Mr Ripley's Interview with Andrew Guile - The Amazing Adventures of Skinny Finny and Super Spy Wobblebottom: The Mad Moon Mission

This is the second book by Andrew Guile involving Skinny Finny and his sidekick brother, Tubby. It's a crazy adventure that will make you laugh your socks off. It is a magically illustrated fantasy affair that everyone will love, regardless of age. To tempt you all to read it, I have asked the author a range of questions regarding the book and his writing career. I hope that you enjoy this interview and it will grab you enough to pick up this book and read it. 


The Amazing Adventures of Skinny Finny and Super Spy Wobblebotton is out now. Grab a copy in your flying superhero cape. 

Who do you think will love reading The Amazing Adventures of Skinny Finny and Super Spy Wobblebottom: The Mad Moon Mission?

I would hazard a guess at boys between 8-12 years old. Skinny Finny dreams up all sorts of crazy gadgets and boys often like that sort of thing. I do hope that girls read the book too. I specifically chose to introduce a female viewpoint character in this book for this very reason so I do hope it works!

A good villain is hard to write, how did you get in touch with your inner villain(s) to write this book?

I think, if we are honest, we all have a dark side though most of us are good at keeping it hidden. From an author perspective, I suspect it comes down to honesty. If you’ve taken the time to look critically at yourself over your lifetime, you’ll find it easier to tap into the more negative, villainous side of your own personality. I think I’m pretty good at that. I think though that all authors are bound to be influenced by what they have read and watched over the years too, that’s inevitable I guess. I also just try to put myself in the mind of the villain and think of things they can say and do that children would find alarming. I promise though that I have never held any children down and dripped lemon juice in their eyes! Not yet, anyway.

Of all the characters you have created, which is your favourite and why?

I think it’s probably Tubby. Sir Mimsey Parpington definitely has the best name but I have a real soft spot for Tubby. He’s accident prone and is never going to join MENSA but he views the world through rose-tinted glasses and it gives him I’m a vulnerable appeal. He also has a very clear moral compass that his brother could benefit from understanding better.

What inspirations do you think helped to make this book happen?

I began telling stories to my children many years ago. We used to make up stories together, using two or three words each and moving round in a circle with the next person adding their 2-3 words to the story before passing on to the next person, etc. That was great fun and produced some hilarious and bizarre stories. That morphed into me just making stories up myself and Skinny Finny was born. He was named after a kid I went to school with and ‘Wobblebottom’ was a phrase I pinched from Blackadder the Third. I made it into a name and then had Curt Walstead design him.

In the book there are over 150 brilliant black and white illustrations, how did the illustrations come about in the book? 

I always wanted it to be illustrated. I found Curt Walstead on Elance.com (now Upwork.com) and he pitched for the job alongside four or five others. He stood out over all the rest. I was very lucky to find him as he has a great pedigree having worked as an illustrator for Dora the Explorer, Diego and Baby Looney Tunes in California. He specializes in character development and I couldn’t be more delighted with his work.

Which scene in the book made you laugh the hardest?

Definitely the scene in Windsor Castle near the start of the book where Skinny Finny tells Tubby that he’ll do his duty and kick Tubby between the legs if Queen Elizabeth won’t. It’s the earnest way in which Skinny Finny tells it and the fact that Tubby takes him seriously. And then the punch line with the Kit Kat a little later on. It’s perhaps slightly more adult humour than child humour but I think it’s always a good idea for gags to hit different levels. Quite a few children will, I imagine, have the book read to them. It’s wise to entertain the adults too!

What tactics do you have and use when writing? (outline or do you just write)

I am definitely a planner. I can’t start writing the first draft until I have a chapter sketch mapped out. I need to know where the story is going and what the character arcs are going to be, etc. I love that development period where anything is possible.

How did you break into publishing? Tell us about the process you were involved in? 

I have been wanting to write for many years. I have read countless books about the craft and have been on many, many courses and workshops. Being a planner though, I didn’t want to start anything until I felt I knew what I was doing. That time of enlightenment coincided with the desire to write and publish a Skinny Finny story for my three children before they got too old. That came in 2013. I primarily self-published the Crazy Christmas Caper via Amazon.

The Mad Moon Mission is the second book that follows the antics of Skinny Finny and Super Spy Wobblebottom. For this second outing I used Troubador (Matador) who are a self publishing company. I used all aspects of their service including copy editing, typesetting and proofreading prior to publication. I also had an editor, Bella Pearson who helped me with the story structure. She was fantastic and has a great pedigree of her own having previously worked with Phillip Pullman.

Do you remember the first story you ever read and the impact it had on you?

Looking back, my earliest memories are of my reading books for school. I remember one in particular where the cover image was of two massive pillars at the end of a spooky driveway that leads down towards a derelict mansion. The pillars had gargoyles sat atop them and the story describes how these stone beasts come to life. Amazing! I have always been drawn to fantasy books and sci-fi. I just love the escapism. I can’t imagine writing a story that doesn’t have some element of sci-fi or fantasy.

What are you working on next?

I have stepped away from Skinny Finny for my next book. I’m working on a middle-grade fantasy adventure story. Tim’s life is changed forever when he, his best friend and his sister, find a portal to a world ravaged by warring dragons while on holiday in Cornwall. There he betrays his friend and is forced to face his own fears in order to redeem himself and rescue his friend from the evil Queen and find a way back home. It will focus on similar themes of family and friendship. 

I’m writing this new story while attending the Golden Egg Foundation Course. I’ve sort of gone back to school I suppose! Golden Egg was set up by the great Barry Cunningham (the man who discovered J.K. Rowling) to develop and nurture children’s writers. It’s an amazing course that’s really helping me improve my writing further and I’m really excited for what I may next have in print.

Website: https://andrewguilecom.wordpress.com

Andrew Guile - The Amazing Adventures of Skinny Finny and Super Spy Wobblebottom: The Mad Moon Mission - Book Review

Ten-year-old Skinny Finny and his twin brother, Tubby, are beginning a new life in London when their arch enemy, the evil Dr Buttscratcher, and his shadowy sidekick begin terrorising unsuspecting joggers and the elderly. Skinny Finny's hopes for a 'normal' life are shattered as he is set on a collision course with Dr Buttscratcher and his crazy plans for world domination. Will Skinny Finny join forces once again with the British Agent, Super Spy Wobblebottom? And who is the dastardly doctor's mysterious new apprentice? With over 150 black and white illustrations throughout, The Amazing Adventures of Skinny Finny and Super Spy Wobblebottom is a funny, enthralling and humorous tale for children aged 7 and over. This explosive children's book guarantees high adventure and hilarious mayhem for the enjoyment of all young readers.

Are you ready to enter the world of Skinny Finny? 

You only need to look at the book cover, which has been fantastically illustrated by Curt Walstead, to know that you are in for a crazy time. This is a story that will gather you up into a madcap caper and transport you to a place of laughter and comical humour. It will hit you on so many levels that it will definitely be loved by any age group, and any reader, who has a good sense of humour. 

One thousand feet high and the Shard (London) is the starting point for this brilliant story. There you are thrust into the lives of Skinny Finny and his whimsical twin brother, Tubby, along with his rather mysterious and strange family. You will be rocketed into a fantasy action-adventure full of zany shenanigans and a fiendish plot. You will find yourself flying into space on a mysterious futuristic spacecraft, that will rattle your fantasy teeth into orbit, and back again, but with the Queen of England!

The story is full of complex and crazy characters doing, and saying, silly things at any given moment, especially in times of danger. My favourite character is Super Spy Wobblebottom; he is just brilliantly well written and full of comical style. He is very distinctive, for a hero type character, and not typical at all. You will certainly remember him for a very long time to come, as he runs around in his own slapstick caper that will make you chortle. With his over-active personality, a cracking aura (his big bottom) and his rather outlandish behaviour and crazy actions, you will soon find yourself giggling like a school boy.    

