A TEENAGE author's latest sci-fi horror book is being read by students around the world after it was picked up by a global reading programme.
Oliver Lewis, 15, a Year 10 pupil at independent school Myddelton College, in Denbigh, has had his third book published and is already on the first draft of his next which he expects to bring out later this year.
TrapDoor, out now on Amazon, is the second in a trilogy of sci-fi horror novels by Oliver, and follows BloodCross which came out last year.
His first book, Balance, was a non-fiction guide to getting organised for teenagers and followed two short stories, his first forays into published work.
Oliver Ellis with his published books and head of English Mr Alan Bile-Liddell. Picture taken prior to Government social distancing measures. Picture Mandy Jones
The novels have also been picked up by Accelerated Reader, a worldwide programme which is used by Myddelton College to encourage reading by young people and which could bring them to the attention of millions.
He said: “English has always been my favourite subject and I’ve really got into reading over the last couple of years – I read 54 books last year.
“I read a lot of young adult fantasy and started watching Booktube, which is part of Youtube, and got into writing in the sci-fi horror genre although my first book was non-fiction, all about getting yourself organised as a teenager.
“Then I wrote BloodCross V1 and have followed it up TrapDoor and have already got a first draft of the third in the series but that still needs a lot of editing and re-writing before it’s ready for publication.”
It’s an impressive start to a writing career according to Myddelton College’s Head of English, Alan Biles-Liddell.
Mr Biles-Liddell said: “Oliver has real ability and takes great care, re-writing his work several times before publication.
“It’s a great inspiration to his fellow pupils and they listen to him more than to me because he’s a published author.
“His books are on the Accelerated Reader programme which I’ve worked with at other four schools but here at Myddelton College they’re really buying into it and they’ve got young kids with reading ages far beyond their actual age and even reluctant readers are really getting engaged.”
Like many teenagers Oliver is never far from his phone but he said: “It’s a very useful tool. There’s always this time at three in the morning when I wake up and often get great ideas then.
“I have my phone by my bed and I tap the idea into Notes on my phone – otherwise I would go back to sleep and forget it.
“I like to get my schoolwork done early in the evening and then I can spend time writing – at home we have a summer house and I can disappear there for hours, even missing meals sometimes."
Myddelton College recently made the transition from classroom to virtual classroom.
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