Imogen White
About Author
Imogen won her place in the Undiscovered Voices 2014 Anthology with the opening to The Rose Muddle Mysteries. Imogen loves local history, and children's stories that aren't limited to beautiful countryside locations or secluded seaside coves. She lives in Hove with her husband, children and belligerent ginger tomcat. The Amber Pendant (The Rose Muddle Mysteries) is her debut novel.
Author link
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2vpg_xUwmE;
Interview
THE ROSE MUDDLE MYSTERIES: THE AMBER PENDANT
USBORNE BOOKS
JUNE 2017
A feisty heroine, a wanna-be detective boy from India and a cantankerous monkey star in this atmospheric Edwardian mystery by Imogen White, that draws on local history and museum pieces from the past.
When Rose Muddle is taken from the local workhouse to become a maid, she can't believe her luck. But she soon discovers that her new mistress has her own reasons for wanting Rose to join her and that mystery and danger lie in wait for her and her new friend, Rui.... The Amber Pendant is the first in a series aimed at readers aged nine years plus.
We asked author Imogen White to tell us more about THE AMBER PENDANT
Q: Why have you set your new series in the Edwardian era?
A: I once lived in a really spooky Edwardian house in Surrey. I remember how the floorboards used to creak by themselves, the doorknobs turn, and how the smell of Battenberg cake would return at the same time each year... In The Amber Pendant, Number 13 Sackville Road, where Rose Muddle gets a job as the scullery maid, is a lot like this. An Edwardian setting offers that dark atmospheric edge to the novel that I wanted.
Q: Have you always enjoyed history and do you read historical fiction?
A: I like writing historical fiction because there are far greater opportunities for derring-do's! Plus of course the obvious magic and nostalgia that historical settings evoke. Where at school history can sometimes be condensed to names and dates, I hope this novel transports readers straight into the nostalgia of the Edwardian setting, and that by following the characters and story they are able to experience the era in a way that is a lot more fun.
Q: What for you makes a good historical fiction story?
A When it comes to writing good historical fiction, the story has to be king. Specific historical details should only be mentioned if they enhance the story (or the particular moment) being written about, otherwise it becomes info dumping, which can be boring. Overall though, I would say, a great story is a great story whatever the setting.
Q: Why did you decide to write a detective book, were these the kinds of books you enjoyed as a child?
A: Because I am dyslexic, I came to reading a little later than others, as it was something I struggled with. But I did listen to audio tapes, like the Famous Five and lots of darkly delicious fairy stories too, which I would replay over and over again.
Fortunately, I came from a big reading family - my eldest sister had her bedroom walls covered in Tolkien posters rather than popstars. When I did get to grips with reading, I loved it! My sister pointed me in the direction of Alan Garner's The Owl Service and The Weird Stone of Brisingamen, Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising, Tolkien's The Hobbit, and my absolute favourite, The Giant Under the Snow by John Gordon.
Actually, there is a new genre I have heard of recently: 'Folk Horror' - which is basically about magical stuff to do with myths and legends, but seriously spooky too. This definitely sums up my reading tastes then, and now too.
Q: How do you go about plotting a detective story, and laying the clues?
A: I think you have to know where you are ultimately going - what the finale is going to be, and then sew in the clues to get the reader there. These days, I firstly work out a fairly complex chapter breakdown: I have different columns to cover what happens, the clues and exposition and also a column for how the main characters are feeling about each development. Then, when it comes to writing the story out in full, I allow myself the freedom to make changes.
Q: In The Amber Pendant, there are questions around the main character, Rose Muddle's, identity, as well as the identity of the main culprit. Were these mysteries inspired by writers like Dickens or are you more drawn to writers like Arthur Conan Doyle?
A: Yes, both Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle are fantastic. I also love the horror stories from the Victorian era including the likes of Wilkie Collins, Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft. I really enjoy the rich language, and again, the 'Folk Horror' theme is well explored in these, as there was a huge revival in the interest of supernatural ideas at this time. (That said, they are rather lacking on the strong female protagonist front!)
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your setting, Hove, and the amber cup that has such an important role in the story?
A: There used to be a giant Bronze Age mound in the center of Hove, which was flattened in 1856 to build the Palmeira Square area. The mound was found to contain a coffin which disintegrated to dust as it met the air, revealing a skeleton with impressive burial goods placed on its chest - the most spectacular of these being a perfect cup crafted from Baltic Amber which is over 3,000 years old (it is now displayed in Hove Museum).
I was so surprised that no one seemed to know much about this mound, or the cup, but I couldn't stop thinking about it, imagining who the important person might have been, to have been buried in such fine style so long ago, and why they owned this strange cup. And so, the seed of The Amber Pendant began to germinate!
Q: What are your favourite buildings in Hove today that would have existed at the time of this story? You have a workhouse and a 'pleasure garden' in the story, are those based on real places of the time?
