Eibhlís Carcione - Welcome to Dead Town Raven McKay - Author Interview - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Today's post is a gothic mystery interview with author, poet and teacher Eibhlís Carcione. We wanted to highlight the wonderful publication of Welcome to Dead Town Raven McKay published by Everything with Words last month (June 2023). This is a book for readers who love an illustrated supernatural ghost story with bags of imagination. What did we ask the author? Well, come and find out!

1. What kind of atmosphere did you want the reader to feel and how did you go about laying the foundations to deliver the tone of the plot?

I thought it would be exciting to write a story about a place where the living and the dead live side by side. I like dark, lyrical, atmospheric storytelling. I had to delve into my own imagination to create a gothic world of my own. This took time. Folklore and mythology were a huge inspiration. Grave’s Pass and Dead Town are inspired by the winding narrow hills of Cork City where I live. They’re also inspired by places in Sicily like Taormina, Erice and Randazzo where I’ve been on holidays. There is a town in England called Grave’s End. That gave me the idea for Grave’s Pass. I include some of my favourite characters from folklore: A white lady, a redcap, a werewolf, a bogeyman and pooka horses. I also include animals that I like: a Maine coon cat, a labradoodle, and a tortoiseshell cat. I also include a three-wheeled car as I like retro things and antiques.

2. How was the process of teasing ideas out from your memory and getting these down in word form? 

I’ve always liked ghost stories. I’ve always been interested in the supernatural. When I was eight my grandfather died. I stayed at my gran’s for a few weeks because she was lonely. She told me wonderful stories about ghosts, goblins and changelings that made my heart beat faster. These stories have stayed with me. 

In Celtic mythology, black butterflies symbolise the souls of the dead. I knew from early on that the black butterfly was important in my story. It fluttered continually in my subconscious as my story took shape. One of my favourite novels in the Irish language is Cré na Cille (Graveyard Clay) by Máirtín Ó Cadhain. It’s set in a graveyard where the newly dead arrive bringing all the local news to those already in their coffins. I love the dark humour and the roguish characters in this novel. This book probably influenced me unknown to myself. Raven McKay came to me in a dream. I saw her with her suitcase with the faded sticker of the black butterfly in a hilly town with twisty narrow streets. She stood there and looked at me. It was as if she was asking me to write her story. The first few pages came quickly. At that stage I went back to plotting. I let things grow and flourish. I thought about the other characters. When I could see the story unfold like a film in my head, I knew I was ready to write it. I soon found myself in the heart of Dead Town.

3. What do you think is special about the main character, Raven McKay? 

Raven is curious, individualistic, loyal and brave. She stands out in her long dark hair, her beautiful hat with the raven feather, her velvet coat, her blouse with the embroidered butterflies and her boot with the tassels. She is mysterious as she has in her possession an old suitcase with a faded sticker of a black butterfly. Lots of kids go through stages where they feel they don’t fit in, where they feel they should do what others do although a voice in their head is saying, “no, I’d prefer to do something different.” Sometimes they feel odd like Raven McKay. Sometimes they feel alone. 

4. What do you think she would change about the story? 

I think Raven would have liked to arrive in Grave’s Pass sooner so that she could have stopped the ghoul from causing the accident that left her friend Mack in a wheelchair

5.  I'm a very big fan of the publisher. What advice were you given by them that led to the finished book? 

Mikka from Everything With Words was enthusiastic about the book from the start. That really helped with the editing process. We worked very well together. Mikka is a very thorough and thoughtful editor. She recommended some name changes. We both came up with some suggestions and we chose the most suitable. I’m very grateful to Mikka for her passion about my book, her insight and for choosing Ewa as the artist. A perfect choice. 

6. What can you tell me about the illustrations inside the book? 

Ewa Beniak-Haremska, the artist, read the book and loved it. She said Raven reminded her of her younger self. I chatted with Mikka and Ewa over zoom a few times. What’s interesting is that Ewa said the cover of the book came to her in a dream also, which in itself is mysterious. Eva’s illustrations are sublime and wondrous. They’ve added another gothic layer to the book.

7. What do you love most about being a published author?

The past year has been amazing. Meeting kids, meeting other writers, calling into bookshops, chatting with booksellers and seeing my book. Kids have sent me drawings of Raven. They’ve told me they’re going to dress up as Raven McKay for Halloween. Others have told me that they’re going to dress up as the redcap, Bram and Callie. It’s all very exciting!

