Pirate Academy by Justin Somper
We are delighted to welcome Justin Somper to the blog today! He has kindly taken the time to answer our questions around his new series, Pirate Academy.
Can you tell us a bit about Pirate Academy.
It’s the year 2507. Ocean levels have risen and there’s a new golden age of piracy. The oceans are under the tight control of the Pirate Federation – a worldwide organisation of leading pirate captains. The Feds have established nine elite schools around the world – where legendary pirate captains are dedicated to training up the next generation. Our story takes place at Pirate Academy, Coral Sea Province, where Jacoby Blunt and Jasmine Peacock are eleven-year-old students in “Barracuda Class”. Their world is suddenly shaken in multiple ways – including the sudden departure of a friend, a terrible school report, Jasmine’s parents going missing at sea and the arrival of a mysterious new kid, Neo Splice.
Why did you set it so far into the future?
That’s easy – this Pirate Academy first appeared in my VAMPIRATES series, which is set in 2512. The PIRATE ACADEMY adventures are set in the same world as VAMPIRATES but the two series can be read independently of each other. There are some cross-over characters, including Jacoby, Jasmine and Commodore John Kuo, Headcaptain of the Academy. PIRATE ACADEMY is set five years earlier so accordingly Jacoby and Jasmine are five years younger here than when we meet them in VAMPIRATES.
What inspired you to write about pirates for younger readers?
Visiting schools to talk about VAMPIRATES, I have often been asked for books featuring pirates that would work with younger readers in Years 4 and 5, but retain my writing edge. This thought had been in my head for a while but it grew stronger when UCLan relaunched VAMPIRATES and I went back into schools and met the same levels of enthusiasm. I’m really thrilled with the new series. It definitely has its own feel. We’ve worked hard to keep the books short and pacy whilst packed with jeopardy and also, I hope, humour!
What is the plan for the Pirate Academy series? Do you have plans for a set number of books?
Ha, the plan is obviously for global domination! My initial contract with UCLan is for three books. As we prepare for the launch of Book 1, we’re also editing Book 2. I’ll start work on Book 3 in the next month. I’m really pleased with how it’s all going and the pre-publication buzz. The characters are developing nicely and the story is opening out, so I think there is definite potential to continue into more books.
Which character is your favourite? Was there one who really spoke to you as you were writing?
Ah, don’t make me choose! These books are written mostly from three points of view – Jacoby, Jasmine and Neo – and I feel really close to all three of them. I think they are pretty great kids – even when, like us all, they stumble and falter. Although I see these characters as the “big three”, I love bringing other characters to the fore. In Book 2, I’ve really enjoyed developing Ocean Lermentov, Jasmine’s roommate, and Leif Larsen, son of the Danish teaching Captain Kirstin Larsen. Leif has a prosthetic leg (due to an incident with a shark) which he is exceedingly proud of. I’ve had some really helpful advice and support from limb difference charities around the portrayal of this.
When do you do your best writing? Are you fuelled by anything special?
I’m most consistent in the mornings, fuelled by an almond latte from my local coffee shop – Willing Coffee in Mount Lawley. In general, I aim for about 4 writing hours a day, with breaks in between. A couple of years ago, I read Alex Pang’s excellent book REST, which focuses on the symbiotic relationship between creativity and rest. There are a number of things I now do around my writing sessions – including meditation, napping and exercise – which help me to switch off and on in a calm way. Writing books is a marathon not a sprint!
Can you share any advice for children who might like to be an author in the future?
Absolutely. Most importantly, read! And try to read as widely as you can – don’t just stick with a favourite author or genre. Write often but build up your stamina – maybe aim for an hour, switching off your phone etc. Keep a note of the writing sessions you’ve committed to and take pride in that. Don’t worry if you don’t get it right first time – none of us do. If you find you hit a wall, stop and go for a walk or some other exercise, or leave it overnight and trust that your brain will work away in the background and start offering up fresh solutions.
Pirate Academy is written by Justin Somper and published by UCLan Publishing.
