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New children’s book entitled 'A Dangerous Game of Football' by Barbara Spencer is published!!
Added: (Fri Apr 04 2008)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) Somerset writer, Barbara Spencer, has swapped scruffy dogs for cantankerous camels in her new book: A Dangerous Game of Football … and no pictures except for the brilliant cover designed by art student, Aimee Hibberd, in her final year of animation studies at Newport University.
Barbara readily confesses that David Beckham was her inspiration for this children’s fantasy novel, written for 8 – 13 year olds.
She told us: ‘I got the idea ages ago, when David was still at Manchester United. Everywhere you looked there were boys playing football, wearing red shirts with their hair shaved really close and earrings too. In my book Jack Burnside comes from Birmingham and plays for the Aston Villa Junior Squad. He shares his name with the famous Manchester United and English footballer and naturally, at the beginning of the book, Jack is mistaken for him, which causes a lot of confusion.’
The story: When Jack’s best friend, Saleem, goes home for the summer but fails to return Jack is worried but there is little he can do about it until he receives a mysterious parcel in the post. It takes him on a journey to a land ruled by sun and peopled with tyrants, sorcerers and giant crows.
Now he must find Saleem, coach a team of boys for a football match – and stay alive!
… which just might prove rather difficult if your only ally is a bad-tempered camel.
Excerpt from the book: All is Lost
The camel, its flanks heaving with exhaustion, trotted on to the high plateau, the long race at breakneck speed over sand and rock, finally at an end. Helplessly, its rider peered out across the plain towards the high walls of the palace, clearly visible against the setting sun. His hands were clenched into a knot of anger, as sounds of battle wafted towards him on the evening breeze, and fear, like a black cloud, drifted high into the sky.
Below him, on the pass, lay bodies. Men who had lost their lives protecting the narrow way through the mountains to the plain below – slain by treachery. He knew, without looking, that within the palace walls the same scene was being played out. He was too late, he had failed. The palace was gone and with it the only friends he had in the world.
The sun vanished over the horizon, allowing the calm darkness of the night sky to cover the evil before them.
'Arise beast,' he called softly in Arabic and, within seconds, the shadowy outline of a camel stood beside him. Silently it watched as the fires of battle burned themselves out. Then it spoke.
'The Gods have deserted us, Master. Evil has won the day.'
The rider raised his eyes to the sky; deep-set eyes, hidden away from view under the hood of his cloak, eyes which burned with light. He looked far into the distance, as if he were seeing through the darkness into another world.
'There is nothing to be done for now, beast. But one day a boy will come and then we shall see.’
About the Author: Barbara Spencer was born in Bowdon in Cheshire and grew up in Birmingham. She’s lived in the West Indies, America, Greece and France before returning to Britain in 1977. Her daughter Melissa, born in 1980, was a competitive swimmer and Barbara became involved with the running of Street & District Swimming Club, becoming a qualified Swimming Teacher, Timekeeper and Judge. As she says, ‘I spent so many hours watching my daughter swim I decided I needed something to occupy my time. Now I teach youngsters to swim.’ Determined to become a successful writer, Barbara took early retirement and now writes full-time for both the 6 – 10 age group and teens.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Spencer (author)
E-mail: Barbara@barbaraspencer.co.uk
A Dangerous Game of Football can be ordered from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Game-Football-Barbara-Spencer/dp/1906551006/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205789619&sr=1-1