8. Do you believe in ghosts or the supernatural? 

I’m not sure. I would like to believe that there is another world. There are things in life we can’t explain. I think spooky stories help us deal with our own fears. It is the same for children. Supernatural tales bring us into an unknown realm where we often come face to face with our own fears. 

I’ve always loved ghost stories but I was easily scared as a child. I didn’t like going up the stairs to bed. I thought there could be a ghost lurking in the shadows. Dark winter evenings often left me on edge. Maybe this was because I secretly believed that there was something out there. Still I was brave enough to sit in a dark loft and tell ghost stories with my friends. But it shows that even if you’re scared of things it’s still fun to be scared too. There is a great thrill to be had from a spooky tale.

9. What would your favourite day look like? 

Coffee. A walk with our dogs, Maddie and Bella. Music in the background while I write. I never write without music. (I write in the mornings when I’m on holidays and in the evenings when I’m teaching.) After lunch I read, usually a novel and some poetry. Sometimes I listen to podcasts. Another walk with the dogs. Dinner with my husband Jay and our daughter Rosa (16). We usually watch a film or series. We’re enjoying Black Mirror at the moment. 

10. Has anything spooky happened to you?

When I was a student I stayed in a hostel on an island off the west coast of Ireland. There was an old portrait in the room. I swear it was staring at me all night. It gave me chills down my spine. The same chills I got from the hostel owner. The sound of crashing waves and the wind added to my unease.

Delighted to see Welcome to Dead Town Raven McKay out in the world
Order here: https://t.co/F8fcgpoflE @EveryWithWords #RavenMcKay
🎬👻🖤👻🖤Book Trailer 👻🖤👻🖤 pic.twitter.com/4xcj4zJCit

— Eibhlís Carcione (@eibhliscarcione) June 1, 2023

Alice M. Ross - The Nowhere Thief - Author Interview (Q&A) - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Hello readers and welcome to our fourth interview. This week we are meeting the fantastic author, Alice M. Ross, who has recently had her debut children's book published (March 2023) by Nosy Crow. The book is called The Nowhere Thief but watch out as there really is a thief about. This book is surely going to steal your heart! We loved this story and wanted to find out more so check OUT the review. We hope you are loving this series of interviews - thank you all for contributing and reading. 

• How would you describe your multi-verse adventure The Nowhere Thief?

The Nowhere Thief is a mind-bending multiverse adventure aimed at 9-12-year-olds that is also about finding your family. 12-year-old Elsbeth is stealing things from other worlds to sell in her family's antique shop but as a strange boy starts to follow her and the weather turns weird whenever she travels she starts to ask herself: does her gift come with a price?

• Elsbeth and Idris have a special power where they can steal from other worlds. What would you like them to steal for you and why?

Well it's actually only Elsbeth that can steal things: Idris tries to but every time he does it the objects just disappear! His grandmother makes him feel bad about this. Obviously I wouldn't feel comfortable about possessing stolen goods myself, but if they did come across an interesting object by legal means I think it would be pretty cool to have a chamcha, which is a flying sort of cat that lives in Idris's world.

• Which other world would you like to visit in the book and why?

I'd like to visit Victoria's world, where the sea is rising and children are sent on wilderness survival trips: maybe we could get some tips for our own world. I'd like to meet Victoria, who seems like she would be really cool!  

• Do you have any plans for the characters after this book?

We'll have to wait and see! I definitely have ideas in my head of things that will happen to them, but whether that will end up in book form remains to be seen.

 

• You have spent most of your time being a journalist. Can you share a favourite story you wrote or reported on? How do you think a good journalist can make a difference in the real world?

I've reported on lots of things in my career at the Financial Times but recently I've been writing more about climate change, and how investors can get involved - in fact I wrote a non-fiction book on this topic called Investing to Save the Planet in 2020. Journalists can definitely make a difference by highlighting people's voices when they're not heard that often. 

• How do you juggle real-life with fantasy and do they both play important roles in your life?

Well, I guess it would be a bit weird if real-life didn't play an important role in my life! I have kids and cats and a house and all that grown-up jazz to tend to: I find they complement each other quite well right now but I do have to carve out certain times of the day to write or I'd never get it done! 

