A novel written by a schoolboy to distract himself from his PlayStation during Covid has been listed on Amazon — and is selling overseas as well as in the UK. Dylan Brennan, 16, started writing in April 2020 to get him away from his games console.
The aspiring lawyer said he had long dreamed of publishing a book, and lockdown gave him the perfect opportunity. He completed the first draft of his book, called Noble: Betrayed — a fantasy tale — in just nine months. And after getting top marks in his GCSEs this summer, he finally got round to publishing it. The book was released on October 4.
Dylan, from Westminster, central London, says he has already bagged £150 in sales — with orders coming in from Spain, Germany, the US and Australia. He said: "It's amazing, it's a dream I've always had. I'm so pleased with it, but I can't stop here. I'm already working on the next one. I love fantasy, it's just my genre."
The self-published book was inspired by Dylan's favourite authors: George R R Martin, J R R Tolkien, and Andrzej Sapkowski, who wrote The Witcher. It combines the stereotypical elements of fantasy with the sense of community and atmosphere of living in London, he said.
Some of the characters are named after his teachers at St George's Catholic School, in Maida Vale. The tale revolves around the main character, Lord Simon Pargion, visiting the court of King Emannar Woodgairrd, a friend, and uncovering a plot to kill him. Dylan, who lives with his parents, has sold 60 copies so far and has made £150 from the sales.
He said: "It's an amazing feeling when you see a load of sales come in together. It's incredible just watching that graph shoot up. It's sold in America, Australia, Germany and Spain. I wasn't expecting that — it's great!
"I think 50 copies is the expected number of sales for a self-published first book. There's so much technology you can use to publish for yourself now which takes out a few steps, and publishers always have their own direction they want you to take.
"I enjoyed exploring the big divide in London. Like the Royal Family, who are a tight unit with lots of drama, alongside the less well off people struggling to get by. I think my teachers were pleased. It was a way to thank them. They've been so supportive and had a big impact on my life."
Dylan plans to study to become a lawyer but wants to keep writing as a sideline — and he says he wants to write a crime novel next.
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