Would you like a little taster of Evangeline and the Mysterious Lights? A wee amuse-bouche?

Well, here’s an extract from Chapter 1.

If you like what you read, Evangeline and the Mysterious Lights is available for pre-order now and is out 11th October 2017.

Or if you’d like all four novellas in one Collection, The Antics of Evangeline is also available for pre-order.

Evangeline and the Mysterious Lights

Chapter 1

Evangeline closed her eyes and rocked with the rhythm of the open-top carriage, happily filled with strawberry ice-cream.

“What a splendid afternoon,” said her father, the Professor, rubbing his rounded belly.

Evangeline murmured in agreement, eyes half closed, dreaming of another pink scoop.

“A delightfully grey day,” said Evangeline’s Uncle Augie, perfecting the angle on his straw boater. “All this Antipodean sun can be such a bore. Today reminded me of good old Brighton. Civilised. With no unseemly perspiration.”

As the sun sank, ribbons of plum and apricot unfurled across the May sky. The horses clopped across the Swanston Street bridge, returning from the St. Kilda seaside and headed for the home they all shared at 56 Collins Street. St Paul’s Cathedral bells pealing, Evangeline stared up into the sky, watching the stars emerge one by one.

“I’m still not used to this night sky,” Uncle Edmund said, screwing up his face. “I can’t find any of the stars I know. It’s all topsy-turvy.”

“We had stars in London?” Augie raised an eyebrow. “How could you see through the smoke?”

“It’s perfectly logical, little brother,” said the Professor, pointing into the air with his clockwork hand. “That one is Scorpius, a scorpion. And over there, Centaurus. And that magnificent grouping is known as the Southern Cross.”

“A cross?” Miss Plockton, the Professor’s efficacious personal secretary, said throwing a tartan blanket over Evangeline. “Isnae that lovely?”

“This new sky will take some getting used to,” Edmund said. “For example, what on earth is that?”

Edmund pointed to the east where the sky was darkest. Three brilliant white lights blazed far away in the distance, bigger and brighter than any other stars in the sky.

Evangeline leaned forward, squinting, while her father clicked and flicked, selecting the ideal lens on his pince-nez.

“Curious.” The Professor stroked his moustache with his brass fingers. “I am not familiar with that particular constellation. But we’re all learning about our new surroundings.”

“But Father, the lights are moving,” Evangeline said. “Coming towards us.”