• Which book or literary work made you think about the impact we have on the planet?

I did write a book myself about the impact we have on the planet, so I certainly thought about it then. I'm not sure I've ever read a fiction work specifically about climate change but I think it's interesting that this is becoming more of a trend in both adult and children's literature.  

• What would you do differently if you were to write another book?

I'd like to say I would plan it better, but I'm not a huge planner of books - I do think that if you just write you come up with ideas as you go. That said I think it's a good idea to have your themes in your mind/some vague idea of what you're trying to do, so that's what I'm trying to do in the next book I'm writing: I know how it ends but not how it will get there!  

• Finally three quick questions: favourite meal, place, and one wish for the future? 

My favourite meal has to be twice-baked potato - it is definitely my comfort food that my Mum used to make for me when I was a kid! These days I have it to cheer myself up or when it's a particularly cold day.

My favourite place is Berlin - it's such a cool city, and my kids are half-German so we spend quite a lot of time there.

My wish for the future is obviously to publish more books! I have lots of ideas and I just need to find the time to turn them all into novels!  

https://nosycrow.com/product/the-nowhere-thief/

Anna Brooke - Monster Bogey - Author Interview (Q&A) - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Thank you for joining us once again. It's time to get messy and have a little sing-song with another one of our debut authors, Anna Brooke. Anna is the author of MONSTER BOGEY published by Chicken House this Jan 2023. The book is fantastically illustrated by Owen Lindsay and, as it states on the cover, just pick it up and come and have a laugh. To find out more, you just need to read on my little MONSTERS. 

How much slime should we expect to encounter in this book? Do we need to be wearing a hazmat suit before encountering this story?

Gooliemaloolie! There is so much slime in this book – almost on every page. Yes, I highly recommend wearing a hazmat suit. Or a diving suit. Or a rain suit. Or even just a few plastic bags. Anything you can to protect your clothes.

Can you tell us what the willy-willy-woo-woos are? 

The willy-willy-woo-woos are those uncomfortable feelings you get when you’re scared - like the ‘creeps’ or the ‘jitters’ or (the word most closely related to them) the ‘willies’.

How would you describe your debut book as a quick song?

Ooh. Good question. Either as a ballad (a very cheesy one) about adventure, friendship and accepting people as they are. Or it could be a proper upbeat number about nose-picking called Snot Ball Disco - which is precisely one of the two songs I wrote for it (with French composer Xavier Bussy)! 

The other song, called A-Chooooo! (also co-composed with pianist Sebastien Joly), is a silly Strauss-inspired aria about sneezing. 

I’m a huge fan of musicals, and for a while I sang in an electropop group, so right from the start I knew I wanted Monster Bogey to have a musical element. You can listen to the songs via QR codes and links in the book, or via all the usual streaming platforms.

Or here:

Snot Ball Disco, performed by Lucy Longlegs the cabaret-singing spider (featuring Honkerty Village’s Weird hedgehog): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulYFcLlq_S8 

A-Chooooo!, sung by Mum, an opera singer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk3yeGJvE-w 

Here are some of the lyrics:

Snot ball disco

Step in to the light

Greenie greenie

Forget all your strife

Snot ball disco

When you pick your friends

Greenie greenie

Love never ends

When you’re feeling down at the end of the day

Just Pick It

Just Pick It

Just Pick It

Yeah!

If you’re feeling shy and can’t think what to say

Just Pick It

Just Pick It

Just Pick It

Yeah!

And A-chooooo!:

Have you ever had a tickle in your nose? 

It gets you from your head down to your toes

Then there’s nothing left to do

But let out a sneezy, snotty, sloppy, sticky 

A-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Don’t try to hold it in

It’ll make you feel so grim

Your eyes will pop with nasal slop!

If you keep it all inside

It’ll come out your behind

And who wants snot around their bot?

Just let rip – go for the goo

It’s the only thing to do.

Just let rip – it’s a breeze

It’s the only way to sneeze.

From Yorkshire to Paris, has this journey influenced any part of the book? 

Yes, definitely. The obvious part is baddy Willamina’s French ancestry. She’s the descendent of French king William the ‘Conkerer’! And she spews French-sounding insults without knowing what they mean – like, ‘ferry pour Calais’ (Ferry to Calais) and ‘saucisson sec’ (cured sausage). 

