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Susan Humphreys, 35, was a journalist and sub editor for 12 years but now works as an education and events facilitator at a museum.
She has written a historical fantasy novel for girls aged 8 to 12.

CHARLIE HILL is surprised when she wins a day with her hero, TV adventurer Midas; but it’s a bigger shock when the mysterious compass Midas shows her transports them to a pirate ship in 1720.
Discovered by the second-in-command, Gangrene, Charlie must complete three challenges to stay on board, including taking the ship’s flag. It’s tough, but she does it, landing a job peeling vegetables. Midas is luckier, and is recruited as a ship’s doctor because of his survival skills. It’s weevil-filled tack for Charlie, while Midas gets to dine with the Captain.
Charlie starts to see her hero in a new light, and feels homesick and abandoned until she is caught up in preparations for an attack. She is expecting danger and excitement, she is not expecting a mutiny - but that's just what she's caused by taking that flag.
Too afraid to speak out, even when Midas is framed, she wonders why Gangrene is so determined to sail to St Mary’s Island, Madagascar.
The navigator knew something but he ‘fell overboard’, the ship’s parrot knows something, but he doesn’t want to lose his beak; and Blackbeard knows, but he won’t say a word – he can’t, he’s a rotting head in a pickle jar.
Armed with Midas’s survival skills book, Charlie thinks she can find out too – she just has to get past the gigantic hissing cockroaches, ravenous elephant birds and ‘mad monkeys’ first.

Read the first chapter and find out more at www.drmidas.co.uk
'Dr Midas and the Pirates' was chosen as one of the winners in the Writers and Artists' Yearbook 100th edition novel writing competition.
Susan also won the Writers' Advice Centre for Children's Books short story competition in 2007.

Susan Humphreys, 35, was a journalist and sub editor for 12 years but now works as an education and events facilitator at a museum. She has written a historical fantasy novel for girls aged 8 to 12. CHARLIE HILL is surprised when she wins a day with her hero, TV adventurer Midas; but it’s a bigger shock when the mysterious compass Midas shows her transports them to a pirate ship in 1720. Disc... More