Jayben and the Golden Torch

Jayben is my kind of hero, and he’s one to be celebrated. This amazing exploration of fantasy through the lens of epilepsy shows all readers that one quality we all need to save the world: valour! * Elle McNicoll *Imaginative…this is a hopeful fantasy adventure with a brave and kind young hero * The Week Junior *An immersive fantasy series * Enable Magazine *Spend the Easter holidays lost in a mystery * First News *Such an adventure, it was so thrilling to read…this book has a strong message of friendship to it and the characters have such a lovely relationship with each other. I loved this book because it had so much excitement and tension. Reading it took me on a magical journey * Books Up North *A story of courage, determination and finding yourself * K and O Bonkers About Books blog *Loved the world building and strange creatures…was kept on the edge throughout…it was also a warm and honest look at a child who has seizures…a great magical adventure with great potential * Big Bearded Bookseller blog *This curious, immersive fantasy is the first of a series inspired by the author’s personal experience of memory loss. The world-building and plot are complex; packed with intricate detail, engaging characters and quirky creatures…readers who enjoy an exciting adventure with added depth and intensity are sure to be captivated by this funny, heart-warming and imaginative voyage into memory, meaning and identity * Booktrust *A modern classic of children’s fantasy with a necessary hero * Lizzie Huxley-Jones *I loved this book - a triumphant and richly imagined fantasy as well as a compelling insight into life with seizures and memory loss. I can’t wait to see where this story goes! * Lee Newbery *

At 19-years-old Thomas Leeds was hit by a London Black Cab. Whilst he was lucky to survive, his childhood memories did not. Unable to remember the places he loved as a child or to recognise faces, including those of his family, Thomas set about building a new life. Without knowing where his beginning was, he began adjusting to a future that included navigating the severe epilepsy that resulted from his brain injury. 11-years-later, creating an 80s playlist for his upcoming 30th, Thomas heard the first line of the Waterboys’ The Whole of the Moon and his childhood memories began to emerge.

Thomas held on to those memories and with them came the seed of his debut Middle Grade novel, exploring and championing the power of memory and epilepsy. Nowadays, Thomas lives in Essex with his wife (the only face he can remember) and his two daughters.