Marburg author Shailen pens first novel
Shailen said his family were greatly supportive and helped him self-publish the book along with various editing processes.
While the hard Covid-19 induced lockdown proved tumultuous for many, Shailen Ramsuran of Swallow Drive, Marburg used that time to write a novel.
The 24 year old newly established author experienced the joy of collecting his books from the printers last week.
Shailen describes his book, Two Worlds: The Glass Cage, as an emotional story which depicts the lives of three people who all experience some form of abuse.
It portrays the two worlds that most people live in, one being a safe environment and the other being some sort of prison.
It is a work of fiction based on the way Shailen views the world behind closed doors.
“I started writing this book as a means to open people’s eyes to the abuse that many women and children experience in our country. I want to show people that there are others out there who go through the same experiences, people who need support and help,” explained Shailen.
He matriculated at Port Shepstone Secondary School in 2014 and considers English one of his favourite subjects.
Ironically, Shailen hated reading. “It took my mum quite a few attempts to get me to pick up a book. I prefer writing more than reading because when I write, it’s as though I’m living in the book” he said.
Shailen penned his book within four weeks in March last year.
“His writing process was quick, it was publication that took a while as there aren’t many publishers in the province,” explained his mom, Vanitha Ramsuran.
Living with ADHD, Shailen has always had a hyper and vivid sense of imagination, which he believes has helped him generate story ideas.
“Channeling my ideas into books has helped me a lot,” he said.
The book has been received well thus far by friends and family.
Shailen said his family were greatly supportive and helped him self-publish the book along with various editing processes.
Looking forward, he hopes to get his book into bookstores and to reach international readers.
Shailen plans to continue writing and is awaiting the publication of his next book in the Two Worlds series.
“As my mathematics teacher always said, ‘Life is a journey to the stars’ and I will keep going until I get there,” concluded Shailen.
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