Will and the Whisp

by Ross MacKay

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GENRE:   Fantasy

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BLURB:

“The voice was coming from inside him … But it wasn’t his.”

The Whisp is a fugitive. Living in between worlds, she flees from veteran hunters and the General who wishes to corrupt her power. For Will Devine, nothing could be worse than someone else knowing his thoughts. When an unfortunate incident in the boy’s toilet mysteriously binds the two souls together, Will is horrified to find he is no longer the only voice inside his mind. With no way apart, the two of them must work together to find a solution.
But with one teacher dead and another student’s life on the line, can they survive long enough to escape from each other?

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EXCERPT

It was a hot sticky day when it happened. The sun seemed to beam at full strength, and it felt like everything was sweating. 

He was in history and Mr. Anthony grumbled, again, about the broken blinds and his inability to open the windows.

"Damn heat," he said, wiping his brow with a handkerchief. He placed both fists onto his desk and watched the class file in. He looked withered. Will had noticed that over the last few weeks that Mr. Anthony's fantastic story sessions had dwindled and now they spent most classes in complete silence answering questions from a textbook. 

"Where did we finish off last lesson?" he asked, barely lifting his head from his desk. 

"Page fifty," someone behind Will answered. 

"Then turn to page fifty-one."

The class let out a mutual groan, and Mr. Anthony looked up, his moustache twitched as his jaw clenched. "Page fifty-one." 

The class got to work. 

Mr. Anthony had aged in the short time Will had known him. Mr. Anthony now had sunken cheeks and an ashen face. Even his moustache seemed more faded. It was like all of the charisma he had from that first lesson had melted away. The history teacher looked old and vulnerable. 

There was an uneasy atmosphere in his room now like the air had a weight to it. 

About half-way through the class, the tension burst inside Will. Will's hand shot up as the first trickle of blood seeped out. He was already pinching his nose and tilting his head back to stop the blood from dripping onto his page.

 Mr. Anthony just sat at his desk, twiddling his paperweight between his fingers, looking into space. When Will coughed to get his attention, Mr. Anthony looked as if he had stirred from a deep sleep. And instead of speaking, he waved his hand for Will to leave. 

Will hurried down three flights of stairs. There were toilets on the second floor, but they never had any tissue paper or hand towels.  He thought the toilets on the ground floor in the old block would be fully stocked and he could deal with the nosebleed in peace. 

He instantly regretted his choice when the three boys turned to stare at him as he entered. One was playing with a lighter, one was perched upon a sink, and the other was on his tiptoes blowing cigarette smoke out of the thin rectangular windows at the very top of the toilet walls. 

Will held his breath. 

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Author Interview

1. If you could tell your younger writing self, anything, what would it be?

Believe in yourself. Since I was very young, I always looked to others for validation. It made me push myself at times but at other points I held back, afraid of failure. I wish I could go back and tell myself that whatever people think about my writing, I can write.

2. Favorite childhood memory involving books?

My first memory of books was an old, tattered box that was at the end of my bed and filled with hard back Enid Blyton books. I went up to visit my older brother in the top bunk, got into a fight with him and ended up falling into the box. Luckily, my relationship with books quickly improved. I remember some old encyclopedias in my house, and I used to love looking up Greek gods to read all the myths.

This makes it sound like I lived in a house filled with antique books. These were the oldest books we had. I was a bit of a geeky child, so I think I was always drawn to dusty tomes.

3. If you could dine with any literary character, who would it be and why?

Hmmmm…. I’ve always quite liked the idea of the mad hatter’s tea party. Although I would have to be careful, who knows what was actually in that tea.

4. Did you want to be an author when you grew up?

Yes…but it was a pipedream. I never thought it would happen. I had a collection of stories I had written which I kept in a folder under my bed all about a magical kingdom called Osgroll. I still quite like the name.

My biggest ambition was to be an actor though. I ended up as a theatre director – so not far off.

5. If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Big (usually) Jolly Scotsman.

6. If you could own any animal as a pet, what would it be?

I have a black cat who is a total diva. So, I would like something a bit more sedate. Maybe a sloth. I think it would be quite comfy to get a hug from a sloth’s long arms. As long as its nails weren’t clutching me like I was a branch - ouch!

7. Have you ever met anyone famous?

As I write this, I am on a train sitting opposite Willie Rennie. If you know who he is – huge respect for your niche knowledge of Scottish politics. He leads a political party here. IT must have been a busy day for him, our prime minister has just resigned. I wonder if I should give him my book – he might need a little break.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Ross MacKay lives in the village of Aberdour in Scotland with his wife and young son, Noah. 

Ross previously worked in theatre as the artistic director of Tortoise in a Nutshell. His productions toured all over the world. His shows have received numerous prestigious awards including a Scotsman Fringe First for New Writing and a Critic’s Pick from The New York Times. 

In 2020, Ross was the recipient of the William Soutar Award for Poetry and a Tom McGrath Trust Maverick Award.  He has been commissioned to write poetry for libraries in Fife, to open a festival in Perth and for two books published by Tippermuir. 

Ross’ first picture book, Daddy’s Bad Bed Day will be published in 2022 by Curly Tale Books. The book has been created to help young children with parents with poor mental health. Research for the book has been supported by numerous children’s charities in Scotland. 

When Ross isn’t writing or making shows, he spends his time in his inflatable kayak, trying to steer it as best he can. He loves gardening and is currently engaged in a fierce battle with a collection of snails who seem to love the rhubarb and potatoes just as much as Ross. 

Website:  https://rossmackaystories.com/about

Twitter: http://twitter.com/rossc_mackay

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rossc_mackay

Facebook: http://facebook.com/rossmackaystories

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BBDB7V9S

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

Ross MacKay will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway