Guest Post by Oliver Thiermann - What Changes Await Self-Published Authors in 2017?

What Changes Await Self-Published Authors in 2017? 

It seems like everyone has a story to tell these days, doesn’t it? It’s great for the art, don't get me wrong, but with all the crazy competition out there, getting published has become a literal nightmare. With the traditional route of securing a book deal almost out of the question, self-publishing has become a great option. This tends to be especially true, for new and upcoming authors. Also, the whole self-publishing process is getting easier and easier, with the passing of each year. We are at the point now where there is so much help out there, that it’s become almost counterproductive not to give self-publishing a try. 

Just look at the success some indie sci-fi and fantasy authors have had in recent years. Andy Weir's “The Martian” hit it out of the park with his movie adaptation. Recently, Ridley Scott also bought the rights to the self-published sci-fi novel, Wool, by Hugh C. Howey. And how could I miss Amanda Hocking, who made millions from her self-published fantasy series? Trust me there are a lot of stories like these. I guess the point I’m trying to make, is that self-publishing can end up being a great option for indie authors. 

Some will say the picture might not as pretty as the one I’ve painted for you however. According to Nielsen, e-book sales dropped by almost 16% last year. Also, over the last two years, we’ve seen some big players in the self-publishing arena such as Oyster, close their doors. 

And yet, there’s some good news. Many established self-publishing trends continued their rise. The line between traditional and self-publishing keeps getting thinner and thinner. Last year saw tremendous growth in the numbers of 'hybrid' authors who explored both sides. Not only that, but many writers who took publishing deals returned to self-publishing. Hybrid authors tend to earn the most money as well. According to a survey by Digital Book world, the median income of a hybrid author was between $7,500 to $9,999. (£6,200 to £8.200). This was better than both traditional or indie authors. Hence, the notion that traditional publishing is only way to make significant sales, continues to lose ground. 


                                        Predictions for 2017 

There were a lot of new things that happened in the self-publishing industry during the last year, however the formula for success seems to have remained mostly unchanged. One strategy that continues to effective, is the pre-order strategy. Although most authors fail to take advantage of this, it continues to be effective. 

Another trend that is predicted to be robust, is the popularity of targeted subgenres. Average ebook prices are also expected to hold steady with many of the top self-published titles costing between 2.50 – 5.00. Additionally, quite a few authors, especially in the fantasy genre, continue build their respective audiences by giving out the first book in a series for free.

Most people these days also read on their phones or tablets, where short pieces tend to work better. Data from Wattpad confirmed this trend. They found that almost 90% of their users engaged with the site, via their mobile phones. 

Amazon's Kindle Unlimited will also probably continue to expand in the coming year. It’s value to authors however is questionable, and many bestselling titles will continue not to enroll in the program. 

One very big change that could prove to be a boon for self-published authors is Amazon’s decision to move into the traditional brick and mortar space. The effect that this will have on the self-publishing space however, has yet to be seen. Many of Amazon’s brick and mortar stores have yet to integrate any kind indie presence in their catalog of physical titles (excluding of course big name authors who have gone the hybrid route). That being said, these stores could become a godsend for indie authors, if Amazon ever does decide to dedicate shelf space to self-published writers. Amazon opened its first store in Seattle, in November of 2015 and many stores are expected to follow.


Getting exposure will continue to be a big challenge for indie authors. 

Let’s face it, while the self-publishing business is full of opportunity, it is also becoming a very crowded space. As a result, exposure, and audience development are going to be the some of the biggest challenges to confront new and emerging authors. Now more than ever, authors will have to start connecting with their readership early on. In addition to this, authors will also need to continue to go out of their way to engage with their readers. Expect to see polls, forums and newsletters, become key elements in the modern author's arsenal. But keep in mind with these challenges, come new opportunities. Polls and forums can just as easily be used to validate key story ideas and book cover decisions. Also by giving their audience the opportunity to shape or influence a story arc, authors can drive up reader loyalty, and keep their audience engaged during the writing process. 

One thing’s for sure, while self-publishing is filled with its fair share of pitfalls, it also comes with its rewards. It’s because of those rewards, that many experts believe the industry is going to grow in the coming years. Some of the effects of this growth can already be seen. Every day, self-published indie authors continue to win over skeptics, and the legitimacy of self-publishing will continue to be recognized by more readers as time goes on.

Thank you for a great post, this is a very interesting and inciteful read. Oliver Thiermann is the founder and CEO at theArcShapeR. Team leader by day and content creator by night, he always keeps an eye out for innovative ways to bring readers and writers together. Ollie is also an epic nerd, who hungers for all things Fantasy and Sci-Fi related.

