Author Octavius Pitt (a pen name) has led a fascinating life; from the very beginning in fact. He was almost born prematurely in late 1944, when a German V2 rocket took the roof from his parents semi in London, leaving his mother sitting half way down the stairs surrounded by rubble and a tiny baby in her arms. No it was not him yet, a little girl from two doors down; left by her mother whilst she helped lift the front door out from the kitchen. Symbolically, the very last day a V2 rocket fell on England was the day he was born. He moved to N. Wales to get out of the rat race, working in many occupations from grave digging to design engineering. But writing was his love. And the freedom and joy he found on the hills and mountains of Snowdonia fired his fertile imagination whilst the hardy people there won his respect. He is married to Pam and has two daughters, Angela and Wendy who grew up in this wonderful country and learnt Welsh. This is his fourth novel - the first under this pseudonym, taken from (again symbolically) a gravestone in a county of England.

The Doorkeeper tells of a small boy who is dumped on his maternal Welsh grandparents when his titled parents split at the time of the Great Depression in 1931. But it is much more than an easy to read, stress melting story as will be seen. Jonathan Ashbourne Webster is ten years old. He is delivered from a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce to his grandmother on her remote mountain farm near Capel Garmon by aristocratic Aunt Eleanor. Jonathan never sees her again. There, among back-breaking poverty, Jonathan finds the family love he has never known before, yet remains unaware of wonderful, life transforming events which are soon to befall him.

If William, Jonathans ragged Welsh cousin had lived in Dickensian London, he would have been the Artful Dodger. It is William who leads Jon Bach, as the English boy becomes known, out across the hills, mountains and forests. There they make their astonishing discovery. For the first time in his young life the canny farm boy is drawn into something he cannot control as they explore the mysterious beauty of Coed Cilcennus wood. But it is the Doorkeeper alone who puts a twist in this tale that youll NEVER expect, for the Doorkeeper leads them into a world where the Earth is known as a living soul; a great spirit who watches over humankinds doings with increasing concern. The world is called Ansaurius. From the beginning of time Wales has been the link to Ansaurius and Ansaurius has been Wales. If you have walked those green hills, harsh mountains; seen the glorious Conwy sweeping through the sheep dappled pastures and out to sea, you will understand where the concept came from and will be going with further books in the series. If you have read The Shack , you will know it is about a man who meets God. If you only read The Doorkeeper , you will see it is about a boy who meets the spirit of the Earth and learns how to love.

Octavius Pitt makes an easy to read, stress melting story become very special indeed.

The Doorkeeper can be bought from amazon.com for $8.99 or 5.99 from amazon.co.uk - just type in The Doorkeeper by Octavius Pitt and see the following reviews there.

Reviews from readers:

Samantha Castle of The North Wales Weekly News says in her article:-

A mysterious writer who has based his latest novel in the Conwy Valley is releasing the first in a series of seven books. Pitt says I feel great emotion for the people I met there and I hope this aspect comes though in my writing

Reviewers say:-

Excellent read. FIVE STARS. When I first picked up the Doorkeeper, it was to while away a spare half hour of a boring afternoon but I soon found it so page turning that I couldn't stop until I had finished it.

The main character Jonathan is an engaging child and his adventures in the hills of North Wales with his ragged cousin William were enchanting especially as this leads to a whole other world where Mother Earth is a living soul and the houses there are grown from seeds.

A wonderful book for adults and children alike which has a very real lesson about being environmentally friendly without lecturing!

I shall look forward to the next in the series. By Mrs Jill Page

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FIVE STARS. A truly uplifting read in the current world of gloom, this book is a shaft of light in a dark forest. The writer brings alive a world of another time. The story builds along with the Welsh scenery and the reader learns along with Jonathan the ways of Welsh kinship.

I cant wait for the next encounter with William and Jon Bach. By R. Harris

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From the USA. FIVE STARS. A marvellous read. Built on an underlying mythological theme, readers are taken on an ecological journey through North Wales. As a result of both a broken marriage and the love of an extended family, two young boys, London born Jonathan and his Welsh cousin William, develop a relationship that rushes the reader through adventure after adventure in this beautiful country with unlimited themes applicable both to the 1931 setting and today.

I must add that, having seen the Ladies of Snowdon on a clear day and drunk a pint in The White Horse Inn. Pitt has done NORTH WALES PROUD. Hopefully, the author will have Jonathan and William take us on further adventures. By Guy Luttrell

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A great read. FOUR STARS. I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book. It has an element of fantasy which is not usually my cup of tea, however the language is so easy to follow that I almost didn't realise when the book had slipped from "real life" into fantasy. He brings to life just EXACTLY what boys of this age would think, and how they would feel. This is a well written book, full of interest and adventure, but most cleverly of all, it makes me wonder if it is all really true... By LoveBooks

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See the above reviews on amazon.co.uk (British) and amazon.com (American)

Journey with Jonathan and William as they enter the world of Ansaurius.

Available from: amazon.com @ $8.99 or amazon.co.uk @ 5.99

ISBN 978-1-84923-132-9.