Sleep Paralysis...Or Paranormal Encounter by Michelle Harrison.

Today on the blog, I have one of my favourite authors, Michelle Harrison, who is sharing the most frightening things to ever happen to her. 

The two most frightening things that have ever happened to me are similar experiences, and both occurred when I was in a place where I should have felt safest: at home in bed. 

The first was when I was aged twenty, at college and living away from home for the first time. I'd just moved into a new flat with a couple of friends with whom I worked at a local nightclub, and the flat happened to be the upstairs of an old pub - The Bear and Pheasant in Stafford. I'd only been there a week when I was woken one morning by the feeling of something hitting the end of the bed repeatedly. As I was sleeping alone and there should have been no one else in the room, I was instantly struck with fear and the thought that this had to be a supernatural presence. I can only describe it as being like the weight of a fist pounding the bedclothes by my feet. It went on for about twenty seconds, during which I kept my eyes tightly closed, too frightened to move, but convinced I was awake. When I finally plucked up the courage to move my foot the tiniest amount, the pounding stopped. Convinced the place was haunted, I got dressed and stayed out of the flat for the entire day, eventually moving out the following week. I later heard a story that the room had once belonged to an elderly couple who ran the pub. The woman had been very ill for a while, and supposedly her husband used to go in and wake her every morning to make sure she hadn't died in her sleep. Whether this part is true, I'm unsure, as I only heard it from one (dubious) source . . . 

The second time it happened was in a different bed and a different house, more than ten years later. This time was more terrifying than the first. Again, I was alone, and stirred from sleep by the sound of footsteps - like an old person wearing slippers shuffling slowly round the bed away from me. And again, I was instantly afraid, knowing that there was no one in the house but me. I became even more terrified when I realised I was paralysed with fear (or so I thought) and couldn't move a muscle. It was at this point the footsteps paused halfway round the bed, then came running back round to me at a crazy speed, then whoomph! The side of the bed sank down with a heavy weight, like a person had thrown themselves next to me. When I finally managed to wake up properly I was screaming, but once I'd calmed down the sense of terror didn't last. 

The reason for this was that in between these two experiences, I'd written a book called Unrest, based on my sister's experiences which were similar to the two I've just described. In the book, the main character, Elliott, has frequent bouts of what's called sleep paralysis, or sleep apnea, during which he believes ghosts are making contact with him. Having done some research into sleep paralysis, I'd learned that it's surprisingly common, and most people experience it at least once. 

It takes place during REM sleep, when the body's muscles naturally go into paralysis (to stop us acting out our dreams and harming ourselves) but when our minds are in the dreaming phase. Sometimes, the mind partially wakes up, projecting our dreams into our everyday surroundings, but because our bodies are still paralysed, we go into panic mode and the dream hallucinations turn threatening. Most often, this takes the form of a malevolent figure approaching us, with many accounts of the victim feeling a crushing weight on their chest and struggling to breathe. Because of this, sleep paralysis is believed to be responsible for the vast number of supernatural/alien/ghostly encounters that people experience, as it feels so incredibly real and scary - even when you understand what's happening, as I did the second time round. 

What research fails to explain is why this hallucinated threat so consistently manifests as a shadowy, human-like figure or presence . . . 

Happy Halloween!

Published by Simon & Schuster

Summary

What happens when a tale with real magic, that was supposed to be finished, never was? This is a story about one of those stories . . . 
Midge loves riddles, his cat, Twitch, and ‒ most of all ‒ stories. Especially because he’s grown up being read to by his sister Alice, a brilliant writer.
When Alice goes missing and a talking cat turns up in her bedroom, Midge searches Alice’s stories for a clue. Soon he discovers that her secret book, The Museum of Unfinished Stories, is much more than just a story. In fact, he finds two of its characters wandering around town.
But every tale has its villains ‒ and with them leaping off the page, Midge, Gypsy and Piper must use all their wits and cunning to work out how the story ends and find Alice. If they fail, a more sinister finale threatens them all ...

****

To find out more about Michelle Harrison:

Website / Twitter

The Book Cycle with Michelle Harrison

I am always excited to have Michelle Harrison on the blog, as she is one of my favourite authors. Michelle's latest Middle Grade novel, The Other Alice was published last week. Here is my review. The Other Alice is also my Book of the Month for August. 

Each book I've written has been a different experience, mainly due to whatever else is going on in my life but also because, six books in, I know more about my strengths and weaknesses as a writer. My first book, Thirteen Treasures, was written at a leisurely pace and then redrafted over several years as I searched for an agent. Everything I've written since has been much faster due to having deadlines - usually about 18 months from start to publication.

The starting point is usually a question, or a recurring thought. I don't remember the exact moment I began thinking about all the unfinished stories in the world, but it's something I've thought about often: all these characters and worlds unfinished, waiting for an ending that never comes. Many of these stories are probably average or terrible (I can speak for myself, here) but undoubtedly, there are gems with real promise. What if the characters' desire for an ending were enough to bring them to life? That's how The Other Alice began.

My stories are driven by plot first, characters second. The plot I have to puzzle over, whereas the characters tend to arrive in my head, often unexpectedly. The first thing I do is write an outline. I call this an 'extended blurb', because it's a longer version of what you'd see on the back of the book. I don't give away many answers at this stage, because I don't know them myself. This gives me a framework so my editor and I know roughly where I'm headed, and usually it has enough detail for the cover to be briefed. 

Once complete I'll have questions that'll determine the plot and the characters. For The Other Alice, these were: What would trigger the characters stepping off the page into the real world? What control would the author have then? How does the author cope? Who is going to figure out the ending? Who is the villain? And what would each of these characters do once they find out they're just a figment of someone else's imagination?

I'm pretty old-fashioned - I use Word and write each chapter as a separate file, piecing it together at the end. I use notebooks (always pretty ones) for character profiles, plot points and brainstorms. Sometimes I jot these on post its so they can be moved around. I'll also list potential character names and place names, mix and matching until I get the right one. One of the characters, Gypsy, lives on a narrowboat that I couldn't quite pin down, so I held a competition for my fans to name the boat. Sure enough, the perfect name - Elsewhere - came up. In addition I keep track of my chapter titles (I love thinking these up) and their word counts so I can watch them grow.

My notebooks also contain information that never materialises within the book. One of my favourite features of The Other Alice is the set of fortune cards (similar to tarot cards) that Midge finds in his mother's room. Each set is individual to the owner, and these were based on fairy tales. I spent a few happy hours thinking about the entire deck of cards and what their meanings could be, but only a few are actually mentioned in the story.

I struggle hugely with first drafts, and I'm slow. That's where the bulk of my time goes. That said, this was a tough book to write as it was the first since becoming a mother, and with only ten hours a week paid childcare, the rest I have to get done in naptimes, after bedtime, and with the help of family. My first drafts are overwritten with pointless tangents where I've changed direction. I resist editing on the go; I just don't have time and it's more productive to keep going until the end, then fix it after. Distancing yourself from a chapter or scene makes it easier to see faults when you come back to it. It's hard to get that if you're constantly rereading. 

I much prefer the redrafting stage. Besides Thirteen Treasures, The Other Alice was my most chaotic first draft. I'd gone too 'meta' with the 'story within a story' concept, and my editor told me I'd blow my young readers' minds - not in a good way. This all needed cutting back and simplifying. Other problems were characterisation and voice. My protagonist, Midge, needed aging down and in that first draft he and Alice had another sister, Cleo. I ended up cutting Cleo out as there was little to differentiate her from Midge. She didn't do much, except act allow Midge to voice his thoughts. I got round this by internalising some of these thoughts, and playing up the role of Tabitha, the talking cat. It was a lot of work but the right decision. 

Making the manuscript shine with the smaller details during the edits is my favourite part. I love nipping out anything that's extraneous, adding in more clues, and getting rid of ideas that never fully developed. The finished product thrills me more than the journey - perhaps it's the whole theme of unfinished stories and unfulfilled characters coming into play in my subconscious . . .

Published on 28th July 2016 by Simon and Schuster 

Summary

What happens when a tale with real magic, that was supposed to be finished, never was? This is a story about one of those stories . . . 

Midge loves riddles, his cat, Twitch, and ‒ most of all ‒ stories. Especially because he’s grown up being read to by his sister Alice, a brilliant writer.

When Alice goes missing and a talking cat turns up in her bedroom, Midge searches Alice’s stories for a clue. Soon he discovers that her secret book, The Museum of Unfinished Stories, is much more than just a story. In fact, he finds two of its characters wandering around town.

But every tale has its villains ‒ and with them leaping off the page, Midge, Gypsy and Piper must use all their wits and cunning to work out how the story ends and find Alice. If they fail, a more sinister finale threatens them all...

The Other Alice by Michelle Harrison

Alice Silver had never met anyone who had killed before, but that changed on the day Dorothy Grimes walked past the window of Alice's favourite coffee shop. 

Published by Simon and Schuster on 28th July 2016

Pages -352

Summary

What happens when a tale with real magic, that was supposed to be finished, never was? This is a story about one of those stories . . . 

Midge loves riddles, his cat, Twitch, and ‒ most of all ‒ stories. Especially because he’s grown up being read to by his sister Alice, a brilliant writer.

