The Sprite Sisters: New Magic (Vol 5)

THE SPRITE SISTERS - FOUR SISTERS, FOUR ELEMENTS, FOUR POWERS 

The idea for a series of books about four sisters with magical powers aligned to the four elements, popped out at 1.30am on 22nd January 2007. Sheridan Winn was writing her diary and noted down the one-sentence idea. When she woke next day, she had the certain feeling that this was a good idea – the one she had been waiting for. She approached Piccadilly Press, who agreed, and commissioned The Circle of Power.

Sheridan was born in Norfolk. Aged six, she moved to a big, rambling house in the country. Her family home, Littlewood House, became the inspiration for Sprite Towers. The eldest of four sisters, Sheridan drew on a many of her childhood experiences for the Sprite stories – such as camping out in the old white caravan in the woods. As a child she loved to be outside learning about the natural world and looking after her animals. At the age of twelve she went to boarding school, which taught her to be independent.

Sheridan studied graphic design and for her degree wrote a thesis on Norfolk barns. This was later published as, ‘Barns & Granaries’ by Boydell Press & Anglia Television.

Sheridan then trained as a teacher and spent some time working in Norfolk schools as a supply teacher. For many years she worked with author and illustrator, Chris Winn, as his business and creative manager. Together they produced a number of children’s picture books, along with the ‘Mad Gadget’ cartoon – the most popular strip in the Daily Telegraph’s Young Telegraph for over seven years. Mad Gadget followed the adventures of a crazy boy inventor and was based on their son.

In 2001, Sheridan became a freelance journalist specialising in profiles of business leaders and lifestyle features for international newspapers and magazines. Today she focuses mainly on writing books.
Between 2008-2010, Sheridan published five Sprite Sister books: The Circle of Power, The Magic Unfolds, The Secret of the Towers, The Ghost in the Tower and New Magic (all Piccadilly Press, originally). These stories take place within one year when Flame is 13, Marina 12, Ash 10, and Ariel is 9 years.

In 2012, Sheridan self-published the sixth title in the series, The Boy With Hawk-like Eyes, as a paperback and e-book, and bought back the rights to the first five titles from Piccadilly Press. She then set about re-publishing the series herself, with new-look titles – so became publisher and a bookseller, as well as a writer. Since then she has written ten Sprite stories and is currently working on three prequel titles.

The Sprite Sisters series has been hugely successful in Germany, where the books have sold over 500,000 copies and are known as Vier Zauberhafte Schwestern.

A lively and engaging speaker, Sheridan enjoys the chance to interact with her readers. She still lives in Norfolk and has two grown-up children. She finds walking in the countryside a good way to think up ideas and always carries a notebook.