The Riddles of Epsilon (26 page)

Authors: Christine Morton-Shaw

BOOK: The Riddles of Epsilon

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Author's Note

My thanks go:

To Eunice McMullen and Katherine Tegenâfor your belief in
Epsilon
and your immense hard work for it. With real gratitude.

To Williamâfor making me laugh at all the right times. For being so proud of me.
Sometimes, only you will do.

To Catherine, Anne, and Janâfor all that wonderful encouragement from the word go.

To Matt, Alex, and Winonaâfor trying so hard. For all the cups of tea. To Christopherâfor bringing me joy when I so needed it.

To Suzanne Davisâfor extraordinary being there. And to Amyâfor reading it first.

To staff, past and present, at the Highcliffe Hotel, Sheffieldâfor letting me sit scribbling in various corners and for all the fun and banter.

To Andyâfor always asking. For always caring. Likewise, Tom and all my friends at the Highcliffe.

To Ali-up-the-roadâfor the cracking good natters and those belly laughsâa most welcome recent addition!

To Brigitâfor reading the first chapter and telling me to get on with it.

There are two people who have literally made all this happen. So special thanks go to:

The ever-cheerful Robin. You wrote the flute tune that inspired all this. In addition, you sat for long days puzzling, thinking, reading aloud, being honest, and saying, “It won't
do
!” You ruthlessly scrapped 45,000 inferior words. You strengthened me and brought inspiration aplenty. The fact that you cheerfully set aside so many weeks of your time at the age of thirteen is truly extraordinary. If I planted the seed for
Epsilon
, you were the watering can.

Finallyâmy husband, Greg. You have held me together when others threatened to crack me apart. All those bacon-butties helped! How you ever put up with me and my haphazard working hours, I don't know. You have patiently read, edited, and researched so many odd little things for me at the expense of your own work. You helped me see
Epsilon
as an antidote to the rubbish we were constantly dealing with. You laughed and cried with me during this time. What can I say of you? “A True Companion.”

I am fortunate indeed.

Christine

About the Author

Christine Morton-Shaw
spent much of her childhood wandering through old churches, deserted abbeys, and stately homes in Lancashire, England. When she was six years old, she had a recurring dream that she was meeting a girl from Victorian times. The girl always did the same thing in the dream: She would run to the top of a staircase, see Christine, and say in a wobbly voice: “Mother! That little girl is here again!” Then Christine would wake up.

The author has a fascination for any and all clues left by the past. Egyptian hieroglyphics, and her own inventions based on them, kept her occupied during long winters. She considers the scores of published and unpublished diaries that she has read to be one of her greatest influences as a writer.

Christine Morton-Shaw lives with her family in Sheffield, England. She is the author of many picture books for children.
THE RIDDLES OF EPSILON
is her first novel.

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Credits

Cover design by Karin Paprock

Copyright

All of the original drawings, maps, charts, and Lumic alphabet in this book were created by Christine Morton-Shaw. However, grateful thanks are given to Neal Packer who rendered the artwork.

THE RIDDLES OF EPSILON
. Copyright Â© 2005 by Christine Morton-Shaw. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Morton-Shaw, Christine.

The riddles of Epsilon / Christine Morton-Shaw.â1st ed.

p.Â Â Â cm.

Summary: After moving with her parents to a remote English island, fourteen-year-old Jess attempts to dispel an ancient curse by solving a series of riddles, aided by Epsilon, a supernatural being.

ISBN-10: 0-06-072821-3 (pbk.)

ISBN-13: 978-0-06-072821-2 (pbk.)

[1. IslandsâFiction. 2. RiddlesâFiction. 3. EnglandâFiction.] I. Title.

PZ7.M84692RiÂ Â 2005Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2004014641

[Fic]âdc22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â CIP

EPub Edition Â© January 2010 ISBN: 9780062003157

First Harper edition, 2006

About the Publisher

Australia

HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street

Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia