Victoria Williamson is an award-winning children’s author known for her incredible world-building and compelling middle-grade narratives. Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs’ and ‘The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams‘ showcase Victoria’s unique blend of adventure, mystery, and heartfelt narratives. Her books captivate readers of all ages.
“I’ve known I wanted to be an author ever since I was five years old,” says Victoria. “As a teenager, I thought I was going to be a writer of fantasy, science fiction, ghost stories, and horror books for adults,” the author continues. However, it was a certain boy wizard who changed her perspective: “There’s so much scope in middle grade to create magical worlds, fantastical creatures and places, and satisfyingly wicked villains who get their comeuppance, that I think it can be less restrictive than some other genres.“
Victoria’s latest book, ‘Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs’ has certainly allowed the author to create herself a fantastical world. A world that’s richly detailed and filled with interesting characters. “The main inspiration behind Skyfleet was my love of getting lost in a brand new world of my own creation,” says Victoria.
Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs — Published November 2024
Victoria brings her expert imagination and love of crafting a new world to ‘Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs’ — an epic sci-fi adventure that was partly inspired by 1980s cartoons. “My favourite was Thundercats,” says Victoria. “You’ll probably be able to tell from the story’s jungle setting and the Skyfleet having their own ‘lair’ as a base! I also loved the cartoons that were filled with different vehicles that had their own special features, like the cars that could turn into aeroplanes in M.A.S.K.”
History is also a huge passion of Victoria’s as well. “In this novel there’s an echo of the real-life pioneer spirit that brought people from the ‘old world’ in Europe to the ‘new world’ of North America,” says the author. “Skyfleet is a sci-fi/fantasy take on this story – more like the idea behind the original series of Star Trek which was pitched as ‘Wagon Train to the Stars’, or the inspiration behind the cowboy-sci-fi TV series Firefly.”
“Ten-year-old me would have been thrilled to know that I definitely
did grow up to be an author!”
The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams — Available Now
The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams’ was the first book Victoria Williamson published with Tiny Tree. A spooky and mysterious middle-grade novel heavily inspired by myths, legends, and Scottish folklore. “When I first learned how to write, most of my early stories were fanfiction retellings of the Brother’s Grimm stories, Scottish and Irish folklore,” says the author. Classic Disney movies also played a huge role as well. “I tended to be drawn to the darker and more sinister tales – to this day my favourite Disney films are The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Black Cauldron.“
The author’s love of all things dark and spooky led her to set ‘The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams’ duri”ng Halloween — one of four of her books to be set at this time of year. “That seems to be the time of year that I’m most drawn to,” says Victoria. “Depicting everything from ‘Samhain’ in Roman Scotland, the witches in ‘Tam o’ Shanter’ by Robert Burns, to modern day Halloween parties, and the strange goings-on in Witchetty Hollow in the depths of autumn. There’s something about the mist-filled days of a Scottish autumn and the chilly nights filled with stars that sets my imagination racing down strange little back alleys like Beggar’s Wynd.“
On ‘The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams’, Victoria reflects: “I hope ten-year-old me would have enjoyed reading it, but I can say for certain that ten-year-old me would have been thrilled to know that I definitely did grow up to be an author!” An avid reader as a child, Victoria enjoyed lots of different genres. “I read all the adventure stories, mystery stories, ghost stories, science fiction, and fantasy stories I could get my hands on, then I went straight back to our local library for more.”
Victoria Williamson has a writing style that is characterised by its rich and detailed worlds, well-developed characters, and intricate plots that seamlessly blend fantasy with real-world themes. Her ability to create vivid settings and compelling narratives draws readers into her stories from the very first page.
Her latest novel ‘Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs’ will be published by Tiny Tree Books in October 2024.