Robert J. Harris - Artie Conan Doyle and the Gravediggers' Club (Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries) - Book Review

One day Arthur Conan Doyle will create the greatest detective of all -- Sherlock Holmes. But right now Artie Conan Doyle is a twelve-year-old Edinburgh schoolboy with a mystery of his own to solve. While sneaking out to explore Greyfriars Kirkyard by night, Artie and his best friend Ham spot a ghostly lady in grey and discover the footprints of a gigantic hound. Could the two mysteries be connected? These strange clues lead them to a series of robberies carried out the sinister Gravediggers' Club and soon they find themselves pitted against the villainous Colonel Braxton Dash. Will Artie survive his encounters with graveyards and ghosts in the foggy streets of nineteenth century Edinburgh -- or will his first case be his last?

Robert J. Harris, author of the brilliant The World Goes Loki series, has now exploded onto the middle-grade fantasy scene with another new series entitled Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries. The first book in the series is "The Gravediggers' Club" which was published by Floris books on the 16th February 2017. As soon as you turn the page, you find yourself instantly transported back to 19th century Edinburgh, where it is swirling with fog, danger and a slight hint of bagpipes playing in the background. 

Welcome Artie Conan Doyle onto the stage with his friend and sidekick in tow, Ham.You will love Ham's laid back character and the way he deals with the danger and on-going adventure. He would rather be somewhere else where it is warm, safe and allows him to eat cakes, rather than a spooky graveyard late at night with a howling beast or a spooky apparition scaring him witless! As you'll be able to tell, he is very reluctant to engage in the mystery that suddenly smacks them in the face. 

The adventure follows Artie's suspicions around the young trainee doctor lodging at their house who is up to no good. It's a very easy-going story to follow with a mystery to solve. It is full of action and brings together an eclectic cast of characters to give it some Scottish charm. It reflects the time and period very well through the reality of sickness/poverty and the hardships family faced at that period in time. The setting and backdrop are very well written. They enable you to recognise aspects of the city as well as get a brilliant feel for the story. 

The villain of the story, Colonel Braxton Dash, has a great name but he did not quite live up to his reputation. In my opinion, he needed more dark deeds to heighten the tension and develop his character. A little extra side story would have turned this into a dark macabre story and made the reader sit up a little more and take notice. 

This is a very enjoyable detective story consisting of some brilliant dialogue. It has a fantastic ending which makes a good impression for the rest of the series.  

Christopher Edge: Guest Post - Top 3 Inspirations Behind The Jamie Drake Equation - #WorldBookDay Post

Happy World Book Day everybody. Today will also see the publication of Christopher Edge's latest novel The Jamie Drake Equation. It will spread its wings and fly off, courtesy of Nosy Crow, and can be found in all good book shops today. I recently read and reviewed this book and really loved it, so see what I had to say about this book in my review HERE. Anyway, I would like to welcome Christopher to Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books blog to talk about the inspiration behind his book. 

No book tumbles from the mind of its author without a spark of inspiration to send it on its way. Here are the top 3 inspirations behind my new book, The Jamie Drake Equation. 

E.T. 
The Jamie Drake Equation is about a ten-year-old boy called Jamie whose dad is an astronaut on the International Space Station getting ready to launch humanity’s first interstellar mission in search of alien life. Perhaps the most-famous fictional alien ever created is Steven Spielberg’s E.T. I remember my older brother taking me to watch this movie at our local cinema and craning my neck from our front-row seats as this spellbinding film of first contact unfolded on the screen. But more than being just a film about aliens, E.T. is a story about friendship, family and the impact of his parents’ divorce on Elliot. And in The Jamie Drake Equation, Jamie’s encounter with a strange message from the stars is the start of his realisation that his family life isn’t as perfect as he thought.

Astronauts 
Last year I had the honour of hearing the Canadian astronaut, Commander Chris Hadfield, speak at the Emirates Festival of Literature in Dubai. He spoke about his childhood dreams, of humanity’s greatest achievements, the wonders of the universe and the power of inspiration. “It begins with the spark of an idea,” he said, “It begins with literature.” Powerful words for any author to hear!

I saw for myself the inspiration that space exploration can spark when my son and daughter both rushed home from primary school, buzzing with excitement after taking part in the Cosmic Classroom live link with Commander Tim Peake onboard the International Space Station. And as we sat together to watch the ISS soar through the night sky, the story of The Jamie Drake Equation started to take shape in my mind. 

