Welcome to #TheQuickSixInterview with Amelia Mellor!
We’re privileged to welcome award-winning author of the magnificent, magical Grandest Bookshop trilogy, Amelia Mellor! Today she is sharing the fascinating background story behind the series and the third instalment, The Lost Book of Magic. Following the success of The Grandest Bookshop in the World and The Bookseller’s Apprentice, this finale carries us away on another fast-paced adventure through a nineteenth century crisis in old Melbourne town. Having to call on a sinister magician from the past to save a magic that could spell disaster may come at a terrible cost, but is it a risk that the Cole siblings and friends are willing to make? Don’t miss your chance to get swept up in their frantic scheming, glorious magic, wicked puzzles and lost treasures in this exciting conclusion to the grandest, bookish fantasy series around!
Thanks so much, Amelia! 🙂
About the Author
Amelia Mellor is the author of the award-winning Grandest Bookshop Trilogy, a fantasy series for children based on Melbourne history. She holds postgraduate degrees in creative writing and teaching (primary and secondary).
When Amelia isn’t writing, surrounded by her collection of matryoshkas and tropical fish, she enjoys drawing, spotting wildlife and playing indie puzzle games.
Please find Amelia Mellor at her website: authorameliamellor.com and on Facebook | Instagram
The Lost Book of Magic is available for purchase from Affirm Press.
Thanks to Affirm Press for providing a complimentary copy of this book.
WHO wrote, illustrated and published this book?
The author of The Lost Book of Magic is me, Amelia Mellor! The cover illustration is the work of illustrator Sylvia Morris, and designer Kirsty Lund-White, who also smartened up my picture puzzles. Affirm Press is the publisher of the entire series.
WHAT is it about?
This is the third book in my historical fantasy series about the children who lived and worked in Cole’s Book Arcade, an amazing bookshop from Melbourne’s past. In this book, twelve-year-old Pearl Cole and her older brother Vally face the Arcade’s closure in an economic crisis. At the same time, the sinister magician who almost destroyed their family returns with a bargain they can’t refuse, and a mysterious spectre wreaks havoc around the city.
What is your favourite part of this book?
My favourite part of this book is the interactions between the characters! The Cole siblings, who were the heroes of The Grandest Bookshop in the World, team up with Billy and Kezia, who were the heroes of The Bookseller’s Apprentice. All of them have dealt with the tricky magician, the Obscurosmith, before – but this time, they have to cooperate with him against a new threat. Everyone is frantically working together and plotting against one another at the same time!
WHEN did you begin writing this book?
I started brainstorming for this book long before I began writing it – at the end of 2021. I started properly writing it in the winter of 2022, but the early drafts were very different to how it ended up!
When is its release / launch date?
It was released on the 24th of September.
WHERE did the inspiration for this book come from?
This book was inspired by the history of the real Cole’s Book Arcade, particularly the struggles the bookshop faced in the mid-1890s. This was a time when Melbourne was struggling with a financial crash, major drought and heatwaves, and the flow-on effects of these, such as unemployment, poverty, starvation, and crime. Although threatened by a loss of business, the bookshop was a beacon of joy and excitement in the midst of this grim and uncertain period.
WHY is this book meaningful to you? Why would its message resonate with readers?
When I read about this crisis and the place of Cole’s Book Arcade in it, I couldn’t help but think of the last couple of years and how rough they’ve been! It’s a scary time to be growing up – but researching and writing this book showed me that there have been many upheavals throughout history. Not only that: it showed me the real importance of Cole’s Book Arcade in history. A bookshop can’t save the world, but it brought joy and excitement when people really needed it. I’m hoping my book can do that, too: transport my readers for a little while, and lift their spirits by the end of it.
HOW do you feel about the illustrations / cover design? How do they convey the feeling or mood you envisioned?
The book takes our characters to so many beautiful and dramatic locations that deciding what to put on the cover was quite hard! I’m thrilled with the decision to show the street, though. The stormy sky and the determined expressions on everyone’s faces reflect the darker tone of this book compared to the others. The way Pearl is standing on the edge of the building really helps to capture the danger she’s in!
How have you promoted this book and how can we find it?
I’ve been promoting the book on my website authorameliamellor.com, as well as my Instagram. I’m also doing a few in-person events at bookshops in Melbourne and further afield! You can find The Lost Book of Magic almost anywhere in Australia and New Zealand that sells great fiction for kids, but I recommend buying it from your local indie bookshop.
OTHER information or experiences you’d like to share?
Fans have been asking me recently if there will be a fourth book set in this world. This is the last one – I’ve given Pearl, Vally and friends the best ending I know how to write! My next book, The Wicked Ship, is the first in my new Oceanforged Series, a seafaring fantasy romp scheduled for release late in 2025.
Congratulations, Amelia! Such a stunning series! 🙂
#thequicksixinterview #thelostbookofmagic #thegrandestbookshopintheworld #magic #middlegrade #justkidslit
