We were delighted to feature the very exciting Peregrine Quinn And The Cosmic Realm by Ash Bond in our subscription box for confident readers recently - shortlisted for Amazon Book Of The Year and longlisted for the Branford Boase Award, it's an electrifying read that combines mythology with the modern world, taking readers on an edge-of-their-seat adventure. Ash graduated in Classics from Oxford University before leaving to work in Asia for almost five years, after which she completed a Masters in Writing for Young People. She is now studying for her PhD at the University of Bristol. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to ask a few questions about writing and about Peregrine; read on to find out what she shared with us...
How would you describe Peregrine herself?
First and foremost I think Peregrine is curious, loyal and somewhat without boundaries! She is also - secretly - quite anxious.
Was she inspired by anyone you know?
When I go to schools I often get asked whether Peregrine is based on me, and in a way she is - except that she is much braver and even more adventurous!
Did you have a favourite book or series, growing up?
I loved Tamora Pierce's stories of Alanna - a girl who wanted to be a knight and (spoiler: she did!). The idea of defying other people's expectations of you is something I have always tried to bring into my writing - and into my life, of course!
Do you have a preferred genre to read now?
I grew up reading fantasy and science fiction so will naturally edge my way to that part of a bookshop: the stuff of magic and technological wizardry. I also love a good mystery, and enjoy anything with a puzzle to solve.
Peregrine Quinn And The Cosmic Realm weaves old mythology together with the modern. Have you always been interested in mythology?
I honestly can't remember a time when I wasn't fascinated by myth. I remember once when I was eight or nine sitting in a library and reading an encyclopedia of mythology front to back - I just loved the complex nature of the characters and how so many of them overlapped like a giant magical tapestry,
Do you have a favourite story or figure from either Greek myth or other mythology?
That is a tricky one, though I have always had a soft spot for the trickster characters in myth: coyote, for example. In Greek myth, my favourite figure is probably Atalanta - a powerful runner who was insistent that she didn't want to marry. As a runner myself I can very much relate to wanting to spend all of my days running through a forest.
Did you do a lot of research in order to write this book?
I am hesitant to confess it, but actually no, I didn't, though as my other job I am a postgraduate researcher and I do love researching! For Peregrine I actually purposefully stopped myself from looking up specific details, names etc. and forced myself to rely on my rather wonky memory. You see, part of the beauty of myths for me is that when they are retold they are half-forgotten, edited for context and sometimes merged with the teller's own memories. That is what it was like for me writing Peregrine. So while you might recognise Nim as Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, you'll also note a few differences - a misspelling of a name for example, and those who know her will also recognise my godmother Jacquie in the character too!
We love that you have put libraries and librarians at the heart of this story. Do you think that libraries continue to be crucial in today's tech-filled world?
Oh absolutely, libraries are an essential hub of community and knowledge: a place to immerse, to listen, and to connect. That is one of the reasons why the portals in Peregrine Quinn are based in libraries, as libraries for me open doors into many different worlds. I also do most of my writing in libraries, and make a point to try and visit the library of any city that I stay in for more than a few days. We visit Portal Tunnel Number 9 in Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm, but we will visit many more in future books.
If you could step through a portal to anywhere at all, where would you choose to go?
Oh, that is a tricky question as I love to travel. I have family in India, so that would be handy, but I also have many dear friends in Kalymnos, a beautiful island in Greece and what a wonderful world it would be, if I could visit them so easily.
What is your favourite thing about being an author (so far!)?
Well, I have to say my favourite thing is writing, of course (and you don't need to be an author to do that!), but my other favourite thing is meeting the readers! I cannot believe it when people begin talking to me about the characters of Peregrine Quinn - and they often know and like them just as much as I do! Of course, most people's favourites are Arthur and Bernadette - I wonder who yours will be?
What hobbies or activities do you enjoy outside of working?
Well as I said before I run around a lot, and I also love hiking and climbing and I've just taken up skiing - which is brilliant! I spend so much time in my imagination, I think it is very important for me to connect with my body and the world around us. Also in order to write adventure stories, I do think it is important to have as many adventures as I can possibly squeeze in!
Can you tell us what’s next for Peregrine Quinn?
In Peregrine's next adventure she is heading back to the Cosmic Realm to take part in the Cosmic Games. But not all is well in Olympus Inc, with the rumblings of rebellion and a thief on the loose, and with the Games fast approaching, it soon becomes clear that there is someone that does not want Peregrine to win.
The second book in this series, Peregrine Quinn And The Mask Of Chaos, publishes on 10th April 2025, and you can also follow Ash on Instagram: @ash.bond
