Young Novel Writers Get Own Novels Published in Paperback

Novel writing has become a habit for 12 students in the Shoreline School District's Home Education Exchange.

The students, ages 10-13 in grades four through seven, have written and published professional-quality novels. The students are members of the Home Education Exchange, a Parent-Partner Program through the school district, which offers curriculum support to home school families.

In the Novel Writing class taught by Kim Votry, the students used novel planning workbooks supplied by The Office of Letters and Light, the non-profit organization behind the popular NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). After planning through September and October, students wrote like mad to meet their word count goals during the month of November. From December to May, they revised and edited. The novels were then professionally published in June by Third Place Press, with book interiors and covers designed by Vladimir Verano, Lead Publisher.

Last week, the finished novels were placed into the hands of their young authors. Books range in length from 38 to 154 pages.

The students put in about 150 to 200 hours into the writing, revising, editing, designing and publishing of their books.

Some writers like Grace Hopf initially didn't like to write at all but soon got in a groove and want to try it again.

Author Megan Catey said she got ideas for her novel from "books I read or what's happened to me or a friend."

Some of the authors have sold books online or have sold books to relatives.

Votry plans to have a table at the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Festival this weekend and promote the program and the students' work. She also will have her own book for sale which is about "a writing teacher so strange the kids think she's a witch trying to steal their ideas."

Votry plans to teach the class again next year and expects 20-30 students to sign up. The school district funds the program through the Home Education Exchange. Votry has taught there since her own kids were in the school.

Here are the titles of the works produced this year:

Emilio Adame, "Parallel World." A fast-paced action adventure including robots, zombies, dragons, skeletons, and more.

Evan Burkholder, "Thunderstorms." A normal boy ends up in a camp for kids with superpowers, and when put to the test, discovers powers of his own.

Megan Catey, "The Door." When Kelsey finds a mysterious key in her new house, she has no idea the adventure that awaits her in the world beyond the door.

Patricia Guido, "The Story of Carlos Daniel Guido." This is a non-fiction book about the author's father and his early life growing up playing soccer in Costa Rica.

Abby Heck, "Because of a Bird." Lila is transported to another world, where she is befriended by a half-cat girl. The two must complete a series of challenging puzzles in order for Lila to return to her own world.

Grace Hopf, "Spy Camp." Thinking she's been sent to a summer camp to get her school grades up, 12-year-old Ashlee soon discovers the truth: she's being trained as a world-class spy, and she is needed to save the world.

Nathaniel Hudson, "A Boy and A Plane." A boy who grew up building and flying remote-controlled airplanes becomes a jet pilot and takes part in a treacherous race around the world.

Alexius Rodriguez, "The Rabbit Warriors." A fantasy in which four orphan rabbits escape a terrible life and are recruited to fight in the most important Tournament against a rival city.

Maren Stratton, "King of the World . . . or Not?" Twins Abby and George take on a ruthless sociopath bent on world domination.

Remington Tideman, "Foreign Treasure." A single father and his two young sons put together a top-notch team and go in search of the famous treasure of King Jersla.

Henry Zlab, "The Cyborg Black-Ops Leader." Think "Six Million Dollar Man" meets "The A-Team" in this military action story.