When Alice goes missing and a talking cat turns up in her bedroom, Midge searches Alice’s stories for a clue. Soon he discovers that her secret book, The Museum of Unfinished Stories, is much more than just a story. In fact, he finds two of its characters wandering around town.

But every tale has its villains ‒ and with them leaping off the page, Midge, Gypsy and Piper must use all their wits and cunning to work out how the story ends and find Alice. If they fail, a more sinister finale threatens them all...

*****

I may be completely biased, because I love everything Michelle Harrison writes. Ever since reading The Thirteen Treasures, I've hailed Michelle as the new Enid Blyton and I still stand by my words. She weaves fantasy with ease into a contemporary setting. 

This book is pure magic! I love that there is a book within the book! This tale brings to life, Alice's characters from her stories. Some are lovely but many are menacing and out to get what they want. For them to return to the story, Alice must finish writing it. When Alice disappears, Midge, Alice's younger brother, struggles to search for and save his sister. He must help her to return the characters back to the fictional world. 

The characters effortlessly spill out of the story into real life. I thought it was excellent how they believed themselves to be alive and really felt their shock  and fear on realising they were just characters from a story. I loved Tabitha, the talking cat, who loves a good cup of tea.

There is a real darkness to this tale, which is very much a signature of Michelle Harrison's style of writing. Her characters are never sweet or innocent. Dorothy Grimes is seriously scary!

The prose is intricately plotted and bursting with descriptive passages. I am in awe of Michelle's plotting abilities. 

The book reminded me how much I loved Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. If you are a fan of Inkheart, you will really enjoy this book.  

#6Degrees of Separation: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to ...

Jim (@YAYeahYeah) contacted me earlier this week about a meme he is  launching today over at Tales of Moon Lane and asked me if I would like to take part. Well, I jumped at the chance of taking part. I LOVE this idea of a meme!

Annabel Smith and Emma Chapman run a version of #6degrees on their blogs and have kindly allowed Jim to take the rein and bring us a YA/MG focused version, where people  can create a chain of links, each starting from the same book, and form connections in any way they like. As I understand it, you start with the first book and then use six links in order to get to the last book. However, I have seen others do it as six books rather than six links. I've gone for the former style rather than the latter. 

The book chosen to start the chain is Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.  Here are my chosen books for #6degrees. 

I thought this would be a toughie. Where do I go from greatness? I mulled over the storyline and ended up thinking about the actors involved in the films. Instantly I thought of how amazing an actor Daniel Radcliffe is. How he has grown up with the films and now is doing so well in so many others. Which led me to my first book, Woman in Black by Susan Hill, where Daniel played the main lead character.

This is one of the scariest books I've ever read and it reminded me of a conversation I had on Twitter  with Middle Grade author, Michelle Harrison a few years ago. I'm sure she told me she had visited Osea Island where the book is set. At the time Michelle was publicising her own rather scary novel, Unrest. 

Unrest was Michelle first venture into YA novels. Normally she is better known for her Middle Grade fae novels, which brings me to 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison.

I loved 13 Treasures, but then I love fae novels. I went through a phase when they were the only books I would read. My favourite fae novel of all time is Tithe by Holly Black.

But then Holly Black is basically one of my favourite authors. And everyone knows that Holly Black is best friends with Cassandra Clare, which leads us to another brilliant novel, City of Bones. 

City of Bones, leads me nicely to my last link in the chain. After reading Banished by Liz De Jager, I stated that we had discovered our very own British Cassandra Clare!

So my #6degrees has led me from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by Harry Potter to Banished by Liz De Jager.  

I can't wait to see where everybody ends up.

 Thanks to Jim for hosting!

My favourite Middle Grade/ Younger Reader Books of 2014

I promised this post a couple of weeks ago, but as usual time ran away from me.

So as many of you know, I love to read Middle Grade and Younger Reader books just as much as I love Young Adult books, so I thought I should showcase my favourite from last year.

1) One Wish by Michelle Harrison - published by Simon and Schuster

I love Michelle Harrison’s books. I loved the 13 series and I was so excited to find out that Michelle was writing a prequel to it. Michelle’s writing always reminds me of a more modern Enid Blyton. This book should definitely be on your TBR list.

2) The Boy Called Hope by Lara Williamson - Published by Usborne.

Lara Williamson is one of those authors to watch. She quietly slipped into the limelight, but quickly established herself as a favourite within the Middle Grade market. Look out for her second book out soon.  I love the way she writes. She has a mixture of humour and sadness within her prose that has you completely gripped until the end.

3) The Baking Life of Amelie Day by Vanessa Curtis - published by Curious Fox

I adored this book. A beautiful blend of humour and sadness. One of those books that you want to start all over again, once you’ve finished.

