Children's Best Book Cover Competition - Round THREE 2022/2023 - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 HELLO Everybody! It's a big MASSIVE and warm welcome to the 13th annual Children's Book Cover Competition (check out the previous winner's HERE). This year we are looking again to find your favourite book cover for 2022/2023. We do this to support the creative unsung heroes of the children's book world; the illustrators and the brilliant creative teams behind all the books we love. Please share this exciting adventure with your friends and followers on social media. Everyone is welcome to vote so share the FUN with others. 

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Book Cover Competition Rules 

There will be five weekly heats; each with six books to vote for. Although there will be 7 book covers in the final to vote for. All heat winners will make the grand final plus two book covers as the highest runners-up from all the heats. 

ROUND ONE WINNER: Jo Clarke - Libby and the Highland Heist - Published by Firefly Press (19 Jan. 2023) -Book Cover Illustrated by Becka Moor.

ROUND TWO WINNER: Eve McDonnell - The Chestnut Roaster - Published by Everything with Words (27 Oct. 2022) - Book Cover Illustrated by Holly Ovenden. 

Each week you vote you will be in with a chance to win an exciting prize. 

This week's prize is a £10 National Book Token + Alex Foulkes - Rules for Vampires: Ghost Bite Back/bar of chocolate. 

If you are interested all you need to do is:

• Vote for your favourite book cover using the poll HERE  (or at the bottom of the post)
• Leave a comment through this post/poll or see pinned Tweet for more details on @Enchantedbooks
• This poll will end on the 18th of November 2022 at Midnight (UK). 

Have fun and share with the world through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Watch the voting develop, and wait to hear whether you've won (once the poll has closed).

So here are the first six brilliant book covers to vote for this week: 

BOOK ONE: Laura Wood - The Agency for Scandal - Published by Scholastic (5 Jan. 2023) - Book Cover Illustrated by Merceded deBellard/Jamie Gregory - VOTE HERE 

BOOK  TWO: Kathrin Tordasi (Author), Cathrin Wirtz (Translator) -  Bramble Fox - Published by Pushkin Children's Books (3 Nov. 2022) - Book Cover Illustrated by David Dean/Jo Walker  - VOTE HERE

BOOK THREE: Zillah Bethell - The Song Walker - Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd (2 Feb. 2023) - Book Cover Illustrated by Saara Katariina Söderlund - VOTE HERE

BOOK FOUR: Cressida Cowell - Which Way to Anywhere - Published by Hodder Children's Books (15 Sept. 2022)  - Book Cover Illustrated by Cressida Cowell/Sam Perrett - VOTE HERE

BOOK FIVE: Andy Sagar - Yesterday Crumb and the Teapot Chaos - Book Published by Orion Children's Books (16 Mar. 2023) - Book Cover Illustrated by MARINE GOSSELIN/Jen Alliston - VOTE HERE (Book Cover Picked by Richard Pickard) 

BOOK SIX: SF Said - TYGER - Published by David Fickling Books (6 Oct. 2022) - Book Cover Illustrated by David McKean - VOTE HERE 

Happy Voting! 

New Children's Book Picks November 2022 - UK Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Fleur Hitchcock - Murder at Snowfall - Published by Nosy Crow (3 Nov. 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839945908 - Paperback - Reading Age: 8+

A gripping thriller for readers who like danger and mystery and chills and spills from the comfort of their sofas... Unputdownable.

When Lucas and Ruby find an abandoned trunk covered in snow, Lucas says there's bound to be a body inside. Ruby laughs but what if he's right? Nervously she starts to open it, and immediately wishes she hadn't. From that moment on, they're drawn into a thrilling mystery, one that they have to solve before the falling snow smothers all trace of wrongdoing...

Katharine Orton - Mountainfell - Published by  Walker Books (3 Nov. 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529503296 - Paperback - Reading Age: 9

There is nothing more dangerous than magic... 
Eleven-year-old Erskin is used to danger; she lives in the shadow of Mountainfell, a place of wild creatures and dangerous magic. When the most powerful and deadly creature of all – the fearsome cloud dragon – snatches Erskin’s sister away, Erskin must face her greatest fear and journey onto the mountain to bring her back. A terrible power is stirring, and it is up to Erskin to save both her family and her home.

