***
James and Isabel Lancelot have disappeared in mysterious circumstances, leaving behind their children, 10-year-old twins Jemima and Joe. Nobody has a clue what’s happened to them, except for the family cat who was the sole witness to their disappearance. Using the portal of an old book – Shadows from the Past – the couple have travelled back in time but, having left behind the key to bring them home, they are now trapped somewhere in the past. With their parents missing, the twins are sent to live with their Uncle Richard, a professor of ancient history and archaeology, where they soon befriend their new next-door-neighbour, Charlie, a super-brainy boy who is the same age as them.
At the start of the school summer holidays, the three children decide to investigate the old book that had belonged to the twins’ father. Finding the book locked, they’re unable to open it until Jemima discovers she has the key. It was on her mother’s necklace, left abandoned on the attic floor after their parents’ disappearance. And there’s more… The children find a small pouch inside the wooden chest that contained the book and, inside the pouch are four golden charms shaped like owls.
With the book unlocked, an astonishing series of events begins to unfold. The youngsters hear whispering voices carried by a strong breeze that comes out of nowhere and then, a strange cloud fills the room. Through the mist, they see tantalising glimpses of an ancient city. Joe is the first to discover that if they step inside this cloud it will take them to another place. Jemima is surprised to hear her mother’s voice calling to her, reminding her to pick up the all-important key. Then, holding Max, her beloved Tonkinese cat, in her arms, Jemima follows the two boys into the mist. Arriving in the lost city of Atlantis, the children are astounded to find that it was no myth, but a real, historical place. And so their adventures begin…
It doesn’t take them long to realise the owl charms are mini translation tools, enabling them to communicate with the Atlanteans, but when Jemima attaches one to Max’s collar, the large cat begins to speak. The children can’t believe their ears, especially when Max tells them the truth about their parents’ disappearance. The twins are overjoyed to learn that their parents aren’t dead but simply lost in time, and now their quest begins in earnest. They must find and rescue James and Isabel, searching throughout the pages of history. But, first, the youngsters have an important mission – to warn the people of Atlantis about the disaster that will soon destroy their city. Will they succeed? And can they find their way back to the safety of their own time before it’s too late?
***
***
Q&A
When and where do you prefer to write?
I have an office where I can write in my own space with no interruptions, but I’m happy to write anywhere, as long as I have peace and quiet. I’m not one of those people who can work with background noise – I need to concentrate and I get crotchety if I can’t!
Do you have a certain ritual?
I don’t have any particular ritual, apart from always reading back what I’ve written the day before, just to refresh my mind before I start again.
Do you like a drink or something to nibble on while you write?
It depends on the time of day. Coffee in the morning, tea and a ginger biscuit in the afternoon.
Do you consider writing a different genre or do you already do that?
I recently did a course in Creative Writing for Children at the University of Cambridge, which really pushed me out of my comfort zone. A couple of assignments involved writing Picture Books for early readers, and I didn’t find that at all easy. However, I’m quite happy with what I managed to come up with in the end – they may even find their way into print one day! I also have an idea for an adult time-travel romance which I might have a go at when I’ve finished my current series. I must say, though, that my heart really lies with Middle Grade fiction.
What is/are your favourite book(s)?
I always struggle to narrow it down when I get asked this! I couldn’t pin it down to just one. I read so many different genres; from the classics to thrillers, to historical fiction, to detective fiction and even to chick lit, from the favourite books of my childhood to more recent books for young readers, fiction or non-fiction, it doesn’t matter. I admire any author who can hold me spellbound, lost in their narrative and unable to stop turning the pages. However, I do enjoy C.J. Sansom’s “Matthew Shardlake” series, my favourite being Sovereign. One of the best atmospheric thrillers I’ve read was The Ghost, by Robert Harris – I much preferred the book to the film adaptation. I also love historical non-fiction, especially anything by Alison Weir.
Do you sometimes base your characters on people you know?
No but some of my books contain real people from history who I depict in a fictional way. However, when I need names for my invented characters, I take them from my family tree (I’m a keen genealogist). For example, Jemima Lancelot in this book is named after my 5 times great-grandmother.
If you had the chance to co-write a book. Whom would it be with?
If I could co-write a book with another author I’d choose J. K. Rowling because, with her name on the cover, the book sales would be off the scale!
Do you take a (digital) notebook everywhere in order to write down ideas that pop up?
I have a small notebook that I carry in my handbag. If I forget it, I end up jotting ideas down on scraps of paper and then panic when I can’t find them later!
Which genre(s) do you not like at all?
I must be honest and admit that I really don’t enjoy Sci-Fi or “shape-shifter” novels. Apologies to authors of those genres, but it’s just not my thing.
If you should travel to a foreign country to do research, which one would you chose and why?
Any excuse to go to Greece or Italy would be at the top of my list. Visiting archaeological sites brings me enormous pleasure. Walking the ancient streets of Pompeii or Herculaneum, for example, is the next best thing to time-travel!
Thank you, Wendy Leighton-Porter and Pump Up Your Book
***
About the author
After teaching French, Latin, and Classical Studies for almost twenty years, Wendy’s career took a new direction when she turned to her first love – books – and decided to devote herself to writing children’s fiction. With the old adage “Write about what you know” in mind, when she first came up with the idea for her series of time-travel adventures, she jumped head-first into the ancient world of classical history and mythology which formed the backdrop for her first three books. As the series moves forward in time, she sets each story in historical periods that have always fascinated her. Although no longer in the classroom, she seeks to entertain her young readers, to engage them, to foster a love of reading, but also to educate. As she takes them on a thrilling journey into the past alongside her three young time-travellers and their talking cat, Wendy hopes that her love of history, myth and legend will rub off on them along the way.
***
Author Links
Website: https://www.wendy-leighton-porter.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WLP_author
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WendyLeightonPorterWriter
***
***
Book Link
B for Bookreview 