I was the first boy in Britain to meet a Dalek in the flesh (so to speak) when my Dad took me to the BBC workshops one dark January night in 1964. That early experience probably explains quite a lot. After a childhood spent daydreaming about aliens and vampires, I discovered Marvel Comics and happily gave up all connection with reality to immerse myself in the marvellous worlds of Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, John Romita, Jim Steranko and Neal Adams. Every Saturday I used to head doggedly from newsagent to newsagent, searching out the latest Iron Man or Spider-man comics, which I would buy for 10d each (that’s about 4p in your fancy modern digital money). Since those halcyon days I've written a lot of books. Really, a lot. If you put a copy of every one of my books in a suitcase then you’d need to get a friend to help you lift it. My favorites among my own books are Heart of Ice, a sci-fi interactive adventure story where the Côte d’Azur is a jungle and the Sahara is covered in snow, and my current project, Mirabilis, a comic book epic in the making. I'd say that my fantasy writing has been most influenced by Lord Dunsany, Jack Vance, Mike Mignola and Neil Gaiman, but I should stress that none of those gentlemen is personally to blame.
<p><em style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;">After centuries of religiously motivated war, the world has been split in two. Now the Blessed Lands are ruled by pure faith, while in the Republic, reason is the guiding light—two different realms, kept apart and at peace by a treaty and an ocean.</em><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><span style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;">Children of the Republic, Helena and Jason were inseparable in their youth, until fate sent them down different paths. Grief and duty sidetracked Helena’s plans, and Jason came to detest the hollowness of his ambitions.</span><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><span style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;">These two damaged souls are reunited when a tiny boat from the Blessed Lands crashes onto the rocks near Helena’s home after an impossible journey across the forbidden ocean. On board is a single passenger, a nine-year-old girl named Kailani, who calls herself “the Daughter of the Sea and the Sky.” A new and perilous purpose binds Jason and Helena together again, as they vow to protect the lost innocent from the wrath of the authorities, no matter the risk to their future and freedom.</span><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><span style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;">But is the mysterious child simply a troubled little girl longing to return home? Or is she a powerful prophet sent to unravel the fabric of a godless Republic, as the outlaw leader of an illegal religious sect would have them believe? Whatever the answer, it will change them all forever… and perhaps their world as well.</span></p>
These fragments of correspondence addressed to the Royal Mythological Society have been recovered from the Society's archives and restored by Mr Leo Hartas and Mr David J Morris, in whom the copyright of this work resides. For further adventures, escapades and entertainments relating to the year of wonders, may we direct your attention to the following location on Mr Babbage’s International Network: www.mirabilis-yearofwonders.com
<p>"<span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;line-height:normal;font-size:small;">A magnificently creative meld of stiff-upper-lip, MCC, Stalky-and-co Edwardianism and the undercurrent of legend." M. Terentius Varro (on Amazon)</span></p> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;line-height:normal;font-size:small;">"</span><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">A glorious selection of tongue in cheek fantastic stories." Matt Kelland (Amazon)</span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">"I</span><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">nvaluable tips ranging from Atlantis wine, dealing with doppelgangers, lost dogs and Roman mosaics, and the dangers of buying cars at goblin markets." Smudge (Amazon)</span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">"G</span><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">reat fun! I have it by my bedside." Jamie Thomson</span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;line-height:normal;font-size:small;">"Eruditely droll... top-hats off to its collators." Cousin Jack</span></div>