Year 12s Become Published Authors and Illustrators

A huge congratulations to Aidel (author) and Ashley-Rose (illustrator) from the Class of 2026, whose debut novella, CAMERA ROLLING DEAD., is now available on Amazon.

Written for readers aged 13-16, the thriller is a remarkable achievement by two high school aged students. We sat down with Aidel and Ashley-Rose to learn more about their journey to publication.

INTERVIEW WITH AIDEL

1/ What made you want to write and publish the book?
Reading has always been a huge passion of mine. I was the kid at family dinners who would get bored and sit in a corner reading a book, whether it be about the human body, space, or a Geronimo Stilton series. Anything I could get my hands on, I would read. Detergent ingredients, treadmill manuals, anything.

Words have always resonated with me. They were a way of expression when emotions didn't make sense, or when I simply wanted to escape into my own world. As I grew older, I realised there were times when characters didn't get the ending I wanted, or plotlines took a direction I didn't enjoy. It made me think, 'What's stopping me from writing something that I would want to read?'

That idea eventually became a short murder mystery I wrote in Year 9 Extension English, inspired by Death Leaves the Station. Over time, I developed it into the novella I have now published, CAMERA ROLLING DEAD.

2/ What challenges did you have to overcome?

Being an author at 16 is pretty crazy, but it has always been on my bucket list. Balancing writing with study and extracurricular commitments was exhausting at times.

Writer's block is probably the most frustrating challenge. Finding ways to make the story engaging, developing characters properly and keeping the plot moving all take time and effort.

The publishing process was also complicated. I worked through around 12 drafts of the manuscript, followed by seven publisher proofs, while dealing with colouring and printing issues. There were definitely moments when I felt like giving up, but my desire to achieve this goal was stronger.

3/ What are your plans for the future?

Definitely more writing! I'm currently planning another project, this time a full-length novel rather than a novella. Writing may not become my main profession, but it will always be a passion of mine.

I'll leave you with a quote my dad always tells me: "Having hobbies that you're good at is better than any other form of escapism because it allows you to be mentally free doing something you love."

INTERVIEW WITH ASHLEY-ROSE

1/ What brief did Aidel give you and how did you bring it to life?

I was given a brief synopsis of the novella, and Aidel explained that she wanted the cover to reflect its darker themes and feature a man holding a camera.

From there, I drafted several sketches and asked which direction she preferred. Once we settled on a concept, I gathered reference images and art styles that Aidel liked. Step by step, we refined the design until we reached the final illustration.

2/ What program did you use?

I used Procreate and shared the process with Aidel throughout, showing her each stage of the design.

3/ What challenges did you have to overcome?

Most of my commissioned work involves semi-realistic cartoon illustrations similar to comic book art, so creating a realistic piece was a little intimidating. However, having Aidel communicate with me throughout the process made it much easier to ensure the final artwork matched her vision.

4/ What are your plans for the future?

I'll always make time for drawing because it's something I have always loved and always will. In the future, I plan to study Computer Science at university, which will allow me to explore new ways of creating and designing beyond pen and paper.

Congratulations to Aidel and Ashley-Rose on this incredible achievement. We are so proud to see their creativity, persistence and collaboration result in a published book.