Vicar's story of magic and witchcraft

The vicar of Cloughton GP Taylor takes on Harry Potter

The Reverend Graham Taylor likes a challenge. Not content with writing a book about magic and witchcraft, he's decided to take on JK Rowling's latest Harry Potter book - both books are published on the same day.

The Vicar of Cloughton's debut novel Shadowmancer is being published on the Summer Solstice (Saturday 21 June) and it's already getting rave reviews.

In publishing terms, he's writes under the name of GP Taylor, and has had a colourful career working in the music industry, as a social worker and a police officer.

GrahamTaylor was live on Breakfast this morning.

He now divides his time between his role as the vicar of Cloughton which is a village near Scarborough in Yorkshire, and writing.

Click here to see our interview with Graham Taylor

Shadowmancer is described as "darker than magic and more powerful than witchcraft". He was encouraged to by one of his parishioners to write and publish the story.

The author had to sell his motorbike to initially get the book published on his own but it has since received plenty of coverage in the local media.

Having been signed up by Faber in February, Graham Taylor own life story has seen him propelled from rags to riches.

One national newspaper said at the weekend that Shadowmancer could make him millions.

But, he says, he won't be giving up the day job.

You're a priest forever. You can't resign ...and as a Christian I'll give 10% of my money to charity anyway

One of the big attractions of the book is the idea that children's novels aren't scary enough.

The vicar said he reached into the darkest recesses of his own imagination to create the book which was initially distributed to his parishioners.

What's the book about?

It is magical thriller all about vicars and witches. Set in the 1700's on the North-East coast of England.

The Reverend Obadiah Demurral is a sorcerer who is seeking to control ultimate power in the universe. He will stop at nothing.

The only people in his way are Raphah, Kate, Thomas and the mysterious Jacob Crane.

The story charts how they struggle to a dramatic climax when they come face to face with the powers of darkness as the clock strikes midnight on Halloween.

Some bookshops are already promoting Shadowmancer to book of the month in preferance to the new Potter tale, and even though it's a debut novel six times more books have been ordered than would have been expected.

Shadowmancer, by GP Taylor is published on 21 June, published by Faber