The other part is the book’s humour, which I think is very much linked to my years growing up in Yorkshire and Birmingham (where I lived until I was ten). People in both regions love a good play on words and have a great sense of humour. I like to think I absorbed some of that and put it into the book. 

Would you recommend tea drinking, Yorkshire pudding flinging, or baguette jousting as a way of limbering up to read Monster Bogey?

Like most Parisians, I always begin a good reading session with un petit peu of baguette jousting. And occasionally croissant chucking. And on special occasions discus throwing with camembert along the Champs Elysées. But I’d recommend any of the above. Or you could just pick your nozzle!

This book sounds wonderful, do you think laughter plays an important role in children's books? 

They say laughter is the best medicine and I think it’s especially true when it comes to reading.  Laughter releases endorphins in your brain, which makes you feel good, which makes reading a positive experience. And what could be better for keeping kids hooked on books than that? 

That’s not to say that children shouldn’t be exposed to all sorts of books. They should. But I think laughter can be a precious tool for attracting kids of any age to reading – especially reluctant readers. If they’ve had a good experience with one book, they’re more likely to want to replicate it by trying another story, and then another, and so on. 

How would you like readers to feel once they have finished reading the story? 

I’d love them to feel as though they’ve been on a wild, funny and mischievous adventure.

My dream comment would be, ‘This made me happy and laugh a lot’. 

I’d also hope that by the end—through Bogey’s character and what happens to him—readers will feel more empathy towards people who are different.

And maybe, just maybe, some people will feel that my book is a refreshing antidote to Covid. During the pandemic, millions of kids must have been told off (more than usual) for picking their noses. And for good reason. But perhaps reading Monster Bogey will—on some level—offer a naughty sense of release, after all that pent-up stress and unchannelled picking energy!

What type of books do you like to read? 

Oh gosh! All sorts. I don’t really have a ‘type’ but here’s a list of some of my favourites books, from childhood through to adulthood:

• Alanna by Tamora Pierce
• The Silver Chair by C.S Lewis
• The Lockwood & Co series by Johnathan Stroud
• The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brian
• Anything by Oscar Wilde, but particularly The Canterville Ghost
• The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly 
• The Monk by Matthew Lewis. In fact, this is probably my all-time favourite.

The illustrations in the book look amazing. At which point of the publication process did you get to see these and how do you think they support the story process? 

By the time I saw Owen Lindsay’s brilliant cover and illustrations, the book was approaching final copy-edit stage. But I was so overwhelmed with some of his pictures, that I actually tweaked a few lines of the text to make it match his drawings. For instance, in the revolving fireplace scene, Owen put a bowler hat on a werewolf carving, and it looked so good I had to write it into the story.

In terms of story process, the illustrations didn’t really support the writing of Monster Bogey per se (aside from the above), because they came at the end. But for the sequel, Monster Stink (due out on August 3^rd 2023), Owen’s style has been very much at the forefront of my mind. I now see Frank, Tiffany and Bogey (the main characters) as the people he has drawn. And I wrote certain scenes thinking about how Owen might portray them. There are some seriously sticky bits in Monster Stink, I’m telling you! And Owen has come up trumps!

What three things would your characters get up to if you let them loose in Paris?

I think Frank and Bogey would head straight to the top of the Eiffel Tower, where Bogey would do an aerial choreography with Paris’ pigeons.

Tiffany would take the slugs to Parc de la Villette, a modern park in the north-east of the city where there are regular circus shows.

Mum would hit the Garnier Opera House and reminisce about when she sang there. And Dad would go straight to the Cinémathèque film museum.

What was the scariest book you read as a child?

I’d have to say, the B.F.G. by Roald Dahl. I was genuinely terrified by the non-friendly giants and what they’d do to Sophie if she got caught.

