The Smoking Hourglass

by Jennifer Bell

  ‘It feels so long ago that I was stuffing my suitcase with clothes to come here,’ Ivy said, cramming her pyjamas inside.

  Seb jumped down from the top bunk, his rucksack over his shoulder. ‘Tell me about it. This last couple of days have felt like an age.’

  There was a knock at the door and Judy’s glossy dark bob appeared. ‘Hey.’ She flashed them both an awkward smile. ‘Thought I’d come and say goodbye before you left.’

  Seb’s face froze.

  Judy rolled in on her skates, head down. ‘I bet you’re desperate to get home, aren’t you? Had enough of the freak show for a bit.’

  Ivy shut her suitcase and stepped closer. ‘I don’t know about that.’ She was eager to see her mum and dad again, but she was going to miss her uncommon friends and the extraordinary sights of Lundinor.

  Judy gave a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

  Ivy hesitated slightly before stepping forward and putting her arms round Judy. ‘Thanks for everything you’ve done to help us.’

  When they separated, Judy’s eyes were shining. ‘You’re welcome … of course.’

  ‘Even for saving Seb’s life,’ Ivy added. ‘Which I don’t regret – yet.’

  Seb shuffled his feet and they turned towards him. He ran a hand through his hair. ‘Does it make me any less of an idiot if I say that I’m sorry – and that I was a total idiot?’

  Ivy could see the relief on Judy’s face. ‘Sounds like a riddle from the Well at the World’s End.’

  They both laughed. Seb gave Judy a hug, which made her blush.

  ‘All ready to go?’ a voice called from the hallway. Granma Sylvie poked her head round the door. She was carrying a beautiful Persian rug, which she dragged inside.

  ‘We’re not flying on one of those again,’ Seb moaned. ‘Are we?’

  Granma Sylvie rubbed her hands together. ‘What are you talking about? This carpet is top of the range – storm resistant, temperature controlled. It’s even got auto-pilot and a pop-up air freshener.’

  Judy stared at it. ‘Wow. That can’t have been cheap.’

  ‘Well’ – Granma Sylvie winked at Ivy – ‘ten thousand grade of uncommon objects does buy the best.’

  Ivy grinned. She’d gifted half her Grivens winnings to Granma Sylvie to spend, on the understanding that Ivy and Seb were given a generous allowance every season. The other half she’d used to pay Valian back … with interest.

  ‘What are your plans after we get home?’ Ivy asked. She assumed that Granma Sylvie wouldn’t be returning to her old life, not now that her memory had returned.

  She took a breath. ‘Ethel and I are going to do what we always intended to when we were younger – an undermart world tour.’ She nudged the rug. ‘That’s why I got this. At my age, I plan to travel in luxury.’

  Ivy scooped Scratch up from her pillow.

  ‘Excited home to go, Scratch is,’ he said, vibrating in her hand. ‘Seb promised with the Yoda.’

  Seb’s shoulders slumped. ‘I promised I’d let him watch Star Wars – I’ll be taking a bell with no eyes to the cinema when we get back. Life as an uncommoner, eh?’

  ‘Star Wars?’ Granma Sylvie chuckled.

  ‘What?’ Seb said incredulous. ‘It’s a great movie!’

  ‘No, it’s not that. It’s just that it reminds me where I sent those pyroaches through the Sack of Stars.’

  ‘Where did you send them?’ Ivy asked.

  ‘To the furthest place I could think of where they’d be able to survive …’ Granma Sylvie said. ‘Jupiter.’

  Dr Emmet Sparrow took another sip of coffee and put his mug down on the KEEP CALM AND WORK IN A MUSEUM coaster on his desk. He stretched and yawned. It was getting late and he needed to be home on time today – he’d promised his daughter, Ivy, that they’d finish their game of chess from the other night. She’d recently discovered a fascination with board games.

  He adjusted his glasses and began to remove the bubble wrap from the last object in the box. It was a piece of pottery – a vessel small enough to sit in the palm of his hand. Greek. Hellenistic period probably.

  He couldn’t remember seeing it before, but then this latest donation was so large.

  The vessel was painted pale blue, with white figures dancing round it. The design was unusual; it was shaped like a pithos jar – with a small disc-shaped base and handles – but, of course, pithos jars were huge and used for carrying grain or liquids. This one had no opening at all and was a lot smaller.

  He took a small plastic box from a stack on the floor beside him. Gently he stuffed some shredded paper inside and placed the mystery pot on top. It was probably from around 150 BC, but he’d ask another expert, just to be sure.

  He scribbled his notes down in pencil on the label:

  It would probably be included in an exhibition somewhere down the line because it was so unusual, but that wouldn’t be for months, maybe even years.

  He stuck the label on the lid of the box and closed it tightly before grabbing his jacket and heading for the door. Ivy and that chess game were waiting.

  Writing The Smoking Hourglass would have been an even bigger challenge without the support of so many generous and talented people.

  I’d like to say a huge thank you to my editors, Phoebe Yeh, Mainga Bhima and Elizabeth Stranahan, for helping me whip this story into shape; and also my UK publicist, Roz Hutchison, for all her great ideas and smiles when we were out promoting the Uncommoners series together.

  It has been a dream to work with the astonishingly brilliant folk at Crown Books. Massive thanks to everyone – in all departments – for working so hard, and to Katrina Damkoehler for designing such a beautiful cover.

  To everyone at Rights People, my gratitude once again for helping to publish Ivy and Seb’s adventures in many languages around the world. I’m very proud to be represented by you and the team at Greenhouse Literacy Agency. Sarah Davies, your wisdom and advice have been invaluable, as always, and Polly Nolan, I wouldn’t have achieved anything without you. You are my superhero. I’m so grateful to you for coming to my rescue every time, no matter what the problem.

  Karl James Mountford – sir, you are the finest and funniest illustrator a writer could ask for. Thank you for inspiring me with your incredible visions of Lundinor. I’m thrilled that readers are able to see my characters brought to life through your extraordinary imagination.

  My wonderful friends, Alice Lickens, Frann Preston-Gannon, Charlotte Paterson and Sarah Bryars, thank you for listening to me go on, and for still being so enthusiastic. Jim, Knip-Knaps and Ellie – thanks for the nanja laughs that frequently rescued me from writer’s despair. Peter, those last-minute solutions were a life-saver. I hope I can pay you back one day.

  This book wouldn’t have been finished without the incredible understanding of Tereze, Kath, Tamara, Corinne, Lucy, Jo and Leah from Tales on Moon Lane bookshop. I appreciate all you do to support me as a writer. Julia and Lottie, thank you for being early fans and for generously helping me to free up time to write.

  Mum and Beth. We’ve lived it, haven’t we? A million thank-yous for letting me borrow your brilliant imaginations and always believing in me. Also, for the coffee. The coffee helped.

  This story is dedicated to my dear friends Beks, Nichol and Tara because it’s about friendship, and knowing them has taught me what that is all about. I’m so lucky to have such fun, compassionate, kind and loyal people in my life. Especially my Swiss-army-knife best friend, who jumps into any role to help me – photographer, social media champion, events organizer, brainstorm partner. Thanks for sticking with me, Tara, no matter what.

  About the Author

  Londoner Jennifer Bell began working in children’s books as a specialist bookseller at Foyles – one of the world’s most famous bookshops – in Charing Cross Road. There she looked after the shop’s five not-so-deadly piranha fish as well as recommending children’s books to celebrities, royalty and even astronauts. After having the privil
ege of listening to children talk about their favourite books for many years, she started writing one of her own. Jennifer came up with the idea of The Crooked Sixpence while packing for a holiday and wishing she could just disappear inside her suitcase and be there already. The world of Lundinor is inspired by sayings from traditional English nursery rhymes as well as the stories Jennifer grew up with about the cockney markets her grandparents used to visit.

  About the Illustrator

  Illustrator Karl James Mountford was born in Germany and brought up around the UK. He now lives in Wales, where his sketchbooks rarely get a day off. Karl works in both traditional and digital mediums to create his illustrative work. He graduated with a master’s degree in illustration and visual communication from Swansea College of Art.

  Also by Jennifer Bell

  The Uncommoners series

  THE CROOKED SIXPENCE

  THE SMOKING HOURGLASS

  @jenrosebell

  #TheCrookedSixpence

  #TheSmokingHourglass

  Learn more about the magical world of

  and find out about upcoming events:

  Even the most normal, everyday items could be hiding an extraordinary ability. Can you remember what each uncommon object does?

  Test yourself with the quiz below …

  1. Uncommon spectacles turn into …

  a) Drinking goblets

  b) Sunglasses

  c) Books

  2. Uncommon paperclips are used for …

  a) Holding paper together

  b) Handcuffs

  c) Boomerangs

  3. Uncommon buttons can …

  a) Heal ailments

  b) Transport you to another place

  c) Lead you to a friend

  4. Uncommon string can be used for …

  a) Tying objects together

  b) Handcuffs

  c) Picking locks

  5. Uncommon jars store …

  a) Memories

  b) Fears

  c) Tears

  6. Uncommon vacuum cleaners allow you to …

  a) Clean

  b) Fly

  c) Disappear

  7. Uncommon beach towels are used for …

  a) Making the weather look sunny

  b) Transporting you to the beach

  c) Protecting you from the rain

  8. Uncommon photo frames allow you to …

  a) See a minute either side of the photo being taken

  b) Trap someone in that point in time

  c) Let you see into the future

  Uncommoners love wearing Hobsmatch, as it expresses who they are. What would your Hobsmatch outfit be?

  Here are some suggestions …

  • A silky kimono and herringbone tweed jacket

  • Breeches and a Hawaiian shirt

  • Camouflage trousers, platform shoes and a baseball cap

  • Plastic raincoats over Roman togas

  • Cycling shorts and sombreros

  • Top hats and tunics

  • A long dark pilot’s overalls, fingerless gloves and a brightly coloured silk headscarf

  • A leather jerkin and soot-stained apron

  • White Formula One racing driver’s suit emblazoned with brightly coloured logos, crimson cowboy boots and leather biker gloves

  • Black three-quarter-length shorts, a baggy LA Lakers basketball jersey, scuffed vintage trainers and a straightcut, loose-fitting long black mandarin coat

  • A cropped black jacket with a smart Eton collar, a casual pair of stone-washed dungarees, ribbon-laced brown leather boots and a red satin neckscarf

  Grivens is infamous for causing the deaths of hundreds of competitors over the years, which is why they banned it in the UK (until Selena Grimes had her way, that is). Familiarize yourself with the rules of Grivens below …

  You will need:

  • A chopping board (uncommon)

  • A lot of luck

  How to play:

  • Each player chooses a piece from the box of Grivens – a bell, a suitcase and a glove.

  • There’s no way of telling which piece will be strongest; it’s all down to luck.

  • When all four chosen pieces are in the red zone, the board is spun to activate the next stage of play. Every time the chopping board is spun, players get transported to a different battleground.

  • There are different challenges each time – anything from tropical islands to underground sewers to tops of mountains.

  • The aim of the game is to survive the dangers of the environment, as well as the attacks from other players.

  • Once you’ve been transported to your battleground (called the Krigvelt), you have to work out what your Grivens piece can do. It might be able to attack one of your enemies or protect you from attack.

  • Each Grivens piece has a different characteristic. Gloves are usually defensive, while suitcases are for attacking. Some bells have hypnotic voices that disorientate you.

  • If you survive your first visit to the Krigvelt, you play again with your remaining two pieces.

  • Occasionally, games aren’t over even after three rounds – so you keep picking pieces until the last person still fighting wins.

  • Please note: using Grivens pieces made out of uncommon objects is seen as cheating. It’s best to avoid this, or Grivens, in general.

  You’ve worked as a children’s bookseller for several years now. Did you get the idea for writing the Uncommoners series from working at a bookshop?

  Bookselling is a busy, non-stop kind of job, but there were moments when I was shelving or tidying where my mind drifted and I was able to dream up the story in The Crooked Sixpence. When I started developing the ideas for the world of the Uncommoners, I was the assistant head of the children’s department at Foyles Bookshop. The shop was always full of interesting customers – actors, musicians, politicians, artists, scientists – and some of them helped shape the characters in the story. One of my major breakthroughs came when I was tidying up after some under-fives (pre-schoolers) in the nursery section. They had converted an upturned hardback (hardcover) encyclopedia into a bridge and were driving their toy cars over it. I remember thinking how incredible children are that they can take any ordinary object and turn it into something different. That was where the idea for uncommon objects came from.

  Can you take us through the process of creating Lundinor?

  The process was long! I filled lots of notebooks with sketches and snippets of ideas. I visited different markets across London and did a lot of research on the history of trade in this country. (It was handy working in a massive bookshop during this time.) One of the ancient market traditions I read about was that when a travelling market would arrive in town the townspeople would raise a glove on a flagpole to signify the start of trade. This was why I made gloves an important symbol in Lundinor. To flesh out the feel of the uncommoners’ world – of their language and customs – I also took inspiration from old English nursery rhymes and cockney market slang.

  The Uncommoners series is full of inspiring and fierce female characters like Ivy, Granma Sylvie, Violet, Ethel and many more. Are they based on specific people?

  I am lucky enough to be surrounded by strong, independent women in my life and as a child of the nineties I learnt all about girl power listening to the Spice Girls – of course. It was important to me that the women in my stories were just as flawed, just as complex and just as brilliant as the men. Ivy is heavily based on my sister Beth, the bravest person I know. I was also influenced by one of my favourite characters in children’s books – Lucy Pevensie from the Narnia series. Lucy manages to be powerful without holding a sword like her older brother Peter. Her strength comes from her kindness and her capacity to see the best in people. I’d like to think I put a pinch of that in Ivy.

  How do you come up with the properties for each uncommon object?

  With every uncommon object I invent, I go through the same process: I get hold of an
example of that item (I now have a lot of random objects in my house); I stare at it and handle it for a long time, thinking about how it feels and looks and what its associations are. I try to give the object a personality and then I brainstorm what kind of ability it might possess. For example, uncommon trowels sense the presence of the dead. This came about because trowels are used to dig in the earth – linking them to burials and graves, and ultimately death. They are also practical, hand-held objects, which I felt would give them a useful uncommon purpose.

  What was your writing process like?

  I wrote whenever and wherever I got the chance – in the staffroom on my lunch breaks, or while travelling on underground trains to and from work. I remember getting a lot of elbows in my face as I sat on the train typing away during rush hour. I’d get ideas when I was shelving and have to run back to the desk and jot them down on anything that was handy: the back of till receipts, bookmarks, promotional postcards, damaged dust jackets – you name it. I’d staple them all together and then add them to the book when I got home at the end of the day. Once on my way home, I had an idea just as I got off the train. It was dark and raining so I snuck under a lamppost, tucked the umbrella under my chin, opened my laptop and typed the thought down with one hand. I must have looked completely bizarre, but I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t forget my idea!

  You’ve had a chance to visit school kids and talk to them about the Uncommoners series. What has been their reaction to the novel?

  When I tell children that I was never a big reader at school – that I didn’t like books very much at all – they’re always shocked that I became a bookseller and author. I explain that it’s never too late to find a passion for reading; it’s all about trying out lots of stories and seeing which ones you enjoy the most. I think it’s important to empower children to choose the right book for them, not just something that they’ve been told to read. Lots of children get really excited about uncommon objects and ask me what various things might do. Whenever I’m at a signing, readers turn up dressed in Hobsmatch (the style of dress that the traders wear in Lundinor) and it’s incredible to think that something I made up is giving them so much joy and creativity. That’s the best bit about being an author.