GUEST APPEARANCE

Barbara was a guest on
“ Stories from Unknown Authors”
DATE: Wednesday, December 14th, at 11am EST
LOCATION: blogtalkradio.com/storiesfromunknownauthors
where people can listen in.

She was interviewed by Renee Hand. A review of The Magic Manuscript: Book One – Voyage to Eve Ilion is now available here.

Here is the link to the interview. You can download and save the entire show onto your computer.

The Magic Manuscript:
Book One - Voyage to Eve Ilion

My young adults (YA) fantasy novel
has been published by Piraeus Books LLC.

Review by Professor Paul T. Piehler, a former student of British author C. S. Lewis at Oxford University and author of The Visionary Landscape: A Study in Medieval Allegory.
“… rarely has identification of exemplary heroes and admiring readers been taken further than in Barbara Burgess' fascinating ongoing work, The Magic Manuscript. Arthur and Jennifer are two young Brits enjoying a Christmas holiday down in the ancient Cornish village of Mawgan Porth, a place just vibrant with associations of Arthur, the legendary monarch of Britain, or more precisely Logres, as the ancient realm was called. But the action begins seriously when they come across a mysterious, normally inaccessible, cave, where they discover an ancient medieval manuscript that has the ultimate literary quality of mysteriously drawing readers into the actual lives and adventures of its heroes and heroines …”
Read the full review...

The Magic Manuscript: Book One - Voyage to Eve Ilion is intended for a young adult (YA) audience, as well as for adults who love YA fantasy literature. It is woven with elements of history, fantasy, time travel, and paranormal romance. Two teenagers, Arthur and Jennifer, unearth a medieval manuscript in Cornwall, in modern England, during the Christmas holidays. While reading the manuscript, Jennifer becomes engrossed in the story of fifteenth-century Lady Genevieve, a sixteen-year-old Cornish girl who escapes from her brother when he tries to marry her to one of the earls of Tudor against her will. Jennifer is, in reality, catapulted back to the fifteenth century, as well as to England in the sixth century. When Arthur realizes she is missing, he follows her back in time. During their time travels, the two youths travel to Eve Ilion, a magical island, where they face numerous tests and adventures. There, too, they push past the boundaries of social norms and standards, realizing the importance of loyalty and enduring friendship.

The story is packed with action and adventure, and its multi-layered time-travel sequences will intrigue and enthrall lovers of YA fantasy literature. The two main female characters—Lady Genevieve and Lady Eve—are representative ideal female heroes.

Like most well-crafted YA literature, the appeal of this book extends beyond age.

BARBARA'S BIO

I'm the deputy editor of Writing Edge Magazine, an Australia-based international magazine, for which I also write a health column. I judge in writing competitions. Over the past fifteen years, I’ve done freelance writing, editing, and proofreading for numerous international clients.

In 1983, I received my Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from McGill University, Montreal, Canada. I was First Class Honours in English and “University Scholar.” I then enrolled in graduate studies in medieval English literature at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. My thesis supervisor was a former student of the British author, C. S. Lewis.

In 2002, I worked briefly as the assistant to the Executive Director of the Federation of BC Writers in Vancouver, Canada. Over a period of five years, I taught English to international students at a private ESL school in Vancouver. Currently, I write and edit on a freelance basis.