4) A Tiger Tale by Holly Webb - published by Scholastic

This is one of two books by Holly on this list. She is definitely my favourite author for 7 to 9 year olds. This book deals with grief and it actually made me cry…a lot!

5) The Case of the Exploding Loo by Rachel Hamilton - published by Simon and Schuster

Be careful not to explode with laughter when reading this book, because it is blooming hilarious.  A side splitting mystery from a debut author.

6) The Royal Babysitters by Clementine Beauvais - published by Bloomsbury.

Another hilarious, side splitting book that kids will love. Aimed at 7 to 9 year olds, it will keep them entertained as they follow this babysitting escapade.

7) Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? by Liz Kessler - published by Orion Children's Books.
I am and will always be a fan of Liz Kessler! A completely different type of book from Liz Kessler but really enjoyable. I really liked the science bits. If only gem stones had such power. *sighs*

8) Tiger Moth by Suzi Moore - published by Simon and Schuster

I can’t help it, but I truly love the way Suzi Moore writes. She has such a warmth to her voice it draws you in, hands you a blanket and allows you to dream of your childhood.

8) The Winter Wolf by Holly Webb - published by Stripes

The run up to Christmas wouldn’t be the same, if I didn’t have a wintery Holly Webb book to read. Reminiscent of The Little House on the Prairie, you feel like you are reading something really precious with this book.

So these are my favourite books for Middle Grade and Young Readers. I hope I haven’t added too many books to your overflowing TBR pile. Let me know what your favourite reads were from last year for this age range.

One Wish by Michelle Harrison

In a busy side street of London, a hooded figure let itself into a small shop. Once inside, the person locked the door and checked that the CLOSED sign was displayed, then threw back the hood. A thin-faced, bespectacled man with grey hair, he appeared ordinary at first glance. Yet look a little closer and the tips of two pointed ears were visible beneath his hair - to those who were able to see such things at least.

Published by Simon and Schuster in May 2014

Pages - 346

The Spinney Wicket Wishing Tree can grant your heart’s desire - just wish out loud, or hang a message from its branches. It sounds as though the Wishing Tree is just a sweet old tradition, but Tanya is only too aware how real its magic could be.
Tanya can see fairies, and would love to meet someone else can see them too. When she meets Ratty and his cheeky fairy, Turpin, it seems at last she’s found them. But Ratty has a secret, and a dangerous enemy who'll stop at nothing to get to him.
Tanya must use her one wish to save her new friend - but wishes should be used wisely . . .

******

When it comes to recommending books about fae, Michelle Harrison is  always  one of the first authors I  recommend. The author writes about fairies in such a way, that I am  instantly transported back to my childhood days, reading Enid Blyton books. However, unlike the fairies created by Enid Blyton, the ones in Michelle’s books are darker, nastier and like to play to tricks on you without considering the consequences.

This book is a prequel to the author’s Thirteen Treasures trilogy, where we follow Tanya on holiday with her mum, who is recovering from the break up of her marriage. Whilst away, Tanya stumbles upon the Wishing Tree, which glistens magically throughout the book. The plot continually returns to it, leaving you with a desperate wish to find your own wishing tree to use.

Tanya makes some new friends while at the tree. Well to be honest, it doesn’t really start out as friendship and Turpin takes quite some time to warm to Tanya. However with Ratty in danger, Tanya shows just how good a friend she can be.

Tanya encounters some interesting people in her quest. These characters are unique and colourful, yet damn right frightening at times. Through out the book, I found myself holding my breath as I waited for Tanya to escape from another difficult situation. As the story progresses, Tanya comes to fully understand what selfishness really means and realises that what she wants isn’t always for the best.

The plot builds up to a worrying finale, where you hope to God, they all get out alive. There are moments when you will feel that all is lost, until the book reaches a climatic ending.

I adore the fairies that live in Michelle’s world and I am so pleased she returned to writing about them. I really hope there might be a few more in the pipe line. This boo is  a glittery return into a world of magic, trickery and glamour - but be warned, you may just miss it - if you don’t have the ability to see fae…

Summer Scream Event at Foyles

I feel really bad not writing this post up sooner, but the event occurred just before my holiday and every thing went a bit pear shaped. So apologies for putting this up so late.

On August 4th, I went along to the Summer Scream Event at Foyles where I got to  listen to readings and talk to some fabulous authors. L.A. Weatherly, Karen Mahoney were there, alongside two authors I have been dying to meet for ages. Michelle Harrison and Zoe Marriott. Seriously, both these lovely ladies are at the top of my list when it comes to books. I was in awe of both of them and felt quite tongue tied talking to them, but they both put me at ease. 

