Bexhill fantasy author's book-signing

Owner Mike Lynott staged a signing in his Bestsellers bookshop on St Leonards Road for the Bexhill author on Saturday afternoon.

Already, followers of Jenny's fantasy writing have been looking forward to the third of her books.

Among them was Observer freelance photographer Margaret Garcia. Having devoured boy hero Jack's adventures in Jenny's first work and its follow-up The Glaston Giant she was in the shop on Saturday afternoon for two reasons.

One - to cover the event for the Observer; two - to buy newly-published The Place Of Shades.

Margaret explained: "It's because they are unique stories. It's like no other fantasy story. It goes from the past to the future and back again.

"And the characters are great!

"And there's the dog - Cabal - he exists in both the past and the future'¦."

Jenny writes from home. But her researches have taken her to the British Museum in quest of background material on Arthur.

Cabal is a key character; essential in Jack's mission to thwart the witch who has vowed to slay Arthur.

Cabal can transmit his thoughts to Jack. Merlin the Magician has probed from the Dark Ages into the future to find Jack because he knows he is sensitive to the ways of the Old People, who possessed such gifts.

Jenny says: "I do love the Arthurian legends. The problem is that though they occurred in the Dark Ages after the Romans left Britain, Hollywood always puts Arthur in the Middle Ages; which is wrong.

"I have been to the British Museum to find out more about the clothing and the armoury of the time and everthing to do with that era.

"A couple of school teachers have said that my books help pupils to see what it was like to live in those days. I thought that was nice."

Jenny, who formerly worked in a legal practice, says: "I have had the stories in my head for ages but I only got round to writing about nine years ago.