The Boy is Back - and he's not alone!

He’s now “in Two Heads”, and part of a trilogy. But Themistokles' story of involvement in the Olympics of 432 BCE and how he got there is the same. Back in 2012, I believed his and Suzanne's novel was a one-off, but they had other ideas! As time went on, Themistokles kept ‘telling’ me bits of his later life. At first, I just wrote them down as separate incidents. Then Suzanne began to do the same, and gradually I had another novel. Then a third. So I may not have been posting here for a while, but I have been ‘listening’ and writing, rewriting, researching and, until last March, travelling.

Then, around this time last year, by chance I saw a tweet from Caroline Lawrence (@CarolineLawrenc, millions-selling author of children’s books set in Ancient Rome, and Athens) about The Boy with Two Heads. It said, “Ooh! Another #timeslip to #Athens novel for kids! Written by @JuliaMNewsome in 2012, this one has lots about the Olympic Games. I’m loving it so far!” And there was a picture of my book. I was thrilled! (Although The Boy was not written for kids under 12, nor is only about Athens.)

from the Amazon web site

Caroline’s tweet gave me a boost. Even though her books are for a different age category, she is a world-wide best-selling writer (carolinelawrence.com). So her interest and kind encouragement had me thinking seriously about naming the new stories, polishing them up and perhaps publishing them. Because, once upon a time, before the internet, I was a professional editor and publisher of textbooks. Surely, with the help of The Boy’s original publisher, Trifolium Books UK, I could learn how to do it myself with the new technology? It could be my COVID survival project! 

Birkby Books
design: Connie Jensen

Thus, The Boy in Two Heads, and his two accompanying volumes, The Girl in Two Minds and Precarious Connections, are coming out, one by one, under my new imprint, Birkby Books. At present, with Kate of Trifolium, we are working on visually linked covers, but The Boy’s revised text was ready early, so I brought him out in his old jacket to coincide with this year’s anomalous Olympics. The three books will make up The Connection Trilogy.

The Two Heads by Fliss Watts

Themistokles and Suzanne have kept me company and been fascinating (though somewhat demanding) friends during this deeply disturbing time, for which I’m very grateful. Now they even have portraits ready to be incorporated into the new covers, thanks to Fliss Watts (instagram: @flisswatts, https://flisswtts1Wordpress.com).

If you are new to this blog and didn’t read the 2012 edition of The Boy, this is what some readers said:

"A very clever concept for time travel ... lots about the Olympic Games. I'm loving it ...!" Caroline Lawrence (see above).

"This book transported me effortlessly back to ancient Greece, vividly evoking its exotic sights, sounds and even smells. And it seems that young people's issues have hardly changed in 2,400 years!" Marion Clarke, fiction editor.

"A wonderful story which brings the ancient Olympics to vibrant life." Philippa Harrison, former Managing Director of Macmillan and Little, Brown UK.

"... extremely well written, highly believable and engaging ... the aspects of every day life in Ancient Greece are so cleverly and easily portrayed here." Fiona Robson on Goodreads.

"This was a very engaging read. Lovers of the grecian era will find it interesting and the blog is a good twist." Prudence on Amazon. (not this blog, the one in the book!)

" ... a story on different levels, from different points of view. It brings ancient Greece to life, ... excellent ... well-researched ... well-written story." Sally Katherine Bracher on Amazon.

" ... enthralling read, I did not want to put the book down." Bill on Amazon Kindle.

The Girl in Two Minds will be out later this summer, and next year, the third book, at present titled Precarious Connections (unless I change my mind again, which I have done every day for months!). 

If you are on Twitter or Instagram or any of the other wide-reaching platforms, please post a link to this blog, or better still, read the book and post a review! You will be mystified, amused, excited and enthralled. (At least, I was while I was writing it!) 

Thanks for reading! 

Please leave a comment or a review if you can.

The Boy in Two Heads ISBNs: 

paperback 9781838413606

ebook 9781838413613

@JuliaMNewsome on Twitter

'J M Newsome, author' on FaceBook

The appearance of this post is different on smart phones and tablets, but all the content seems to be there! 

All photographs © Julia M Newsome unless otherwise credited