2009 Royal Mail Award Older Readers Nominees

This month we feature short interviews with all of the 2009 Royal Mail Award shortlisted authors. Here you can read about the thoughts of James Jauncey, Keith Gray and J.A. Henderson who were all nominated in the Older Readers (12-16) category.

You can also read the interviews with the shortlisted authors in the Early Years (0-7) and Younger Readers (8-11) categories.

     

 

1. Can you tell us a little about your book?  
James Jauncey: The Reckoning is a thriller set on an island somewhere off the west coast of the UK. 18 year-old Fin is about to leave for university when a girl crashes through the mist from a bridge and dies in his arms, turning his whole world upside down. Where is his missing sister? What is the wind power research establishment at the other end of the island really up to? Who is orchestrating the racist bombings on the mainland? Can Fin's family stay together under pressure? And how will he cope when his life is threatened?

Keith Gray: Ostrich Boys is a funny, thoughtful road-trip adventure story about a kidnapped dead friend, a daring bungee jump and a haunted tramp's hotel with exciting bits, sad bits and lots of collective nouns which should all make sense by the time you get to the end.
 
J.A. Henderson: Bobby Berlin's father, Gordon, has a breakdown and wakes up convinced he is a fourteen year old boy called Dodd Pollen.  Paranoid and increasingly unstable, Gordon takes off across coutry for the Tay Bridge - the last places he remembers being.

He is followed by Bobby, a dogged policewoman, a reluctant smuggler, a corrupt businessman, a gypsy girl and a chain smoking grandmother haunted by a ghost boy.  All of them with strange secrets.  And all of them heading for a disaster they never could have predicted.


2. Do you have a favourite character in your book?
 
James: I really enjoyed writing the rather enigmatic character of the Duck, who becomes Fin's friend and helps him when the going gets tough. He's older. He knows things. He's essentially a loner who has travelled a lot and seen the world. I saw him as a kind of gypsy warrior, quiet but strong and wise in his own way.

Keith: I don't really have a favourite character.  But I really enjoyed writing about Kenny, Sim and Blake  - they seemed very real to me.  I wanted to keep writing the book because I wanted to find out what they'd do next.
 
Jan: Gordon Berlin.  He's a violent psychopath with a dealy secret.  He's based on me.


3.What is the best aspect about nominated for the Royal Mail Awards?
 
James: Knowing that children all over Scotland are reading the book and sharing the journey of adventure that I went on myself when I was writing The Reckoning.

Keith: The best thing about the RMA is meeting hundreds of readers from across Scotland who have also been on a funny, thoughtful road-trip adventure with Kenny, Sim and Blake.
 
Jan: Meeting the kids who voted. Plus the free sandwiches at the ceremony.


4. Would you like to see your book adapted for film, television or the stage?
 
James: Of course! And I even based my island on a real, Scottish one, so that would save the producers a bit of research time. There's a map at the front of the book. See if you can tell from the shape which is the real island I 'stole' for my story.

Keith: Absolutely.  I'd love to write the script or screenplay too!

Jan: All three.  And when the technology is invented I'd like it to be beamed straight into the heads of everybody in the world.