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The Destiny of Minou Moonshine

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A story of rebels and queens fighting for freedom, and one girl's quest to find out who she really is. A mesmerising middle-grade Indian adventure.

Magical, multi-sensory storytelling...that will enchant readers, rest in memories and spark imaginations.'—Sita Brahmachari, Yoto-Carnegie shortlisted author of WHEN SHADOWS FALL Gita Ralleigh builds a vivid world bursting with jeopardy in this beautifully lyrical debut. So many unexpected twists to love, including the mechanicals. Minou is a great hero - kind-hearted, brave, and full of fire." I’d published short fiction in Wasafiri and Bellevue Literary Review, and was first invited as a guest lecturer. When fierce orphan girl Minou Moonshine's life is unexpectedly shattered, she joins the ragtag band of rebels, the Green Orchids, who are plotting to overthrow the General.This story is set in an alternative, steampunk version of India called ‘Indica’– a vivid world, full of colour and magic.

Minou, or ‘Sparrow’ as she is known to her friends, has lived on a dilapidated houseboat with her adopted Grandmother since the day she was found abandoned as a baby during the monsoon, thirteen years earlier. Their home, the former Queendom of Moonlally is suffering under the oppressive rule of a tyrannical General, but a rebel force called The Green Orchid are fighting for freedom and to restore the power of the goddess called the ‘Dark Lady’. Ralleigh is an NHS doctor, a published poet and teaches creative writing to undergraduates at Imperial College. She said: “I have long admired Zephyr’s original and imaginative books for young readers, and I’m completely thrilled to place The Destiny Of Minou Moonshine in their capable hands.” The Destiny of Minou Moonshine is published by Head of Zeus/Bloomsbury in July and tells of Minou Moonshine’s quest to overthrow the General and restore the queendom. Armed with a secret, a map, and a mechanical elephant, Minou and her rebel friends must travel through the lush jungles and blue hills of Indica (an alternate colonial India) to discover her destiny.The story of a queendom set in an alternate colonial India, blending Frances Hardinge with Kipling's Kim. A debut rich in fantasy, friendship and faith, and an original steampunk adventure that sparkles with storytelling magic. With the focus on faith, fate and fighting for what is right, Minou’s journey has the feel of a traditional mythical story with everyone getting their just desserts at the end.

Minou lives in a very different version of India which is ruled by the General and where worship of the goddess, The Dark Lady is forbidden. She is use to her life with Dima, her adopted grandmother until one day everything changes. Dima is murdered but Minou has little time to grieve when she joins the rebel group the Green Orchids who are trying to overthrow the General but then finds herself in the walls of the General’s Palace. Minou’s life is about to change forever. I now teach a full creative writing module based on the short story, with writing exercises on aspects of craft and a workshop semester. The students produce wonderfully original stories, often influenced by their scientific or medical studies. They all agree that creative writing has a positive effect on their main degree, as well as on the university experience generally. When a terrible tragedy occurs, Minou is swept up in a thrilling adventure involving airships, mechanical elephants and ferocious crocodiles.I find I am far more disciplined when working in prose – setting a word count goal helps – and, of course, you have an idea or outline of the plot. Working in poetry is more mysterious to me: I often start with an idea or image but need time to play with it before it crystallises into words. Aimed at children aged 9-12 years,the story follows fierce orphan Minou as she sets off with a secret, a map and a mechanical elephant, through the lush landscape of Indica, in search of her destiny.

Magical, multi-sensory storytelling...that will enchant readers, rest in memories and spark imaginations.' - Sita Brahmachari, Yoto-Carnegie shortlisted author of When Shadows Fall I love both poetry and fiction and happily switch between them for separate projects, although I can’t work at both simultaneously – my brain must operate differently in each genre. Having said that, there is a poet character in The Destiny of Minou Moonshine, so poetry did work its way in! Gita Ralleigh builds a vivid world bursting with jeopardy in this beautifully lyrical debut. So many unexpected twists to love, including the mechanicals. Minou is a great hero - kind-hearted, brave, and full of fire.' - Jasbinder Bilan, Costa prize-winning author of Aasha and the Spirit BirdAn awesome alt-India middle grade book, with adventure and emotional twists, tied together with friendships and the family we find, and an incredible heroine in Minou, who fights for freedom and Queendom!'—Roopa Farooki, author of A DOUBLE DETECTIVES MEDICAL MYSTERY: THE CURE FOR A CRIME Masterful, a wonderfully original fantasy adventure that feels like a timeless classic. A brilliant new voice in the world of children's fiction.' - Anthony McGowan, winner of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal for Lark Zephyr has scooped two standalone middle-grade titles by debut children’s author Gita Ralleigh. A pre-empt was made for world all-languages rights to The Destiny of Minou Moonshine and a second book, from Catherine Pellegrino at Marjacq.

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