I’m thrilled to be showcasing a fantastic debut sci-fi adventure from Sarah Merrett. I was completely hooked in by the isolated setting of the observatory which Reuben and Grandma call home, and intrigued by just why Rueben was forbidden from venturing beyond the walls of the grounds. Sarah has written a wonderful piece about how she created such a wonderfully atmospheric setting for her story. Be sure to read it below…

“Can two extraterrestrials escape the clutches of an evil professor? Reuben lives in an observatory with his astronomer grandma who is determined to win the Guzman Prize for being the first to make contact with another planet and discover alien life. But Grandma has a competitor: the evil professor Pinfield. Reuben isn’t allowed to leave the observatory but one day he sneaks out and discovers an extraterrestrial whom he calls Blue. Can Reuben save Blue from the evil professor who wants to exhibit her caged? And who is Reuben?”

---

Atmospheric Settings

I love stories that feature old and interesting buildings full of atmosphere. As a writer, I love to explore that sense of place, to take the reader somewhere different to the everyday and the familiar. And the more atmosphere, magic and creepiness, the better. 

The Others is set in a remote observatory surrounded by wild gardens, with a treehouse where Reuben watches across the fields to the village, the clifftops and the sparkling ocean. The observatory is his entire world. He’s never been beyond the gates. He loves racing around the many corridors, and escaping on imaginary adventures in the books in the observatory’s library. 

I wish I could have grown up in an observatory, but I was lucky nonetheless because my primary and middle schools both had fascinating old buildings that sparked my imagination. These were state schools, not private, which makes these memories even more special as I know I had an unusual school experience.

I went to a village primary school with a playground that adjoined an impressive 1870s country house where the top classes had lessons. The house and the main school were separated by an old flint wall, but the gates were aways open. I used to go to the house for recorder lessons and I can still remember the excitement and nerves I felt when going there. When I stepped through the gateway, I felt like I had travelled back in time. The house was wonderfully characterful, atmospheric and spooky. The floors creaked with every step and there was a strange musty smell. I felt certain a ghost was watching my every move. There was a grand sweeping staircase with a suit of armour standing halfway up which terrified me. I loved the gardens most of all. They were a beautiful wilderness that seemed to go on forever. Once a year, we were let loose in those gardens for a treasure hunt. It was the stuff of dreams to a child.  

My middle school was a grand, sprawling Edwardian building in the middle of a town. It towered over the street with menace, eerily out of place, and looked like the perfect horror film setting. I vividly remember the creepy atmosphere inside, and can still smell that distinctive mustiness. There was a dramatic sweeping staircase that led to a huge music room with a grand mezzanine floor. We were forbidden from going up the secret back staircase to reach that topmost floor. At breaktimes, we would dare each other to sneak up the stairs, but none of us ever made it to the top where the ghost lived.  

It’s no surprise I came to love writing historical, atmospheric stories for children. I hope the settings in The Others will evoke that same intrigue, excitement and adventure for the reader as I felt as a child. 

From ‘The Others,’ illustrated by Ewa Beniak-Haremska

I think Sarah has definitely achieved her aim of creating a story that will captivate and intrigue readers. I would recommend this to anyone aged 10+

Jo.

*Many thanks to Everything With Words for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour*