What do a Jedi, surfer, nanny, snowboarder and pirate kids’ entertainer have in common?
They are the embodiment of Manchester-based Andy Gee, author of Gid and the Arborinium, a new whirlwind fantasy tale aimed at 8-14 year olds that hit bookshelves on December 4.
Published by Instant Apostle, Gid and the Arborinium Prophecy is set in the ancient forest city of Arborinium which is being threatened by an ancient evil.
A long-prophesised warrior from another realm is this jungle metropolis’s only hope: unfortunately that warrior is a scruffy 11-year-old schoolboy called Gid!
Gid is mystically transported to his new world with the task of saving it from an evil oppressor but how did Andy transport himself into the mind of a fantasy fiction writer?
“I kept dreaming about Gid and the other characters so vividly that I was exhausted when I woke up,” Andy explained. “The dreams were so real that I knew I had to write them down.
“I had no idea what was going to happen next when I was writing it, but the next dream always came. When I woke up, I was always exhausted.”
As an adventurer with so many eclectic strings to his bow, delving into fantasy fiction was an easy transition to make and Andy’s numerous experiences, both good and bad, have been skilfully woven into the narrative and characters.
Although a million miles away from reality in the magical world of Arborinium, the complexities and dilemmas that Gid faces in his new environment reflect those that people encounter every day.
“A bit like the main character, Gid, I’ve found myself in some amazing places and have had my own life changing experiences,” Andy said.
“A few characters I’ve met at different stages of my life have found their way into the book. I’ve had a lot thrown at me over the years but that made me realise I was always going to be up for the challenge from then on.”
Despite having worked and lived in many different countries and cities, Andy’s heart has always remained in his home city of Manchester, a location which, he tells us, is looking likely to be the backdrop to his second novel.
“I love the city and its characters and I would love to do Manchester justice in my next book to show a Manchester that people may not already know,” Andy explained. “The city has so much to offer as a setting and a part of the story itself.”
“If just one person is touched by the story and the characters in it,” Andy comments, “then I will be a happy chap.”
With magical forests, treachery, darkness, deceit and an 11-year-old boy that needs to learn to fly, it seems like Gid and the Arborinium Prophecy will be exciting more than just a few adventurous children.
Gid and the Arborinium Prophecy is available from CLC and Gardners and online in paperback and electronic formats now.
Image courtesy of Pedro Vezini, with thanks
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