Adventure and detective work

Nat Walker lives in a future world of robot companions and 'beetlebots'. We asked author Susan Moore to tell us more about imagining the future in her latest book, Emerald Secret! PLUS we have copies to give away!

We have three sets of the two books in the Nat Walker trilogy (Crimson Poison and Emerald Secret) to give away - just ask a parent or carer to email 'Nat Walker' to [email protected], and you'll be put into the free draw. In Emerald Secret, the second book in the series, brings Nat to London where she follows the trail of a hidden sword that the villainous Ivy Shiversand believes will give her absolute power. We asked SUSAN MOORE to tell us more about the Nat Walker trilogy. Q: We loved the beetlebots, robot companions and Sliders in your futuristic stories. Which gadget would you have in today's world, if you could? A: My top two are the robot companions and Sliders. If I have to choose one then it is most definitely a robot companion like Fizz! I'd love to have grown up with a dragon at my side as my constant robot companion. Q: Can you tell us about Nat Walker, your heroine in these stories? A: When I first started writing about Nat I wasn't really certain what type of character she was going to become. I love it that Nat manages to somehow find her way out of some pretty tough, life-threatening situations. She's smart but vulnerable. Her guardian, Jamuka, is the one who's taught her kung-fu, and I think that gives her a resilience that the futurescape of the story demands. Q: You also have some great female villains in these books - which one did you have the most fun creating? A: In 'Crimson Poison' I wanted to create a strong female villain who wanted to substitute herself for Nat's late mother. This character of Aunt Vera was great fun to create with her avaricious, grasping ways and awful shopping habits. In 'Emerald Secret' I set off writing about Nat's arrival in London with a male arch villain in place of 'Ivy Shiversand', but I kept coming to mental roadblocks on the journey. I was watching the 'Young Victoria' film with my daughter one evening, and had a lightbulb moment that the villainous tech-warrior man should instead be a woman, who wanted to be queen. From there, Ivy's character flourished and became hugely enjoyable to write about - I think she's been most fun to create! Q: Have you travelled to the places you describe in these books? A: I love adventuring and over the years I've travelled to many parts of the globe. Hong Kong is a favourite of mine, as is Borneo, both of which feature in 'Crimson Poison'. I love exploring Hong Kong - by land and water. It is an island city that never ceases to amaze and excite me. The multi-cultured nature of its history gives it a rich, tapestried depth and breadth that makes it fascinating to use as a backdrop for Nat's home, as well as a being character in itself. I am still an 'armchair traveler' to Mongolia although from my reading, watching documentaries and films, I feel as if I've been there already! We're planning to visit next year having waited for our daughter to be old enough for a horse expedition across the Steppe. As for London, it's my favourite city in the world. I've lived, worked and explored in it over many years. It's a place that's so steeped in history, with so many secrets and hidden places, that it's a pleasure to be able to write about it, imagining how it could be in the future. Q: Why is fashion such a strong part of your future world building and if you could have one piece of clothing from a future wardrobe, what would it be? A: I love fashion! It's such a great part of being human, being able to clothe yourself in a way that extends, enhances, creates your outward identity. More than the clothing though I'd like Wen's special hair dyes that work automatically, the moment you comb them through your hair! Q: If you time travel, would you choose to go somewhere in the past - and if so, where - or would you prefer to travel to the future? A: Another great question! Am thinking hard here, weighing up past vs future.... I'm settling on the future because it's the great unknown. Forty years hence would be good, as long as I stay the same age as I am now! I'd love to see what our world has become. I am an optimist at heart, so hoping it will be bright and more settled than it is now. Q: What's next for Nat Walker? A: Nat has to make a journey to San Francisco, the city where her mother was born. The stakes are raised. There are others who are searching for the second sword, and Nat is in a race against time to find it. There's a battle being fought for her guardianship too. Both the Clan and Aunt Vera are closing in. Nat will be tested beyond the limits of where she's reached before. Q: Your stories are full of adventure - what is the most adventurous place you've been to? A: My most adventurous holiday took place many years ago, in my early twenties. I was the accountant on an expedition truck through Africa. We camped for six months, traveling from the Sahara, through West Africa, Central Africa to the East Coast. It was an amazing, extraordinary experience, one which is indelibly etched on my memory. Q: Where is your favourite writing place? A: My shed. I love my shed. It's not big, but it's at the bottom of the garden, away from the rest of the world. I've got a wolf and a chippet who both like to come and lounge while I write. There's a guest chair too for any visitors who come to visit, and I've always got coffee on hand!