Rivet Boy

Inverness-based Barbara Henderson is the author of historical novels Fir for Luck, Punch, Black Water, The Siege of Caerlaverock and The Chessmen Thief as well as the eco-thriller Wilderness Wars.The Chessmen Thief won the Historical Association's Young Quills Award for the best children's historical fiction in 2022 and The Siege of Caerlaverock won the same accolade in 2021.Her energetic school visits have taken her across the length and breadth of Scotland, and sometimes beyond. As a Drama teacher, she loves to get young people on their feet as they respond to stories. ‘Writing is like magic,’ she says. ‘I see something in my imagination, and I try to capture it by writing it down—nothing more than black marks on white paper. Much later, young people see these black marks on white paper and suddenly they see something too, feel something of their own. I cannot think of anything more special than that.’Barbara shares her home with one teenage son, one long-suffering husband and a scruffy Schnauzer called Merry.Web: barbarahenderson.co.ukTwitter @scattyscribblerInstagram: @scattyscribblerFB: @barbarahendersonwriter

'I loved it' TOM PALMER'Henderson reaches new heights with her fabulously gripping historical adventure—absolutely riveting!' SUSAN BROWNRIGG'Packed with fascinating historical detail, real-life peril and exciting adventure—a riveting read!' LINDSAY LITTLESON