Abi Forbes' life is turned to topsy-turvy when she loses her father and her twin sister in an accident in UK and is sent off reluctantly to India to study in a remote Himalayan dance school. Initially, she finds it really hard to integrate herself in her new, unfamiliar surroundings but slowly starts making friends and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. During this journey, she is as tonished to find that her own origins are shrouded in mystery and myth. Abi now develops a steely determination to find out all she can about her mother and she, along with her best friend, look for clues and a magical gem that would help her achieve her goal. But the way to her mother is fraught with trouble - there's a dark stranger who keeps appearing in front of her - is he a friend is he a foe?

Abirami Forbes has numerous exciting adventures and mythical, magical creatures appear at every stage of her journey - some friendly and helpful and others dark and dangerous!

Read the Magic Sapphire and its sequel Seven Steps to Heaven to find out how she deals with them...

Priya Hunt was born in New Delhi and grew up on diet of Indian comic books and western story books. She learnt Indian classical dance Bharatanatyam at Ganesa Natyalaya under the tutelege of Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan, in Delhi. She Completed her Arangetram in 1992 and has performed many times on stage, alone or with her school's troupe, including the prestigious Konark Dance Festival.

Priya worked for a global airline for several years and travelled extensively around the world- particularly Africa, Middle East & Asia Pacific. She is now settled in UK with her husband Steve. Her interest in vegetarian cuisines and her South Indian roots led to her first published work - Indian Festive Flavours that explores Tamil festival cooking.       The Magic Sapphire is her first children's novel, building on her experiences as a classical dancer and her interest in Indian mythology.