Thanks to another reader, I’ve just discovered this YA author. She lives in the north of England, and the people and places of this area feature largely in her work. Several of her books have won and been nominated for awards.
A taster bio from Bookrags:
http://www.bookrags.com/biography/janni-howker-aya/
I recently read Martin Farrell, Howker’s short but compelling novel set in the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Borderlands.
I’ve posted a review of Martin Farrell on this forum here:
http://www.historicalfictiononline.com/ ... php?t=4837
I’m a sucker for authors who do wonderful things with language, and Janni Howker’s writing blew me away. I’ll be looking for more of her work, though unfortunately it seems quite hard to come by outside of the UK.
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Janni Howker
Janni Howker
Last edited by annis on Tue June 28th, 2011, 6:43 am, edited 2 times in total.
- parthianbow
- Compulsive Reader
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Thanks for this, Annis. Saw your review on another site, and will add it to the list. It looks great.
Ben Kane
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
Bestselling author of Roman military fiction.
Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.
http://www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
It is, Ben, but whether the average teenager of my acquaintance would appreciate or understand it is another story - maybe the brighter, avid readers who are already reading adult material. Although the central character is a fourteen year old boy it's not really a children's tale. On the other hand, we shouldn't underestimate or limit kids when it comes to reading material. Like Rosemary Sutcliff, Janni Howker doesn't write down to her audience, but offers them wine rather than fizzy drink
I believe that if only we will allow it, and whatever our age, there is something about the poetry of great language that satisfies a thirst in our souls. Even if it's not immediately comprehensible, it seeps into a deeper level of consciousness which recognises and welcomes it. The storytellers of the oral tradition certainly knew this, and in drawing on the Border ballad for inspiration, Janni Howker taps this spring. The Border ballad itself, of course, owes much to the older tradition of Englisc heroic poetry which the Anglo-Saxons took with them when they fled north during the Norman Conquest.
I believe that if only we will allow it, and whatever our age, there is something about the poetry of great language that satisfies a thirst in our souls. Even if it's not immediately comprehensible, it seeps into a deeper level of consciousness which recognises and welcomes it. The storytellers of the oral tradition certainly knew this, and in drawing on the Border ballad for inspiration, Janni Howker taps this spring. The Border ballad itself, of course, owes much to the older tradition of Englisc heroic poetry which the Anglo-Saxons took with them when they fled north during the Norman Conquest.
Last edited by annis on Wed June 29th, 2011, 4:09 am, edited 7 times in total.