No Robot Dogs in This Garden

Today I'm delighted to welcome author Jane Yates and eleven-year-old Aberdeen from her steampunk novel,  Garden. Jane is touring the internet with b00k r3vi3w tours, and Aberdeen tagged along. She must have heard I have good virtual treats on my blog. So find a virtual coffee, pick your favorite virtual gluten-free cookie, and meet Aberdeen. But first, please excuse me while I pet Jane's dog!

Hi Aberdeen. I read online that you kind of like dragons. Why is that?
I love all dragon, but I guess if I had to choose, I’d pick green and red ones. Maisy has told me loads of stories about dragons. There is a painting in my playroom of two dragons under a tree which I love. Also my family have an old heraldic shield which has two dragons blowing fire. How cool is that?

Very cool indeed! I read that you like castles too. Have you ever lived in a castle? 
Oh, sadly I have never been to a castle. But my uncle’s house here on Earth is as big as one, plus it has a secret tunnel that goes underneath it, with spiders! Very scary and creepy.

Ummm. Spiders? No thanks! So, how do you know you like castles?
My cousin Lenard has lots of old books and there are some great pictures of castle in them. Maisy got out the old family suit of armor once. She told me that’s what people used to wear around castles. When I am older I and going to travel around the world with Maisy and visit all the castles. But don’t tell her as I have not asked her yet.

Okay, I won't. What was your life like before you went to live on earth with your uncle? No castles I'm guessing...

It was completely different. We lived in deep space on a large ship. My mother always held lots of parties. She sent me to school, but the kids were mean to me, so I got sent back.
I love my life now, I have friends and a garden.

Ah, hence the book. Was it easy to meet people and make friends on earth?
Maisy is my best friend, she is so kind, and at first I was worried she was going to be like all the other girls I had met at school and on the halfway station. At school the other girls teased me, so I hit them hard, that shut them up, but I got sent back home. My mother was not pleased. At the halfway station the children teased me there. So I was worried at first about Maisy but she was always nice.

That's good. Friends are important. Thinking of which, do you like dogs?

I have not met any real dogs. My mother had a robot dog, but it was shut down when people started dying. My friend Peter made a dog, FRANK. Frank is really clever, I read about a famous detective in Lenard’s books called Sherlock Holmes, and I think frank is as clever as he is.

I think all dogs are clever. What about cats? Did you ever have a cat? Or a sister?

No nothing like that. I have a robot snake, but I never gave it a name. When we had to get off the spaceship I made sure I took it. It was the only possession I was worried about. Maisy has lots of brothers and sisters - her mother lets me come around on her day off with her sometimes. Oh they are a handful but I do envy Maisy having them all to play with.

What do you miss most about home, and what do you like most about earth?

I have to admit I do occasionally miss my guardian robot - it did everything for me, whatever I wanted 24/7.
But in a way it’s kind of fun doing things for myself.
The best bit is the garden on Earth. I was excited to see my first bio-dome close up, and snow. Oh snow was the most wonderful thing ever.

But mostly all my new friends and the adventures we have. 

Well, I hope you continue to have many adventures Aberdeen, and thank you so much for visiting my blog. And thank you so much for letting Jane Yates write about your adventures.

About the Author:
Jane lives in the historic city of Oxford, England with her two spaniels. She works at the Pitt Rivers museum there too and is amazed and inspired by its wondrous array of objects. Being a museum of anthropology and world archaeology, Jane often finds herself influenced by its exhibitions. And indeed it has helped Jane write a trilogy for children – the Paradox Child series.

Jane is not only a mother, artist and storyteller, but dyslexic too, which only highlights her success even more. Jane refuses to allow the disorder to halt her dreams and continues to enjoy her favourite hobbies. Jane is a lover of steampunk, adventure and children’s stories, which often play a huge role in her own books.

 About the Garden:
Inspired by the classic novel The Secret Garden, Jane Yates introduces us to a steampunk world of bio-domes, robots and mysteries. Eleven-year-old Aberdeen is so used to being by herself that all she has to fill her thoughts are stories of mighty dragons and grand castles. But Aberdeen’s world is soon thrown into disarray however; her parents murdered.
Having no choice, Aberdeen is sent to live with her uncle back on Earth where her fascination into her new surroundings begin to take hold. It isn’t long before Aberdeen befriends three other children – Maisy, Peter and Lenard.
Oh, and there’s Frank too, Peter’s robot dog, who completes this special circle of friendship.
Garden is a journey of self-discovery, of trials and friendship. With adventure boundless, Jane Yates follows up her acclaimed Paradox Child trilogy with a new tale for young fans of steampunk and science fiction, and for interested readers, here's a Smashwords code so you can download a copy at a discount:

Here is the code: EN36V
Here is the Smashwords link for Garden - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/496280?ref=AutumnOrchard

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK AND AUTHOR:

Jane Yates Links –

 Garden Links –

  
Autumn Orchard Links –

Comments

jane_yates said…
thank you for the blog, jane :)

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