The Pilgrim's Crossing by Malena Sievers Mayo is shortlisted for the 2021 Author of Tomorrow, 11 years and Under.

The Pilgrim's Crossing: Carolina has stolen the cure to the Black Death from an evil alchemist. She needs to undertake a perilous journey to place it in the hands of someone who will turn it into a medicine to be shared. She must cross the Pyrenees on foot to get to Spain before more people die or become ill. Dressed as a pilgrim, all she can do is hope her disguise is convincing enough...

An Interview with Malena:

WNSF: What is your favourite book? 

I love reading so it is very difficult to choose a favourite book, but if I had to, I might say Asha and the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan. This heart-warming tale kept me gripped and turning pages until the very end. And I can’t count how many times I’ve read it!

WNSF: Who is your favourite author? Or one who has inspired you and why?

My favourite author is probably Katherine Rundell. I love her style of writing and brilliant plots. She blends realistic fiction with adventure and it results in a wonderful mix of genres, keeping you intrigued until the last page of the book.

WNSF: What is your favourite subject at school? 

My favourite subjects at school are English, Maths and Geography. I love creative writing and I find working with numbers extremely entertaining. I am fascinated by different cultures and the Earth itself, which I can explore in Geography.

WNSF: What does ‘adventure writing’ mean to you? Why did you choose to try your hand at an adventure story?

What I love about adventure stories is that they take you away from the real world and let you explore other countries and cultures. I tried writing adventure stories when I discovered how much I liked reading them. Taking a journey into another world feels freeing.

WNSF: If you could ask an author anything, what would you want to know?

The question I would ask any author is why they decided to become a writer. There must be so many interesting reasons and I would like to know about different motivations.

WNSF: Who would you consider one of your heroes and why?

One of my heroes is Malala Yousafzai. She has campaigned endlessly for girls’ rights and I admire her for her perseverance. Nothing has stopped her from fighting to let girls have an education and I find her a real role model.

WNSF: Where do you find inspiration for your stories?

I would like to visit the Amazon rainforest. The variety of animals and insects is almost impossible to believe and so is the sheer size of it. Just thinking about the Amazon river alone conjures up beautiful images of me there, in a rickety boat, surrounded by nature (and danger!)

WNSF: What is the most adventurous thing you would like to do, or place you would like to visit and why?

I find inspiration in books and, at times, just by staring out of the window. Reading gives me plenty of new ideas but sometimes, when I am looking outside, I get some of my best brainwaves. It is a time when my imagination runs wild and I can come up with fantastic plots.

WNSF: If you could time travel, where would you go and why? 

If I could time travel, I would go back to the time of the Ancient Egyptians to watch the pyramid of Giza being built and hieroglyphs carved. I would also like to help embalming a body and wrapping it up into a mummy. And I would love to see Cleopatra putting on her make up.

WNSF: What three words would you use to describe your story?

I would describe my story as intriguing, intense and exhilarating.