Today Claire Linney joins Ian Eagleton in The Reading Realm to talk about her thrilling and informative time-travelling adventure TIME TUB TRAVELLERS AND THE SILK THIEF!
Before we settle down in The Reading Realm and talk about your new book, what’s your drink and snack of choice?
A mug of black coffee and a homemade scone with jam.
Without giving too much away, what can you tell us about Time Tub Travellers and the Silk Thief?
It’s a time travelling adventure that explores Black British history. Zula and Milo find a fascinating antique bathtub in an antique shop only to discover it’s a time machine and they are pulled over 400 years into the past to Tudor London and have to solve a mystery to get home.
The story is full of historical facts which are cleverly woven throughout the book. What was the research process like for this book?
The idea grew from reading Black Tudors: The Untold Story by Miranda Kaufmann so her work was really the main research into the Black Tudors of the time and then I needed to get an idea of life in 16th century London, how it smelt, what the food was like, was it dangerous. There’s a great book called The Time Traveller’s Guide to Elizabethan England which was hugely helpful and then I did a LOT of googling.
The story gallops along at a thrilling pace. Was this easy to achieve?
I’m definitely a planner, and I need to have each chapter plotted out in advance before I start the first draft so that helps make sure that everything I’m putting in adds something and I don’t get too side tracked.
What advice would you give to young writers who are trying to bring a period of time alive in their stories?
Think about the small everyday things and tap into all the senses. When you write in a time period it’s not unlike world building for a fantasy story – you need to bring it to life so your readers can imagine it. A big part of the book is how bad Tudor London smelled and how dirty the streets were.
I’ve discovered that someone very special edits your books! What can you tell us about this and how it all works?
My partner Nic, who is The Story Consultant, is my structural editor (I also work with Siobham from the Writer and the Wolf who is amazing). Niic works in factual documentaries but he’s amazing at looking at the structure of my story, the pace, suspense, and what order you reveal information. I didn’t know he was going to be one of my editors until I asked him for some feedback on my first book. I wasn’t expecting the level of detail I got back – but it’s been invaluable.
Can you recommend any other children’s books which you’ve enjoyed recently?
I loved Arkspire by Jamie Littler who also is an amazing illustrator. I also read Mary Prince by EL Norry who is one of my favourite children’s authors. Her book beautifully tells the life of Mary Prince who was a key figure in the movement to abolish slavery in England.
I’m hoping the Time Tub Travellers might return! Can you tell us anything about this prospect?
Oh it most definitely will. I am dep in the edits for book two which will be travelling to Victorian England and exploring the weird and wonderful world of circus and Pablo Fanque. He was the first Black circus owner in Britain and amazing horseman and acrobat.
Finally, can you describe Time Tub Travellers and the Silk Thief in three words?
Adventurous, thrilling, surprising.