David Bowie 
I first heard David Bowie’s music on a mixtape that a friend made for me when I was seventeen, ‘Life on Mars’ nestling between Syd Barrett and the Smiths. And from the moment the piano intro played and Bowie started singing of the girl with the mousy hair, I was entranced. Working as a Saturday boy in Our Price Music, I quickly schooled myself in David Bowie’s back catalogue: Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Diamond Dogs, Young Americans, Low, Let’s Dance... until the record-buying public of Bolton rose up in protest and demanded I started playing Right Said Fred instead. 

From Space Oddity to Blackstar, David Bowie’s music has always been written in the stars, his lyrics slipping free from Earth’s gravity to explore science fiction themes, loving the alien and giving a voice to the alienated. David Bowie died while I was writing The Jamie Drake Equation, but in my mind his music was the soundtrack for key scenes in the story. I talked about the book soundtrack I created for The Jamie Drake Equation with Chris Hawkins on BBC 6 Music and you can listen to the interview Here. And if you’d like to see which scenes Bowie’s songs soundtracked, you can listen to the chapter-by-chapter soundtrack Here. 

So these are a few of the inspirations behind The Jamie Drake Equation: aliens, astronauts and a singer made of stardust.

Synopsis: How amazing would it be to have a dad who's an astronaut? Rocket launches, zero gravity, and flying through space like a superhero! Jamie Drake's dad is orbiting the Earth in the International Space Station and Jamie ought to think it's cool but he just really misses him...Hanging out at his local observatory, Jamie picks up a strange signal on his phone. It looks like alien life is getting closer to home. But space is a dangerous place and when his dad's mission goes wrong, can Jamie prove that he's a hero too? A cosmic adventure for anyone who's ever looked at the stars, from the author of The Many Worlds of Albie Bright. Cover illustration by Matt Saunders.





Website:www.christopheredge.co.uk

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Young Adult Book Picks February 2017 - US Published Post Two

Heidi Heilig - The Ship Beyond Time - Published by Greenwillow Books (February 28, 2017) - Hardback - 978-0062380784

Nix has spent her whole life journeying to places both real and imagined aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. And now it’s finally time for her to take the helm. Her future lies bright before her—until she learns that she is destined to lose the one she loves. 

Desperate to change her fate, Nix sails her crew to a mythical utopia to meet another Navigator who promises to teach her how to manipulate time. But everything in this utopia is constantly changing, and nothing is what it seems. Not even her relationship with Kash: best friend, thief, charmer extraordinaire. 

Heidi Heilig weaves fantasy, history, and romance together to tackle questions of free will, fate, and what it means to love another person. At the center of this adventure are extraordinary, complicated, and multicultural characters who leap off the page, and an intricate, recognizable world that has no bounds. This sequel—and conclusion—to The Girl from Everywhere includes five black-and-white maps of historical and mythical locations. Fans of Rachel Hartman, Rae Carson, and Outlander will be swept away.

Tricia Levenseller - Daughter of the Pirate King - Feiwel & Friends (February 28, 2017) Hardback - 978-1250095961

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I've gotten what I came for. 

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map―the key to a legendary treasure trove―seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

In Daughter of the Pirate King, debut author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling YA pirate tale.

L. E. DeLano - Traveler - Published by Swoon Reads (February 7, 2017) Paperback - 978-1250100405

Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all cupcakes, pirates, and fantasy lifestyles - Jessa is dying over and over again in every reality, and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it… This Jessa is going to live.

Arwen Elys Dayton - Disruptor (Seeker) - Published by Delacorte Press (February 7, 2017) - Hardback - 978-0385744119

For readers of Sarah J. Maas and of Marie Lu’s Legend trilogy comes Disruptor, the sequel to Traveler, the thrilling conclusion to the Seeker series.

“Readers of the first two volumes will find their long-awaited conclusion here, and Dayton will have found fans for life.” -Booklist
   Quin has spent her life as her father’s pawn. She was trained to kill and manipulated to guarantee her family’s power. And now that she’s broken free of that life, she’s found herself trapped again, hostage to a plot that has been centuries in the making.
   It’s taken generations for the pieces to come together, and finally all is in place. Her best friend Shinobu’s mind has been corrupted, the Young Dread has aligned with her enemy John, and the bloodthirsty Watchers are being awakened and gathered. Now there is nothing that can stop the force of time.
   But Quin will no longer be a pawn. Quin is a Seeker. She stands for light in a shadowy world. She will face the vengeance of the past and its enemies and save herself and the ones she loves, or she will die trying. 

