This week, we're welcoming YA historical fiction author, Anne E. Johnson. Her latest title, TROUBLE AT THE SCRIPTORIUM, is a medieval mystery set in 12th century England. Anne is here to talk about the novel and offer a copy to a lucky winner. Leave your comment with your email address for a chance to win. Here's the blurb:
Anne E. Johnson's medieval mystery novel for ages 9-12, Trouble at the Scriptorium, features a twelve-year-old boy named Harley. It takes place in the early twelfth century, in Berkhamsted, a fiefdom north of London.
This fast-paced adventure features missing jewels, a missing monk, and a secret message hidden in a book of Gregorian chant! Good thing twelve-year-old Lady Margaret reads Latin, but Harley sure finds it hard to know how to behave around a noble girl he wants to be friends with.
Harley’s father is a traveling jester, his mother a lady’s maid, his uncle the monks’ choirmaster. Through Harley’s eyes, the reader experiences life in a medieval English castle, village, and monastery.
**Q&A with Anne E. Johnson**
Did
you have any special reason to write this particular book?
I have a master’s degree in medieval
musicology, and I taught music history for 16 years. Therefore, it made perfect
sense, when I started writing for kids a few years back, that I should try to
funnel that knowledge and experience into middle-grade fiction.
What
sets this book apart from other medieval historicals?
In terms of literature for kids, a
medieval setting without any kind of fantasy or magic is not the typical
approach these days. But I find medieval history so thrilling on its own that,
for me, adding in dragons or fairies just detracts from it. I’m hoping readers
will see what I mean.
Scriptorium is also different because the knights
and swords are secondary to the art of music, yet this is still an adventure
story. There’s both physical and intellectual adventure in this book, making it
the kind of story I would have responded to as a tween.
What
is the target audience for this book, and why is it appropriate for them?
The target audience is kids 9-12 years
old, particularly those who are advanced readers and are intellectually
curious. The story features two twelve-year-olds, and shows what life would
have been like for those kids in the thirteenth century. It also introduces
many elements of feudal life, monastic life, book-crafting, and music. But I
worked hard to make it an exciting story first and foremost, involving
interesting characters, suspense, and humor. The idea is for kids to learn
something about the Middle Ages in a context that is nothing at all like a
history schoolbook.
Why
have two protagonists?
There are two reasons for this choice.
First, it allows both a boy and a girl to work on the problem at hand, which I
hope will broaden the readership of the book. Second, it allows for two social
perspectives on the story. Harley is a servant and Lady Margaret is noble, so
they counterbalance each other well, and their class distinction also allows
for some interesting tension between them even as they work together.
What
is the role of adults in this story?
Although it’s important for kidlit to
feature kids, I love filling the character lineup with well-rounded,
distinctive adults, who have specific and unusual experience or skills that can
help the kids in their quest. In historical fiction, the adult characters also
have a function for the reader, allowing them to learn more about the
historical world of the novel.
In Scriptorium,
the three most important adults are all very different from each other, and
therefore help Harley and Lady Margaret in different ways. There’s Martin of
Hibernia, chief of the castle guards, who is physically brave and strong.
There’s Brother Benedict, who is Harley’s uncle, a monk, and a trained
musician. And, there’s Professor Jabir Al-Zarkali, a Spanish Moor who works in
the castle as tutor, adviser, and physician.
Thank you, Anne, and best of luck with Trouble at the Scriptorium.
You can purchase Trouble at the Scriptorium directly from Royal Fireworks Press: http://www.rfwp.com/browse/novels
For updates on Anne’s publications and appearances, Like her Facebook author page.
