Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Interview with Karl James Mountford - Freelance Children's Illustrator

Welcome, Karl James Mountford, to Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books. It's an absolute pleasure to host you on our little website. We loved your answers to our questions and finding out more about your amazing artwork, particularly for children's books. So without further ado, let me introduce Karl and his amazing post. I hope you all enjoy this. 

Karl James Mountford is an illustrator who works in both traditional and digital media. He has created artwork for such titles as ‘The Uncommoners ‘ by Jennifer Bell, published by Penguin Random House (2017), and ‘The Peculiars’ by Kieran Larwood with Chicken House publishing (2018), to name just a couple. Karl specialises in book cover design and chapter illustrations but also works on picture books, with recent titles including ‘Maurice the Unbeastly’ by Amy Dixon, published by Sterling Children’s Books (2017), and ‘The Curious Case of the Missing Mammoth’ by Ellie Hattie with Little Tiger Press (2017).

Karl currently lives and works in Wales, where his sketch-books rarely get a day off.

How did you become an illustrator?

I went to art college and then Uni to study illustration. But I’ve been drawing since really young.

After uni I started freelancing, the first two years were a bit rough financially and work was few and far between. So I had many a part-time job then I started hunting for an illustration agent while building a whole new portfolio or work.

I didn’t apply to many as I was a bit nervous about rejection but you build a thick skin and after a while, I got signed up with the Bright agency (2nd time lucky) which was a game changer and have now been able to illustrate full time.

What is your favourite medium in which to draw/paint?

Pencil and paper. I know it sounds boring, but it’s always nice (for me) to just sketch using those tools.

Can you give us a good example of a great illustration and what makes it great to you?

A great illustration…anything by Shaun Tan, especially in the picture book ‘The Red Tree’. It’s stunning but his compositions and use of colours are on another level. I think he just delivers the emotion from the page to the reader, whatever that emotion is. Even if you were reading it in another language, the illustrations tell so much of the story.

What is the proudest moment of your career so far?

Work-wise… I'm not sure - I'm quietly proud of it all… I’m a bit proud that I didn’t give up on freelance and stuck it out. Even though some days I think, "Oh maybe you should have been a vet?”  But that thought is usually short-lived because I love what I do.

What would you like to say to the publishing world about illustrations?

Will have to be careful here, don’t bite the hand that feeds you and all that. Erm..the publishing world is a business at the end of the day BUT I think sometimes publishers and sales teams etc can over think the artwork. This is understandable as everyone wants the book to do well but the process can ‘clip the wings’ a bit of an artist, which isn’t great working conditions. However, when you find a client that gives you a bit of trust and freedom to create work that reflects the story inside and still be true to how the illustrator works, well that’s like a lottery win.
I think the most important thing regarding illustrations is that the artists/designers/illustrators are properly credited. For a long time, illustrators names were in a tiny font under the barcode - out of the way or not included at all! In some cases (especially in middle grade/YA and editorials) publishing houses, editors etc should strive to use their illustrator's names and artwork as a good tool to further a books longevity on the shelves. Whether it is credited on the front cover or clearly and visibly on the back.
I know there is a good argument that what's inside the book is the priority ..but 9/10 times people tend to pick up the book because of the cover and illustrations.

What projects get the creative juices flowing for you? 

I love stories that are set in the past or have a darker undertone. The style in past decades really resonates with me, from the clothes to the buildings, cars etc.

Could you tell us a bit about any of your upcoming projects?

I’m working on the cover and internal illustrations for a new middle-grade book, which I’ve really fallen in love with. I read the manuscript in one night - it was that GREAT!. 

It’s a noir mystery by Sophie Green. I think it’s her debut book? I just think the world is gonna fall in love with it too and the main characters. Especially if your reading taste is a little darker, it’s got some right scary chapters … as a 29-year-old, I probably shouldn’t say that - but it’s just great. I can’t tell you how chuffed I am to be apart of it.

I'm working on Katherine Woodfine’s 2nd book in the new series ‘Taylor and Rose’ as we speak. I'm also (slowly) working on my own picture book. But I’m taking my sweet time on it as I love it but it needs to be thought about a bit more as it’s not going to be directed towards children as it’s main audience.

