Booktime: Interview with M.G. Leonard, author of Hunt for the Golden Scarab

Hunt for the Golden Scarab is the first book in a new series – what inspired you to start a new series, and do you have the series planned out?
When young readers get into a story and befriend characters, they want more. They will consume books at the speed of a bullet train. I'm always thinking of my readers when I’m creating books. That’s why I write series. When I had the idea of children being able to open doors in time using music, I wrote a list of all the amazing periods of history that they might visit and then mapped out their possible adventures. I have the first four books plotted and the first two are already written.

In the book, Sim discovers that his family have a history of time travel, and he becomes involved in an adventure to Ancient Egypt. If you could travel in time where and when would you go?
I would go to Shakespeare’s London and visit the Globe during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to see a play. I did a MA in Early Modern Theatre, and wrote a thesis on how magic was staged. I’d love to find out if my ideas have any basis in reality.

Did you research and visit Egypt to write the book?
Research is my favourite part of writing a book. The Ancient Egyptian civilisation lasted 3000 years and is a vast and fascinating subject. The most important decision I had to make was exactly what day in which period my time keys would travel to. Once I knew I was taking them to the 18th Dynasty, I booked a research trip to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. It was the most incredible experience. I hope readers will sense the authenticity of the places I'm describing.

Did you work closely with the illustrator Manuel Šumberac?
When I write an illustrated book, I explicitly brief every image giving visual references. I send these to my publisher, who pairs the story with an illustrator. I haven't met Manuel, as he is based in Croatia, but his dramatic illustrations are better than anything I imagined.

Sim and his mother Callidora are experts in martial arts – is this something you are skilled in?
When I was young, I did Judo and Karate. I've always loved marital arts, but I grew up at a time when it was something boys did. When I became a self-conscious teen, I gave it up. Nevertheless, I'm a fan of martial arts movies, where it is still rare to see a female master. The relationship between Sim and his mum is many layered and one of the layers is that of student and master.

The golden scarab is an ancient artefact in the shape of a beetle – are beetles still close to your heart?
I have pet beetles, am the vice president of charity Buglife and there's a TV series based on The Beetle Trilogy in development. I will always be the beetle lady. The seeds for the story of Hunt for the Golden Scarab were sown when I was doing the research for Beetle Boy and discovered the role that scarabs played in Ancient Egyptian culture and the mystery around the tomb of Nefertiti.

Playing music is at the heart of the book – how important is it to you?
Music is a language that speaks to my soul. I remember being four and hearing Tchaikovsky. I immediately started dancing around my living room acting out a story in my head. I listen to music when I write or when I’m with friends. I go to gigs and concerts and even attempt to play music in private. Music is powerful and it makes perfect sense to me that it has the power to transport you to another time.

Which other authors inspire you in your work?
Dahl’s imagination is unparallelled. When writing about nature, I'm inspired by Francis Hodgson Burnett, Kenneth Grahame and Gerald Durrell. I loved the adventures of Enid Blyton when I was a young kid and the mysteries of Agatha Christie as a teenager. When it comes to creating characters, dialogue and philosophy A. A. Milne is still one of the best, and I think Philip Pullman’s world building in His Dark Materials is perfection.

What do independent bookshops mean to you?
Opening the door of an independent bookshop and stepping inside is like opening a book and starting to read. To me, a room lined with books is akin to a church, a bookseller, a knowledgeable wizard. I'm always grateful and proud when I find my stories on a shelf or a table