I’m sure you are looking for a great fantasy book for your child to escape into while practicing reading skills. Not to mention, some of their teachers are likely still asking for children to keep up those twenty minutes of silent reading a day (D.E.A.R. Time). I’ve got a fantastic fantasy that will support any Harry Potter fan. The Lighthouse Keeper: A story of a soul takes you to the Vale of Aisenma where a lonely boy realizes that the world around him is full of magic and that he is not alone.

The author, Jenny Wilson, has drawn from her upbringing of growing up in Scotland to bring you a mystical tale. I had the chance to ask her about her childhood reading memories, how she got her story ideas, and what she has in store for us in future projects.

1. What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Jenny Wilson: I read constantly as a child – I devoured books. One of my earliest memories is making a book called “The Adventures of Teddy” and giving it to my mum. She still has it now, nearly 40 years later!

2) Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Jenny Wilson: There were so many different authors but the one that stands out for me is Lucy M. Boston. The Children of Green Knowe is one book that I keep coming back to even now. I think I have read it about 30 times now and it is still as fresh and as magical as the first time I came across it. I love how a book can stay with you long after you’ve read it and show you things you hadn’t noticed before. Lucy M. Boston’s writing is enchanting. Words are like spells and a well-written book has the power to transport you to anywhere.

3) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Jenny Wilson: My writing routine is just to sit down and do it. Little and often is much better than big long stretches once in a while. If you get into the habit of dedicating a time and a space to do something it becomes automatic.

4) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Jenny Wilson: I am working on a prequel to The Lighthouse Keeper at the moment. My aim is to show the world that there is magic all around and within us, and that our thoughts have the power to transform our lives.

5) When did you first become interested in stories about magic?

Jenny Wilson: Well, all stories are magical in some way, if the writer can engage the reader and transport them. So in that sense, for as long as I have been reading! But in terms of magical realism, I love the works of Italo Calvino. He makes the everyday seem extraordinary. I love how changing the way you look at something completely transforms that thing. In this sense, words can be like spells.

6) How did being born and raised in Scotland affect your stories?

Jenny Wilson: I think wherever you are born and raised, your environment will seep into your experience one way or another. Scottish weather is not exactly predictable and lends itself quite nicely to curling up with a good book, which suited me perfectly! There are parts of the country where you can feel the magic in the air as well. One of my favourite parts of Scotland is Stirling and the surrounding countryside. There, when you’re standing up on the top of a hill and looking down below at the rolling fields, you really feel that anything is possible and that you are part of something truly magical.

7) What subjects would you like to explore in your writing?

Jenny Wilson: I want to explore how our thoughts shape the world around us and that we are in charge of our thoughts and, therefore, our worlds. I aim to show how nobody is alone, that even though you may feel wretched and powerless, you are part of something and that if you listen carefully within, you already know what to do.

8) What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Jenny Wilson: To just sit down, take a deep breath and do it! I am very easily distracted and I know how easy it is to let other things take over and seem more urgent than they are. For a while, I had the tidiest cutlery drawer in Europe. Now, I am happy to say, I do some writing every day and my drawer has gone back to being a muddle.

9) Where do you see your writing taking you in five years?

Jenny Wilson: I’m working on the prequel to The Lighthouse Keeper: A story of a soul now and aim to have four more book titles in five years.

10) What is writing to you in one sentence?

Jenny Wilson: Writing is my soul mission.

The Lighthouse Keeper: A story of a soul is a book that can show you how magic is all around, and how it can shape your life. The people of Aisenma live in constant fear. Wolves prowl around the Bay of Sevlow. The storytellers have been banished. But a lone boy discovers his inner magic and goes on a journey to save his home and all the people in Aisenma. Join in this fantasy adventure that will remind you that nobody is ever alone, especially if they have their true inner magic.

The Lighthouse Keeper: A story of a soul is available at: Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.

For more information on Jenny Wilson, visit her website at: Amazon’ Author’s Page.