Firstly what a fabulous venue! I’ve been to a few book signings – never one in such a beautiful setting. Designed in 1672 by Architect Sir Christopher Wren, consecrated in 1684. But then severely damaged during the second world war in 1940, which Ransom wrote about in his first Novel Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, published back in 2011. And who
The A Map of Days is Book 4 in the what will be a set of 6 books, two sets of Trilogies. Books 5 & 6 are in the planning stages and of course, Book 1 got turned into a film, directed by Tim Burton. Which is what Ransom wanted to initially do himself. But other things led him to write instead, and the idea for Miss Peregrine was born.
Two sets of Trilogies?
Yes, he wrote up to book 3 but left the ending open, so he could continue the books if he chose too. The Story needed to be viable. The number of photographs he now owns, basically made Ransom decide that he could continue to move the story further. Because the story is written around the photos. Bringing the characters of Jacob and Emma back to Florida, America – where Ransom grew up and brings them into the Modern world, which of course, Jacob is used to.
Ransom is not a planner he doesn’t plan where the story going to go, he just writes and waits to see where the story takes him, trying to weave in the photos that he’s found along the way, “weaving in the photos, can be a pain in the arse”. Having Based the novels around the photographs he found at flea markets and swap meets. They paved the way and became the Characters – “Jacob and I are discovering at the same time” said Ransom “What happens next”. Ransom created Hallows from his imagination – “all the scary things – black eyes, spiderlike animals all jumbled together”.
Emma Bloom 
Hugh Apiston
Just two of the photos that inspired the characters Peculiarities – Emma looks like she has a fire in her hands and clearly the boy covered in Bees becomes Hugh the bee eating boy.
If Ransom were to have a peculiarity “it would be the ability to take photographs with his eyes”. He says “that the modern way of taking photos, is great and very easy, but we don’t tend to print photos out anymore and if you lose your phone, you could also lose those special moments in time”.
Instagram and
“The books are still trying to make their point”, and by the end of Book 6, the story will be complete. The first 3 books are all about a battle between the Peculiars/Whites and Hallowghasts, Age-old enemies. But in the end Ransom would like to leave readers with a “feeling of Hope”, his brain is a “Hope making machine, We all have negative sides – which means we all have a positive side too”.
Ransom said that all the characters are based upon himself, each part of him, Enouch is Grumpy, Emma is mentally strong and Bronwyn has physical strength. He can visualize all of them, even Millard – who is invisible – and his family have asked if he’s always naked when he’s invisible which has caused many a funny conversation. And theres a part in A Map of Days – inspired by this conversation.
Ransom said that all the characters are based upon himself, each part of him,
I’m really glad I came to London to meet Ransom and can’t wait to step back into ‘The Loop’ with Jacob, Emma &
This event was hosted by Waterstones, I signed up to their website and got a notification of the event. They have an Events section, that you can choose your local store and if they host events, they inform you.
If you would like to sign up with
https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-map-of-days/ransom-riggs/9780141385907