The dramatic remains of The West Pier has to be my favourite construction in Hove. The burnt remains of the pier perch on stilts over the sea, slowly breaking and crumbling beneath the waves - but it's still strangely beautiful, especially if you are lucky enough to catch a murmuration of starlings swooping above it. In the book, The West Pier is where the grand finale plays out, when all manner of evil manifestations are released...
I have borrowed many elements of The Amber Pendant from real local history facts: there was a Chalybeate spring in St Ann's Well Gardens, renowned for its health-giving qualities, and a Gypsy Lee really did used to tell fortunes from a wagon in the gardens too - just like in the book, along with a hermit, hot air balloon rides and even the Monkey House! And the workhouse is still there, but is now part of Brighton General Hospital.
Q: Rose grows up in the workhouse before being catapulted into this adventure. Which of her characteristics do you most admire? Do you feel girls need this kind of role model in children's stories?
A: I think more than Rose's pluck and bravery, for me, it is her kindness I admire most. Her ability to forgive people even when they have been really unkind to her. She understands human flaws very keenly.
Everyone needs to find strong role models, especially when you're growing up - characters who reflect how you're feeling at that age, and hopefully shape who you might aspire to be.
Growing up I was wowed by Giant Under the Snow by John Gordon. Jonquin Winters is the main female protagonist (a rarity back then), and she still feels so feisty and timeless today, despite being written in the 1960s. My favourite female characters of the moment are Mouse from The Huntress: Sea by Sarah Driver, and her grandma. They're just brilliant.
Q: Rose has help from her new friend, Rui, the nephew of the maharaja of Jaipur - why did you decide to give Rui this lineage, and a monkey?
A: Rui is so spontaneous, and his obsession with Sherlock Holmes was a pleasure to write. He makes a great foil to Rose and, as the adventure progresses, their unlikely friendship grows into something quite funny and rather touching.
I chose Rui's lineage because originally, the whole series was to be based in Hove throughout the ages, and I had a thread in the modern-day story linked to the Jaipur Gate - a monument in the gardens of Hove museum, which was a gift from the Maharajah of Jaipur. Working my way backwards in time, I wanted to link this to a prequel - and so Rui, nephew to the Maharajah of Jaipur was born! But now the series is based solely around Rose and Rui and rooted in the Edwardian era instead.
As for Bahula the monkey - what story isn't going to be enhanced by the addition of a monkey?!! Bahula is cheeky, clever and fiercely loyal. And, just like the monkeys that disrupt the markets in Jaipur today, he's mischievous too.
Q: The bad guys are shadowy and deeply creepy - how did they develop and how sinister did you want them to become?
A: Again, this harks back to my love of Folk Horror. The creepier the better for me! I have to confess, I am a bit of a B-movie horror fan - I watch through slatted fingers!
Q: Can you give us a glimpse into the second book?
A: In the next book, Rose and Rui find themselves in Jaipur, India. They get mixed up in a perilous adventure deeply seated in local mysticism. It has a bit of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom feel to it in places - which has been a lot of fun to write.
In total, I have five books planned to conclude The Rose Muddle Mysteries series, each taking Rose, Rui and Bahula to strange and less explored locations across the globe. I have lots of surprises planned throughout - some of which have even shocked me!
Q: Rose and Rui love travel and adventure; are you an adventurer? What's the most exciting journey you have made?
A: I recently travelled with my mum to Jaipur in India to research this next book. It's a truly magical place - I would describe it as chaos in harmony. We trekked to the Monkey Temple, got blessed by Brahman monks and saw elephants, camels and monkeys galore. I LOVE monkeys!
The architecture was breathtakingly magical - the whole of Jaipur is painted pink and the Monkey Temple sits high up in the Aravalli Mountains and looks like a lost city that's been carved straight out of the rock face. What's more, the Hindu religion is beautiful, and the devotional treatment of the animals is so lovely - they even feed the ants each morning! We totally fell under Jaipur's spell, and the people who were so very kind to us. I can't wait to return.
Q: Where's your favourite place to write and what are you writing now?
A: I write in the dining room, in front of a big window overlooking the garden. It is magic.
We recently relocated to St. Leonards-on-Sea near Hastings to start a new adventure! We now have: caves, tales of smuggling pirates, a castle, and even the pagan Green Man Festival to keep us entertained. We love it here, and I find it very creatively inspiring.
Q: What are your top tips for budding writers?
A: I'm still learning myself! Being dyslexic is a bit of a challenge, but it hasn't stopped me. Reading widely is important - especially contemporary writers from your chosen genre. Children's literature is hitting a new high right now, and there is so much fabulous writing going on.
My writing is inspired by my local history research. So why not see what you can find out in your own area? With a bit of sleuthing I bet you will be amazed at what you discover. There are great stories waiting to be unearthed wherever you live - in towns and cities too - if you just dig deep enough to find them! I'd love to know what you find!
The Amber Pendant
