Kirkstall Abbey stages festive treasure trail with #foundfiction and children’s author Daniel Ingram-Brown

Albert Einstein once said: “Logic will take you from A to B, but imagination will take you everywhere.”

Children eagerly searching for hidden extracts from a book, so they can uncover the next part of the story, makes a similar point. On Saturday, December 15, young literature fans will get the chance to do just that at the #foundfiction story hunt at Kirkstall Abbey.

Children and their parents will be delving into a world of fantasy, adventure and magic as they hunt for extracts from Through the Uncrossable Boundary – Daniel Ingram-Brown’s thrilling conclusion to The Firebird Chronicles. Each extract will hold a clue to the whereabouts of the next, with all of them tucked away in specific locations across Kirkstall Abbey – a significant setting in the novel.

The first child to find all five extracts will win a free signed The Firebird Chronicles trilogy – and everyone taking part will get the chance to meet the author and get The Firebird Chronicles on special offer at the event.

As families take part in this festive treasure hunt that’s a cross between geo-caching and Pokemon Go, they’ll be encouraged to share their experiences to social media using the #foundfiction hashtag.

 

Immersing readers in the fantasy

 

 

Through the Uncrossable Boundary is the concluding part of Daniel Ingram-Brown’s The Firebird Chronicles trilogy. In the book, apprentice adventures Fletcher and Scoop must cross the Threshold into our world and reunite their creators. The apprentices face Gigan Ticks and confront the Nightmare Army as they fight to save their world from oblivion. Meanwhile, a teenage girl in our world struggles to come to terms with her mother’s disappearance.

The story hunt is staged by the #foundfiction project, which connects readers and writers worldwide through short stories that are left in random public spaces. Since 2013, #foundfiction has distributed around 4,000 stories via a community of writers and distributors in 14 countries, and has published literature in English, French and Polish.

“The idea behind #foundfiction is simple,” explains #foundfiction founder Steve Clarkson. “Writers send us stories, which we print out, fold into envelopes marked READ ME, and leave in public spaces for people to find. When someone stumbles upon a piece of #foundfiction, it marks a special connection between writer and reader – that’s the power of literature.”

“Books were my world when I was a kid so I’m passionate about sparking children’s literary imaginations and creativity. We’ve started running workshops for kids to sharpen their writing skills, and this story hunt at Kirkstall Abbey is a great way to get them excited about reading. It’ll be a fun festive activity and I can’t wait to see how families engage with it.”

Daniel Ingram-Brown says: “I’m excited to work with #foundfiction to stage a story hunt at Kirkstall Abbey. It will be a special day for me, as parts of the Firebird Chronicles are set at the Abbey, and one of the main characters lives in Kirkstall. This is a book that deals with some difficult issues, like depression and grief, but it does so through a story that children can get lost in and enjoy, with a magical ending on Christmas Eve.”

Emma Gray, from Our Street Books, says: “We love working with Daniel. He is a hard-working author who visits schools regularly, encouraging and inspiring children in their creative writing. The final Firebird Chronicles book is a gripping read with three-dimensional characters and a strong story. We look forward to celebrating the release of the final book in this exciting series.”

Mark Kilvington, Commercial Bookings Officer at Kirkstall Abbey, says: “It’s great to have Daniel back at Kirkstall Abbey. We’re honoured that we can be part of this great series of books, which is not only enthralling but deals with real issues affecting people today.”

 

How do I take part?

 

 

Come along to Kirkstall Abbey on Saturday, December 15. The story hunt is open from 10AM to 4PM. At the entrance you’ll find the first extract, which will contain a clue to the whereabouts of the second, and so on, until you’ve managed to trace all five extracts.

The first child to find all five extracts will win a free signed The Firebird Chronicles trilogy – and everyone taking part will get the chance to meet the author and get The Firebird Chronicles on special offer at the event.

Through the Uncrossable Boundary is released by Our Street Books on Friday, November 30. Meet the author to find out more about the #foundfiction story hunt at the following book launches (get tickets at danielingrambrown.co.uk):

  • Knaresborough Library, 5PM, Saturday, November 17
  • The Constitutional, Leeds, 7.30PM, Tuesday, November 27
  • Castlegate Books, Knaresborough Christmas Market, 12PM, Sunday, December 2

For all enquiries and further images, email fictionfound@gmail.com or call Steve Clarkson on 07907 311 545