Who are your favourite illustrators and why?

Alice and Martin Provensons, Shaun Tan, all screen printers and there are some stellar current illustrators too, such as Zoe Persico, Matt Saunders, Cally Conway, Sonny Ross. I could list hundreds.

Where should a person start if they want to pursue a career in illustration?

It sounds daft, but just open a sketch-book and start drawing what interests you, then tackle the rest as it comes. 

What's the strangest question you've ever been asked?

I went to art school - most questions were strange and wonderful. 

Karl is represented by The Bright Group.
For any work, enquiries give my agents Arabella or Freddie a shout.

arabella@brightgroupinternational.com / freddie@thebrightagency.com

You can also find him lurking on Twitter: @karlj_mountford 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Book Picks July 2018 - UK Post Two

Janina Ramirez (Author), David Wyatt (Illustrator) - Riddle of the Runes (Viking Mystery 1) - Published by OUP Oxford (5 July 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0192766335 - Paperback 

Alva rushes through the trees in the dead of night with her sniffer wolf, Fen. Being out alone when there's a kidnapper on the loose is reckless, but if she ever wants to be an investigator like her Uncle Magnus, she'll need to be first to the crime scene. But what Alva discovers raises more questions than it answers, drawing her into a dangerous search for truth, and for treasure.

Check out more illustrations on David Wyatt's Blog Here: https://davidwyattillustration.wordpress.com/2018/01/11/a-crone-for-christmas/

Tamsin Cooke - Stunt Double: Jungle Curse - Published by  OUP Oxford (5 July 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0192749840 - Paperback

An action-packed adventure story with an exciting film location setting. 
Fearless stunt double Finn is in Thailand working on the latest Rio Dinoni blockbuster. It's a dream job, but are the whispers around set true? Is the film really cursed? When stunt, after stunt goes wrong; filming starts to get really dangerous. So far, Finn's survived all sorts of smashes and crashes, even an elephant stampede, but it's the secrets on set that might finally break him.

Justin Fisher - The Darkening King (Ned’s Circus of Marvels, Book 3) - Published by  HarperCollins Children's Books (26 July 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0008124588 - Paperback

Ned and the magical Circus of Marvels are back in a third rip-roaring, page-turning adventure!

The Armstrongs are both predator and prey, hunting for clues to help them fight the Darkening-King, while constantly watching their backs. This time it’s not just the world of the Hidden searching for them: the Josser world is intent on capturing the family too. Leading the search is the curious Mr Fox and his agents in grey, and they’ve found an ally who knows Ned’s every move.

As the world of the Hidden begins to fall apart, its horde of Demons and Darklings threatens to spill out of the shadows at any moment. With his trusty mouse and Familiar, Lucy and George, Ned must travel from the snow-swept forests of Siberia to the cliffs of Dover in a desperate attempt to rally allies for a final stand. Fearsome enemies will become allies and old allies enemies, as Ned prepares himself for the final battle.

Tania Unsworth (Author), Helen Crawford-White (Illustrator)The Girl Who Thought Her Mother Was a Mermaid - Published by Zephyr (12 July 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1788541671 - Hardback - (Check out the book review here)

Even though she's terrified of the sea, a girl who believes her mum might have been a mermaid runs away to the ocean to solve the mystery of who she really is. Stella is the odd one out. She sleepwalks, is terrified of water, yet obsessed by the ocean. Her mum who died when Stella was eight remains the biggest mystery of all. Who was she and why did she give Stella a necklace called 'the word of the sea' before she died? Nobody can give her any answers. Her father is consumed by grief and her grandmother's memories are fading with dementia.

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Tania Unsworth (Author), Helen Crawford-White (Illustrator) - The Girl Who Thought Her Mother Was a Mermaid - Book Review

Even though she's terrified of the sea, a girl who believes her mum might have been a mermaid runs away to the ocean to solve the mystery of who she really is. Stella is the odd one out. She sleepwalks, is terrified of water, yet obsessed by the ocean. Her mum who died when Stella was eight remains the biggest mystery of all. Who was she and why did she give Stella a necklace called 'the word of the sea' before she died? Nobody can give her any answers. Her father is consumed by grief and her grandmother's memories are fading with dementia. 

When Stella's only friend in the world, Cam, moves house, Stella runs away. She's determined to find out who her mum was and who she is too. She ends up in the Crystal Cove, a run-down aquarium with a mermaid show. There she meets Pearl who reveals disturbing secrets. It's only by facing her fear of the ocean that Stella will truly uncover the truth.

Summer is here with a loud bang. Wimbledon and strawberries, blue sky and sun, sandy beaches and ice cream, as well as loads of great books to read. With so many books wanting and waiting to grab your attention, July is all about books that inspire the readers to escape and to enjoy the great outdoors. The first book for review is Tania Unsworth, The Girl Who Thought Her Mother Was a Mermaid, published by Zephyr on the 12th July 2018. 

The book cover artwork by Helen Crawford-White is absolutely brilliant and instantly makes you want to explore the story inside. All you have to do is turn the pages and dive straight into the crisp cool waters of the narrative. Once the pages are turned, you are introduced to the main character, Stella. Unfortunately, at eight years old she unexpectedly loses her mother to illness. The narrative is filled with sadness and loneliness exploring the character's grief. However, things begin to look brighter when a new neighbour, Cam, moves in next door. The story takes you on an uplifting adventure of self-discovery and friendship which washes over the reader like gigantic waves crashing against the shore. It's a story of self-discovery that will shine brighter than the sun regardless of age or gender.

This is a brilliant story in which to escape to. As you dive below the sea, it gives you a whole new perspective on the world. It's a book full of wonder and mystery that leads the reader down a path full of dark magic and a heartfelt story. I loved the simplicity of the plot, which is delivered with great imagination, whilst the storyline challenges the beliefs of the reader and the characters of the book in so many ways.

I loved the conversations between Stella and her grandmother. With her loss of memory, it was very well written and incredibly endearing. It really enhanced the storyline of the plot through the poignancy and compassion shown whilst still managing to explore the reality both characters face within the story. I also loved the balance between fantasy, reality, dialogue and action. It really makes this story an amazing lazy summer afternoon read. 

This is a great recommended read that whets the appetite. It's about facing your fears and looking for the truth. 

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Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Book Picks July 2018 - UK Post One

Philip Reeve (Author) & Ian McQue (Illustrator) - Night Flights (Mortal Engines 5) - Published by Scholastic (5 July 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1407186771 - Hardback
Anna Fang is a spy. An aviatrix. An escaped slave. But no one knows the whole story - until now. 

In the dangerous future world of MORTAL ENGINES, huge motorized cities hunt, attack and devour each other. It is there that Anna's home was consumed by Arkangel, the great predator city. She was separated from her parents and kept as a slave in the dark belly of Arkangel - but Anna is determined to be free again.

Check out the Philip Reeve post about Night Flights it's very interesting.

http://www.philip-reeve.com/night-flights/ 

Jennifer Bell (Author) & Karl James Mountford (Illustrator) - The Frozen Telescope (THE UNCOMMONERS) Published by Corgi Childrens (5 July 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0552572910 - Paperback

After the thrilling events which concluded The Smoking Hourglass, Ivy, Seb and Valian think they've vanquished their enemies, and those of Lundinor, forever. It turns out their adventure was only just beginning . . . 

Ivy and Seb can't wait to join Valian for their first ever overseas uncommon adventure - they're meeting in Nubrook, the completely astonishing and totally-different-to-Ludinor trading market hidden underneath New York. But there's no time to enjoy looking round all the incredible sights - they're on a mission to find Valian's long-lost sister, Rosie.

But it seems they're not the only ones looking for her. Once again the Dirge rear their terrifying heads, and it appears they're after not only Rosie, but another enormously powerful Great Uncommon Good object. But what do they want it for? And can Ivy, Seb and Valian stop them from finding it?

Catherine Doyle - The Storm Keeper’s Island - Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books (1 July 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1408896884

When Fionn Boyle sets foot on Arranmore Island, it begins to stir beneath his feet ...

