Jenni Spangler’s mystifying debut, The Vanishing Trick, is out TODAY! This middle grade triumph is perfect for your child to escape and explore the trials and tribulations of the Victorian era- with plenty of ghosts and twists to keep them on their toes! Illustrated by the magnificently talented Chris Mould, what more could you want?
Step into a world of secrets, folklore and illusions, where nothing is as it seems and magic is at play…
Madame Augustina Pinchbeck, travels the country conjuring the spirits of dearly departed loved ones… for a price. Whilst her ability to contact ghosts is a game of smoke and mirrors, there is real magic behind her tricks too - if you know where to look.
Through a magical trade, she persuades children to part with precious objects, promising to use her powers to help them. But Pinchbeck is a deceiver, instead turning their items into enchanted Cabinets that bind the children to her and into which she can vanish and summon them at will.
When Pinchbeck captures orphan Leander, events are set into motion that see him and his new friends Charlotte and Felix, in a race against time to break Pinchbeck’s spell, before one of them vanishes forever…
In the lead up to publication day The Vanishing Trick has picked up some astonishing reviews and was picked as The Sunday Times’ ‘Children’s Book of the Week’, editor Nicolette Jones stated:
This debut novel, which reads like a fairy tale with a Victorian setting, features a fascinating villain, Madame Pinchbeck, who has supernatural powers to imprison stolen children and is a charlatan who holds seances to trick people about their departed loved ones. Sustaining these two traits in one character – spell casting and fake spirituality – requires skill. It should not work that the baddie is both a fraud and an actual magician, yet Spangler makes us believe. She conjures up an eventful gothic adventure full of secrets and surprises, based on the relationship between three lost children whom pinchbeck has captured and their perilous struggle to escape. Despite the chilling central character, this is a touching story about love and loyalty.
In addition to this, Jenni has run three separate competitions over on Twitter in order to win a signed copy of the her brilliant debut and a copy of Chris Mould’s original concept artwork for the book! As such, Jenni’s fans have been busy taking Victorian selfies; asking questions for her Big KidLit Q&A for herself and a plethora of amazing children’s authors to answer (including fellow BLM client, Emma Read!); and writing spooky stories to give Jenni goosebumps!
We also caught up with Jenni for an exclusive Q&A:
Q. How long have you been writing stories for?
A. For as long as I can remember, on and off! I started seriously trying to write a novel about 8 years ago.
Q. How did you know you wanted to write for children?
For a while I was teaching an after-school drama group. I started writing scripts for them to perform because we struggled to find good ones that fit our mixture of age and abilities. I had so much fun coming up with characters and plots to challenge them, that I started to think maybe I could write for kids professionally.
Q. When you write do you come up with your plot or characters first?
A. I usually have a general sense of what idea I would like to explore, and maybe one or two scenes in mind, then I’ll invent the characters and let them drive the pot from there.
Q. What inspired you to set your story in the Victorian era?
A. The Victorian era is so much fun to research. We still have books and newspapers and photos from that period so I can dig right down into the details, and there’s so much to explore in terms of customs and inventions and social change. There are a few more Victorian stories I’d like to write.
Q. Have you had any spooky ghost encounters yourself?
A. No, but as a child I was desperate to! I was always the one suggesting we watch horror movies or play with a Ouija board on sleepovers.
Q. What were your favourite three books when you were younger and why?
A. Just three?!
I loved Matilda – other than the obvious lovely exciting magic, I loved the sense of justice in this book, and that anyone, no matter how small, could take matters into their own hand and make it right. That’s such a powerful message for a little girl.
The Secret Garden – re-reading this as an adult, I can see this book has some really problematic elements. But as a child I was absorbed in this world where friendship and fresh air and nature could heal all ills.
The Kingdom of Carbonel - I got this from a second hand book shop and didn’t even know it was a sequel until years later. I remember when Chemist shops used to have bottles of coloured liquids over the window, and this book suggested they might contain amazing magical potions. I also loved the idea that the animals around us might be part of a complicated society we’re not aware of.
Q. Which character are you most like and why?
A. I’ve got a bit of Leander’s puppy-dog desperation to be liked, and when I was younger I definitely had a lot of Charlotte’s fierce and moody attitude (I’ve mellowed a bit!).
Q. Any advice for authors trying to find an agent?
A. Make friends with other aspiring authors and help each other improve. You will learn and grow so much from giving and receiving honest feedback. I would never be here without the other writers who helped me see my weaknesses.
Q. If you were to write another story- where and when would you set it?
A. I’d really like to write a story set during the plague outbreak in 17th Century Edinburgh, or go a little more modern and look at the Cold War and the space race from a child’s point of view.
Q. In three words, how would you describe TVT?
A. Magical, eerie, adventurous!