Anna Brooke

Anna’s writing career started in journalism as a film critic for Time Out Paris and the author of seven travel guidebooks for Frommer’s. She has written for multiple publications, including the Financial Times, The Times and The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, where she was the long-standing Paris expert. Her debut novel, Frank ‘n’ Bogey, was a SCBWI Undiscovered Voices winner and longlisted for the Bath Children’s Novel Award. When not writing, she has been an actress, a cabaret singer and an electro-pop artist, performing on stage and composing songs for films and commercials. Raised in Birmingham and Yorkshire, she now lives in Paris with her French-Canadian husband and son. Author Website: https://www.annabrookewriter.com

Lucy Ann Unwin - The Octopus, Dadu and Me - Author Interview (Q&A) - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Hello and welcome everybody. This week it's time to get acquainted with the debut book written by Lucy Ann Unwin called The Octopus, Dadu and Me. Firstly, what a great book title! The book was published in Jan 2023 by UCLan Publishing. This is the first in a series of interviews introducing a number of new fantastic children's authors and their debut books. Look out for the other interviews in this series and give the authors your support. In the meantime, let's get stuck into another fantastic read of the year. You can purchase a copy of the book HERE! 

1. As a bookseller, how would you describe your debut book to potential new readers?

Well, I have a lot to learn in the ways of bookselling as I’m only just starting out, but it’s about a girl who forms a special bond with an octopus. She becomes convinced she has to set him free from the aquarium so she enlists her lovely friends’ help in a heist mission to rescue him. In the background she’s dealing with a lot of confusion and grief as her beloved dadu — her grandparent — has dementia, and has stopped recognising her. I hope the fun and friendship of the octopus heist balances out her emotional journey with her dadu, which is inevitably a bit sad.

So, if I knew a kid who craved big emotions from their reading…maybe a little cry… I would definitely lead them to The Octopus Dadu and Me. Anyone who enjoyed The Night Animals, Sadé and Her Shadow Beasts, or The Storm Swimmer for example, or a Jaqueline Wilson fan maybe.

I also tried to make the writing quite simple and accessible, and Lucy Mulligan’s wonderful comic strips add space in the narrative. I think there are plenty of kids who are emotionally mature and want to engage with big feelings, but also want a pacy, accessible read.

2. Are octopuses really psychic? If so, what is the most exciting prediction they have made?

Ah, if only! I guess there’s still a lot we don’t know about octopuses, so I still hold out hope they have abilities that are, as yet, unproven — even if there’s no evidence at the moment that they're psychic.

That said… I was always utterly intrigued by Paul, potentially the world’s most famous octopus? At the time of the 2010 World Cup Paul was said to be able to predict the outcome of matches. His owners would give him boxes with food in, each labelled with the flag of a team in an upcoming match, and Paul would have to choose which box to eat from. He got 8 out of 8 match predictions right — so you can draw your own conclusions!!! Paul gets a namecheck in The Octopus, Dadu and Me, of course.

3. Apparently, octopuses have three hearts. What three important pieces of advice/support have you had that helped you to write this book?

Writing wise, I take most of my advice from the internet…Twitter can be a great teacher! (As well as the opposite, of course.) I had a couple of quotes from authors on Post-It notes attached to my monitor to see me through.

One is a classic Kurt Vonnegut: “Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.”

The other is a quote from The Minaturist author Jessie Burton about first drafts: “If the layering and nuance isn’t there, why would it be? You’ve only written it once.”

The first really helped me bring every character to life, and the second kept me going through each edit.

And then another piece of advice that I continue to find incredibly helpful came from the brilliant children’s author Sally Nicholls. She was talking on Twitter about getting in the habit of “Filling Your Cup” creatively, suggesting that you have to go out and experience life and art as part of your creative process. This was so helpful, not just because it's a great idea, but also because it gave me permission to step away from the laptop and know it was helping my writing. I still find that hard, but I’m working on it.

4. How did you visualise your fantasy aquarium in the story?

The aquarium in the book is actually pretty closely modelled on my local Sea Life centre in Brighton, which is the world’s oldest aquarium! It has the most beautiful Victorian Arcade when you first walk in, with soaring arches all lit up in rainbow colours and the tanks set in the side of the walls. The opening scene of the book pretty much describes the moment in real life when the book was conceived. I was sat at the same little table my main character Sashi is sat at in Chapter 1, looking at the same octopus, when the idea for the story started to take hold. So, I didn’t have to draw very deeply on my visualisation skills!

A lot of details beyond that are different though. For one thing, the characters have to try and work out how to break in to the aquarium, as well as how to access the tanks, and I wasn’t particularly keen on giving ideas about how to break into a real building! So, the rest is all made up to fit what was needed for the plot.

