All the World's a Stage

By A.R. Rand

Before the plays, there was peril-Will Shakespeare's magical adventure begins.
London, 1575: The Elizabethan Age of Exploration.
Eleven-year-old Will Shakespeare is a troublemaker, but fighting other boys is the least of his problems. Discovering a Portuguese gold coin used as payment for traitors lands him in serious trouble. His parents send him from Stratford-upon-Avon to London, under the watch of his uncle, a captain at Queen Elizabeth's formidable Tower.
Thirteen-year-old Betts is a clever liar. Claiming to be the Queen's daughter denied a place at court, she now works as a scullery maid in the castle. Fearless and determined, she believes she can do anything a boy can-and sets out to prove it. Will and Betts meet-and sparks fly. They have nothing in common except a wild imagination, a thirst for adventure, and an ardent dislike for snobby royals. When the crown jewels are stolen, Will and Betts become unlikely detectives in a deadly hunt stretching from the Tower's shadowy halls to the heart of royal intrigue.
Will discovers the magic of The Tempest when he meets the theatrical impresario Professor Prospero and his cunning apprentice Cax. The enigmatic Prospero, who claims to be a wizard, is hunting for four enchanted stones to defeat the witch Sycorax. Will finds this hard to believe until he plunges into a world of sorcery and peril.
Along the way, Will and Betts encounter historical figures such as future explorer Sir Walter Raleigh and future astronomer Galileo. From stolen crown jewels to deadly murders and ancient secrets, each adventure tests their courage, wit, and imagination. Will's tortured relationship with his father and the appearance of a mysterious phantom lady add to his troubles. Through it all, the poet within Will endures. He feverishly jots down the intrigues that will one day inspire the great works we know today.
Book One: All the World's a Stage
The legend of Shakespeare begins-with a quill, and a mystery.
When the crown jewels vanish from the Tower of London, young Will Shakespeare and the daring Betts are thrust into a deadly chase for the truth. Among the stolen treasures is Cleopatra's Blood, a legendary ruby, and the mysterious Stone of Fire, coveted by the enigmatic sorcerer Professor Prospero, who seeks four enchanted stones to defeat the dark witch Sycorax. But Prospero is not the only one searching: a scheming Spanish ambassador, a secretive Egyptian cult, and even the ghost of Henry VIII seem determined to claim the gem.
Will's world tilts further when his father, John Shakespeare, arrives in London-only to be arrested as a traitor by the Crown, plunging Will into turmoil on both personal and perilous fronts.
Amid this chaos, a mysterious phantom lady appears, leading Will to Tabernam Miribilia, the Shop of Wonders, where magic and secrets intertwine. As Will and Betts hunt for clues, they quickly realize they are not just chasing the thieves-they are being stalked through shadowy alleyways, palace corridors, and secret passageways, where every corner holds danger and intrigue. In a world of swords, sorcery, and secrets, their courage, wit, and imagination are tested as they navigate treacherous plots, magical traps, and ancient mysteries, discovering that even the bravest heroes can become the hunted.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1978259018
• ISBN13: 9781978259010
• Release Date: August 2020
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 326 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"