Gargoyles: Guardians of the Source by the incredibly talented Tamsin Mori is the first book in a magical new series. Full of old family secrets, powerful creatures and unknown magic, this gripping story will have readers on the edge of their seats. I was completely captivated by it and couldn’t put it down!
Callen’s Dad has always been secretive about his past. When their family moves to his childhood home – a boarded-up, crumbling mansion covered in imposing gargoyles – Callen really isn’t sure what this new life holds. There is a lot of work to be done to bring this house back to its former glory. What lies behind the overgrown walls and enormous doors? Every house has a story and it’s clear “Gargoyle’s Rest” has many secrets no one’s telling Callen.
One night, the gargoyle outside Callen’s bedroom window comes to life. This sparks a chain of events that teaches Callen about the magic of the house and grounds. Stories of a source of the magic, other amazing creatures and the threat of an evil magic poisoning the source creates a sense of urgency for the truth.
As Callen meets new friends with experience of magic and learns unimaginable details about his father’s childhood. he begins to realise his own potential for power and the responsiblity he has to help his family. Lessons of the importance of honesty and dreaming give Callen the determination and courage to face anything, risking his life for the sake of his family and the gargoyles who guard his new home.
Capable readers from about Year 3 onwards will be carried away by this perilous, intense adventure. Themes of friendship, hope and the power of dreams will inspire them to look for the magic in their own lives – and make everyone want a gargoyle of their own. I definitely want one!
I’m thrilled to welcome author Tamsin Mori to my blog with a guest post about finding your flow.
Finding the Flow (of Magic) by Tamsin Mori
Have you ever experienced being ‘in the flow’? Sports people often talk about flow state – that perfect balance of focus, intention, and well-practised movement. In the world of sport, flow makes the exceptional possible – world records and personal bests; feats that were previously thought impossible.
Nobody has ever accused me of being an athlete – the only sports medal I ever won was for tug-of-war and that was more reliant on weight and stubbornness than skill.
I find my flow state in writing: a sense of inhaling the story, chasing an ending that already exists – gathering words from the air and writing them down as fast as my fingers can keep up. Writing doesn’t always work like that, but when it does, it’s effortless; magical.
It made me curious about how different people find their flow, so I began to do research and ask questions. If you’re friends with a writer, you’ll often get asked very strange and specific questions like these: Have you heard of flow state? Have you ever experienced it? What did it feel like, exactly? What were you doing at the time?
My son finds his flow building lego. Hours slip past with no hint of boredom. Worlds are created. Stories emerge. A thousand tiny blocks combine to create futuristic vehicles and filmic scenes.
My daughter finds her flow when she’s climbing – trees when she was younger, now boulders and climbing walls. An athletic dance of problem solving, movement, strength, and the desire to be ever nearer the sky.
My friend finds her flow in creating art out of found things. Leaves and twigs and feathers and stones. She spends hours arranging them into winding spirals and ladders of dreams – a physical poetry that sings the story of the turning world.
Where do you find your flow? Have you discovered something that absorbs you so completely? When you’re in flow, all doubts and distractions fade away; you feel perfectly focused on what you’re doing.
Usually, it happens when you are doing something that you love; often, it’s something creative – art or construction, music or writing; sometimes, it’s physical – dance or sport. Flow is where the magic is – like water, magic flows, drawn towards creativity like a river towards the sea.
Armed with a strong imagination, anyone has the potential to call magic – to summon the flow. To those who know, these people are known as Dreamers.
In Guardians of the Source, a long-forgotten source of magic is waking, conjuring dreams into reality. Dreamers are gradually discovering their powers. But not everyone is dreaming the same thing – someone amongst them is dreaming only of destruction. Callen has very little time to prevent the magic being used to fuel the growing darkness.
I have no doubt that you are full of imagination and creativity – capable of finding your own flow and calling magic into the world. Follow your heart – devote time to the serious business of play. I can’t wait to see what you dream into reality.
Thank you to Uclan Publishing and Antonia Wilkinson for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour!
Enjoy more brilliant stories from Tamsin Mori with the Weather Weaver series!
Books by Kate Heap (ad):
Order Fiction & Poetry and Non-fiction for Year Two on the links below:
Books for Years 3 -6:
Scope for Imagination 