‘You have been selected to take on the badge of an elite trainee...’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) January 16, 2012 -- “Jocasta Jackson, you have been selected to take on the badge of an Elite trainee, and travel to the Mars Colony to begin your training there...”

While studying at the Woodbridge Academy on Earth, Jocasta is surprised to discover that, along with her friend David, she has been selected to train as a cadet for the prestigious Elite Corporation. This involves training on Mars, far away from her family and home, where she will learn all the skills necessary to become one of the special Elite students, who will enhance the work of the corporation.

On her journey, she develops new friendships and meets some strange and interesting characters – the fascinating but hostile Antigone and the excitable Tara. Jocasta finds out that every other cadet possesses a talent or gift, be it transmogrification or telepathic ability, but much to her dismay she seems unable to discover what hers might be. Until, that is, she embarks on an illicit and dangerous journey across the plains of the red planet, leaving behind the safety and security of the Elite life.

This is the story, not only of Jocasta’s search for her own unique and elusive ability, but of a secret that has long been buried under the shifting red sands of Mars. “As a child, I remember standing in my back garden, looking up at the night sky, at the stars and planets shining overhead. This fascination has stayed with me my whole life. When my daughter implored me to read the first Harry Potter novel, I was hooked. More than that, I realised how much pleasure reading a good novel could bring. I had always enjoyed writing and I set out on a quest to write my own adventure story for children... and in a little way make them appreciate the wonders of our solar system!” says Deborah of her motivation to write the story.

[b[Deborah Hockney was born in Hampshire and moved to North Essex in her twenties where she spent fifteen years as a Youth and Community worker before transferring her energies into the waste and recycling sector. She has raised one daughter and four sons which probably contributes to her love of children’s stories. For the past eight years she has lived in Moray in the north of Scotland where she is currently employed as a Regional Partnership Manager for Zero Waste Scotland. Her most recent endeavour has been to co-found an environmental education company which seeks to inspire and generate enthusiasm for the natural world.

PUBLICATION DATE 1st February 2011
ISBN: 9781780880501 Price: £6.99

adventure novel     book launch     Children s Fiction     Deborah Hockney     matador     sci-fi     troubador