Thomas Taylor: Malamander (Walker Books 2019)
Thomas Taylor: Gargantis (Walker Books 2020)
Everyone knows Eerie-on-Sea. Maybe you even went there. Of course, it was in summer. You must have been walking along the beach, eating ice cream, watching the seagulls and finding that funny shell too. And when you left for home, you saw the neon sign above the pier: Cheerie-on-Sea. Well, this is the place. In summer. But when the first winter winds break, the picture changes. Even the letters of the neon sign change: the C and H letters blow off – the remaining name is Eerie-on-Sea. Not many people visit Eerie-on-Sea in winter. Even the locals don’t venture ashore when the darkness descends. They are afraid of the local legends. Or rather from what the legends are about.
Herbert Lemont was swept to this shore by the sea but has since been responsible for the objects found at the famous Grand Nautilus Hotel. However, his calm everyday life is disturbed by a girl who is lost and asks Herbie to find her family.
Thomas Taylor grew up in Wales, always loved weird stories and drawing. Although there were many seafarers among his ancestors, he became an illustrator, as there were more cakes and less wet clothes in this profession. His first big illustration commission came from Bloomsbury Publishers: he had to design the cover of an unknown author’s first book. The author was J. K. Rowling. In the end, though, he chose to write. He currently lives with his family on the south coast of England and enjoys walking at the coast in search of treasure. Malamander and Gargantis published with his own illustrations and cover by George Ermos. The third volume of the series will be released in September this year under the title Shadowghast.
To learn more about the legends of Eerie-on-Sea, you can visit the website: https://eerie-on-sea.com/.