Allison Rushby - The Ghost Locket - Published by Walker Books (3 Nov. 2022) -ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529505993 - Paperback - Reading Age: 8+

A classic Christmas ghost story set in a haunted historic house - for fans of Emma Carroll and Lucy Strange.

It's Christmas, and eleven-year-old Lolli must return to London and break a promise she made to herself ― to never again step foot in the Victorian historic house in Spitalfields managed by her family.

There, Lolli must face up to what she saw in the house several years ago and make things right for two ghosts - one friendly and one decidedly not - opening her guarded heart to people in both the living and twilight worlds.

Alex Bell (Author), Tomislav Tomic (Illustrator)  - Explorers at Stardust City -  Faber & Faber  (3 Nov. 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0571359752 - Paperback - Reading Age: 8+

Directly below was a sight none of them had ever seen before - a kind of spiral, with glowing ruby-red lights that curved outwards like tentacles.In the middle was a dark circle, inky black. It had the look of a really, really deep well.

Ursula and her friends are in a race against time. The Collector has taken Stella captive, and is hungrily snatching up all the beautiful places of the world in her snow globe prisons. She needs to be stopped, but first they must find her.

To aid them in their quest, the explorers seek help from new allies, including a Pirate Queen, with a ghost ship that can defy time and space, and then take to the skies in a galaxy fairy rocket. But their journey is fraught with danger, as the future of the planet hangs in the balance.

Escape into a sensational world filled with space moles, sea goblins and giant sharks, all covered with a sprinkling of moon dust!

Philip Caveney - STAND AND DELIVER - Blog Tour (Top Five Adventure Books Post)

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books has been running for over fourteen years now and from the very start, Philip Caveney has been a big influence on this website. We have read and loved every book both he and his alter ego have written and published. Every story is different, unexpected, and thrilling, and Stand and Deliver is just another example of how great a writer he is. 

It's a wonderful privilege to be on this blog tour celebrating the publication of Philip's new book. This post covers his top 5 adventure books which are all classics that have shaped the landscape for future writers. Just like Philip's books will also do in the future. What would be your choice?

I should perhaps apologise for the fact that my choices are not recent releases. Like so many writers, I have been an avid reader since early childhood and I genuinely believe that it’s the books you read as a youngster that stay with you forever. Of course I still read. All writers begin as readers and it’s important to keep doing it, but these days I’m reading a lot of different kinds of fiction  And the focus here is on ‘adventure,’ so… here goes.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. 

This is pretty much the book that set the template for the public perception of what a pirate says, does and thinks. It features pretty much all the qualities we identify with such men - and yet, only a little research will confirm that they tended to be more complex than this gives them credit for. No matter, it’s a classic tale of scurvy dogs and buried treasure from Scotland’s greatest writer. What’s not to like?

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. 

Verne’s brilliant undersea adventure, written in 1871, is one of the first adventure stories I ever read, along with A Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in 80 Days.  20,000 Leagues is both thrilling and prophetic. Captain Nemo’s famous submarine, The Nautilus is powered by sodium/mercury batteries, something that wouldn’t widely be used until the 1940s! It also features incredible underwater battles with terrifying creatures of the deep.

War of the Worlds by HG Wells. 

People will argue that it's actually an early sci-fi novel, but this account of a martian invasion, first published in 1897, soon develops into a fast-paced adventure story. The main protagonist (known only as ‘the narrator’) struggles to survive in a transformed world where the squid-like Martians and their giant fighting machines lay waste to everything they encounter. Its scenes of the disintegration of society have rarely been equalled.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

Published in 1954, this is the dark and troubling tale of a group of schoolboys whose plane crashlands on a remote desert island. They are compelled to organise themselves and find ways to survive, but they soon break into two separate factions, who consequently find themselves at war with each other. It may be a comment about the nature of mankind, but it’s also a thrilling tale of adventure, brilliantly written.