Each author told us a bit about their journey to publication which I found immensely reassuring. Everyone had difficulties in getting there, but not one of them gave up their dream and I came away quite inspired by all of them. 

The event was packed out and it was lovely to see some familiar faces within the blogging world as well as other lovely authors such as James Dawson and Ruth Warburton. 

I had a huge bag of books which were all signed, so they were well worth carrying all the way to London. If you get the chance to attend one of these events at Foyles in London, then I would highly recommend going. It is brilliant to meet a whole host of authors in one place and the tickets are normally free.  

I didn't take any notes this time, so I can't actually give you any answers to the questions asked. If I'm honest I was totally gob smacked to be in such awesome and talented company. 

Thank you to all the authors who took time to stop and chat and sign my books. Thank you to Neil at Foyles for organising a fabulous event yet again. 

 L.A Weatherly - author of Angel and Angel Fire

Karen Mahoney - author of The Iron Witch series. Karen has a new book very soon called Falling to Ash which is the first book in the new Moth series. 

Zoe Marriott promoting FrostFire, one of her many beautifully written books. 

Michelle Harrison reading from Unrest, a super spooky thriller and a welcome addition to the YA genre.

Zoe Marriott! Finally! Amazing author!

Michelle Harrison! Author of The Thirteen Treasures trilogy and Unrest! Awesome writer!

Authors I Adore! (1) Michelle Harrison

There are so many authors out there I really love that I felt it was about time I showcased some of the books they have written as well as explaining why I love them so.  I haven't read all of the books by the authors I love so I thought it would  be nice to give you an insight into the books they have written.

First up this week is Michelle Harrison.

Bio: A former bookseller for Waterstones and Ottakers in Stafford, Michelle moved into publishing to become an editorial assistant for Oxford University Press. In January 2009, her, first book in the Thirteen trilogy was published. The Thirteen Treasures which went on to win the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and has now sold to fourteen other countries. This was followed The Thirteen Curses and The Thirteen Secrets. This year saw the publication of Michelle's first standalone novel, Unrest.

Why I love Michelle's books: Michelle was one of the first authors I found to offer elements of the fantasy world set within the UK. I was instantly drawn into the world that Michelle had created as I stepped into Elvesdon Manor. The fairies were dark and nasty at times, providing a darker fae world than normally be  found in the books aimed at 9 to 12 years. 

When Michelle writes for children, she brings back the essence of Enid Blyton and magically weaves it into a modern world. Each book is gripping from the first page to the last. Michelle's books also have a real English feel to them; you can actually imagine them occurring in a village near you. 

Earlier this year I got to read Michelle Harrison's first YA book and I found it just as enthralling as her children's books. Unrest is an atmospheric ghost story that will make your spine tingle. It was a realistic, gritty read and I can't wait to see what Michelle will write next. I have heard rumours there may be a witch book brewing. 

Books I have read by this author: The Thirteen Treasures, The Thirteen Curses and Unrest.

Still to read: The Thirteen Secrets - the final part in The Thirteen Treasures series. 

As part of this new feature I wanted to showcase the books written by the chosen author. I have attached the Goodreads  summary too, in order to whet your appetite.  I have also added a link to the title which will take you to my reviews of the books mentioned that I have read. 

The Thirteen Treasures

While visiting her grandmother's house, an old photograph leads Tanya to an unsolved mystery. Fifty years ago a girl vanished in the woods nearby - a girl Tanya's grandmother will not speak of. Fabian, the caretaker's son, is tormented by the girl's disappearance. His grandfather was the last person to see her alive, and has lived under suspicion ever since. Together, Tanya and Fabian decide to find the truth. But Tanya has her own secret: the ability to see fairies. And, after disturbing an intruder in the night, it emerges that someone else shares her ability ...The manor's sinister history is about to repeat itself ...

The Thirteen Curses

The Thirteen Treasures have become the Thirteen Curses. When fairies stole her brother, Red vowed to get him back. Now trapped in the fairy realm, she begs an audience with the fairy court where she strikes a bargain. Her brother will be returned - but only if she can find the thirteen charms of Tanya's bracelet that have been scattered in the human world. Returning to Elvesden Manor, Red is assisted by Tanya and Fabian and a desperate hunt begins. Soon they make a shocking discovery. The charms now have twisted qualities of the thirteen treasures they represent...and the longer they are missing the worse the consequences will be. Can Red, Tanya and Fabian find all the charms? And even if they do, will the fairies keep their promise?

