Jennifer Bell

About Author

Find out what inspired Jennifer Bell's wondrous new series, Magicalia: Race of Wonders!

Londoner Jennifer Bell worked as a children's bookseller at a world-famous bookshop before becoming an author. Her debut series, The Uncommoners, was an international bestseller and has been translated into 16 languages. She is also the author of Agents of the Wild, a wildlife-rescue series for younger readers, and the time-travel adventure, Wonderscape.

Jennifer Bell's Website / Follow her on Twitter @JenRoseBell / Instagram @JenBellAuthor

Interview

Magicalia: Race of Wonders (Walker Books)

May 2023

In a world where magic and incredible creatures live side-by-side with the ordinary, two children are caught up in a race to protect its magic and to keep their families safe. We speak with Jennifer Bell, author of The Uncommoners and Wonderscape, to find out about the first book in her fantastical new series, Magicalia: Race of Wonders!

Review: "Engaging, exciting and spellbinding storytelling." Read a Chapter from Magicalia: Race of Wonders

Author Jennifer Bell tells us more about Magicalia: Race of Wonders

"What if we could manifest our emotions as living, breathing creatures? What would they look like?
How would they behave? What sort of abilities might they have?"

1. Hello Jennifer! We wondered how you first began writing books for children, and did being a bookseller help? What has been your favourite moment or time as an author so far?

As a bookseller, I spent many wonderful years reading and recommending children's books, and my passion as a reader soon developed into a desire to write stories of my own.

The best thing about being an author is meeting your readers and seeing the impact your stories have had on them. I remember chatting with one boy in particular who said that reading my books made him feel like a rainbow was exploding out of his head. It doesn't get better than that!

2. What happens in your new book, Magicalia, and what do you have planned for the series?

Magicalia: Race of Wonders is the first in a spectacular fantasy series about best friends Bitsy and Kosh, who live in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere where nothing exciting ever happens… until one evening when Bitsy's dad is kidnapped by a woman with a giant hamstoceros.

Bitsy and Kosh discover that the hamstoceros is one of a hundred different species of magicores, extraordinary creatures conjured from different emotions. Using an encyclopaedia called Magicalia, the friends must learn how to conjure magicores themselves, before following a trail of clues that will take them from London to India to Paris in a race to rescue Bitsy's dad from a mysterious villain…

"What if we could manifest our emotions as living, breathing creatures?" Meet the Magicores!

3. What sparked the idea for this story of strange creatures and people who can summon them?

It started with a single idea: what if we could manifest our emotions as living, breathing creatures? What would they look like? How would they behave? What sort of abilities might they have?

Rage, for example, might become a ferocious fire-breathing tank with volcanic skin. Amusement could be a mischievous little floof who always delights in tickling people and hiccoughs. Confidence might be a giant strutting creature with powerful legs that allow it to jump higher than a building.

I had so much fun imagining all the different species; I knew I had to write a story about them.

"Science is what's fact, but it's also full of mystery, theories, and the unknown -
and that feels like magic."

4. How did you go about creating the fantastical elements in Magicalia: Race of Wonders? What are your 'rules' for the magic in this world?

The world of Magicalia is informed by something I've always been fascinated by - the relationship between science and magic. Science is what's fact, but it's also full of mystery, theories, and the unknown - and that feels like magic.

In Magicalia, conjurors get their powers from a meteorite, farthingstone, that landed on Earth thousands of years ago and was discovered in 1656 by the surviving members of a shipwrecked vessel. The laws of thermodynamics explain how characters can channel their emotional energy through farthingstone to conjure magicores.

5. What gave you the idea for the Magicalia 'encyclopedia'? By the way, the illustrations are great - any favourites?

I was inspired by ancient 'bestiaries' - illustrated compendiums of beasts written as far back as the Middle Ages. They're beautiful and mysterious and feel like strange, magical encyclopedias.

David Wyatt illustrates the magicores in Magicalia and does a brilliant job of bringing them to life and evoking the emotions they are conjured from. I think my favourite is the grumpy little quiggle!

"I always write a detailed history for every fantasy world I create and then try to connect real-world events
to the fictitious events in my story."

6. How do you root your magical elements into the 'real' world and make them feel like they could actually happen? What are the secrets to bringing fantasy into the everyday world?

I always write a detailed history for every fantasy world I create and then try to connect real-world events to the fictitious events in my story. In Magicalia, for example, the Great Fire of London in 1666 was caused by a wild rumbleplume rampaging through streets.

7. Would you enjoy training at a Conservatoire 'conjuring school'? What magicore would you be likely to conjure - and what would you want to be able to conjure?

I would love to train at a conservatoire of conjuring, earning badges for various tasks and achievements. I'm a very happy person, so I think I could conjure a Springle (joy) easily. I'd love to be able to conjure an everwing (hope) so I could go flying on its back!

"I had lots of fun creating the doomicorn. It is conjured from despair, so I tried to think about
how despair feels."

8. We love the villains in the story - did you enjoy creating the Doomicorns and other murderous creatures?

I had lots of fun creating the doomicorn. It is conjured from despair, so I tried to think about how despair feels. It's a heavy, sad, overwhelming emotion. I think it slowly eats away at you, making you feel more and more hopeless and lost. That's why the doomicorn's unique power is that it can spawn a deadly fungus that spreads stench and decay.

9. Which part of the world of Magicalia would you want to be able to bring into your world - root walking, magicores or ozoz riders, perhaps?

Oh, all of it! Part of the appeal of writing fantasy is creating a world you wish was real. Soaring up into the sky on the back of an ozoz would be so much fun. Travelling to the other side of the world in minutes through the root-network would also be really handy.

"Ideas can come from anywhere, but they don't just fall into my lap; I have to go hunting for them!"

10. Where do you find magic and inspiration in the everyday world, when you're away from your desk?

As often as I can, I read books, listen to music, take long walks, watch films, visit galleries and museums, and play games - all to spark ideas and get my imagination firing. Ideas can come from anywhere, but they don't just fall into my lap; I have to go hunting for them!

Jennifer Bell introduces the thrilling future reality world of Wonderscape:

Find out more about Wonderscape in Jennifer Bell's earlier Q&A

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