Brazilian Adventure by Peter Fleming

Not fiction this time, but a fascinating account of a real life adventure deep into the heart of the unexplored Amazon. In 1932, the author, Peter, Fleming joined an expedition to look for the lost explorer, Colonel Fawcett who, with his son Jack, had disappeared on a similar trip seven years earlier. Reading this book inspired me to write my third novel, The Tarantula Stone.

Book published by UCLan Publishing 03.11.2022. Book Cover Illustration by Jill Tytherleigh. 

Synopsis: Ned is awkward, a little shy, and just trying to find his place in the world. He also happens to be the assistant to the nation’s most feared highwayman, The Shadow . . .

In a time when highwaymen ruled the roads, Ned is reluctantly swept up into a whirlwind of adventure. Whilst escaping the grasps of the thief-takers, Ned soon finds himself stepping into his Master’s shoes and an unwanted life of crime. The pressure is building with new friends and enemies galore when Ned stumbles upon a long-infamous gem, The Bloodstone, which forces him to make an important choice. Can he ultimately escape this new threat and finally free himself from the grips of The Shadow?

Children's Best Book Cover Competition - Round TWO 2022/2023 - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

HELLO Everybody! It's a big MASSIVE and warm welcome to the 13th annual Children's Book Cover Competition (check out the previous winner's HERE). This year we are looking again to find your favourite book cover for 2022/2023. We do this to support the creative unsung heroes of the children's book world; the illustrators and the brilliant creative teams behind all the books we love. Please share this exciting adventure with your friends and followers on social media. Everyone is welcome to vote so share the FUN with others. 

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Book Cover Competition Rules 

There will be five weekly heats; each with six books to vote for. Although there will be 7 book covers in the final to vote for. All heat winners will make the grand final plus two book covers as the highest runners-up from all the heats. 

ROUND ONE WINNER: Jo Clarke - Libby and the Highland Heist - Published by Firefly Press (19 Jan. 2023) - Illustrated by Becka Moor.

Each week you vote you will be in with a chance to win an exciting prize. 

This week's prize is a £10 National Book Token + Barb The Brave - The Ghost Blade by Dan & Jason and a bar of chocolate. 

If you are interested all you need to do is:

• Vote for your favourite book cover using the poll HERE  (or at the bottom of the post)
• Leave a comment through this post/poll or see pinned Tweet for more details on @Enchantedbooks
• This poll will end on the 9th of November 2022 at Midnight (UK). 

Have fun and share with the world through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Watch the voting develop, and wait to hear whether you've won (once the poll has closed).

So here are the first six brilliant book covers to vote for this week: 

BOOK ONE: Eve McDonnell - The Chestnut Roaster - Published by Everything with Words (27 Oct. 2022) - Book Cover Illustrated by Holly Ovenden - VOTE HERE (Book Cover Picked by Tamsin Rosewell)

BOOK TWO: Rosie Talbot - Sixteen Souls - Published by  Scholastic (13 Oct. 2022) - Book Cover Illustrated by Andrew Davis - VOTE HERE (Book Cover Picked by Kevin Cobane)

BOOK THREE: Patrice Lawrence - The Elemental Detectives - Published by Scholastic (1 Sept. 2022) - Book Cover Illustrated by Paul Kellam - VOTE HERE (Book Cover Picked by Sophie Anderson)

BOOK FOUR: Ryan Hammond - Villians Academy - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (2 Feb. 2023) - Book Cover Illustration by Ryan Hammond - VOTE HERE 

BOOK FIVE: Penny Chrimes - WILDER - Published by 

Orion Children's Books (16 Feb. 2023) - Book Cover Illustrated by - Manuel Šumberac - VOTE HERE 

BOOK SIX: Kenneth Oppel - GHOSLIGHT - Published by Guppy Books (13 Oct. 2022) - Book Cover by James Fraser/Ness Wood - VOTE HERE 

Happy Voting.

