The World of Lightness

This product deserves its own page. The World of Lightness is a middle-grade fantasy tale, aimed for children between about 8 and 12, however, it has received a rave review from a 77 year-old! In his first crack at fiction, James has brought the fabled 'Duergar' of Simonside into a new dimension. Famous for being nasty little tricksters who take delight in luring unwary travellers into danger, James has created a charming backstory for them, detailing their history- namely, their corruption by an evil Queen, and their subsequent redemption through the power of music, helped by local children. Ben Heathcote has done some wonderful illustrations, and you can check out his work by clicking here.

Originally, the story began as a dialect musical written by James and performed by rural Coquetdale schools- a project funded by the North East Endowment for Musical Traditions fund at the Community Foundation.

Click here to see James reading the first chapter in Northumbrian dialect! Click here to buy the book.