FOR those seeking fantasy and adventure then this tome by a former Yorkshireman is just for you.

Born and raised in God's Own County, Steven Jacklin originates from Shipley and credits his Yorkshire upbringing, of school trips, holidays and bike rides amidst the stunning scenery of the Haworth moors, Malham Cove, York and Whitby with firing his imagination for the adventures he is now sharing with readers of his books.

Steven recalls an 'adventuresome youth' living on Valley Road in a back-to-back in Clare Street which has since been demolished.

During his half-hour trek to the local junior school there would be a mill beck and the River Aire to cross before tackling scrubby bankings and steep rocky hills.

These reminiscences of his past - along with the route among an underground labyrinth of air raid shelters he would embark on years later to senior school - 'filled the brain with atmosphere to last a lifetime.'

The atmosphere setting the scene for Steven's debut fantasy novel is evidently deep-rooted in his Yorkshire upbringing.

Steven has availed himself of the memories of place; whether misty castles, dark woods, rocky boggy scrubland or the power of sea in his debut novel The Adventures of the Dwarfgiants - Serpent of the Sulphur Sea,

His page-turning quest-driven novel, aimed at ages nine to 13, is packed with colourful characters.

Readers will learn of the Dwarfgiants being forced to flee their island home of Kamistra across the Sulphur Sea where they find sanctuary in the remains of a castle ruin on the mysterious island of Helborin.

Unbeknown to them, the ancient structure holds a sinister past and one that is about to repeat itself.

Addi, a young Dwarfgiant missing in the Dark Wood, is the key to their survival against the likes of the evil Raslatombs and the serpent of the Sulphur Sea, but they have to find him first in a journey of discovery prompting them to demonstrate courage and resourcefulness in their quest which brings them into confrontations with strange beings and savage creatures.

If successful, they would also discover that Addi was not alone. It was, after all, a young Zenta female, full of secrets and mystic moonstones that got him lost in the first place.

The book has been a labour of love for Steven since the idea came to him during bedtime stories with his young children.

“It’s been quite a journey,” he says. “But just like their own journey – fraught with strange beings and savage beasts – the Dwarfgiants, through no fault of their own, often find themselves in precarious situations. The experience they gain attempting to overcome them – whether through ingenuity or teamwork – is at the heart of the story; finding their way in life, the changes they go through, being the person they hope to become.”

Today, Steven, whose early literary influences included Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas, Irish dramatist, Oscar Wilde and English playwright, Harold Pinter, resides in Canada, in the picturesque region of Muskoka, Ontario.

Although the forests and lakes have their own charm, it is primarily the recollections of Steven's youth that stirred a keen interest in him writing fiction.

In 2010, his first collection of short stories, A Slight Kink was published and, buoyed by its positive response he launched the first in a series of fantasy adventure novels for Young Readers.

The Adventures of the Dwarfgiants - Serpent of the Sulphur Sea is due for worldwide public release on May 1 2017.

It can be ordered as a paperback or e-book, online, (Amazon, Kindle, Kobo, Barnes & Noble) or audio book (Bandcamp) - read by the author himself.

For more information visit Dwarfgiants.com