The Thirteen Secrets

Red is now living at Elvesden Manor under her real name, Rowan, and trying to put her past behind her. But staying on the straight and narrow isn't as easy as she had hoped...Hounded by fairy messengers who are trying to convince her to participate once more in the changeling trade, Rowan is haunted by dreams of the Hedgewitch's cottage and the chained-up Eldritch, who threatens revenge against her. Her past is about to catch up with her - can Tanya and Fabian prevent it consuming her altogether?

Unrest

Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn't slept properly for six months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Now he is afraid to go to sleep. Sometimes he wakes to find himself paralysed, unable to move a muscle, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while his body lies asleep on the bed. According to his doctor, sleep paralysis and out of body experiences are harmless - but to Elliot they're terrifying. Convinced that his brush with death has opened up connections with the spirit world, Elliott secures a live-in job at one of England's most haunted locations, determined to find out the truth. There he finds Sebastian, the ghost of a long-dead servant boy hanged for stealing bread. He also meets the living, breathing Ophelia, a girl with secrets of her own. She and Elliott grow closer, but things take a terrifying turn when Elliott discovers Sebastian is occupying his body when he leaves it. And the more time Sebastian spends inhabiting a living body, the more resistant he becomes to giving it back. Worse, he seems to have an unhealthy interest in Ophelia. Unless Elliott can lay Sebastian's spirit to rest, he risks being possessed by him for ever, and losing the girl of his dreams...

*********

To find out more about Michelle Harrison:

Twitter: @MHarrison13 

Website: http://www.michelleharrisonbooks.com/

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Harrison/254402413390

The Crazy, Cool and Possibly Illegal Things Michelle Harrison Has Done Under The Influence of Books!

I am so pleased Michelle Harrison agreed to join me on the blog again. Her new book Unrest, a ghostly YA, has just hit the shops and I advise everyone to go out and buy it!  

Michelle came up with this hilarious post, which had me giggling. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Crazy, cool and possibly illegal things I’ve done under the influence of books:

1. Plotted an adventure
Growing up, Enid Blyton’s ‘Famous Five’ stories were among my favourites; the books that made me a reader. Unsurprisingly, I began to crave an adventure of my own, and convinced a few of my friends to agree to meet up in the dead of the night - we felt sure we’d come across some villains and foil their plans. Unfortunately none of us ever managed to stay awake long enough, or figure out how to wake up without using an alarm clock and alerting our parents, so the closest we came to an adventure was dreaming about them.

2. Played ‘treeks’
Still with Enid Blyton - this time the Malory Towers/St. Clere’s books - I became fixated on the idea of playing tricks (or ‘treeks’ as Mam’zelle would say) on teachers. With no mischievous older brothers to help with treek supplies, my friends and I improvised and made sneezing powder with some pepper stolen from the dinner hall, which we sprinkled over our teacher’s desk. There was no sneezing, just a few dry comments from our teacher about the strange ‘sand’ on her table. I’m sure our blushes gave us away as the culprits.

3. Ignored DANGER signs 
The catacombs in my 13 TREASURES books were inspired by deneholes in the real life Hangman’s Wood near to where I grew up in Essex. While writing the books I visited the wood several times and, getting a bit carried away one day, climbed over the high railings for a closer look at one of the dangerous, cave-like holes in the ground. It wasn’t a smart move as there’s no guarantee of the stability of the ground around the deneholes - some of the houses in the neighbouring area have had gardens collapse into the caves below. Luckily I emerged safely, although had anything gone wrong I probably would have got into a lot of trouble.

4. Dressed up as Professor Trelawney
I worked as a children’s bookseller for three years. Naturally there was a huge buzz around the Harry Potter releases, including games, midnight launches, and staff and customer fancy dress. For the launch of Half Blood Prince I dressed up as the fraudulent divination teacher, Professor Trelawney, and was named Best Dressed Bookseller and awarded a magnum of champagne from Bloomsbury.

5. Played dead
During the writing of UNREST I considered a scene in which one of my characters would be trapped in the boot of a car. Unsure of which positions would be possible, and looking for means of escape, I climbed into my car boot late one night with my boyfriend keeping watch in case someone came along and slammed me inside. After several minutes of squirming and muttering to myself, my boyfriend hissed at me to hurry up in case our neighbours saw and thought we were planning a murder. Strangely enough, the people in our street are never very talkative . . .

6. Imitated one of my own characters
When Elliott meets Ophelia in UNREST, he’s intrigued by the fact that she’s always wearing gloves. When he eventually sees that she’s hiding henna designs on her hands, his fascination deepens as he tries to figure out the meaning behind the symbols, swirls and the mysterious woman in a crown of stars. When UNREST launched I celebrated by having my very own version of Ophelia’s henna designs.

