William Horwood's 'Hyddenworld'...

I loved William Horwood's 'Duncton Wood' books, when I was younger, so the news that he is writing a new fantasy series was very much welcome around these parts! I'm not sure if it's YA or not (I think it is) but even so, I'll still be checking this one out. Here's what the email had to say...

February 2010 sees the publication of Hyddenworld: Spring, the long-awaited return to fantasy by William Horwood. Famous and treasured for the 1980’s classic bestsellers, The Duncton Wood novels, about a civilisation of warring moles, William’s work sparked a multitude of anthropomorphic spin-off tales and earned him a devoted fanbase. Sixteen years after the sixth and final Duncton book was published, with a memoir, a historical thriller and a host of sequels to The Wind in the Willows under his belt, William introduces us to the world of the ‘hydden’: the little people existing on the borders of our world. The journey begins with Spring and an epic journey undertaken by two brave and captivating young heroes, who must cross into the Hyddenworld to save both worlds from environmental destruction.

Hyddenworld: Spring is the first of four books, to be published annually from 2010. William’s research for the series—he's about to hand in the second, but knows how the fourth and final book will end—has included marching up Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham to see if it was doable (it isn't), and taking a course in Old English to help create the book's mythology.

I'm up for reading this and will let you know how it goes. In the meantime, Pan Macmillan will be conducting a video interview with William Horwood (next week) and are opening the questions to anyone who would like to ask one. If you're one of these people, just drop me an email (at the usual address) and I'll make sure that your questions get to the right person. Try and get your questions to me by Sunday 22nd of November though...