Once in a generation, Arranmore Island chooses a new Storm Keeper to wield its power and keep its magic safe from enemies. The time has come for Fionn's grandfather, a secretive and eccentric old man, to step down. Soon, a new Keeper will rise.

But, deep underground, someone has been waiting for Fionn. As the battle to become the island's next champion rages, a more sinister magic is waking up, intent on rekindling an ancient war.

Andrew Lane - AWOL 1  Agent Without Licence - Published by Piccadilly Press (12 July 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1848126633 - Paperback 

Young Bond and James Bond meet Alex Rider and Cherub in this brilliantly written, fast-paced spy action thriller. All credibly delivered from somebody who knows all about counter-intelligence...

Kieron and his friend Sam are shocked to see a man kidnapped in a Newcastle shopping centre right in front of their eyes. The boys quickly realise that the kidnapped man left something behind in the scuffle - an earpiece and glasses. Kieron puts them on and realises he can see not what is front of him, but a busy, tourist city, somewhere very hot - in Mumbai...

Kieron has accidentally stumbled upon the undercover world of Rebecca 'Bex' Wilson - a freelance agent working for the British Secret Intelligence Service. And without her handler Bradley (the man who was kidnapped), Bex is in trouble. She doesn't know who of her usual contacts she can trust, and like it or not, she is going to have to use teenage Kieron to get her out of danger. Before Kieron and Sam know it, they are part of a mission to stop a weapon of mass destruction from falling into the wrong hands...

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Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Young Adult Book Picks June 2018 - US Post

Chris Rylander - The Legend of Greg (Failures) - Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (June 12, 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1524739720 - Hardback 

A boy discovers his destiny could totally stink in this riotously funny fantasy-adventure.

Risk-averse Greg Belmont is content with being ordinary. He's got a friend--that's right, just one--at his fancy prep school, and a pretty cool dad (even if he is obsessed with organic soaps that smell like a mix of salted pork and Icelandic bog). The problem is, Greg isn't ordinary . . . he's actually an honest-to-goodness, fantastical Dwarf! 

He discovers the truth the day his dad brings home a gross new tea--one that awakens bizarre abilities in Greg. Then a murderous Bro-Troll kidnaps his dad and Greg is whisked away to the Underground, where Dwarves have lived for centuries right beneath the streets of Chicago.

With the help of some awesome new friends and a talking ax, Greg learns all about the history of the Dwarves, which has been marked with tales of epic failure since the dawn of time. However, the return of the magic they once wielded means big changes are afoot, escalating tensions with the Dwarves' sworn enemy: the Elves. 

Brimming with humor and action, Chris Rylander's The Legend of Greg turns dwarf lore on its head, delivering an adventure readers won't be able to resist.

Ellen Oh - Spirit Hunters - Published by Harper Collins  (June 26, 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0062430090 - Paperback

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We Need Diverse Books founder Ellen Oh returns with Spirit Hunters, a high-stakes middle grade mystery series about Harper Raine, the new seventh grader in town who must face down the dangerous ghosts haunting her younger brother.

A riveting ghost story and captivating adventure, this tale will have you guessing at every turn!

Harper doesn’t trust her new home from the moment she steps inside, and the rumors are that the Raine family’s new house is haunted. Harper isn’t sure she believes those rumors, until her younger brother, Michael, starts acting strangely.

The whole atmosphere gives Harper a sense of déjà vu, but she can’t remember why. She knows that the memories she’s blocking will help make sense of her brother’s behavior and the strange and threatening sensations she feels in this house, but will she be able to put the pieces together in time?

Chris Mould - The Great Cheese Robbery (Pocket Pirates) - Published by Aladdin (June 12, 2018)  ISBN-13: 978-1481491143 - Paperback 

A band of tiny squash-bucklers go on adventures of epic proportions in this start to a brand-new chapter book series about pocket-sized pirates!

In the junk shop at the end of the street is a dusty old ship in a bottle. And when the world isn’t watching, a tiny pirate crew comes out of the ship to explore. They aren’t much bigger than a matchstick, but they have a HUGE appetite for adventure!

