Interview with Samantha Giles
Author/actress Samantha Giles' new book, Rosemary and the Witches' Stone of Camelot was published on October 21st and we caught up with her for a chat.
WB: Hi Sam! Congratulations on the publication of Rosemary and the Witches’ Stone of Camelot. Are you pleased with the way the book has turned out?
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SG: Ah, thanks Bob. Yes I'm really happy with the way the book has turned out- partly thanks to your help with the formatting which was a nightmare!! And my husband was very helpful too! I'm particularly happy with the cover design, as I wanted it to fit in with the other two books design wise, so luckily I was able to contact the original designer and commission her to do this final book. I love the colours.
WB: It’s been a little while since Book Two. Could you give us a very quick reminder of the story so far?
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​SG: Yes! So I have put a little resume of book 1 and 2 in the front of this final book, just to anyone who hasn't read the first two won't feel disadvantaged, and maybe if they enjoy this book they will want to go back and read book 1 and 2. So Rosemary is our main character, a very special girl who can see colours around people, their auras if you like. She lives with her parents, and her windy little sister Lois, and also 4 other witches and wizards live with them in book 1. However you can only see them if you believe in magic, so Rosemary's Dad is oblivious to the fact
they live with them. The first book is an adventure story in two parts really- Phyllis one of their witch family goes missing, probably at the hands of her evil relative Mal Vine, who runs the 'No-Laws' a criminal group who want to disrupt and destroy love and happiness in the world, and simultaneously Dad develops a dark cloud above his head, that only Rosemary sees. So the quest is on for Rosemary, Lois and R's best friend Adi to use their skills to find Phyllis and hopefully help Dad to recover from the depression which threatens their family unit. On the way they meet loveable giant owl Jonathan who has a penchant for novelty pinnies, Hecate, the Queen of the witches and Aradia the wicked gatekeeper who has a cheeky familiar Paloma, a raven who bonds instantly with Lois.
In Book 2 the Book of the Dead, an ancient artefact has been stolen from the British museum and the gang end up exploring ancient Egypt via the Tunnels that weave underneath the Mersey- did you know there are many tunnels down there that will magically transport you to various places all over the world? Mum has got a longer term acting job but the children are worried when they start to see holes appearing in her body. Why is she beginning to lose herself and how can they retrieve the Book of the Dead from ancient Egypt before Mal Vine gets his hands on it, and save Mum from disappearing entirely?
WB: And so to Book Three. The stakes are very high for Rosemary in this one, aren’t they?
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SG: Yes the stakes are high because we leave Book 2 believing that Mal Vine has been turned into a gold cockroach and is safely locked away in the prison- The Tunnel of Eternal Darkness....But Rosemary fears he may have escaped.... Also Book 3 begins with Rosemary opening up a very special package that her Grandmother has sent her- an amber stone which she believes might be the famous Witches' Stone of Camelot....
WB: Rosemary and her friends travel to Camelot in this book. Did you do a lot of research into the Arthurian myths to prepare?
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SG: I did quite a lot of reading about Camelot yes! I was particularly interested in how Morgan Le Fay has always been portrayed as evil and out to get her half brother Arthur, so I wanted to debunk some of the myths.
WB: There’s an interesting, and very subtle change of tone in the book when they arrive in Camelot. It feels both very traditional and very modern at the same time. That must have been a challenge to write!
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SG: Thank you! I wasn't really aware of the change of tone when they arrived in Camelot, maybe it happened organically, as I wanted to create historically that different feel of the time, but also wanted those characters to fit in as well, so I guess it was all just how I imagined it to be, so if it works then that's brilliant!!
WB: One thing that really struck me was that (without giving too much away) the version of Morgan le Fay in your book is rather different to the versions we are used to. Was that your intention from the start?
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SG: Yes I wanted Morgan to be a sympathetic character- witches are always depicted as evil or mad women, (often by men!!) so I wanted to challenge this notion of her. I hope I have succeeded.
WB: Rosemary’s Dad plays a significant role in this book and his struggles with his mental health continue. How important do you think it is to reflect adults’ mental wellness in children’s books?
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SG: Yes Rosemary's Dad is struggling with his mental health again in this book . I think it's important to show that mental health issues don't suddenly just disappear, they are ongoing things that can reoccur especially when dealing with the stresses of modern day living- I think for me it's important to cover these topics in my books to demystify what seem like 'adult' conditions to children. When your parents are rowing or you intrinsically feel they are unhappy as a child, it can be very frightening and confusing, so to address it in the is book hopefully makes it more understandable and approachable. Dad is still Dad, he is still the same person, and kids often see things in a much simpler way. To them often solutions are much more straightforward than the way adults look at them. So I hope this gives adults some hope too about how to perhaps move forward when dealing with life's difficulties. The important thing to note as well is that the journey Dad goes through and the children, does resolve, not without difficulty and challenges, but that is an important lesson in life. I hope the book is positive at the end, I think it is, and uplifting. Its crucial for me to write uplifting stories that also have a strong element of comedy too.
WB: I love Lois, Rosemary’s windy little sister. Do you have a favourite character from the series?
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SG: One of my favourite characters is I think Jonathan! He is so warm and fun but also full of good advice. Obviously I also love Frances. I remember meeting a lady who physically was the character, and I just love how she is so well meaning but often gets things wrong too.
WB: I’ve got to mention that the design of the book (and the whole series) is very striking. This cover is the best yet. Are you pleased with the way the books look?
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SG: Yes very happy with the way it looks - I love the colours.
WB: This book is the conclusion of the trilogy. Is that it for Rosemary now, or do you think there may be more stories to tell at some point?
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SG: Who knows if there will be more adventures! I loved writing these, and really they've been for and about my children and husband, so now my kids are 17 and 13 they are becoming young women rather than children, but you never know what the future holds!
WB: And finally, what’s next for Samantha Giles the author?
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SG: I'm focusing on women's fiction right now. My literary agent has submitted my debut women's historical fiction to publishers, so waiting to hear about that. I'm starting writing another historical fiction, which is the sequel to the first one, so fingers crossed that I get a publishing deal! However, the research and the writing is a joy, so whatever happens I'm sure I will keep going just for myself if no one else!
WB: Thanks very much, Sam and the very best of luck with the book!
Rosemary and the Witches' Stone of Camelot is out now and available to order here:
