you’ll be facing the Sugarloaf Mountain and, if you squint a bit you may think the three foothills look like the paw of a giant dog.

I didn’t actually find out about the Sugarloaf hills until I was well into editing the book, but that little detail had to go straight in. It was proof if anyone needs it, that Storm’s story could not happen anywhere else. 

Author Bio: Claire Fayers grew up in South Wales, studied English and Comparative Literature at the University of Kent in Canterbury, and is now back in Wales where she spends a lot of her free time tramping around castles in the rain, looking for dragons.

She has worked as a church caretaker, a shoe shop assistant, in accountancy, in health and safety, in IT, and in a library. Only one of these prepared her in any way for life as a full-time author.

Her first book came about after she won a writing competition. She was more surprised than anyone.

She works from her home in Cardiff, sharing her workspace with a pair of demanding cats and an ever-expanding set of model dinosaurs who sometimes like to pretend they are pirates.

More about Storm Hound…
Storm of Odin is the youngest stormhound of the Wild Hunt that haunts lightning-filled skies. He has longed for the time when he will be able to join his brothers and sisters but on his very first hunt, he finds he can’t keep up and falls to earth, landing on the A40 just outside Abergavenny.
Enter 12-year-old Jessica Price, who finds and adopts a cute puppy from an animal rescue centre. And suddenly, a number of strange people seem very interested in her and her new pet, Storm. People who seem to know a lot about magic . . .
In Claire Fayers’ electrifying adventure Storm Hound, Jessica starts to see that there’s something different about her beloved dog and will need to work out which of her new friends she can trust.

For more information please visit Claire Fayers’ website, and do follow her on Twitter.

Claire Fayers - Storm Hound - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Storm of Odin is the youngest storm hound of the Wild Hunt that haunts lightning-filled skies. He has longed for the time when he will be able to join his brothers and sisters but on his very first hunt, he finds he can't keep up and falls to earth, landing on the A40 just outside Abergavenny.

Enter twelve-year-old Jessica Price, who finds and adopts a cute puppy from an animal rescue center. And suddenly, a number of strange people seem very interested in her and her new pet, Storm. People who seem to know a lot about magic . . . 

In Claire Fayers' electrifying adventure Storm Hound, Jessica starts to see that there's something different about her beloved dog and will need to work out which of her new friends she can trust.

We are storming into the new year with another book review. This time it is for Storm Hound by Claire Fayers which will be published by Macmillan Children's Books on the 21st February 2019. It is certainly sporting an amazingly striking and eye-catching cover which has been designed by Becka Moor.  

Contrary to my initial thoughts, I really enjoyed reading this book. My expectations were lifted after reading just a few pages as I soon became immersed in a mythical reality full of wit, charm and fantastic humour. This was not what I expected by reading, what I thought was, a rather underwhelming preface for this book. However, don't be fooled by this as it is a fantastic read.

You will meet my favourite character, Storm of Odin, as he falls out of the sky and finds himself a long way from the hunting pack. He is fantastically written with the most charismatic personality. He is a fierce little ball of mischevious fur, who is constantly frustrated and is really a rather unlikely hero. However, this makes the story all the more entertaining. Full of wild adventure, shape-shifting and some 'mild' magical moments (i.e. not overly used), this book will be loved by the younger audience (9-12).

The story features a displaced family, who are finding their feet in new surroundings, having moved from London to the more rural setting outside Abergavenny. This gives the story some substance and will be relatable to some readers, especially those starting a new school, making new friends and trying to fit in etc. It's an easy going read that has a moral at the heart of the adventure whilst still retaining a punchy plot.  

The story is a rollercoaster of trouble, a dodgem ride of mystery and a big dipper of troublesome characters who all want to gain magical powers. It's a story based on myths and legends, but with a reality spin that makes it very intriguing. With so many twists, turns and possibilities, the reader hurtles through the pages on a funfair ride of despair and delight.

On finishing the book, your mood will be uplifted. This cleverly written heartfelt story will make you feel better about the world that you live in. What a great start to the year with a wonderful book to read.

Claire Fayers - Mirror Magic Q&A Interview (Blog Tour)

Today we have the wonderful Claire Fayers visiting Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books. We are taking part in the Mirror Magic blog tour - please see the list of stops at the bottom of this post. This tour has been a fantastic opportunity to ask some teasing questions about the book and Claire's writing career.  

Mirror Magic was recently released on the 14th June 2018 and has been published by Macmillan Children’s Books. It's a cracking magical adventure, so please check out my book review HERE. 

How would you describe Mirror Magic to reluctant readers to encourage them to pick it up and start reading? 
I don’t blame you for not liking books. Books are annoying. They’re grumpy, they complain all the time and they never tell you anything useful until it’s too late. At least, The Book in Mirror Magic is like that. The Book can see the future, and the future does not look good. The magic that connects our world with the fairy Unworld is about to go terribly wrong. Maybe your chair will come to life and eat you, or maybe an Unworld skeleton will hunt you down and drag you off to the fairy dungeons. If The Book’s new guardians don’t find out what’s happening and put a stop to it, the whole world could end. 

You probably ought to read Mirror Magic, you know, just in case the world does end. You’ll want to be ready for it. 


Mirror mirror on the wall. Pick any character in the book and tell me what they would see when they looked into the magic mirror? 
Ah, I’m going to cheat a little here. The town of Wyse has six magic mirror and if you look into any of them you’ll see the same thing – a bored fairy receptionist waiting to hear what you want. 
But then, twelve-year-old Ava Harcourt arrives in Wyse, and when she looks into a mirror – just a plain, ordinary mirror, not even magical – she sees something she definitely shouldn’t. She sees a fairy boy who is just as surprised to see her. And that’s when the trouble starts. 


Welcome to Wyse. What enchantments are placed on the reader when they visit Wyse? 
You have to be careful in Wyse as nothing is how it seems. Fairy enchantments can only change appearance, but they are used everywhere. Your hotel might be painted pale blue one day and bright yellow the next. Your room will probably look twice the size it really is so you’ll keep bumping into the walls. You can buy enchantments to make you look taller, shorter, older, younger, fatter, thinner. You can turn your hair green and your nose purple. Make sure you visit the theatre, where the Wyse conjurors take it in turns to perform magic shows. If you’re lucky, you might even get to ask a fairy a question – just don’t trust the answer. 


Tell us about the writing process, how do your ideas take shape? 
The idea for Mirror Magic came from a conversation with my agent and the story changed a lot as I wrote it. I started with a picture in my head of a carriage rattling along a street and all the buildings were shimmering. From there I spent ages wrestling with Ava – of all my characters, she was the hardest to pin down. Was she rich or poor, where did she come from, was she alone at the start or with her family? Once I got that sorted, I wrote the first few chapters and an outline for my editor, then I set to work finishing a full draft – at which point Charles suddenly appeared shouting, ‘Hey, I want to be in the story too!’ And Charles is a great character so I put him in and hoped my editor wouldn’t notice (she did!) 

The whole thing, as you see, was quite chaotic – a lot more chaotic than my last two books (The Accidental Pirates) where I had a clear sense of the story right from the start. Maybe it’s because Mirror Magic is more mystery than adventure, and I had to uncover the mystery myself before I could write it. 


What predictions do you think the grumpy old book would make about the real world? 
I’ll tell you what predictions I’d like to see. 
A big increase in funding to schools and school libraries so every school can have a qualified librarian and an exciting stock of books. 
Regular storytimes become part of every school, and parents, excited about books, read with their children. 
Public libraries reopen with great celebrations. People flood in and whole shelves are left empty as books are borrowed. 
Everywhere, people are inspired to share their own stories. And, as we do, we see that the world is a bigger, more wonderful, more various place that we had ever imagined. 


Which actor would you like to see play the lead character from your book and why? 
This is the point at which I have to admit I watch very little in the way of film and TV and I’m hopeless at remembering actors. But I adore Studio Ghibli films – the Japanese animation studio that produced Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and many more. I think Wyse, with its mixture of real world and spooky magic would make a perfect setting for a Ghibli film. So please, if anyone from the studio is reading this, come and visit Wyse. 

Where is your favourite place to write? 
I have two places. First, at home, where I have my own office with doors onto the garden and bookshelves all the way round the walls so I write surrounded by my favourite books. Then, roughly twice a week, I take my laptop and meet fellow author, Peter Bell, in The Coffi House near Roath Park in Cardiff. The staff are lovely there and they do great coffee. Peter and I sit in near silence for two hours and just write. 


I love the book cover, which has been brilliantly illustrated by Becka Moor, do you think that the book cover has an important role to play as part of the buying process? 
I am so pleased with the Mirror Magic book cover and incredibly lucky to have Becka. Yes, I think the cover plays a huge role in attracting readers. I know everyone says ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ but most of the time the cover is the first thing you see. Straight away it gives you an impression of the kind of book this is, who it’s aimed at and whether you’ll like it. A good cover will make sure the right readers pick up your book. 


How important are stories to you? What do you like to read? 
Stories are hugely important to me. When I was growing up, they gave me somewhere to escape to. Now I see stories as a fundamental part of who we are. They comfort us, inspire us and connect us one to another in a way nothing else can. 

I’ve always been drawn to fantasy, sci-fi, and adventure. I’m a big fan of Stephanie Burgis and Frances Hardinge, I love Sophie Anderson’s ‘The House with Chicken Legs’, and I nearly fell off my chair laughing at Lissa Evans’ ‘Wed Wabbit’. But I also love it when I discover a book I never thought I’d enjoy – such as ‘Kick’ by Mich Johnson. I have zero interest in football but the book really isn’t about football at all, it’s about hope and dreams and how stories drive us to keep going. 

For Mirror Magic, I re-read a lot of Victorian gothic. They’re set a bit later, but I wanted to capture the claustrophobic feel of a gothic mansion. And they’re all fantastic reads.

Claire Fayers was born and brought up in South Wales, an area of the country sadly deficient in dragons. Having studied English at University of Kent, Canterbury, she built a successful career writing short stories for women’s magazines until the lure of magic became too much and she wrote The Accidental Pirates: Voyage to Magical North. It was selected for Waterstones Book of the Month and shortlisted for the FCBG Children’s Book Award 2016, and its sequel, The Accidental Pirates: Journey to Dragon Island, was published in 2017. When she’s not writing, you’ll find Claire at her allotment. Mirror Magic is her third book with Macmillan Children’s Books.

You can find out more about Claire on her website – www.clairefayers.com

Or why not follow Claire on twitter – @ClaireFayers