The Land of Soil and Sea
This is a roughly 29,000 word children’s fantasy adventure novel that I wrote in the early 2000’s on an ecological and self-growth
theme.
It is the story of Tali and Berny, a brother and sister, who are both insular in their own particular ways. One stormy New Year’s Eve, they find themselves transported into a strange new land full of peril, chance and weather.
Tali and Berny land in a tree on an island belonging to a Sea Shepherdess and her trusty friend, Captain Pepper (who happens to be a talking sheepdog), with whose valuable help they embark on a journey through The Land of Soil and Sea in search of ‘The World’.
They take part in many adventures along the way, including meeting some very mischievous frost sprites, then Flora who tends to all the plant life in the kindgdom, a real life April Fool, a pack of dogs that tend a cliff-tip orchard and a great white man-eating chicken amongst many other strange and wonderful beings.
As well as Tali and Berny’s quest, Salina and Captain Pepper also find themselves on a journey of discovery after being blown off course by an angry March Wind Sprite. After having travelled the exact same yearly journey since they first met, they realise they know next to nothing about their kingdom and also nothing about how to get home themselves. And Captain has a deep dark secret that is only revealed when they get temporarily shipwrecked on an island of wind-singing island of oaks.
How do they all get home? Well, hopefully it’s worth reading to find out!
Chapter Titles: New Year’s Eve, A Bumpy Landing, The Land of Soil and Sea, The Big Journey, Trouble with Frost Sprites, The Cathedral of Frost, Wind, The Island of Fools, Sea Stories, Dog Days, Flora’s Tale, The Storm, Captain’s Secret, Leaf Shedders, Apple Bobbing, Return, The Light in Dark Party, New Year’s Day.
(January 2025)
I am currently reading through it and embarking on an updated version with the aim of offering it for publication or to self publish in 2026. (I have ideas for two more books in the series, plotted roughly but not yet written)
Please enquire here if you are a publisher and would like some sample chapters.
From my story The Land of Soil and Sea. Salina the Sea-shepherdess
The Land of Soil and Sea. The Great White Man Eating Chicken.
