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'A walk in the woods was the
inspiration for this story. There I was, happily trundling
along, when I heard a commotion up in the branches overhead.
Pausing, I saw a lot of squirrels chasing each other and then
the thought popped in from nowhere "what if one of them
isn't a squirrel at all and only looks like one?" Pondering
on that, I invented the werling people and their skill at
wergling.
Of course, these folk needed
an enemy to fight and when I came out of that woodland I found
myself in a meadow where dark tangles of thorn grew. I had
chanced upon the thorn ogres.
That was one of the most productive
strolls I've ever taken!
Of all my characters, I think
the one I identify with the most is Gamaliel Tumpin. His inept
attempts at wergling was really me at school blundering about
during P.E. and Games. It was good to redress the balance
and make him the hero of this story, giving him a special
skill of his own.
Watch out for the next in
this series, "The Dark Waters of Hagwood".'
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