West Australian author releases new children's book inspired by well-known South West attractions

A best-selling West Australian author has just released a children’s book based on the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. Reece Carter’s novel titled The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright is the second book in his Elston0Fright series, with the first being his popular read, A Girl Called Corpse. “The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright really is the product of curiosity’” Carter said. “When I started writing A Girl Called Corpse I intended it to be a standalone title, but by the time I’d finished it I realised that Elston-Fright was too full of secrets, too riddled with potential for more adventures.” The book follows the story of 12-year-old Flip Little, who has lived in a lighthouse with his family for generations. “Nobody in Elston-Fright believes in magic anymore,” Carter wrote. “Well, nobody except for Flip Little, his nan and his friends: a girl called Corpse, a ghost called Girl and a very large spider called Simon. “But when Simon is spider-napped by ancient weather ghouls called the Poltergusts, Flip and his ghostly companions turn to the last Lightkeeper’s journals for answers. “To rescue their friend,they will need to find and return the missing Light to the lighthouse, restoring its lost magic.” Carter said the book as well as the imaginary town of Elston-Fright is inspired by the the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Region. “I grew up in the Wheatbelt and we used to come down here every summer for holidays.,” he said. “My mum actually now lives in Dunsborough full-time, which is very lucky for me, as I get to spend a lot more time down here.” “I wanted to create a town inspired by the region, and so you’ll see lots of familiar landmarks in the book, like Sugarloaf Rock and of course, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse itself.” Cater said that last Christmas he went back to the lighthouse to gain more inspiration. “I went and I met Paul, who’s been the lighthouse keeper for more than 20 years and he told me some incredible stories about the lighthouse,” he said. “I was immersing myself in the lighthouse and absorbing not just the stories I was told, but also the atmosphere of the place really reinforced that yeah, like there’s a there’s a story to be told here.” The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright is now available to buy at book stores.