I am a journalist so naturally I had mulled over the idea of writing a book at some stage in my writing career. I just didn’t know what to tackle. My mother was the catalyst, you could say. My mother, then in her late 60s, had always wanted to visit Egypt. When a group tour became available through a national family magazine, she asked me to accompany her. I prefer visiting the old cities and museums of Europe so my response was luke-warm, to say the least. She also invited my 2 nephews, then 10 and 12 to accompany us. It was an amazing trip, filled with interesting experiences. It proved to be the inspiration for the book. When I returned, after we’d admired the souvenirs and the photos, I thought wouldn’t it be a cute idea to write a short story based on our experiences, naturally including myself (a journalist) an intrepid globe-trotting Gran, and two young boys. That was the beginning of it all. The short story became a novel; the novel became a children’s adventure series (Chronicles of the Stone) because at the end of the first book I realized that the story had just grown and grown into something quite spectacular.

I think the book will appeal primarily to the target age group (10-14), but also to people of all ages because the plot is fascinating (multi-layered), with many unusual twists and turns, and the setting is exotic and interesting. Egypt is a land of mystery and ancient magic. Many people love archaeological thrillers that hint of past golden ages and incredible civilizations, and the ‘history mystery’ ideas make for exciting speculation on the past.

Children who read the book will enjoy the ‘reality’ of everything – the characters make you feel as if you too could visit a strange land and be caught up in thrilling events.

Underneath all the excitement, the lesson for younger readers is to believe in yourself and know that you can make a difference and achieve what you want. The two boys find their roles are different, but in a way equally important. Adam is singled out for a huge task, yet his cousin Justin is necessary to make sure Adam survives the ordeal. Courage and compassion are also highlighted as the boys grapple with moral decisions when they are faced with life-and-death situations.

Everyone loves to hate a baddy and the most wonderfully sinister character is the evil Dr. Khalid, head of the Egyptian Museum. Pivotal to the plot, he is determined to retrieve the sacred scarab and the Scarab King’s treasure, no matter what the cost. Smooth, suave, compellingly hypnotic, he is the boys’ Nemesis, with eyes, ears, and loutish henchmen all over the place. He pursues the children from the time they set foot in Egypt. Once he is certain Adam has the ancient scarab in his possession, the chase is on. The boys are stalked every step of the way on their Egyptian tour until the moment when Khalid’s men pounce and kidnap the boys in the Valley of the Kings. Then it is a hair-raising ride across the desert to the Scarab King’s tomb, where Adam finally realizes why Dr. Khalid didn’t just kill him and take the scarab. Adam is the true bearer of the sacred scarab, a role that culminates in the moment when he is forced to open the great golden doors of the Forbidden Chamber, where the king’s treasure lies … and an even greater secret is revealed. Opening the golden doors brings down the Curse of Thoth and the inevitable happens! The whole place begins to collapse as the ancient booby traps are triggered. The destruction of the tomb is quite the most exciting moment because of the terrible danger involved. Adam truly faces certain death, but does not run away from his responsibilities to the other people with him.

Dr Khalid’s direct opposite is the benevolent Ebrahim Faza, a respected Egyptologist and Dr. Khalid’s mortal enemy. They have a history together that unravels as the book progresses. Ebrahim is one of the last living descendants of the guardians of the Scarab King’s tomb. He is also one of the few people who are aware of the deep and mysterious past behind the sacred scarab. It is more than just an ancient artifact. His mission is to protect Adam with his life if needs be. He saves Adam’s life when Khalid’s henchmen push the boy over a ledge at the site of the Sphinx. This is another exciting moment when Adam actually goes over the ledge and is plunging headlong to his death, feeling his arms and legs flailing uselessly in empty space as he topples into a void.

First: Our heroes, Justin and Adam Sinclair, are two ordinary young boys who go on a family trip and land up in an adventure beyond their wildest imaginings. They are not archaeologists or specially trained explorers. They are thrown into a whirlpool of quite electrifying events, and face dangers they solve all by themselves – with no technology, no cellphones, no computers … just them in a completely unfamiliar environment (the desert), using their wits and ingenuity, and by depending on each other.

Second: On the surface, there is the idea they are caught up in something exciting – the discovery that the old scarab the peddler gives Adam is actually an important ancient artifact – but underneath is an intricate prehistory teeming with mystery and secrets of the past that will determine the fate of the world. The younger boy, Adam, has been singled out for an important task, something that has been awaiting his arrival for what appears to be thousands of years. The reader wonders how Adam could be chosen for this role … until the background of ancient history unravels. At the end of the first book there is still so much more to solve that it is impossible for Adam and Justin simply to return to their ordinary lives. The secrets of the past continue to tease us, despite all the technological advancements and innovations humankind has achieved. Adam and Justin will unlock those mysteries.

The action takes place in Egypt, in contemporary time, with intriguing glimpses and flashbacks to the ancient past. I chose the setting because the story was inspired by a family visit to Egypt – in a way, the setting chose me.

Adventure, intrigue, excitement.

I am a writer and writing articles is easy. Writing a book was something else! I felt as if I had started at the bottom of the class and was trying to get better as I went along. The fun part was basing the plot on actual events. The boys’ journey closely mirrors much of what we saw and did in Egypt, but obviously is a thousand times more exciting. I’d give anything to actually find an old scarab that was the key to an ancient mystery. The most exciting part was finding how much the characters write the book for you. I’d heard writers speak about the characters actually dictating events to some degree, but never experienced it until now. It’s amazing. I would imagine scenes in my head and just go with the flow, listening the dialogue unfold … then I’d write it down. I have almost finished the second book and already the third book is ‘talking’ in my head.