Set mostly at sea and in the small fishing village of Wreckumoft, ‘Shifting Winds’ is a fascinating nautical adventure by much-loved children’s author R.M. Ballantyne. Narrated by a former member of the Royal Navy named Bingley, the tale focusses on the fortunes of the Gaff family. Whilst his nervous family wait at home for his return, Stephen Gaff is helping to save the lives of those caught up in an horrific shipwreck just offshore during a storm. One of those he rescues is a mysterious young girl who seems to know him. What exactly is Stephen Gaff hiding? A gripping adventure story from the skilful author.
R.M. Ballantyne (1825-1894) was a Scottish artist and prolific author of mostly children’s fiction. Born in Edinburgh, Ballantyne was the ninth of ten children. At the age of 16 Ballantyne moved to Canada, where he worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company, travelling all over the country to trade for fur. He returned to Scotland in 1847 following the death of his father, and it was then that he began his literary career in earnest, writing over 100 children’s adventure books over the course of his life. Stories such as ‘The Coral Island’ and ‘The Young Fur Traders’ were hugely popular, and many of them drew on his own experiences of travelling throughout Canada. A stickler for detail, Ballantyne continued to travel widely to research the backgrounds and settings for his exciting stories. His tales became an inspiration for authors of the future, including ‘Treasure Island’ novelist Robert Louis Stevenson. Ballantyne spent the latter period of his life living in London and Italy for the sake of his health. He died in Rome in 1894 at the age of 68.