JESSICA TOWNSEND lives on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland with her dogs, Vivien and Rik. She is the author of the record-breaking and New York Times bestselling series ‘Nevermoor’ that includes Nevermoor, Wundersmith, Hollowpox and now Silverborn.

AKINA HANSEN spoke with the author about the latest book in the series and the inspiration behind the beloved world of Nevermoor.

Jessica Townsend has had a long and illustrious writing career, beginning at the young age of seven.

‘I remember the first time I realised that I really enjoyed writing and also that it was something that I might be good at, was when I was in year two,’ Jessica tells me.

In class, Jessica was tasked with writing a three-sentence story. But once she got started, she couldn’t stop. And the end result is what she describes as her first novel. Thoroughly impressed, her teacher sent her story off to be published in the local library newsletter.

‘I was like, well, I’ve made it. I’m a published author.’

As the years passed, Jessica continued to put pen to paper with many ideas coming and going. But it was at the age of 18 while working at Australia Zoo, that she finally felt she had an idea worth sticking with.

‘I was just out of high school, and I was working in their little souvenir shop. I was mopping floors, selling things, folding T-shirts and then daydreaming about this story.’

Little did Jessica know that this story would become an international sensation, and she would go on to sign a multi-book deal with Hachette.

The books in the ‘Nevermoor’ series currently include, Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow, Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow and the fourth and latest instalment Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow.

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The first novel in the series, immediately took the fantasy world by storm, introducing readers to Morrigan Crow, a cursed child who escapes sure death in the Wintersea republic to the magical city of Nevermoor located in the first pocket of the Free State.

We follow Morrigan as she arrives in Nevermoor and wins a spot in the elite Wundrous Society where every member has a special ‘knack’. Morrigan discovers she is the first Wundersmith in over a century, which means she is able to create and yield wunder, an energy force that powers the city of Nevermoor. Notably, this proves to be both isolating and challenging for her, as the last Wundersmith wreaked havoc over the city and instilled fear in its citizens. As the series progresses Morrigan learns more about her power and the secrets of the Wundrous Society.

The story of Morrigan Crow took Jess a few years to map out, but it really took shape when she made the bold decision to move from the Sunshine Coast to bustling London at age 22.

‘So much of Nevermoor was born in London and is directly and unabashedly borrowed and inspired from various places and all of my favourite things in London.

‘Everything was new and exciting, and I just loved living in a city for the first time and having all of these things right on my doorstep. All of that just really ended up informing the novel. So it does have this very British sensibility to it, I think.’

While Nevermoor clearly draws inspiration from recognisable landmarks in London such as the ‘Wunderground’ (the London Underground) to ‘Courage Square’ (Trafalgar Square), Jessica has also created a whimsical world that feels wholly and uniquely itself. From the Deucalion Hotel where rooms change as it gets to know its inhabitants through to the Brolly rail, a highly unusual mode of transport – this world is built from the ground up.

Like many fantasy series, the world building of Nevermoor is incredibly intricate and layered, and, in turn, Silverborn has taken Jessica more than four years to write. On top of the expected challenges that come with writing a fantasy series with its own magic systems, settings and multiple storylines, Jessica has also been facing personal struggles that have made it challenging for her to write consistently over this period.

‘I had six months of recovering from COVID at one point and I had really bad brain fog. And then in the midst of this four years of writing, I was experiencing very debilitating, undiagnosed ADHD and then having that diagnosed and coming up with processes to deal with that in my working and personal life.’

Jessica shares that receiving a diagnosis has been a huge relief. Getting answers about her condition has enabled her to figure out the best management tools for herself.

‘I have spent my whole adult life just thinking that I have this brain that works in stupid ways sometimes. And yes, there are things that my brain can do that are really beneficial to my job. I never run out of ideas. I never stop having ideas. But I would like to turn the tap off sometimes because I just keep adding things in.

‘Now I can find tools and processes to kind of mitigate that and make it so that this isn’t the worst part of my life, when it should be the best part of my life.’

This has translated over to her latest novel, Silverborn, which has all the magic and adventure that fans have come to love in her previous novels, but with a well-planned and surprising element of mystery at its centre.

In Silverborn, Morrigan meets the Darlings, her long-lost family on her mother’s side who she learns have been residing in the Silver District of Nevermoor all along. When she finally meets the Darlings, she’s introduced to a glamorous and elite aristocratic world. But all is not as it seems. At her aunt’s wedding, things take a dreadful turn – the groom is murdered. Morrigan and her Unit 919 from the Wundrous Society decide to investigate and find the perpetrator.

A fan of cosy crime, in particular Richard Osmond and Robin Stevens, Jessica was eager to incorporate a murder mystery in this latest novel.

‘I wanted each of these nine books to almost sit within their own sub-genre,’ she says.

And while the crime and mystery genre is typically associated with mature readers, Jessica notes how the genre has been a popular and enduring component of children’s literature. Importantly, it enables younger readers to examine and reflect on their own emotions and helps enlighten them about the real world.

‘Kids do experience dark, frightening things, and I think it’s a very important tool to give them stories where they get to see someone like them, or someone that they recognise, or just a child protagonist responding to things in a human way. And responding to things with courage and making choices – even if they’re not always the right choice – but dealing with the consequences of them.

‘And the sad thing is a lot of kids are in situations where their family isn’t necessarily going to be the kindest people to them or the safest place for them. And so I think a lot of kids do relate to that, even if it’s not in such an extreme way as Morrigan’s story’.

Indeed, the strength of the ‘Nevermoor’ series – beyond the fantastical world and magical elements – lies within its ability to create a compelling and relatable story of found family, friends and what it means to call a place home.

It’s no wonder then that Nevermoor has become the biggest selling debut children’s book by an Australian author since records began. It has gone on to win a multitude of awards, including the 2018 ABIA Book of the Year.

The success of the series has afforded Jessica the ability to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time author.

‘The biggest thing is that I can do this for a living, and I’ve been able to buy an apartment and look after my family and it’s given me a lot of freedom and independence and a very nice life that I feel incredibly grateful for.’

With that freedom comes the assurance that more books are in the works. Jessica has nine novels planned for this series, which will follow Morrigan as she learns more about the Wundrous Society, the seedy underbelly of Nevermoor and the other pockets in the Free State. In the meantime, keep an eye out for the upcoming musical adaption of Nevermoor which has none other than Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) on board to direct.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Townsend lives on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, with her dogs, Vivien and Rik. Her pet fascinations include public transport, ancient cities, hotels, opera singers, Halloween, secret societies and gigantic cats – all of which have weaselled their way into ‘Nevermoor’, her first series and a city that feels like it belongs entirely to her. (Except now it belongs to you, too.)

Follow Jessica Townsend on Instagram