Author of Tomorrow Rosie Shaw
The Temple of Ometecuhtli by Rosie Shaw (age 11) is shortlisted for the 2020 11 and Under category.
It's Christmas Eve, 1965 and Dr Marc Joyce is hacking tirelessly through the Amazon rainforest seeking the hidden temple of Ometecuhtli. Will he succeed in his quest, or will his actions have unforeseen consequences?!
An Interview with Rosie:
What is your favourite book?
My favourite books are the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy - I have read them about a hundred times! If I had to choose just one book it would be the last in series, Seasons of War as the plot is so dramatic!
Who is your favourite author?
My favourite author is Derek Landy (Skulduggery Pleasant series and the Demon Road trilogy). The Skulduggery Pleasant series, which are about a teenage girl and a skeleton detective, seem to be a mix of almost every genre including comedy, fantasy, mystery and even a little love!
What is your favourite subject at school?
My favourite subjects at school are chemistry as I love experiments and also drama as I really enjoy getting into different characters.
What does ‘adventure writing’ mean to you? Why did you choose to try your hand at an adventure story?
I like to write stories that "fright and excite" and adventure stories allow me to do this!
If you could ask an author anything, what would you want to know?
I would ask J.K. Rowling why (spoiler alert!) Hedwig died at the start of the final Harry Potter book - it was so upsetting!
Who would you consider one of your heroes and why?
I would consider my sabre fencing coach, Phil Carson, as one of my heroes as I admire him so much! He is always funny, optimistic and encouraging. He gives us drive and energy to keep fighting even when we are up against tough opponents!
What is the most adventurous thing you would like to do, or place you would like to visit and why?
I would love to visit Egypt because it would be amazing to see the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Valley of the Kings.
Where do you find inspiration for your stories?
I mainly find my inspiration from books I have read a lot. The Explorer by Katherine Rundell and Horrible Histories, Angry Aztecs inspired me to write this story - The Temple of Ometecuhtli.
If you could time travel, where would you go and why?
I would travel back in time to August 28th,1963 to the Lincoln Memorial to listen to Martin Luther King Jnr's speech "Normalcy Never Again" or as it's more commonly known the "I have a dream" speech. It would be incredible to hear him speak, feel the crowd and listen to one of the most important speeches in recent history.
What three words would you use to describe your story?
The 3 words I would use to describe my story are - adventurous, mystical and prophetic.