5. One of the characters in the book has dementia, at what point did you decide to include this illness in the story and why?

I’ve thought a lot about this since The Octopus, Dadu and Me was published, and I genuinely don’t know the answer. Dadu had dementia all along, it wasn’t something I introduced. Although in the first draft his relationship with Sashi was much less developed. It was only when I started to edit during the Covid lockdown — when children being separated from their grandparents was on my mind — that I started adding in the flashbacks and really trying to deepen and share their bond a bit more. But as to why he had dementia, I don’t have a good answer. My own Nan, who I was very devoted to as a child, developed Alzheimers when I was in my teens, so I’m sure that must have subconsciously filtered into it somewhere along the line.

6. Having been a music journalist, does this book have a music playlist? If so, what would it feature?

I find it so hard to listen to music while I write! Certainly nothing with words. I have a Spotify playlist of lots of non-vocal tracks that powered me through the writing and editing process… some Bicep and The Comet is Coming and lots of old trip-hop and dubstep.

But when we had the book launch my family tried to put together a little playlist that represented the book. My daughter chose Head Up by The Score to represent Sashi’s emotional struggle, my husband went with the classic link and picked The Beatles' Octopus's Garden, I personally think Radiohead’s Weird Fishes is perfect. The lyrics really connect with Sashi and Ian’s relationship and eye-to-eye connection. (I’ll skip over the getting “picked over by the worms” bit!!)

Here are some of the lyrics:
In the deepest ocean
The bottom of the sea
Your eyes
They turn me
Why should I stay here?
Why should I stay?

I'd be crazy not to follow
Follow where you lead.
…
Everybody leaves
If they get the chance
And this is my chance

So if I had to sum up the book in a song, it would be that one. Also, it’s my favourite song so any excuse!

On a side note, I picked Harry Styles Music for a Sushi Restaurant for an “unboxing video” I made when my author copies arrived in the post — because it’s an EPIC song — but it only occurred to me writing this how dark that is!!! Eek.

7. Who and what are the key influences of this story?

I think, like all writers, I’m influenced by everything! The weather, an article in the paper, a snatch of overheard conversation, a million subconscious currents…. I mentioned earlier that the Covid lockdown was a big influence, and it really was. It was heartbreaking to see close, tactile grandparent relationships being moved online or worse. There’s a lot of my mum in there. And, writing-wise, I think I’m influenced by every book I’ve ever read, but also by movies. I went through a phase of re-watching a lot of the films of my childhood, so there’s more than a little Free Willy in there!

8. What do you think the different illustrations bring to the book and story? 

Ah, I love the illustrations so much! The last one makes me cry every time I see it. Lucy Mulligan really did an excellent job. And they’re so crucial to the story! I was very nervous before I saw them, because they don’t just illustrate what is described in the narrative, the comic strips contain key plot points. Without the illustrations, the story wouldn’t make any sense.

The comic panels were always in the book from the first draft. Sashi is a comic artist, and she processes all her emotions through drawing, so when she’s convinced she’s communicating with the octopus Ian, it’s through her drawing that the communications happen.

I also really hope they provide a light touch. There are some big emotions in The Octopus Dadu and Me and I think the graphic sections give the reader a chance to slow down a bit as they take in all the visual information. Hopefully that change of pace allows them a little breather to process their own emotions too.

9. What would Ian say about you (as the writer) and did he predict any part of the story?

Well, Ian always knew the ending, but that’s his own little secret and to share that would be a bit of a spoiler! I love Lucy Mulligan’s first comic strip in the book where Sashi tries to imagine what’s going on in Ian’s head and the final panel says “You have NO IDEA what I’m thinking!” So I’m just going to project, and say Ian would be very happy that we’ve shared so many fascinating facts about this amazing species!

10. What is your favourite place you have visited recently?

I don’t leave my dark little writing room very frequently, but we went camping for a few days in Norfolk last summer and spent some time stomping along the tidal flats… the landscape was so fascinating. They’d apparently had a very high tide recently and the footpaths were encrusted with thousands of tiny crabs. There were swallows darting everywhere and you could see for miles. I absolutely loved it, it felt like the perfect setting for a story… and then I recently read Wilder by Penny Chrimes set on marshland and it brought it all to life perfectly!