On Thursday evening I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Free Word Centre to attend the Capturing the Voice event hosted by The Reading Agency and Bounce! Templar Publishing, Barrington Stoke, Piccadilly Press and Catnip Publishing.
chaired an author discussion with Colin Mulhern (author of Clash), Isla Whitcroft (Trapped) and Stephanie Burgis (A Most Improper Magick). Anthony McGowan needs no introduction but the other three are still fairly new additions to the YA writing market. I am a massive fan of Clash so it was a pleasure to meet Colin, it was the first time I had come across Isla and Stephanie’s works. I had the opportunity to chat to Isla before the talk started and have added Trapped to my TBR list – it is an adventure story about Cate Carlisle – School’s Out and sixteen-year-old Cate Carlisle lands a job on board a gorgeous yacht, moored in the south of France. She’s working for the glamorous supermodel, actress and pop star Nancy Kyle! But mysterious, terrifying events keep happening around her. Soon Cate’s resourcefulness is the only thing keeping her, and the smuggled animals she discovers, from a terrifying fate. .
A Most Improper Magick is a YA Regency period novel about sisters and a lick of fantasy Kat’s father may be a respectable vicar, but her late mother was a notorious witch, her brother has gambled the whole family into debt, and Kat herself is the newest target of an ancient and secretive magical Order. Anthony also has a new book out with Barrington Stoke – The Fall which is based around events from McGowan’s own school-days – Mog is one of nature’s worriers, a loser hanging out on the edges of school society with an array of misfits. When cool, tough Chris Rush drifts into the gang, Mog finds a hero and a best friend. When pond-scum Duffy is drawn into Chris’ protection, though, Mog’s jealousy starts a chain of events that will change them all forever.
The stories are a mix of grim, gritty and unremitting teen life as well as aspirational storytelling and a pinch of fantasy but each tale has a core of hope
I did find a book trailer for A Most Improper Magick:
