Have you ever read a book and fell in love with the story and the characters so much you didn’t want the book to end? Have you ever felt like they became familiar friends? Harry, Hermonie and Ron are the first wonderful characters that come to my mind. Need I even say what series they are from? I think we all know the answer to that one. My boys were the perfect age for those books when they were first released and we spent countless hours reading them together. Harry Potter brought reading back to boys and girls of a certain age and we all thank JK Rowling for the love of books she brought to so many readers.
What characters in your favourite book are your best friends?
Great memorable characters from pictures books, middle grade, YA and adult fiction are all around us. We carry their memories with us as we go through life.
I remember when I first received the box set of the Chronicles of Narnia. I was ten years old and immediately sat in my curved plastic green and white striped chair in the corner of my bedroom and devoured The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It took me to a world of wonder I never knew existed. I was already an avid reader, but this series hooked me for life.
The Chronicled of Narnia form part of my favourite childhood memories.
Then along came the Trixie Beldon mysteries. I lost count how many of those I had on my bookshelf. Nancy Drew, the Famous Five, they have all influenced me over the years. My love for mystery and adventure has come out in my own writing. I would not have written The Adamson Adventures without growing up reading about these other fabulous characters.
Another book that had a major influence over my writing the first book in my Adamson Adventure series, Secrets Hidden Below, was The Indian in Cupboard. I had three sons by the time we read this story together. We sat in bed each night while on holiday in Bali to read this intriguing story. I enjoyed it so much, that after the kids fell asleep, I couldn’t stop reading, I had to read ahead to see what happened next. The book had me hooked on reading out loud to our boys as it was not only a fabulous story with great characters, it also meant we had a special bonding time with all three kids. By the time we were finished I had the idea to write an adventure story that followed my own great characters on an adventure mystery of their own. My idea took my family on a journey around Bali. An adventure with pirate treasure around this exotic setting was something that no one had done before. From there, I took them on a mysterious ghost hunt a little closer to home in A Lighthouse in Time. Their third adventure takes them to the vast dry drought-stricken outback and the land of Australian dinosaurs.
I loved reading Indian in the Cupboard out loud with my boys.
My characters, like any great characters in a series have grown and changed throughout the telling of their story. Zac is still a science nerd who thinks he knows everything, but he has learnt to listen to his sister, sometimes. Luke is still mischievous but is slowly learning to be more cautious, although I think learning to listen to advice from his siblings may need to wait for him to grow up a bit more. While Clare is moving forward from strength to strength. No longer the quiet, shy, frightened sister, Clare is learning to stand-up for herself and grow in strength and confidence. Someone once asked me which of my characters was my favourite? I had to think long and hard about that, they are like your own children, impossible to have a favourite, but I think Clare’s determination and ability to take control in a dangerous situation, makes her my stand out.
Fossil Frenzy, the Adamson Adventures 3, is coming soon. My graphic designer and I are working on the front cover now. Hopefully I will be able to reveal the cover shortly.
A hint of what is to come in Fossil Frenzy, The Adamson Adventures 3.
In the meantime, it is Book Lovers day this Sunday, 9th August 2020. Which book is first to come to your mind that you love? Is it a treasured memory? Which characters have you read about and felt they became more like good friends you couldn’t wait to read more about?
For more inspiration on Book Lovers Day, check out these awesome blogs :-
Julie Schooler Paradoxical takeaways
Carmela Dutra A Day for Bookworms
Cat Michaels A Bibliophile RAP Really Awful Poem
Auden Johnson Best Horror Trope in Books and Movies
Rosie Russell Fun Facts for Book Lovers Day
Rebecca Lyndsay Most JAWsome Time of the Year
Book Lovers Day 2020, a world of memorable characters to treasure.