                                                                                    

Book News World Book Day is 20 years old in 2017 - World Book Day YA Event Waterstones London- 1st March 2017

World Book Day is 20 years old in 2017, and we are celebrating with an extravaganza of a day on Thursday 2nd March 2017. 

Waterstones Piccadilly, 203 - 206 Piccadilly, London W1J 9HD - : 01 March 2017 @ 5.30 - 6.30pm

As part of the Biggest Book 

Show on Earth tour, we are hosting a special YA event on the eve of World Book Day, 1st March 2017.

Joining us will be David Almond and Michael Grant, authors of World Book Day £1 books Island and Dead of Nightrespectively; presenter and DJ Gemma Cairney whose debut Open is released in March; and author, vlogger and musical actress Carrie Hope Fletcher as chair.

The group will discuss their favourite books; where, when and how they read; the books they are currently working on; and give the audience book recommendations. After the event, there will be an opportunity to redeem £1 World Book Day tokens, meet the authors, get your books signed – and take selfies, of course!

Come join the booky fun! Tickets are free but to reserve a ticket, please click here

By: David Almond

Each year, sixteen-year old Louise travels with her father to the island of Lindisfarne. It’s a holiday, but also a pilgrimage to the place Louise’s mother loved best of all in the whole world. This year things are changing and the beautiful and haunted island is a troubled place. Louise is growing fast, and is yearning for independence. Her father becomes infatuated by an American tourist. And they arrive at the same time as Hassan, a mysterious boy from Syria, who fascinates Louise. He seems to have known this place from long ago, and to be at home here. He’s an acrobat, maybe a sorcerer, maybe a source of great danger. The gang of boys who live in the island’s wilder places want to cast him out.

Over the course of a few days, the forces of love, death, hope and destruction move these characters towards a deeper understanding of themselves and the world. This is a story which shows how the journeys we take and the people we meet shape us forever.

By: Michael Grant

Rio Richlin doesn’t have superpowers. She is an ordinary young woman. A soldier in the American army, wearing a uniform, carrying a rifle, and fighting alongside thousands who are trying to make a difference, trying to change the world.

At least, that’s the plan. Right now she’s part of a squad on a training exercise in some place called Wales. They’re cold, they’re wet, and Rio’s pretty sure they’re also lost. Spending the night in a creepy old inn wasn’t part of the plan at all…

Set in the alternative World War II scenario of his Front Lines novels, Michael Grant, author of the bestselling Gone series, has written this story exclusively for World Book Day.

Find out more: http://www.worldbookday.com

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

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Middle-Grade Book Picks February 2017 - US Published Post

Amy Ephron - The Castle in the Mist - Published by Philomel Books (February 7, 2017)

Tess and her brother, Max, are sent for the summer to their aunt’s sleepy village in the English countryside, where excitement is as rare as a good wifi signal. So when Tess stumbles upon an old brass key that unlocks an ornately carved gate, attached to a strangely invisible wall, she jumps at the chance for adventure. And the world beyond the gate doesn’t disappoint. She finds rose gardens, a maze made of hedges, and a boy named William who is just as lonely as she is.
 
But at William’s castle, strange things begin to happen. Carnival games are paid for in wishes, dreams seem to come alive, and then there's William's eerie warning: Beware of the hawthorn trees. A warning that chills Tess to the bone.
 
In a magical, fantasy world that blurs the line between reality and imagination, readers are left to wonder exactly what they’d wish for if wishes could come true. Perfect for fans of Half Magic and The Secret Garden—and for anyone who's ever wondered if magic is real.

Caroline Starr Rose - Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine - Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (February 7, 2017)

Hoping to strike it rich, two brothers escape an abusive father and set out on a treacherous journey to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush.
 
Desperate to get away from their drunkard of a father, eleven-year-old Jasper and his older brother Melvin often talk of running away, of heading north to Alaska to chase riches beyond their wildest dreams. The Klondike Gold Rush is calling, and Melvin has finally decided the time to go is now—even if that means leaving Jasper behind. But Jasper has other plans, and follows his brother aboard a steamer as a stowaway.

Onboard the ship, Jasper overhears a rumor about One-Eyed Riley, an old coot who's long since gone, but is said to have left clues to the location of his stake, which still has plenty of gold left. The first person to unravel the clues and find the mine can stake the claim and become filthy rich. Jasper is quick to catch gold fever and knows he and Melvin can find the mine—all they have to do is survive the rough Alaskan terrain, along with the steep competition from the unscrupulous and dangerous people they encounter along the way.