I really loved every minute of this book. I was fully absorbed into this fantasy world - part reality and part nonsense. You walk the tightrope of danger, with quirky monsters of fur, and the biggest set of teeth that you are ever likely to see. Every page, and every chapter, is one big dollop of crazy imagination. It delivers a high-octane adventure which is full of mayhem and mischief. It's very cool, fun and will appeal to kids who love to be absorbed in a story that visually feels straight out of the pages of a comic book. 

This is one of my favourite reads so far this year, as it is original and very stupid. However, it also tackles the themes of good versus evil and develops empathy with the characters. It is all wrapped up with sci-fi goodness and a fantastic feel good factor ending, what more could you ever want?


This book needs to be tracked down, in my opinion, and read. However, there might be some difficulty in finding it in any big chain bookshop, but go and search it out and give it a try as you will not be disappointed. Published by Matador 11th January 2017.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books Recommendation: James King - Jungle Jim and the Shadows of Kinabalu

I just wanted to highlight this book from last year, as I really loved it and wanted to take this opportunity to recommend it to you all. It has everything required, and more, in an extremely good read. It is:

• Fast paced;
• Action packed and non-stop; 
• A wild jungle and very descriptive; 
• Superhero, cool characters, monsters and bad villains;
• Dark, mysterious and engaging plot;
• Monsters, myths and madness;
• Middle Grade Read 9+.

It has absolutely everything needed to make this an amazing read, so make sure that you check out the synopsis below.  If it sounds like your kind of book then please track a copy down and help a fantastic debut author on his way. Buy Book Here

‘Jungle’ Jim swings into action in his first exciting adventure, as the superpowered simian tries to shed some light on the mysterious Shadows of Kinabalu. In this hilarious modern spin on the timeless werewolf myth, young ice-hockey star, ‘Jungle’ Jim Regent travels to Borneo looking for lost love and adventure, getting more than he bargained for after he is cursed by a tribe of mysterious Iban Headhunters. Now, whenever the moon turns orange, he transforms into an eight-foot-tall, walking, talking orangutan! He’s not a werewolf, he’s a werangutan. He’s not a monster, but an Ancient Protector of Borneo – and the world beyond.

The cursed Jim now finds himself living the double life of a superhero as he battles the forces of the Shadow Emperor, an evil overlord who has been dragged into our universe by the reckless Dark Matter experiments of the mad scientist Doctor Gila. These diabolical villains command their army of Dark Matter Shadows from the ruins of a top-secret US government laboratory buried deep beneath the mighty Mount Kinabalu. 

But Jim is not alone in his battle against the darkness. Fighting alongside him is an oddball group of friends and colleagues: Rufus McFly, a young academic whose expert knowledge of ancient civilisations is invaluable to Jim; Ruthie Moo, a beautiful and resourceful British Secret Agent, and Jim’s childhood sweetheart, Sengalang, the ancient shaman of the Iban Headhunters; Wira, a highly intelligent baby orangutan fully trained in espionage; and a team of specially trained monkeys!

This band of unlikely heroes must survive a crazy, colourful, ancient, dangerous world, where nothing is what it seems and where everything, from the other-dimensional bad guys to the creepy crawlies, are out to get you. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Griselda Heppel - The Tragickall History of Henry Fowst - Book Review

In the shadows of Walton Hall a demon lurks. His name: Mephistopheles. In 1586, young John Striven struck a bargain with him in return for help against his murderous foster brother. Nice work for a demon - or it should have been. Because somehow, his plan to trap the 12-year-old went wrong. All he needs now is another soul, in similar desperation, to call on him. Enter 13 year-old Henry Fowst. A pupil at Northwell School, Henry longs to win the Northwell History Essay Prize. Exploring the school's sixteenth century library, he stumbles across the diary of a boy his own age beginning this 20th day of Januarie, 1586...Soon Henry is absorbed in John Striven's struggles with his jealous foster-brother, Thomas Walton, who, it seems, will stop at nothing to be rid of him. Then matters take a darker turn. Battling to escape his own enemy, Henry finds his life beginning to imitate John's and when the diary shows John summoning 'an Angellick Spirit' to his aid, Henry eagerly tries the same. Unfortunately, calling up Mephistopheles lands both boys in greater danger than they'd ever bargained for...

It is very pleasing to read another Matador book that deserves such a publishing pedigree. I have read so many books recently that have not cut the mustard, so to speak. However, this book really engaged me from the very first page. It is inspired by Marlowe's Doctor Faustus and is based on the idea of a man selling his soul and making a pact with the devil in exchange for knowledge and power. It's a really great concept and one that captured my instant attention. It was a joy to explore this theme with the author - anything can happen and it surely does in this strange tale of demons and darkness. 

The plot has so much to offer the reader. I personally don't think that you will regret picking up a copy and giving it a wild chance. It's mostly set in modern-day times, but it does skip back and forth to the sixteenth century. A particular part of the story that really grabbed me was the imposing building that has been used as a library over time. The brooding supernatural darkness that it created engulfed me. It will certainly leave you with a feeling that you are sitting in that same library reading your favourite scary book, whilst being overlooked by a demon or two. 

As you skip in time from the past to the present you'll need to fit together the individual pieces of each story strand together. Will the story end with Henry's downfall or will he find redemption? This is a question that you will be asking throughout the frought and dangerous adventure. 

The book is told from three view points as well as the readings of a long lost and ancient diary from 1586. This helps to connect both the characters and the times throughout history together. In fact, I thought that this aspect worked really well. 

Mephistopheles is the star of the show, in my opinion. He is really deadpan. A demon derived from German folklore, he is very malevolent; he thrives and feeds off boy's misery. Henry has many ongoing choices to make which makes the story a real thinking read for 11 year olds to get their teeth stuck into. 

There are some light-hearted moments with some slightly silly times that change the mood of the story and provide another aspect. However, it is mostly overcast based around themes of bullying, entrapment and dark magical spells. Everything is deep rooted in jealously. It will certainly keep you hooked until the very last page is turned. 

This story has a great folklore storytelling feel that is filled with intensity. You will be looking out of the corner of your eye to see whether anything is lurking beyond your vision. This is a recommended treat to read, especially around halloween time or after dark. It will certainly give you goose bumps from head to toe.

Gary Knowelden - The Wreckers - Book Recommendation

‘We have to save the Island Queen! We have to stop them – my parents are on that ship.’
Despite the stormiest weather he can remember, Edward is looking forward to his holiday with his parents in Cornwall. They are staying with his elderly aunt in a large old house by the sea. From the photos he has seen of the place, Edward is sure that the house could well be haunted – or at the very least there might be secret tunnels and passages hidden behind the wooden panelled walls. Either way, it is sure to be fun exploring the old house. 

But he does not have to wait until he reaches his aunt’s house for odd things to happen. His parents are delayed and he has to travel alone on the train. A spooky incident at the station, strange happenings on the train and a bizarre lamp-lit boat ride along dark flooded lanes are just the beginning of a holiday he will never forget. 

What starts off as fun when he meets the ghosts of a young girl and her pet cat soon becomes something far more sinister and dangerous. Edward and his new friends are caught up in a life and death race to save the ship his parents are travelling to Cornwall on from becoming the latest victim of an evil band of undead pirates. 

A wild chase on jet skis along flooded lanes and a struggle to the death on top of the church tower, backlit by the lightning of the worst storm in living memory, all leads to the thrilling finale. Edward, Bruce the grumpy Scottish terrier, Lucy and Sam must work together to stop The Wreckers – and Bruce must escape the clutches of Su Lu, a besotted Vietnamese pot-bellied pig. 

The Wreckers is a gripping work of children’s adventure fiction that will appeal 
to children aged 8-12 years old. 

Publication Date 1st January 2013 - Troubador Publishing