Several years ago, Jennifer Morton penned a brief narrative for the gathering of her local writers’ circle. The story revolves around a 9-year-old girl named Amelia and her intriguing new neighbour, who has an uncanny resemblance to a witch.
Although the story garnered favourable feedback, Jennifer didn’t pursue it any further.
A while later, she returned to the story and it evolved into a book. In the meantime, her husband Nik discovered he had a half-brother he knew nothing about; his name was Paul. It transpired that Paul’s daughter was called Amelia and she was studying art and actually had a strong interest in fantasy imagery. This coincidence was the final impetus for Jennifer to publish the book, Amelia and the Witch’s Cat. So Amelia was commissioned to create the cover and interior artwork, and she has done an excellent job.
Available on Amazon as a paperback and an e-book
Amelia and the Witch’s Cat: Amelia Prince is not happy about the family’s move to a new house – until she meets the strange neighbour and her decidedly unfriendly black cat! Amelia was convinced that their neighbour, Zelda Moran was a witch. The cat’s name was Hector and Amelia discovered she could talk to the creature. Strangely, Amelia liked them both – they were so interesting!
She also makes friends with Robbie MacKay and Reena Fairchild.
Zelda appeared to be part of a coven with Mrs Selena Spriggs, the village confectioner, and Miss Edwina Spellman, the librarian. Then there was the black panther – where did he spring from?
Midnight of the Summer Solstice Robbie, Reena and Amelia ventured into Zelda’s garden where they discovered lots of odd and amazing goings on.
So many adventures, so much excitement. Yes, Amelia was glad they’d moved to this house, after all!
JENNIFER MORTON studied at Bolton School and eventually graduated from Newcastle University in the 1970s. She then took up a career teaching Spanish and in 2003 moved to Spain with her husband Nik, who hails from Whitley Bay. Jennifer became Musical Director of a ladies’ choir and composed and arranged music for them as well While living in Spain she wrote two novels set in Córdoba, one contemporary and one historical (The Wells are Dry and The Lute and the Pen, respectively). She has written dozens of short stories and poems. Together with her family, she returned to UK in 2019, settling in Blyth, Northumberland.
AMELIA CLARK-SUTTON is a 24-year-old artist residing in Tynemouth. From an early age Amelia took an interest in art. In 2019 she graduated with a Foundation Degree in Applied Fine Art Practice after studying at the Creative Studios (Queen Alexandra College), and the following year, graduated with a BA (Hon) in Fine Art from the University of Sunderland.
Jennifer has recently written another children’s book. This one took a long time to gestate. She says: ‘In the early 1970s, long before Pingu (1986), there was Super Scoop. At the outset, he didn’t have a name. He was just a drawing of a penguin, along with a sketch of sheep (!) that I put on my letters to my fiancé Nik while we were courting. After a while, I started drawing the penguin in different situations, slipping on ice, swimming, on birthday cards etc.
Slowly, it dawned on us that this character had the potential for a children’s story or two, so I began writing the adventures. In the second episode, the penguin gets his name, and thus Super Scoop was born.
Initially, six adventures were written, and Nik illustrated a few scenes from each episode.
We had the idea of sending off the stories and illustrations to a well-known ice cream company, but they were not interested and actually lost the original artwork we’d sent!
Then we were married (1974) and shortly afterwards Nik was drafted by the Royal Navy to Malta, taking me with him for a two-year tour. While there I read Super Scoop’s first adventures over the BFBS Malta radio in 1975 and they were popular with the children listening in.
On our return to the UK, our daughter Hannah was born… Life went on. Naturally, we also read the tales to Hannah but did nothing with them as we had a busy life… But the little penguin was never forgotten.
We leapfrog forward to 2003 by which time Nik had left the Navy and, after a stint in IT, he found a job as a Deputy Editor of a local monthly magazine, Portsmouth Post.
Inevitably, he introduced Super Scoop to its pages, this time in a full-colour comic strip:
Super Scoop was featured every month thereafter until that magazine’s demise in 2007. His adventures involved dinosaurs emerging from icebergs, an attack of leopard seals, encountering humans (scientists), shipwrecked polar bears, a friendly arctic tern, a long-lost relative, a journey to the centre of the earth, and fun with pals and even snowflakes. The strip is laced with humour, too, which grown-ups might appreciate. Since then we’ve tested the tales on our two grandchildren and they really enjoyed the stories, asking for them often.
Considering the number of years that have passed since their inception, I feel that Super Scoop’s adventures are timeless – and at this crucial point in the time of climate change they have particular relevance, so the first of many adventures have now been published.’
