A Garstang-based author has hidden ravens across Preston and beyond as part of a treasure hunt to celebrate the upcoming release of her new fantasy novel.
Kate Simkins, founder of independent publisher Big Thinking Publishing, has hidden ravens in locations including Waterstones and HMV in the city centre and Booths in Garstang, each bearing a QR code that invites people to join a secret magical society.
Scanning the code grants readers their letter of admission to Darkwell Academy, a mysterious school from the world of Simkins’ upcoming novel The Wonderchild, the first book in The Brightwell Chronicles series.
The novel arrives this April, and the first 100 pre-orders will be signed by the author.
The Brightwell Chronicles follow 12-year-old Arlo Thorne, who discovers he has been summoned to Brightwell Academy – a magical school hidden from the ordinary world.
While the setting may remind readers of another classic magical school story, the cast reflects the diversity of real classrooms today. Arlo’s friends include Ren, a non-binary portal maker, and Genny, a fiercely loyal friend who uses a mobility aid.
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To introduce readers to the wider universe of the series, Simkins has created the parallel institution Darkwell Academy, a more mysterious sister school said to exist within the Fae Realm.
Visitors who accept their invitation are warned that travelling between the worlds carries unusual risks, including sensory distortion, reverse speech, personality shimmer and the possibility of leaving fragments of memory behind.
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Simkins said the idea was to create something playful and immersive that invites local readers into the story world before the book is even released.
“The Brightwell Chronicles is a big magical universe, so we wanted to give people a way to step into it. If you spot a raven, you might just find yourself recruited by Darkwell.”
The Wonderchild is the first instalment in the series, with book two, Emberwatch, due in July.
Copies of The Wonderchild are available for pre-order from the Big Thinking Publishing website. For updates, follow on Facebook, Instagram or Threads.
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