Sompting author offers new hovercraft-themed family adventure

Graham sets the scene: “Jack and Thomas were brothers who loved an adventure. A family day out found the boys experiencing something very different and very exciting – a ride on a big hovercraft. The boys would soon learn what a hovercraft is and how it works. But could such a machine really travel on both land and water and would it prove to be their best day out ever?”

Graham, aged 45, who is currently working as a leakage technician for one of the UK’s largest water companies, said: “Having written my first children's book Jack, Thomas and The Miniature Railway, I wanted to continue the Jack and Thomas theme whereby their adventures continue. Being based on family days out I decided to create something a little different, something that hasn't been done before to my knowledge and that is write a children's story including a big passenger hovercraft.

“Having been aware of the cross channel and Isle of Wight hovercraft I thought this would be an exciting subject. I was only fortunate to travel on the cross-channel craft twice although over the years I had travelled to the Isle of Wight countless times by hovercraft. Once my wife and I had two boys we introduced them to these fascinating machines, so much so that the boys absolutely love going on the hovercraft, especially when the tide goes out at Ryde and the craft travels over the sandy beach!

“So I felt it fitting to write about their experiences and putting it into a children's book so they learn what a hovercraft is, how it works, how it can travel over land and water and why it can travel very fast etc. What I'm really pleased with is I've had fantastic support from Hovertravel who have allowed me to base it on their service which incidentally was founded in 1965 and is the world's longest running commercial hovercraft operator, providing the fastest ferry route across the Solent at just ten minutes in their two 80 seater Griffon Hoverwork 12000TD craft Solent Flyer GH-2160 and Island Flyer GH-2161.”

Graham’s previous published work consists of six local history books: A German Bomber on Worthing Soil; The Field Place Mystery; The Brooklands Miniature Railway; The Royal Observer Corps in Worthing; The Thakeham Tiles Railway; A Lancaster on Worthing Beach plus Jack, Thomas and The Miniature Railway (first children's book): “I always enjoyed doing personal projects on subjects I had an interest in and this started when I was completing my Duke of Edinburgh Bronze, Silver and Gold. I have an interest in local history and found there was no information on the subjects I had an interest in so I decided to research them and put them into book format for others to enjoy. The children's books are a result of reading my two boys children's books.”