Scholar Ankooria

Sally's People are characters I invented for books, short stories and poems. Their creation spans the last three decades of the 20th Century and (so far) the first of the 21st.

Scholar Ankooria is the teenaged son of Lord Toombs. He is a reluctant besieger of Castle Torm, a red-headed conner (scholar) as his name suggests. His father hopes Scholar will make a dynastic marriage with Tegwen of Hasselsjo, but Scholar has his own plans.

The heir of Toombs Castle is quiet and withdrawn, the clever offspring of an ambitious lord and a long-dead Ankoorian mother. The only thing he loves, beside his studies, is his spellhound, the lovely Tace (Tah-chee), whose name means "silence". Faced with death and battle at the siege of Torm, Scholar is sick with misery and anxiety, so when the chance comes to help a girl-child in her escape from the castle, he takes it. But there's a catch- she must take his precious Tace away from danger.

Scholar is another character who has more power than he understands. His name reflects his nature, while his braided red hair hints at a less than common destiny.

Scholar Ankooria is a major character in Candle Iron, published by harperCollins Australia in 2000. Candle Iron is the third in a loose series that comprises "Amy Amaryllis", Shadowdancers", "Candle Iron" and "Wintersong".

Allyso Tormblood

Sally's People are characters I invented for books, short stories and poems. Their creation spans the last three decades of the 20th Century and (so far) the first of the 21st.

Allyso Tormblood is fourteen, but she looks more like eleven. Her childish appearance is a source of annoyance to her; as niece of easy-going Lord Merritt and the heir of Castle Torm, she feels entitled to a little respect. Allyso has plenty of friends at the castle. Her uncle's democratic ways ensure she mixes comfortably with housemaids, stewards and visiting lords. She is a reasonable person who expects the best of people, and mostly she is right. That's why it feels so odd when she takes a strong dislike to the latest visitor to Castle Torm.

Then disaster strikes, as her premonitions prove correct. Suddenly, everyone at Torm is dead, or dying, and Allyso is the only one who can help them... and only then by daring the well-way, a tight underwater passage developed by some of her small ancestors.

Having escaped the castle, Allyso faces a long and dangerous journey across country and into time.

Allyso's first name is a partial anagram of my own first name and surname initial. This reflects my own childhood as a small, young-looking person who expected the best of others. Castle Torm is named for "tor", a rocky outcrop.

Allyso appears in "Candle Iron", published by HarperCollins in 2000. It is one of my favourites, a semi-sequel to "Amy Amaryllis" and "Shadowdancers". Though I always wanted to write two direct sequels (to be called "Candle Stone" and "Candle Way"), life got in the way!