Author’s Lounge asked me, “what was the inspiration for writing your recently released MG/YA book, The Adventures of Jimmy Crikey: The Emerald Lake?”
To answer, I have to go back to when my sons were youngsters. Whenever I could I made time at bedtime for ten to twenty minutes of reading magical stories, a pleasure I never enjoyed as a youngster. I only discovered a penchant for creating stories during a rainy, family seaside holiday in Great Yarmouth, over fifty years ago.
My eldest son, then around four or five years old, was happily playing with newfound friends on the beach until heavy showers forced them to take shelter in the confines of our crowded beach tent. Their boisterous play continued until my wife pleaded for a little less noise.
“Can’t you keep them quiet for a while?”
“And how do I do that?”
“Read them a story, or something.”
“We haven’t brought any books down from the hotel.”
“Well, make one up, then.”
And for the first time ever, I did. I had been watching the boys at play and noticed that the smallest of the clan was being ordered around. Bullied, in other words. And that child just happened to be blessed with a ginger mop of hair. and the seed of a story was sown. A boy who was different and had a bright red mop of hair. Jimmy Crikey was also blessed with other oddities which marked him out as the odd one. To keep five children occupied until the rain showers passed, I needed to add a hint of danger, a touch of courage and a handful of magic, not to mention the mystery of the unknown.
From then on whenever the showers returned so did the gang, piling into the tent and demanding more. Of Jimmy’s adventures. The four witch guardians of Earth’s realms came into being and Lord Oron, the Weatherman who travelled the world in his cloud, joined the fray. Several years later that I realized I just had to get them down on paper – the old fashioned way: pen and paper.
Fifty years later The Amazing Adventures of Jimmy Crikey appeared as a children’s fantasy adventure story available on Amazon/KDP.
Over the years Jimmy’s adventures have continued and the fifth book in the series will be ready to publish in late 2022.
My most recent offering is a stand-alone, fourth in series, of the adventures of Jimmy Crikey, the alien orphan who, despite cruel bullying, decided to make his home on Earth. He numbers among his friends the four witch guardians of Earth’s realms and the ancient Lord Oron, aka The Weatherman.
The underground Emerald Lake, home of the Aqua mites, was invaded by flesh-eating, fire-breathing serpents, which were impervious to the magic of the witches. Witch Matilda asks for Jimmy’s assistance, and he accompanies Elwinn, guardian of everything associated with water, to visit the Lake. They arrive at a plan to capture the serpents in a spider’s web net.
Their strategy is complicated because Jimmy cannot breathe underwater, unless included in Elwinn’s bubble. Several of the strongest young Aquamites agree to act as live bait to entice the serpents into a lake in an extinct volcano’s caldera.
Once the serpents are lured into the volcano’s lake Jimmy, with the help of his starship SR3 and XRU, the intelligent computer, will trap the reptiles in a spider’s web net, and drag the creatures into the cold depths of deep space.
Jimmy’s heart was captured at first sight of Annison, a young, golden-headed Aquamite, daughter of Milton, the leader of the tribe. There is nothing more intense than a young man’s first love.
During the operation to capture the serpents, Annison is seriously injured when one serpent takes a bite out of her lower tail. She is dying from loss of blood. The witches cannot help. There is no time to get her to Jimmy’s home plane of Attalia for advanced surgery.
All appears lost until Lord Oron reveals his true identity. He serves the all-powerful Master, who could save Annison, but he refuses to bring a subject back to life. Can Lord Oron persuade the Master to intervene and save the life of Jimmy’s first love, Anniston?
The first two Jimmy Crikey books have been produced as audio books by ACX and released on Amazon, Audible and iTunes. More will be added as budget allows
In my childhood books were in short supply. I remember most vividly a worn copy of Grimm’s fairy stories, a large book with beautiful, colored illustrations many of which bordered on the frightening. Perhaps my most favorite stories were of Rupert, written in both rhyme and prose
Both books were gripping, and my vocabulary was definitely stretched by the Grimm brothers. I consider Rupert’s adventure stories were a safe, non-threatening but exciting read for my sons, but their favorite was Enid Blyton’s Magic Far Away Tree. However, I do not decry the world of comics as an early entry into reading of literature.
My favorite authors are Tolkien and Rowling followed by Wilbur Smith and then a plethora of adventure writers of the ilk of Dan Brown, Baldacci, Karen Slaughter, etc. All are wonderful weavers of words and ideas.
I also enjoy Gibbon’s ‘Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire’ in short bursts, and very short slices of Shakespeare.
In my stories I love the underdog who, against the odds, comes out on top. Morally true to his/her ideals. A natural leader with hidden talents.
The place I write is less important than my state of mind. When a story is flowing the surroundings are immaterial. Latterly, though, I am sat in an armchair with my lap top, alternating attention between the story and the TV.
Swearing in children’s books and even in YA’s is not called for. “But that is the real world”, I am told. I do not to use profanities. They are unnecessary in any age group
http://amazon.com/dp/B09VDNTFB4
https://www.amazon,com/dp/B09YL33DDW – AUDIO of The Amazing Adventures of Jimmy Crikey https://www.wallaceebriggs.com