In an endearing, funny, pitch-perfect middle grade voice, Caroline Starr Rose tells another stellar historical adventure young readers will long remember.

Aimée Carter - Simon Thorn and the Viper's Pit - Published by  Bloomsbury USA Childrens (February 7, 2017)

Simon Thorn only recently discovered that he's an Animalgam--one of a secret race who can shift into animals. Now, for the first time in his life Simon has real friends to train and study with at the secret Animalgam Academy. The only missing part is his mother, held captive by his evil grandfather, Orion, who's bent on taking over the animal world. 

To rescue his mom, Simon must head cross-country with his friends, battling rogue Animalgams and their own doubts and torn loyalties along the way. But if Simon's going to succeed, he will need to keep Orion from gathering together the fragments of a terrible weapon, or the lives of everyone Simon loves will be at risk.

With plenty of action and adventure and characters full of heart, this story is perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull.

Kevin Emerson - Last Day on Mars (Chronicle of the Dark Star) - Published by Walden Pond Press (February 14, 2017)

“Last Day on Mars is thrillingly ambitious and imaginative. Like a lovechild of Gravity and The Martian, it's a rousing space opera for any age, meticulously researched and relentlessly paced, that balances action, science, humor, and most importantly, two compelling main characters in Liam and Phoebe. A fantastic start to an epic new series.” —Soman Chainani, New York Times bestselling author of the School for Good and Evil series

“Emerson's writing explodes off the page in this irresistible space adventure, filled with startling plot twists, diabolical aliens, and (my favorite!) courageous young heroes faced with an impossible task.” —Lisa McMann, New York Times bestselling author of the Unwanteds series

It is Earth year 2213—but, of course, there is no Earth anymore. Not since it was burned to a cinder by the sun, which has mysteriously begun the process of going supernova far sooner than anyone expected. The human race has fled to Mars, but this was only a temporary solution while we have prepared for a second trip: a 150-year journey to a distant star, our best guess at where we might find a new home.

Liam Saunders-Chang is one of the last humans left on Mars. The son of two scientists who have been racing against time to create technology vital to humanity’s survival, Liam, along with his friend Phoebe, will be on the last starliner to depart before Mars, like Earth before it, is destroyed. 

Or so he thinks. Because before this day is over, Liam and Phoebe will make a series of profound discoveries about the nature of time and space and find out that the human race is just one of many in our universe locked in a dangerous struggle for survival.

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.

Philip Pullman Unveils Epic fantasy Trilogy The Book of Dust - The Chapter in His Dark Materials

Philip Pullman has been writing the Book of Dust for a very long time. He has been writing it for several years. He has just recently announced the exciting plans for the publication. 

The new trilogy will be called The Book of Dust and the first volume is set to be released in October of this year by David Fickling.  It has been 17 years since the release of The Amber Spyglass, the last of Pullman’s His Dark Materials novels.

The new book will return to the worlds and characters of His Dark Materials, Pullman said, and heroine Lyra will be pivotal to the new story — but not in the way she was before. 

The first thing Philip Pullman has to say is that Lyra is at the centre of the story. Events involving her open the first chapter, and will close the last. I’ve always wanted to tell the story of how Lyra came to be living at Jordan College and, in thinking about it, I discovered a long story that began when she was a baby and will end when she’s grown up. 

This volume and the next will cover two parts of Lyra’s life: starting at the beginning of her story and returning to her 20 years later.

So, second: is it a prequel? Is it a sequel? It’s neither. In fact, The Book of Dust is… an equel. It doesn’t stand before or after His Dark Materials, but beside it. It’s a different story, but there are settings that readers of His Dark Materials will recognise, and characters they’ve met before. Also, of course, there are some characters who are new to us, including an ordinary boy (a boy we have seen in an earlier part of Lyra’s story, if we were paying attention) who, with Lyra, is caught up in a terrifying adventure that takes him into a new world.

Third: why return to Lyra’s world? Dust. 

Questions about that mysterious and troubling substance were already causing strife 10 years before His Dark Materials, and at the centre of The Book of Dust is the struggle between a despotic and totalitarian organisation, which wants to stifle speculation and enquiry, and those who believe thought and speech should be free. The idea of Dust suffused His Dark Materials. Little by little through that story the idea of what Dust was became clearer and clearer, but I always wanted to return to it and discover more. Questions about our existence are infinitely interesting to me. There’s always more to explore.