7. Became obsessed with black cats
When I was little I adored Ursula Moray Williams’ Gobbolino stories about a little black witch’s cat with one white paw, and his fully black (much meaner) sister Sootica. I now have two black cats of my own: Pepper and Marmite. Historically, black cats have had a bad time at the hands of the superstitious and, according to cat rescue centres, are among the most overlooked in favour of ‘prettier’ colours. It’s now my mission to always adopt black cats - and one day I might even name them after Sootica and Gobbolino.

Aw fabulous! Such a brilliant post. Thank you Michelle for sharing your photos with us too.

Unrest is available to buy from all major bookshops.
How would you like to win a copy? This in an international competition as I am sending the copy out and it will end on the 16th May.


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Unrest by Michelle Harrison

Published by Simon and Schuster in April 2012
Pages - 375

It started the way it always did.
I sat up in bed, unsure of what had woken me. My first thought was the new family who had moved in upstairs. Rowdy, Dad called them, amongst other things. Not even a month since they'd arrived and they'd managed to upset everyone, crashing up the stairs at all hours, swearing, slurring and burping. 


Goodreads Summary
Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn’t slept properly for months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Sometimes he half-wakes, paralysed, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while his body lies asleep on the bed. His doctors say sleep paralysis and out of body experiences are harmless - but to Elliott they’re terrifying. 

Convinced that his brush with death has attracted the spirit world, Elliott secures a job at a reputedly haunted museum, determined to discover the truth. There, he meets the enigmatic Ophelia. But, as she and Elliott grow closer, Elliott draws new attention from the dead. One night, during an out of body experience, Elliott returns to bed to find his body gone. Something is occupying it, something dead that wants to live again . . . and it wants Ophelia, too . . . 

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This book blew me away. Once I began reading it, I just couldn't put it down. Michelle Harrison is excellent at hiding the truth from you until she is ready for you to hear it. There were elements that I really didn't see coming and I really should have.  The story builds at a slow pace, which adds to the tension as you become desperate to find out what is happening to Elliott. As the book progressed, I had to finish reading it in daylight, as some of the scenes really did freak me out.

Past Lives, a living and working museum really came to life for me.The author made the village accessible to her readers; I felt I could walk down the streets and be able to name all the buildings and which ghosts haunted them.  I have visited a similar museum and I really felt Michelle had captured its essence in exquisite detail.

Elliot was an excellent character, right from the start you want him to discover the truth and learn to deal with everything happening to him. He wasn't perfect and I think that is why I liked him so much. Before his accident, he really had been one of those boys your mother always told you to avoid, yet the accident changed him, opened his eyes and his emotions to the world. You could see how he looked up to his brother, yet he soon realises that the people you love the most are not are not infallible.

The blossoming romance between Ophelia and Elliott was beautiful, yet edgy. Each hiding a difficult past they still haven't learnt to live with. They both have flaws, neither one perfect, yet they still fell in love with each other. The scenes between them were quite breathtaking.


There is something very British about they way Michelle writes, no fancy and far fetched ideas, the writing is realistic and gritty. Certain scenes in the book really creeped me out.
If you love programmes such as  Most Haunted you will love this.

I think Michelle Harrison has easily shown that she is capable of taking on the YA market as well as the children's genre. She has created a spine tingling spooky tale, guaranteed to give you goose bumps. Michelle Harrison is always at the top of my list of recommended authors; she writes with a voice that entrances you; gently leading you away from what you are supposed to be doing and losing you in the story. A modern day Pied Piper!

This book has been written as a standalone, but I do feel there is room for a sequel. I want to see Elliot's abilities grow over time; I want to see where they will lead him. I am also a sucker for romance and I definitely need to find out what happens with Ophelia and Elliot as life throws a few more obstacles in the way. If there isn't a sequel, I may petition!

The Big Break with Michelle Harrison.

The Big Break would like to welcome Michelle Harrison, winner of the Whitbread Children's Book Prize in 2009 and author of the The Thirteen Treasures series. You can read the reviews of the first two books in the series here and here.

Firstly, can I thank you for joining me today on my blog.


It’s a pleasure - thank you for inviting me.

What was your first reaction when you found out that your book was to be published? How did it make you feel?

Shocked, but my overwhelming feeling was of relief. My agent had submitted the manuscript to eleven publishers and I’d been waiting on tenterhooks. Every time my agent’s emails popped up my stomach would flip and I lost half a stone in weight during that time because all I could think about was that my book was being read by actual publishers! It was a nerve-wracking time.

Three of those eleven publishers wanted to meet with me. The first gave me a cup of tea and said lots of good things, but their feeling was to take the book a little younger and cut out some of the threads. They were not keen on the idea of a sequel from the viewpoint of a different protagonist (Red) and wanted me to stick with Tanya. While I was open to revisions this seemed a huge amount of work and took it away from the book I wanted it to be.