When a band of mice kidnaps Jones, the ship’s cat, and ransoms him for cheese, the Pocket Pirates spring into action. But to get the cheese, they must venture to the freezing cold place where it’s always winter…the place called Fridge. Can the Pocket Pirates survive their perilous journey and get their ship’s cat back?

Adam Jay Epstein - Snared: Escape to the Above (Wily Snare) - Published by Imprint (June 5, 2018) -  ISBN-13: 978-1250146922 - Hardback

 

Chopping blades, scorpion nests, giant spiderwebs―no one makes traps better than Wily Snare.

He has never seen the sun, or blue sky, or even his parents. Wily Snare lives underground, creating traps to keep treasure-seekers away from the gold in an ancient wizard’s dungeon. He spends his days mopping up giant slug slime, avoiding poison darts, and herding undead skeletons. It’s all he knows.

Until an unusual band of adventurers―an acrobatic elf, a warrior with a magic arm, and a giant made of moss―successfully defeat Wily’s traps. And they want the ultimate treasure: Wily himself. His skills can help them invade every other dungeon in the kingdom. He might even aid their fight against the Infernal King, whose gearfolk and prisonauts terrorize the land.

But for a boy who has never been outside, dungeons aren’t nearly as scary as the world above. Or an evil king who builds the trickiest traps of all . . .

Snared: Escape to the Above is the first book in a new fantasy adventure series from bestselling author Adam Jay Epstein.

Todd Calgi Gallicano - The Selkie of San Francisco - Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (June 19, 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1524713690 - Hardback 

Sam London didn't mean to uncover an ancient secret, but when he found out that mythical creatures are real and living in our national parks, he became the newest recruit to the Department of Mythical Wildlife. Ever since, the middle schooler has been anxiously awaiting the call for his next case . . . and it finally arrives with the brazen appearance of a selkie in San Francisco Bay.

Along with Dr. Vance Vantana and the guardian Tashi, Sam pursues the selkie, who has taken a peculiar interest in fashion's newest "it" girl and social media star, Pearl Eklund. But the closer he gets, the more questions emerge about Pearl's mysterious connection to the mythical world. Is she the long-lost hope for an entire civilization or the harbinger of its doom? It's up to Sam to find out the truth, and fast. . . . The fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

Amy Ephron - Carnival Magic - Book Review (Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books)

Tess and Max are back in England for another summer with their Aunt Evie - this time by the seashore in South Devon. And they're incredibly excited about the travelling carnival that's come to town. There are rides, games, acrobats, The House of Mirrors - and even a psychic, with a beautiful wagon all her own. In a visit to the psychic's wagon, while Tess is being hypnotized, the wagon seems to move. Before Tess can shake herself out of the hypnosis, before Max can do anything, they seem to be travelling - along with the rest of the carnival - too quickly for the two of them to jump out. But where are they going and what awaits them? Will they be caught in a world different from their own? And do the Baranova twins, acrobats who miss their sister almost as much as Tess and Max miss their family, hold the keys to the mystery?


Carnival Magic is coming to a town near you. Although, it has already been published by Philomel Books (13th June 2018) in the US. You could easily be sucked into this story just by the book cover, as it is particularly captivating and inviting. This book is the follow up to The Castle in the Mist which was published in February 2017. However, you don't really need to have read it first as this book reads fantastically well on its own. Both books have similar themes, so if you like one of them then you will easily love them both. 

I really loved the black and white map illustration of the fairground which leads you into this amazing story. You will find yourself hurtling into an adventure that pulls on the magical heartstrings of being a child by providing a world of pure escapism. It is a captivating story that introduces the idyllic charm of England, particularly country life. The genteel and relaxed narrative washes over the reader like a babbling brook bubbling with fantastic, vivid imagination.  

The book is set in Devon and will hypnotically transport the reader into a magical adventure regardless of age or gender. The adventurous taste buds will fire on all cylinders as you follow Tess and Max into a wonderful timeless story. The story starts off with a visit to the zoo where Tess gravitates towards a baby tiger writhing on the straw. However, something strange soon happens which sets the reader off on a magical mystery filled full of suspense and wonder. 

