The idea for The Ickabog came to me a long time ago. The word ‘Ickabog’ derives from ‘Ichabod’, meaning ‘no glory’ or ‘the glory has departed’. I think you’ll understand why I chose the name once you’ve read the story, which deals with themes that have always interested me. What do the monsters we conjure tell us about ourselves? What must happen for evil to get a grip on a person, or on a country, and what does it take to defeat it? Why do people choose to believe lies even on scant or non-existent evidence?