Eve McDonnell - The Chestnut Roaster Blog Tour - The Chestnut Roaster Illustrations Post

 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books welcomes you to the last day of The Chestnut Roaster blog tour (see all dates below). Today we are celebrating the publication of Eve McDonnell's fantastic book published by Everything With Words. We're delighted to have a post from Eve about the brilliant illustrations inside the book by Ewa Beniak-Haremska. The black-and-white illustrations are absolutely amazing as they really open your imagination to possibilities We highly recommend this book, especially at this time of year. If you want to catch a memory thief and treat yourself to a Halloween read then you can buy a copy of the book HERE. 

You are a very visual writer and the illustrations by Ewa Beniak-Haremska blend beautifully with the story. How did the collaboration work. Which are your favourite illustrations?

One of the highlights of The Chestnut Roaster’s publication journey was being introduced to artist Ewa Beniak-Haremska. My publisher has an eye for the extraordinary and was certain Ewa’s style would not only complement the story but lift it to another level. Not all authors have the opportunity to work closely with their illustrators, but I had the joy of seeing Ewa’s work unfold. 

Ewa read The Chestnut Roaster and her initial feedback was very encouraging – we could see that she had grasped the spirit of the story whole-heartedly. Based on Ewa’s previous work (check out her website here), it soon became clear that full spreads rather than smaller illustrations would showcase her amazing talent and Ewa endeavoured to retell the story in blocks of double full-page spreads to appear in four sections of the book. This way, the reader could recap the story to-date through illustration before moving on. This tickled me pink as one of my all-time favourite childhood books similarly had blocks of illustrated spreads – L Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – and as a young reader, I would find myself being pulled forward through the story in great anticipation of the art.

Once the format was agreed, I prepared a summary for Ewa, focussing on the visual aspect of each major scene, and we delivered it to Ewa as a kind of ‘pick n’ mix’. She merged scenes together in her magical way leaving so much for the viewer to unpick and interpret.

I adore the image of Piaf on her corner at Rue du Dragon. It captures Paris of the 1880s so perfectly – the cobbled roads, the flapping birds, the musicians, the diners at the café. We see ladies straining their necks looking down, seemingly knowing that something is about to happen. A black cat ominously walks across the street while the silhouette of a stranger draws his attention to his target – little Piaf, the chestnut roaster.

Piaf on her corner at Rue du Dragon – illustration by Ewa Beniak-Haremska

Another illustration I particularly love is the depiction of Piaf falling through a circular hole, arriving in Paris’s underground twin where miles of squirming tunnels await her adventures. You can see Piaf in the top left and the image sweeps your eye to the right, past eerie tunnels filled with of bones and danger until she arrives at a remarkable place – the Museum of Objects. This is where we meet Bertie, Paris’s finest button maker. In his underground nest, he has carved objects from wood. What objects can you see? Russian dolls? A fox? How many roosters can you find? I could stare at this image for hours!

There are seven more double spreads as stunning these for readers to explore, and together they tell the full tale of The Chestnut Roaster so beautifully. The illustrations and words are all wrapped up in a stunning cover, designed and illustrated by the award-winning artist Holly Ovenden who also created the cover of my first novel, Elsetime.

Finally, I will leave you with one image by Ewa that spoke straight to my heart – that is the image of Piaf, the tiny girl who cannot forget. She might look small and fragile, but inside, I can assure you, she is a giant.

Children's Best Book Cover Competition - Round One 2022/2023 - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

HELLO Everybody! It's a big MASSIVE welcome to the 13th annual Children's Book Cover Competition (you can check out the previous winner's HERE). This year we are looking again to find your favourite book cover for 2022/2023. We do this to support the creative heroes of the children's book world; the illustrators and the brilliant creative teams behind all the books we love. Please share this exciting adventure with your friends and followers on social media. Everyone is welcome to vote so share the FUN with others. 

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Book Cover Competition Rules 

There will be five weekly heats; each with six books to vote for. Although there will be 7 book covers in the final to vote for. All heat winners will make the grand final plus two book covers as the highest runners-up from all the heats. 

Each week you vote you will be in with a chance to win an exciting prize. 

This week's prize is a £10 National Book Token + a Hardback book Lenny Henry - The Book of Legends and a bar of chocolate (UK Only). 