The travelling carnival then comes to town and provides a brilliant backdrop for the author, with her calculating eye, to weave a tapestry of bright detail and description. At this point, just like Tess and Max, you are whisked into a family adventure full of love, friendship, and high-flying escapades. I really loved the plot as it is not over-worked or over-explained. It is perhaps a little naive at times, but it leaves the reader fantasizing and believing in dreams. 

It's a great adventure which is both eery and slightly surreal, but it will have the reader hooked until the very last page. It's a brilliant read for a summer's day as it encompasses you with warmth, magic, and love. 

Thank you very much, Amy and Lindsay, for getting this book to me from across the pond. 

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

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

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

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

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


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


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


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

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


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


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

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


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


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

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

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

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

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

Or why not follow Claire on twitter – @ClaireFayers

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's Book Picks June 2018 - UK Post Two

Abie Longstaff - The Scent of Danger: Book 2 (The Trapdoor Mysteries) - Published by  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (14 Jun. 2018) ISBN-13: 978-1510200227

The second book in The Trapdoor Mysteries, a series about Tally, a code-breaking, animal-loving servant girl and her best friend, a squirrel named Squill, who solve mysteries with the help of a secret library...

Orphan Tally is the servant girl at Mollett Manor - and she's also the Secret Keeper of the magical library hidden beneath a trapdoor, underneath the manor's grounds. Along with Squill the squirrel, she uses the enchanted books to solve crimes. So when Lady Mollett's new puppy, Widdles, is kidnapped, Tally and Squill head straight to the library. But will they be able to catch the dognapper or is it already too late?

Lindsay Eagar - Race to the Bottom of the Sea - Published by Walker Books (7 Jun. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-1406377392

A swashbuckling pirate adventure story from the author of the critically acclaimed Hour of the Bees.

When her marine scientist parents are killed in a tragic accident, eleven-year-old Fidelia Quail is racked by grief – and guilt. It was a submarine of Fidelia’s invention that her parents were in when they died, and it was she who pressed them to stay out longer when the raging Undertow was looming. But Fidelia is forced out of her mourning when she’s kidnapped by Merrick the Monstrous, a pirate whose list of treasons stretches longer than a ribbon eel. Her task? Use her marine know-how to retrieve his treasure, lost on the ocean floor. But as Fidelia and the pirates close in on the prize with the navy hot on their heels, she realizes that Merrick doesn’t expect to live long enough to enjoy his loot. Could something other than black-hearted greed be driving him? Will Fidelia be able to master the perils of the ocean without her parents – and piece together the mystery of Merrick the Monstrous before it’s too late?

Lena Jones - The Secret Key (Agatha Oddly, Book 1) - Published by Harper Collins Children's Books (28 Jun. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0008211837

Meet thirteen-year-old Agatha Oddly – a bold, determined heroine, and the star of a stylish new detective series.

Agatha Oddlow has been a detective for as long as she can remember – she’s just been waiting for her first big case. And nothing gets bigger than saving the City of London from some strange goings-on.

With a scholarship to the prestigious St Regis School, a cottage in the middle of Hyde Park, a room full of beloved sleuthing novels, and a secret key that gives her access to a whole hidden side of London, Agatha is perfectly poised to solve the mystery of what’s going on. But just who can she trust when no one is quite who they seem…

Adam Baron - Boy Underwater - Published by Harper Collins Children's Books (1 Jun. 2018) - ISBN-13: 978-0008267018

A heart-breaking, heart-warming novel for every one of 10 and older – this book will probably make you cry, and will definitely make you laugh.

Cymbeline Igloo (yes, really!) has NEVER been swimming

Not ever. Not once.

But how hard can it be? He’s Googled front crawl and he’s found his dad’s old pair of trunks. He’s totally ready.

What he’s not ready for is the accident at the pool – or how it leads his mum to a sudden breakdown.

Now, with the help of friends old and new, Cymbeline must solve the mystery of why his mum never took him near water – and it will turn his whole life upside down…

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