Join us for this tour from Feb 1to Feb 19, 2021!
Book Details:
Book Title: THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF JIMMY CRIKEY: Worlds Beneath And Above The Stars by Wallace E. Briggs
Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 302 pages
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Publisher: Independent
Release date: June 2020
Tour dates: Feb 1 to Feb 19, 2021
Content Rating: G.
Book Description:
Do you want to know a secret? Beneath the very ground on which you walk and beyond the stars above your head, are more worlds than you could ever dream of. There are monsters. Be afraid. Magic, wielded by witches and sorcerers. Epic adventures in worlds far across the ocean. And fearsome weapons which threaten to destroy everything. Jimmy Crikey is a brave soul who faces some pretty scary challenges. Solving mysteries and averting mayhem, his incredible courage allows him to free up his abilities to shine and rise above every challenge in his path, on his way to discovering why he looks so very strange. With a bright red mop of unruly hair, big blue eyes, a small snub nose, pointed ears and enormous feet, poor Jimmy is ridiculed by the neighborhood children and runs away in search of a world where he fits in. Following a midnight flight through the forest, he stumbles into a lost, underground world called Roombelow and magic, adventure, danger and excitement await. From the little lady who lives at the bottom of a well, a starship that wants to take him home, trolls, little people, traders and diamonite stealers to water sprites, witches, helpful dolphins, and interplanetary warfare, Jimmy learns the biggest lessons of his life.
A Special Thanks to Wallace E. Briggs for stopping by for an interview
Where do you come from?
Born on the outskirts of Durham City, in NE England, my family never moved as much as 5 miles away from the beautiful cathedral city – until I reached my early 40’s.
I married my childhood sweetheart who I first met at the age of 11, walking the same route homeward after attending different schools. We had to wait until we were 21 yrs old (then the age of majority) before we were married.
What do you do for a living?
I Started off as a lab technician in the chemistry dept. of Durham University. I left aged 23 to become a Technical Sales Rep for a scientific instrument manufacturer. After a very happy decade during which out two sons were born, I was offered a job in S.Africa. Our house was sold, furniture was in storage, we were awaiting air tickets but three weeks prior to travel my employer promoted me to UK Sales Manager and moved the family to Sussex, on the south coast of England.
In my last job I was Export Sales Manager and latterly Business Support Manager -i selling toxic gas analysers.
Where do you live now?
Work was responsible for a move along the south coast to Hampshire before ending up here in the beautiful rural landscape of Lancashire in NW England.
Why do you write children’s stories in particular?
When I was a youngster, being brought up in a loving family environment, books were in short supply. Minds, including those of my siblings, were not broadened by international travel, nor indeed by local travel, to visit new horizons. Television programmes to show a glimpse of the wonders of the world hardly existed. TV sets were rarities.
I yearned to be transported into a world where cash was not a limiting factor.
Escapism? Yes, but also a release of pent up emotions being able to enjoy the fruits of life on equal terms as other children.
So, when I began to write it was to satisfy a desire to entertain children in alternative worlds. Stories that would transport a child into another world where the presence of physical limitations did not limit the flights of imagination.
When imagination roams free wonderful worlds can come into existence and boundaries to vision are destroyed.
Give young minds the freedom to soar then there are no limits to what an active mind can achieve.
Who are your favourite Authors?
Tolkien, JK Rowling, Dan Smith, Kathy Reichs, Karen Slaughter and even Jim Patterson – for a light holiday read
If truth be told my wife is the reader in our house – she probably gets through four or even five books a week. It may take me a week or more to get through one.
Name your favourite book/s?
Lord of the Rings, When the Lion Roars, and fav children’s book Enid Blighton’s The Magical Faraway Tree ( a regular bed time request from my sons)
Dune by Frank Herbert ranks alongside the very best. in my opinion.
Tell me three interesting facts about yourself?
I was Producer Director of a Junior Operatic Society in Spennymoor, Durham producing light entertainment like: Wiz of Oz, Sound of Music and West Side Story.
I play an electronic Hammond organ. I used to be more than proficient but last year or so writing has taken over and my music making is a little less musical.
My current hobby is painting scenes/.animals/ fairies and Heinrich Schlitt gnome reproductions on plates- firing the paints onto china in a kiln.
What tips/advice would you give to any new writers
Be sure. If you are not driven it can be a thankless task and the writer must develop a thick skin to absorb the pain of rejection after rejection. Persevere. If you give up after the first attempt you are not and never will be a writer. Don’t expect to earn a fortune or even a living. But there is nothing in the world better than seeing your words in print and even one reader saying, ‘I enjoyed that’ fills your heart with pride.
What genre do you write under and what are you writing at the moment?
Because my original stories were written to entertain children I haven’t strayed far from the orginal middle grade fantasy adventure. I am more than half way through writing the second book in the series of Jimmy Crikey stories.
I have an unfinished YA novel and am close to finishing a memoir about how my life developed out of poverty into a comfortable retirement with the lady I still love.
Please give me the titles of any books you have published/are due to publish
‘Romney Hole’ is a MG/YA fantasy about two Yorkshire Dales siblings who disover the remnant of an ancient colonising probe buried deep in caves they go pot-holing in.
The Last Footsies is short children’s story about a boy attempting to preserve the lives of the last living specimens of an unusual life form being driven to extinction by human activity
Where can people buy your books from
My books are self published on Kindle via Amazon;
Do you have a WEB site
My Web site, for further information and a free short, children’s story ‘And the Cow…’ visit www.wallaceebriggs.com
(the middle e stands for Eddy – a family surname)
Love to all.
Wallace
Buy the Book:Amazon
Add to Goodreads
Meet the Author:
My formative years were experienced in and around Durham City. Married in 1964 to a girl I first met at the age of eleven, Pat and I spent many happy years in the North East before employment almost took us off to emigrate to Jo’berg, South Africa but plans were changed in the final weeks and instead the company moved me to Sussex.After more than twenty years in Sussex, then Hampshire, employment was again responsible for the move to beautiful rural Lancashire. Jimmy Crikey was born one rainy day, many years ago, during a family holiday in Great Yarmouth, to entertain my son and his new found friends for an hour or so. The story expanded over the following wet afternoons in the cramped confines of a beach tent, and more and more adventures were required to keep the children entertained. Many years later I decided to commit to the written word. Now retired I look forward to sharing The Amazing Adventures of Jimmy Crikey with a wider audience. These began as several short, twenty minute duration, stories but after an encouraging review from a major Publisher I brought them together in this offering and hope they will bring a sense of wonder and enjoyment to another generation.
Connect with the author: website
Tour Schedule:
Feb 1 –Working Mommy Journal – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 1 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 2 – Character Madness and Musings – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 3 – Lisa’s Reading – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 5 – Books, Tea, Healthy Me – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 8 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 10 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 11 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Feb 12 –Splashes of Joy – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 15 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 16 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 17 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 18 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 19 – Laura’s Interests – book spotlight / giveaway
Enter the Giveaway:
splashesofjoy 
Feb 12, 2021 @ 10:06:53
Many thanks, Joy, for this brilliant spread on Jimmy Crikey’s Amazing Adventures. His journey would not have proceeded as far without the assistance of book lovers like you, Best regards from Wallace
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Mar 12, 2021 @ 10:14:49
Reblogged this on This Little Book Of Mine.
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Mar 12, 2021 @ 11:45:15
Many thanks for your second post about my Jimmy Crikey children’s story. Jus to alert you OutFox is in process of producing an Audio book for release on Amazon – possibly mid year. More info when available. Thanks for your suppprt
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