If you are interested all you need to do is:

• Vote for your favourite book cover using the poll HERE  (or at the bottom of the post)
• Leave a comment through this post/poll or see pinned Tweet for more details on @Enchantedbooks
• This poll will end on 30th October 2022 at Midnight (UK). 

Have fun and share with the world through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Watch the voting develop, and wait to hear whether you've won (once the poll has closed).

So here are the first six brilliant book covers to vote for this week: 

BOOK ONE: Jasmine Warga - A Rover's Story - Published by Balzer + Bray (October 4, 2022) - Book Illustrated by Matt Rockefeller - VOTE HERE 

BOOK TWO: Jodie Garnish - The Spectaculars - Published by Usborne Publishing (29 Sept. 2022) - Illustrated by Nathan Collins - VOTE HERE

BOOK THREE: James Dixon - The Billow Maiden - Published by Guppy Books (7 July 2022) - Illustrated by Tamsin Rosewell - VOTE HERE 

BOOK FOUR:  Susan Dennard - The Luminaries: 1 - Published by Daphne Press (26 Jan. 2023) - Illustrated by Micaela Alcaino - VOTE HERE 

BOOK FIVE: Jo Clarke - Libby and the Highland Heist - Published by Firefly Press (19 Jan. 2023) - Illustrated by Becka Moor - VOTE HERE 

BOOK SIX: Emma Carroll - The Little Match Girl Strikes Back - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (15 Sept. 2022) - Illustrated by Lauren Child - VOTE HERE 

Happy Voting Everybody!

The Best Children's Book Picks October 2022 - US Post - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Jasmine Warga - A Rover's Story - Published by Balzer + Bray (October 4, 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063113923 - Hardback - Age: 8+ 

The One and Only Ivan meets The Wild Robot in this unique and deeply moving middle-grade novel about the journey of a fictional Mars rover, from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Other Words for Home. New York Times bestseller!

Meet Resilience, a Mars rover determined to live up to his name.

Res was built to explore Mars. He was not built to have human emotions. But as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop human-like feelings. Maybe there’s a problem with his programming….

Human emotions or not, launch day comes, and Res blasts off to Mars, accompanied by a friendly drone helicopter named Fly. But Res quickly discovers that Mars is a dangerous place filled with dust storms and giant cliffs. As he navigates Mars’s difficult landscape, Res is tested in ways that go beyond space exploration. 

As millions of people back on Earth follow his progress, will Res have the determination, courage—and resilience—to succeed… and survive?  

Andrea Rogers (Author), Jeff Edwards (Illustrator) - Man Made Monsters - Published by ‎Levine Querido (October 4, 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1646141791 - Hardback - Age: 12+ 

Tsalagi should never have to live on human blood, but sometimes things just happen to sixteen-year-old girls. 

Making her YA debut, Cherokee writer Andrea L. Rogers takes her place as one of the most striking voices of the horror renaissance that has swept the last decade.

Horror fans will get their thrills in this collection – from werewolves to vampires to zombies – all the time-worn horror baddies are there. But so are predators of a distinctly American variety – the horrors of empire, of intimate partner violence, of dispossession. And so to the monsters of Rogers’ imagination, that draw upon long-told Cherokee stories – of Deer Woman, fantastical sea creatures, and more.

Following one extended Cherokee family across the centuries, from the tribe’s homelands in Georgia in the 1830s to World War I, the Vietnam War, our own present, and well into the future, each story delivers a slice of a particular time period that will leave readers longing for more.

Alongside each story, Cherokee artist and language technologist Jeff Edwards delivers haunting illustrations that incorporate Cherokee syllabary.

But don’t just take it from us – award-winning writer of The Only Good Indians and MongrelsStephen Graham Jones says that "Andrea Rogers writes like the house is on fire and her words are the only thing that can put it out."

Man Made Monsters is a masterful, heartfelt, haunting collection ripe for crossover appeal – just don’t blame us if you start hearing things that go bump in the night.

Mari Mancusi - New Dragon City - Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (October 4, 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316376686 - Hardback - Age: 8

Set off on a high-stakes, action-packed adventure in this story about friendship, survival, and fighting for ones you love, perfect for fans of Wings of Fire and How to Train Your Dragon. 

No one predicted the dragon apocalypse. The dragons came suddenly and decimated the world as we knew it, including New York City. Now, three years later, Noah, his hardcore survivalist father, and a ragtag group of survivors are barely scraping by in this new reality. Kids scavenge not only for materials in abandoned homes but also for leftover books at the library. Adults spend their time establishing a make-shift society and defending their shelter... with any means available. At least for a few months, the dragons are hibernating until it’s no longer safe aboveground.

Noah has seen the damage these creatures can do firsthand. When it comes to dragons: It's kill or be killed. But a chance encounter between Noah and a young dragon forces him to question everything he thought he knew. With rumors spreading that there’s a group of survivors living in harmony with dragons instead of hiding underground, Noah teams up with his fire-breathing ally to find out if peace between humans and dragons is really possible. But the division runs deeper than scales versus skin because trying to follow his heart might just cost Noah his family too. If Noah and his father can’t see eye to eye, can he really get humans and dragons too?

‎ 

Natalie Lund - The Wolves Are Watching - Viking Books for Young Readers (October 4, 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593351093 - Hardback - Age: 7+ 

A fresh, compelling, and eerie exploration of small-town living, stolen children, and wolves that watch in the woods.

The night little Madison disappears from her crib, Luce sees a pair of eyes--two points of gold deep in the forest behind her house--and feels certain they belong to a wolf. Her town, Picnic, Illinois, is the kind of place where everyone knows one another and no one locks their doors. It’s not the kind of place where a toddler goes missing without a trace, where wolves lurk in the shadows.
 
In town, people are quick to blame Madison’s mom. But when Luce’s English teacher shares an original script about the disappearance of another little girl in Picnic back in 1870, Luce begins to notice similarities that she can’t ignore. Certain that something deeper is going on, Luce tracks the wolf she saw into the woods and uncovers the truth about her town: magical animal-women, who have remained hidden in shadows for centuries, have taken her cousin for their own purposes--and they have no intention of bringing her back. 
 
A chilling mystery that weaves elements of magical realism, drama, and folklore into a story of one teen’s bravery as she confronts her town’s past and tries to save the future.

Humza Arshad & Henry White (Author), Aleksei Bitskoff (Illustrator) - Little Badman and the Rise of the Punjabi Zombies - Book Review

 

Asian YouTube sensation, Humza Arshad, and comedian, Henry White, have smashed it up with another book from the laugh-out-loud little BADMAN series. Are you ready to rap your way out of a paper bag? This third book is another madcap adventure based on Humza Khan and his group of friends. Welcome to Big School (Egginton High) and the most embarrassing first day as Humza is driven to the school gates by his not-so-COOL dad or car. 

This mahoosive story features a magical orb, a school bully, an evil teacher, and an unlikely friend who helps him with his homework. However, this is only the start as the fantasy brain is flexed in a fast-paced, hilarious roller-coaster read that is as fresh as my underpants and as diverse as a curry. The authors and the illustrator bring a magical mix of fantasy, comedy, and illustration that you will not find in any other stories. However, it's time to save the world from destruction, defend oneself from giant killer hamsters as well as the rise of the PUNJABI ZOMBIES, and don't forget that little voice in your ear. In fact, I think I can still hear him now. 

This story has a great slice of British culture coursing through its veins. I've never enjoyed such amazing and wildly over-the-top themes that are told with so much heart and comedic uproar. It's entertainment with a capital E and is a real joy to read and love. It's a series that I would definitely recommend; perfect for readers of seven years and up. The characters are brilliant and feel very memorable whilst the plot is pure genius with a bit of a moral in the tale. You can never second-guess what is coming. The only thing in this book you have to be careful of is what you wish for .... and I wish for another book really SOON. You can buy it HERE!

