J. M. Newsome – författare

   In 432 BCE they think Themistokles is dead. Suzanne is drawn through thousands of years to help him live. Will his destiny be death or glory at Olympia? Will she regain control of her life in the present, or will her mind be occupied forever by the past?

Themistokles, Themis to his friends, is recovering from a head injury and has lost his memory. Everything is bewildering - who is he? Why is his left hand swollen? Where does he live? Everything is intriguing - how is he different from what he was like before? Are his brushes with disaster just coincidence? And why does he have such odd dreams, like a tablet with coloured lights instead of a wax surface? 

   Meanwhile, Suzanne, a teenage English schoolgirl and athlete, is in a coma in 2010 after a street collision in Athens. She is flown home unconscious, but is ''dreaming'' Themis'' life. Through her, we follow him to Olympia to work with his uncles on the huge gold and ivory statue of Zeus. We attend the 87th Ancient Olympic Games, learn the solution to the mystery of Themis'' father''s death, and discover what is meant when the seer declares, "When the boy in two minds wins without a fight, Athena will pay her dues."

   This time-slip story gathers pace and intricacy against a background of thorough but unobtrusive research. Timeless themes of sporting ambition, family duty versus self-realisation, and the confirmation of identity, underlie the humour, action and adventure of memorable characters, some of whom really existed in 5th Century BCE Greece.

   The Boy in Two Minds is Book 1 of The Connection Trilogy which follows the parallel fortunes of Themistokles and Suzanne as they become adults in their respective environments. Will their connection help or hinder them as they struggle to survive the invisible forces that affect their very different lives? Can it be controlled? And will it ever be explained?  

She can see through his eyes, hear what he hears, feel what he feels, though they live millennia apart. Their precarious connection, the result of freak accidents, began (and seemed to end) in 2010 CE, when Suzanne lived Themistokles'' teenage adventures in ancient Olympia. Now the connection is back, and in 418 BCE, Athens is threatened by Sparta and from within. Suzanne, a student and athlete in Lancaster, England, in 2017 CE, is a fascinated but helpless witness as Themistokles tries to save his city and his family.

   She is navigating her own troubled journey through mental and physical challenges, while Themistokles is dealing with Athenian politics, war, and a forbidden love affair, aided by Frog, his shrewd and resourceful slave and ally.

   Meanwhile, characters from The Boy in Two Minds reappear, including the spectre of Themistokles'' evil nemesis, the beautiful but venomous Xenovia, whose memory simmers as a sinister presence with dramatic ramifications for him and his family.

   The story gathers pace and intricacy, weaving timeless themes of family duty, love versus lust, and the confirmation of identity, with the humour, action, and adventure of memorable characters, some of whom really existed in 5th century BCE Greece.

   The Girl in Two Worlds is Book 2 of The Connection Trilogy, following the parallel fortunes of Themistokles and Suzanne as they take on the excitements and responsibilities of adulthood. Does their connection help or hinder them? Can it be controlled? And will it ever be explained? 

   Perhaps An Ancient Connection, Book 3 of the trilogy, will answer these questions ...