The second publisher was Simon & Schuster, and things were different from the offset. The entire children’s team were present, and they’d laid on a spread of hot drinks, fresh juice and all sorts of nibbles including fresh strawberries! On the table was an array of their newly published titles. They were clearly trying to make an impression. They loved the idea of Red’s sequel, and within minutes had expressed their wish to publish the books. When we left, I said to my agent, ‘That seemed to go well!’

She replied, ‘It did. They’re putting in an offer for two books at the end of the week.’ After that we went to the nearest pub and celebrated with a glass of wine. We still had one publisher to see but already my strong feeling was to go with S&S because I knew they ‘got’ the book and had published other fairy books brilliantly. As it turned out, the final publisher felt the same as the first - they wanted to take the book slightly younger, which cemented my decision to go with S&S.

What were you doing when you found out?

I was moping! Friday came, and we’d been to see the third publisher. I’d been waiting to hear whether S&S would stay true to their word (there was no reason that they shouldn’t but I’d started to go slightly mad by then and was imagining all sorts of crazy reasons why they might change their minds)! It got to about 5 o’clock and then I finally got the call from my agent to say they had officially made the offer.

I was living alone at that time - I’d just moved to Oxford and my boyfriend was still searching for a job so he could move in with me. I had no one to celebrate with except my cat! So instead I telephoned just about everyone I knew.

Who did you tell first?

I rang my mum, who’s my biggest fan. Me and my sister jokingly call her ‘Stan’ after the Eminem song because she tells literally everyone she meets that her daughter is an author - even the postman!

How long did it take for your first book to be published after you had been told?

I got the deal at the end of February 2008, and the book was published on 5th January 2009, so 11 months, which is actually very fast. Most books are published within about 18 months after being accepted for publication. They processed it more quickly as they were keen on entering it for the Waterstone’s Prize, which it then went on to win!

What was happening to your manuscript during this time?

There were a couple of edits in which I addressed some of the observations my editors had raised. One such thing was that Fabian’s speech was deemed too sophisticated for someone of his age, so I had to age that down a bit. After that it went to the copyeditor who put the script into ‘house style’ and combed it for tiny, but crucial discrepancies in the story as well as any grammar issues.

After the text was approved it was typeset, and this was where it got really exciting. I was sent a set of proof pages and could see how the book would be laid out, and which font it was set in, etc. I then got a final chance to read through and make any final (minor) changes. Meanwhile, the page proofs were being proofread, resulting in another list of smaller comments such as repetition of words or phrase, which I then had the option to change.

Throughout this the Design team worked on ideas for the cover and sent through initial sketches, rough artwork and then final artwork. It was really exciting to see the different parts of the book starting to take shape.

How did it feel to see your name in print?

The first time was on the book proof, and it felt totally magical and surreal even though it had quite a plain red cover and unfinished typography.

Where was the first place that you saw your book on sale and did you do anything crazy when you saw it? ( For instance, buy a copy, or tell the shop keeper that it was your book)

It was in WHSmith’s in Oxford, a few days before Christmas 2008. Although it wasn’t officially published for another couple of weeks some stock had started to appear. I pulled it off the shelf very carefully, stared at it, smiled, then put it back and ran out of the shop. In my head I felt really conspicuous, like everyone would know it was my book. Ridiculous, obviously!

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a stand-alone ghost story. It’s still early days and I don’t have a title yet, but I’m REALLY excited about this one. The idea has been brewing in my head for a couple of years. It’s told from a male point of view which is a first for me, and aimed at slightly older readers than the ‘13 Treasures’ books.

How did you celebrate the recent release of the third book in the series ‘The Thirteen Secrets’?

I didn’t! I just haven’t had the time. It’s been non-stop, working to promote it and trying to get on with the next book, as well as running a household and having another job. I should make more time to stop and celebrate but I’ve become a bit of a workaholic! But it’s fine - I like to keep busy.

What advice would you give unpublished authors?

Read as much as you can, whether it’s your chosen genre or not. Keep trying - you have to be persistent and be able to take rejections gracefully. If you don’t already have a copy of The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook then make it a priority to get one. It tells you everything* you need to know about getting published.

If and when you do find a publisher, be prepared to promote your work in the form of author talks, events, and if you’re a children’s or YA author - school visits!

*Except how to write a best-seller.

Thank you Michelle for coming onto the blog today. I can't wait to read your ghost story when it comes out.

If you would like to know more about Michelle Harrison then please click here to visit her blog.

All three books are available from Amazon and The Book Depository.