Roslyn Muir - The Chimera's Apprentice - Author Interview (Q&A) - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books #37

Hello Everybody. Thank you for popping by Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books. We have a brilliant interview with Scottish-born author Roslyn Mui today. The Chimera's Apprentice is the first book in an immersive magical fantasy series that follows Kyra, the main character, who unfortunately has lost her family. Her mother has been snatched by the rat people, and her estranged dad is too busy fighting them to help. The author has planned a three-book series to get your fantasy teeth stuck into. All books have been independently published so they might have slipped you by. We hope you get a better insight into the series and the author's background.

If you want to find out more please check out the author's website page HERE

1. The Chimera's Apprentice is the first book in the series. How would you best describe what we can expect to encounter in this story? 

The Chimera’s Apprentice is told in the first-person point of view. We’re in Kyra’s thoughts from when she first lives on Earth and is then whisked away to another dimension. It’s a fantasy adventure story of new worlds and incredible creatures. But it’s also a story of a fractured family. Kyra’s dad has been missing for years and then she suddenly meets him again and discovers he’s the ruler of a distant land—which makes her a princess. But Kyra’s not satisfied with that and sets out to rescue her mom who’s been kidnapped by the Raturro—a group of rebels out to bring down the ruler.

2. How do you go about making a series of books have a distinctive edge? Do you think other writers have influenced your books and your writing? 

I think that books in a series should be connected but also have the ability to stand alone. I tried to achieve that in both books, as well as the upcoming third and last book in the series, The Last Murch. I was influenced by Hunger Games and Harry Potter which are both extremely popular series. I think the huge, distinct worlds were what influenced me the most, but also the idea that you can continue to add new characters to each book. I’m aiming to go deeper with the characters, to discover more about them and the history of the Raturro. 

3. I'm a very big fan of both book covers in the series, who produced the fantastic illustrations for these, and do you think they get the message about the story across to potential new readers? 

I also love the covers! I belong to many writers’ groups on Facebook and saw a cover with an interesting dragon on it. I asked the author about the artist and got her name: Elena Dudina, who lives in Spain. (https://www.elenadudina.com)

I wanted the covers to really pull in the reader and entice them—that’s the cover’s job, of course, but I also wanted it to be one of those covers that you just stare at and notice new things over time. We’re working on the cover for book three right now. I’m so excited about it I’ll probably release it early!

4. The main character is called Kyra a reluctant princess of Antiica, do you think she would change any of the outcomes in the story? 

Kyra becomes a hero when she rescues her mom in book one, but not all is perfect at the end of the story. A war is looming in the land. Kyra is only 13 and while she has some powers at her disposal, the war is another thing entirely. She carries the guilt that her family is responsible for all the bad things on Antiica. Yes, she would like the problems solved, but she needs to earn that victory first! 

5. You also write for television and screen, how does this help (or hinder) your writing process as a children's author? Do you have any tips you could share with us? 

I think my screenwriting career has given me the confidence to tackle a novel. Screenplays are leaner than books, less adjectives and descriptions are very plot oriented. So, I’ve learned to be a plotter and to make sure my protagonist is active and surprising. I think I’m also good at squeezing everything out of a scene and creating exciting cliffhangers at the end of chapters. If I had any advice for writers, it would be to plot, plot, plot! 

I outline my story and know what my characters’ goals are, but I don’t have a chapter-by-chapter synopsis. I just keep building to the plot points. There’s a saying in screenwriting: You have to kill your darlings! That means that you’ll write a lot of great stuff, but often a brilliant idea will paint you into a corner. Sometimes you have to let them go and stay on the path you planned out. 

6. You were born in Scotland and grew up in Vancouver, Canada; both places have wonderful landscapes. Have these inspired any part of the story or the series?

Yes, I’ve spent a lot of time in the woods and mountains, so it is my go-to location. I also have a giant monkey-puzzle tree in my yard, and I’ve made it an important memory for Kyra. 

7. What can we expect from your next book The Stone Traveller? 

Kyra’s adventure continues to a far nestling as she tries to protect her Raturro friend Mercy from the evil rebel leader, Majellan. Kyra encounters serpents and interferes in the customs of the local Raturro. She’s still learning how to control the chimera that she’s connected to, and the results are disastrous. There are some exciting revelations about Mercy, but I won’t spoil it here;)

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