The Story Behind Tom Tinderlee

The idea behind THE TWO WORLDS OF TOM TINDERLEE is probably rooted in a book I read when I was 14. It is called The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley and was written in 1862.

The story is about a little boy who was forced to climb inside and clean chimneys. It made him so unhappy that he ran away; but he fell into a stream where he changed into a spirit- like being called a ‘Water Baby.’

He was looked after by a character named Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby, and took part in many strange adventures before he was turned back into a human form.

I never forgot the tale, and it definitely influenced some of the characters in my book. Tom Tinderlee, is only 11, but he is brave, curious and has a vivid imagination. He, too, is changed by the adventures in his new world and the way he develops makes a huge difference to his future.

I moved from Liverpool to London in 2014, and gave up my work in court so I could focus on writing. At first I wrote (and continue to write) short stories in verse for children, which appear on my blog. It was in 2018 that I began to put together some of the plot for Tom Tinderlee, and once I had the title of the book, I had a fair idea of what was going to happen to him.

I discovered that as much as I enjoyed writing, it was also very demanding. The process of re-writing, editing, changing the dialogue to make it appropriate for an 11 year old took a lot of time and patience. And there were moments when I had doubts about the storyline and whether it would satisfy the reader.

Fortunately, I received advice from literary agents and established authors which have been so helpful in forming the structure of the book. One thing worth mentioning is that if you believe you have a good idea for a story and it is worth pursuing, then no matter how hard it might be, never give it up.