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Avoid Preaching If You Write for Kids
While your novel may very well contain a moral or theme that you’d really like to get across, don’t be tempted to include it in such a way that it detracts from the narrative and possibly turns the reader off your story altogether. If you really believe that you have to convey an important message, try and ensure it’s actually a good fit with the text and doesn’t look as if it was added later simply for effect. Learn more in the latest post at Write by the...
read more“A well-written, suspenseful time travel story sure to keep readers engaged till its very clever ending.”
The Sorcerer’s Letterbox In a hidden drawer in the base of an old wooden box, Jack discovers a letter from a boy calling himself Edward. Penning a reply, Jack is astonished to be corresponding through time with the boy king Edward V, one of the famous Princes in the Tower, murdered by King Richard III. Travelling back in time, Jack attempts to rescue Edward V and his brother from their fate, but is soon fighting for his life in the terrifying London of 1483. “Your book is the best !!!!!!!!!!! I wished it never ended!...
read moreThe Sphere of Septimus
“Fast paced with vivid descriptions, creative creatures and a suspense filled plot, it’s impossible to put this book down. It is a great read for children who enjoy fantasy and science fiction books. I highly recommend it for both boys and girls. It’s a must read!” Eric isn’t too happy when he has to spend the summer with his eccentric father, Septimus Trinket, in the backwater village of Middle Wogglehole, deep in the heart of rural Derbyshire. In the isolated village, however, things are not quite what they seem. Eric meets...
read moreThe Time Camera
The Time Camera The massive explosion in which Eleanor Chamberlain died at her research laboratory was widely seen as a tragic accident. Or was it the perfect crime? Two years later, Jake and Lydia discover a mysterious camera, capable of taking pictures of the distant past and more ominously, of the future. As they uncover the shocking truth and learn of secrets that someone will kill to protect, Jake and Lydia are soon propelled into a deadly struggle to save the future. “I just finished your book The Time Camera! I think this might...
read moreSmart Nostalgia by Konn Lavery
Today, I’m pleased to welcome my fellow author, Konn Lavery, whose short story, Smart Nostalgia, is available in The Kindread Coast, the third anthology by Black Cat Books. Born from the shadowy minds of Western Canadian authors, The Kindread Coast unleashes thitreen stories of supernatural beings set in the haunting landscapes of British Columbia. Here you will encounter shapeshifters, water monsters, black cats, and undead cyborgs. They inhabit misty forests, murky depths, ominous city streets, and deadly mountain vistas …...
read moreReadings at Granary Road
This weekend, I’ll be at Granary Road, just south of Calgary, on Saturday and Sunday doing readings from my books. You can find Granary Road at 226066, 112 Street West, Foothills County, T1S 5S5. Please stop by and and visit to learn more about me and all my books. You can even get your very own signed copy, including the brand new Order of Excalibur novels. An Untimely Death – The Stone of the Seer – Royal Blood – Revenge of the Witchfinder – Shadowzone – Into The Web – Black...
read more“Congratulations on a great read for kids.”
The Alchemist’s Portrait A school trip to the art gallery at the city museum leads Matthew into an eerie meeting with Peter Glimmer, imprisoned inside his own portrait by his villainous uncle in 1666. Entrusted by Peter with recovering the one object that can save the world, Matthew is sent hurtling over 300 years into the past. Encountering magic, mayhem and murder, Matthew also has to contend with Peter’s uncle, the ruthless and seemingly immortal Nicolaas van der Leyden, at every turn, in a desperate race through time to save...
read moreNina Munteanu: Revisiting “Through the Portal Anthology”
An Interview with Nina Munteanu: Revisiting “Through the Portal Anthology” Ten months ago, on my Dec 2, 2024 post, I interviewed Nina Munteanu on the anthology she and co-editor Lynn Hutchinson Lee worked on with a release date with Exile Editions of December 31, 2024. Through the Portal: Tales from a Hopeful Dystopia is an eco-fiction anthology of over 30 stories that explore strange new terrains and startling social constructs, quiet morphing landscapes, dark and terrifying warnings, and lush newly-told folk and fairy tales. Simon: So,...
read more“This book has everything children and this adult love to read about. I could not put the book down.”
Future Imperfect Andrew Mitchell was one of the leading experts in highly advanced technology in Silicon Valley, until he vanished following a car accident, which also injured his son, Alex. When a mysterious app later appears on Alex’s phone, he and his friend Stephanie embark on a terrifying journey involving secret technology, corporate espionage, kidnapping, and murder in a desperate bid to save the future from the sinister Veronica Castlewood. “Often stories that involve cross overs from the future are confusing and lacking in...
read moreHow Old Should Your Characters Be?
In novels for young readers, children generally prefer not to follow the adventures of lead characters that are younger than them and in some cases even the same age. If your story is aimed at readers aged eight to twelve years old, for example, your main protagonists should usually be depicted as being around twelve or thirteen, but generally no older than that. Learn more in the latest blog post at Write by the...
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