Two days until Halloween/Samhain!
What better way to celebrate than with Witch Angel, The Sceptre of Truth
a new book for middle grade readers by Karen King.
Karen
King has had over one hundred and twenty children’s books published by
mainstream publishers such as Walker, Scholastic, Harper Collins and Macmillan.
She’s written for many children's magazines too including Sindy, Barbie, Winnie
the Pooh and Thomas the Tank Engine. She writes for all ages and in all genres;
story books, picture books, plays, joke books, non-fiction and YA.
So nice to have you back on my blog, Karen!
How did you get started writing?
I've always written.
I had my first poem published when I was 11. I started my writing career with
Jackie magazine, writing articles and photo stories.
Are you a Plotter or a Pantser?
It depends whether
I'm writing to a commission or not. If I'm commissioned I have to plot as I
have to send a synopsis and the first couple of chapters to my editor. If I'm
not writing to a commission I work out the basic outline of my story then write
'by the seat of my pants.'
Are you most productive in the morning or evening?
Morning. Often I get
out of bed and start writing straight away. I'm full of ideas in the morning.
Connect with Karen King
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
Twitter: @karen_king
Should
Aluna betray her father to save the world?
Blurb
Aluna’s father is the Master Wizard of
the Katalan. On her thirteenth birthday she is initiated into the coven and
swears allegiance to her clan. Then she has a vision about the mother she has
never known and a gold sceptre with an eagle’s head handle.
She discovers that the mysterious new
girl, Raffie, who appeared out of nowhere is looking for the same sceptre.
Aluna hopes the sceptre will lead her to her mother so swears an oath of
friendship with Raffie, pledging to find it together only to discover that Raffie
is Angleyt. They are sworn enemies.
Aluna’s
father is looking for the sceptre too, as are the evil Bygnorim. Will Aluna really betray her father? What
dreadful secret is he hiding about her mother? Aluna and Raffie face terrible
danger in their quest. Are their combined powers strong enough or will Darke Magyck
win?
Extract
Something
caught her eye. A sphere of brilliant light was shooting down through the sky.
She stared at it, butterflies of excitement fluttering in her stomach. It must
be a shooting star. She could make a wish. Jumbled thoughts of the things she
could wish for raced across her mind, but only one stood out. It always did. “I
wish I could find my mother,” she whispered.
The
glowing star continued plunging, plummeting down towards the bushes just ahead
of her. It wasn’t a shooting star. It was a falling star! Aluna ran towards the
bushes, eager to get a glimpse of this wonder. What would a star look like?
Would she be able to take it back and show the others?
The star
disappeared behind the bushes. Panting now, Aluna raced towards it, her feet
barely touching the ground beneath her. Thankfully, she had always been
nimble-footed. Many a time she had crept softly behind Sariah, the housekeeper,
and had made her almost jump out of her skin. Once, Sariah had been so shocked
she’d dropped the pie she’d just taken out of the oven.
Be quick
but quiet, she told herself as she ran. Could you scare a star?
She was
at the bush. She could still see the light glowing behind it, so bright it
dazzled her. Using her hands to shield her eyes from the glow she peered around
the bush.
The light
was fading. Aluna moved her hands from her eyes so she could see better and
pushed her hood back. Where was the star? The light flickered, then a shape
started to form in it. She watched, transfixed as the shape turned into a girl
about Aluna’s age, slim with long hair tumbling over her shoulders. The girl
stretched up her arms as if embracing the heavens. Aluna let out a gasp of
astonishment and the girl spun around, her eyes widening with shock as they
rested on Aluna.
For a
moment they both stared at each other. The star girl’s eyes locked with
Aluna’s, and a lightness filled her mind. It was as if the girl could read her
mind, her soul. In a panic, Aluna tore her eyes away, grabbed her basket and
fled, muttering the protection spell under her breath.
Buy Links
Amazon:
