Kasdeja's Children [Paperback]

In the world of creative writing it’s often very difficult to look back and pin-point the moment when the first real flash of inspiration for a story struck. For Wokingham-based author Justin Beaney, however, the moment when the seeds for his new book Kâsdejâ’s Children were sown remains vividly clear: "I was bored one day at work and, after flicking through a copy of the in-house staff magazine, I chanced upon a review of a book called Massacre at Montsegur by Zoe Oldenbourg." The review explained the background to the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathar religion of Southern France in the thirteenth century, and how this culminated in the murder of 200 so-called heretics by the Catholic Inquisition. "I was completely unaware of this period in history," Justin explains, "and knew immediately that it was something I had to know more about. As soon as I started reading I was utterly gripped, and I began thinking: what if the consequences of this traumatic event were to suddenly emerge here and now, hundreds of years after the original event?"

With his plot slowly germinating Justin began researching other aspects of the period and quickly discovered other intriguing themes, such as the legacy of the Knights Templar and, in particular, the supposed manipulation and censorship of the early Christian Church. It was only when he’d completed his own story and captured the interest of a publisher that he was then shocked to learn that another book had already utilised such familiar ideas – Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, the undisputed publishing hit of 2004!

Justin explains: "I must admit I don’t read a lot of fiction myself and I only actually stumbled across The Da Vinci Code a few months ago, whilst my publisher was putting the finishing touches to the production of Kâsdejâ’s Children. Once I started reading I realised Dan and I had both independently drawn some of our inspiration from the same sources and, to be honest, my first reaction was one of horror – the prospect of finding key elements of my own lovingly crafted plot exposed in the most eagerly devoured book of our times was enough to fill me with utter panic!"

Justin needn’t have worried. "It was a great relief when I realised that the differences between our books far outweigh any similarities. For example, you certainly won’t find any references to Leonardo Da Vinci or the Holy Grail in Kâsdejâ’s Children." Instead, you’ll be taken on a whirlwind ride to solve a mystery that has its roots in both Russian folk-lore and Hebrew tradition, all set against some supernatural goings-on that are bound to set the pulses quickening.

Strangely enough, it is the spookier side of Justin’s storylines that are inspired by his own experiences. "My wife, Karen, would tell you that I’m the type of person who always looks to the paranormal to explain anything remotely weird. I don’t think I’m that bad, but I’ve certainly had enough strange experiences to at least maintain an open mind. And the great thing about writing fiction is that you can indulge yourself on the ‘what if’ aspects of those very experiences." Like the time he got home from work to find the chain had somehow managed to put itself back on the front door? "It was so weird – Karen and I had both left the house together that morning and yet when I tried to open the door I couldn’t get in. Luckily, Karen always carried a back door key with her too, and after she got home we went inside to find that the light at the top of the stairs was now switched on, where moments before the house had been in complete darkness."

With no logical explanation for this and a few other such events, Justin couldn’t wait to inflict them on both the characters in his book and his unsuspecting readers. But if all this sounds just a little far-fetched, don’t be too concerned: "Hopefully, both the historical references and my own spooky experiences will prove quite fascinating in their own way, but they’re only really there to provide a colourful backdrop to the human stories being told. When it comes down to it, Kâsdejâ’s Children is all about the breakdown of family relationships, the abuse of trust and the need to find a way to overcome the past and offer forgiveness."

And if all that still sounds a bit deep, there’s always the odd comic moment provided by his central character’s obsession with the progressive rock music: "I’ve tried hard to tap into the whole spectrum of emotions in this book, and the odd bit of humour can work really well to heighten the other, more intense responses. Bands like ELP, Yes and Genesis are easy to poke fun at because they’re so unfashionable these days, but I’m actually a big fan myself. Every time I got stuck with my plot I’d simply submerse myself in one of those big, 20-minute epics that would fill the side of an album back in the 70’s and, sure enough, the inspiration would quickly flow again. So there’s a lot of fondness for the whole "prog-rock" genre woven into the narrative too."

An epic fantasy in it’s own right, Kâsdejâ’s Children is sure to prove an equally effective form of escapism for any reader, whilst those with eyes to see might just glimpse some clues to the kind of deeper mysteries Dan Brown’s famous characters can only dream of.