Philip Pullman 

I started writing as soon as I could hold a pencil. I loved the feeling of making marks on a piece of paper, but it wasn't until some time later that I learned to connect that pleasure with a quite different pleasure, that of being absorbed in a story. Because I loved stories too - every kind of story, from fairy tales to Superman, from school stories to horror stories. As a matter of fact I still do.

What I like about being published by DFB is that David Fickling loves stories too. He first published a book of mine in 1985, and we're both still going, and that book is still in print; so that must say something for my luck. The DFB list is so varied and so full of good stories that I feel very privileged to be part of it.

Actually, I feel lucky just to be doing what I do every day. If I were to go back fifty years, or more, and ask the little boy I used to be what he most wanted to do when he grew up, I think he'd say "Write stories!" In fact, I know he would. So he started, and he never stopped. There'll be more coming soon.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Middle Grade Book Picks (9-12yrs) Feb 2017 - UK Published Post Two

Will Mabbitt/Ross Collins - Mabel Jones and the Doomsday Book - Published by Puffin (9 Feb. 2017)

Would you agree to go on a perilous TOP SECRET mission to save your best friend from the creaking gibbet?

Mabel Jones is on her way to the city of Otom in search of the legendary Doomsday Book - an ancient document that might help her save the hooman race.

But Otom is a dangerous place, packed with soldiers, spies and stinking rebels. Can Mabel escape with the book, or will she fall victim to the dreaded Grand Zhoul . . . ?

The third adventure in the hilarious Mabel Jones series, written by Will Mabbitt and illustrated by Ross Collins.

Trenton Lee Stewart - The Secret Keepers - Published by Chicken House (2 Feb. 2017)

When Reuben discovers an old pocket watch, he soon realizes it holds an incredible power: it can turn you invisible for fifteen minutes. He can't resist the lure of disappearance: for a time, he can vanish from the despotic regime of New Umbra. But the watch's power is even more extraordinary than he imagines. Soon, he's on the run from New Umbra's ruler, The Smoke, who's determined to possess it for himself ...

Ian Beck - The Carmody Casebooks (The Casebooks of Captain Holloway) - Published by Corgi Childrens (2 Feb. 2017)

The Disappearance of Tom Pile 
When bright lights are spotted above a tiny village in Dorset, the locals suspect German bombers. 
Jack Carmody believes otherwise. He is part of a secret government department, set up to explore the supernatural and the unexplained. 

Then a boy – Tom Pile – is discovered, alone and scared.

Tom went missing forty years ago

The Miraculous Return of Annick Garel

One year later two French fishermen see strange lights over the channel – and discover the body of a girl, still alive. 

Annick Garel drowned in a storm thirty years ago. 

Both children have powers that could change the course of the Second World War. Both sides in that war want their secrets

These are two extraordinary stories. 

These are the Casebooks of Jack Carmody.

Alwyn Hamilton - Traitor to the Throne (Rebel of the Sands Trilogy 2) - Published by Faber & Faber (2 Feb. 2017)

This is not about blood or love. This is about treason.

Nearly a year has passed since Amani and the rebels won their epic battle at Fahali. Amani has come into both her powers and her reputation as the Blue-Eyed Bandit, and the Rebel Prince's message has spread across the desert - and some might say out of control. But when a surprise encounter turns into a brutal kidnapping, Amani finds herself betrayed in the cruellest manner possible. 

Stripped of her powers and her identity, and torn from the man she loves, Amani must return to her desert-girl's instinct for survival. For the Sultan's palace is a dangerous one, and the harem is a viper's nest of suspicion, fear and intrigue. Just the right place for a spy to thrive... But spying is a dangerous game, and when ghosts from Amani's past emerge to haunt her, she begins to wonder if she can trust her own treacherous heart.

Ally Kennen - The Everything Machine - Published by Scholastic (2 Feb. 2017)

Eleven year old Olly has a very special delivery - a 3D printing machine, stamped with PROPERTY OF M.O.D and BRITISH SPACE AGENCY. WARNING. DO NOT TAMPER, which has magical powers... It has a name, it speaks, and it can print ANYTHING Olly asks it to - a never-ending supply of sweets, a swimming pool in the shed - but what Olly really wants is... his dad, who has separated from his mum and moved out of the family home. Cue the creation of Dad-Bot - he looks just like Dad (on a good day) but is totally chaotic - and his antics tip Olly and co into a heart-racing and heart-warming adventure!