Portrait of the artist as a young girl: Lauren Scott (13) on writing her first novel

My name is Lauren Scott, and I’m 13 years old. Anyone who knows me knows I absolutely love reading. Always have, and always will. Reading is a great way to escape from reality and you can forget about all your problems. People don’t realise how important reading is. If you’re stressed or worried, or you just want to relax, you should read a book. Then the only problems you’ll have to deal with are the characters’ problems.

I also like to write. Nothing much, just little short stories. But recently, while reading a book, I thought it would be great fun to be able to control the characters and what they do. So, I decided to write my own book, where I could decide what happened.

I finished part one, and gave it to a couple of my friends to read. They all said it was really good, and asked me how I was inspired to write it. I wasn’t entirely sure at the time what gave me the idea for my story. Then I thought about it, and realised quite a few things contributed to the plot of the story.

Number one was other books. I’m not saying I copied another book, it was more like the genre of book I like, and the characters were like characters in other books without me realising it.

Number two were songs. Music is an amazing thing, and I think small snippets of song lyrics helped me think of the plot for the book.

Number three were events. It doesn’t have to be a huge event that the whole world knows about, but just something that happened in school which inspires you to write an entire book.

Number four were people. It could be anyone, someone you know, a famous person, or even just a random stranger you see on the street that makes a story start in your mind.

I’m sure there are many more things that inspire people to write books, and there were probably many more things that found their way into my book too.

I love writing, and I love all my characters, even the not-so-nice ones. Writing is much slower and more tedious than reading (I usually read a book in a day) so a lot of patience is required. I tried to start stories before, but I’d get bored waiting for all the excitement to start and I’d stop. This time, I planned out the whole book in my head and I’m working torwards the end. It helps to write at least a page a day, because if you leave it for a week without doing anything, you forget about it and you aren’t as enthusiastic about it.

I find the best time to write is in the evening and at night time. After I get home from school and finish my homework (um, or while doing my homework) I like to write. Although when I’m bored in school I try to think of ideas. Sometimes my friends and teachers give me ideas.

So, I’m hoping to have my book finished by the end of the summer, and maybe get it published. Fingers crossed!

The following is an extract from Lauren Scott's book:

Prologue

The devil is getting worse. She’s stopped talking to me, and is putting all her time and energy into finding the Lord. I wish she would talk to me. I really miss her. I shouldn’t, but I do. She’s bad, very bad, but she is still my sister. She still loves me, I’m sure. I hope. I still love her. Maybe she’ll forget her evil plans and stay with me and mommy and daddy. Maybe mommy will get better, and not hit me anymore.

But my sister’s secret stops my happy life. She knows my secret, and I know hers.

Her name is Angel. But she’s a devil.

Chapter One

I think you’ve got the wrong person.

Hazel Freeman yawned as the teacher droned on and on about the African battle attacks. She supposed she should be a little bit concerned, as it was a war, but she really couldn’t care less. She didn’t even know what the war was about. Probably something stupid. Like land, or religion. Like it always was.

“So, I want you to copy this out into your tablets,” said Mr Green. “Off you go!”

Hazel sighed and took out her tablet, and started to type out all the facts Mr Green had written on the board. She wrote the date, 24 April 2143, and tried to soak up the information.

Suddenly the head teacher’s voice came out through the intercom, making her jump.

“Would Hazel Freeman of Mr Green’s geography class please report to the main office immediately. Thank you.” Everyone turned to look at her. Jennifer Grayson giggled. “Hazel’s in trouble,” she laughed.

Hazel nodded, and quickly left the room. She wondered what this was all about. It couldn’t be anything major, could it? She was a 16-year-old girl. She assumed it was to do with something else. Maybe she had a dentist appointment that her mom had forgotten to tell her about. Hazel reached the head teacher’s office, and knocked on the door. Mr Hynes opened it at once.

“Good afternoon, Ms Freeman,” he said in a strained voice. “Please, come in.”

Hazel entered the office, and saw her parents there. Her mom was crying, and her dad looked like he was about to. There were also two people that she didn’t know, a man and a woman. They both wore white lab coats with SAFE printed in blue on the breast.

“Mom? Dad? What’s going on?” Hazel asked, worried now. Her mom just continued to sob into her father’s shoulder. “Hello, Ms Freeman,” said the woman. “My name is Dr Alison Yale, and this is my associate, Dr PaulO’Reily,” she said, indicating to the man beside her.

“We are here to discuss the test you took last October. This was a special test. It was a government examination, and had strange questions on it. Do you remember?” asked the man, speaking for the first time.

Hazel nodded. She did remember that test. It was the most ridiculous test she’d ever done. For example:

You have a loaf of bread. There are three people in front of you, an elderly woman, a pregnant woman, and a young child. They are all starving.Who do you give the bread to?

You had a choice of:

a) the elderly woman

b) the pregnant woman

c) the young child

d) keep it for yourself

e) no one, as it will just cause an argument

Hazel had picked the young child. She hadn’t been entirely sure why, but it wasn’t really a question you got wrong, so she figured she was okay with most of the answers.

She noticed that Mr Hynes had left the room.

“No. You did extraordinarily well. Too well, for a child your age,” said the woman. Then, “Do you know about the war?”

Hazel sighed. Everyone knew about the stupid war. “Yes.” “Well, we are America’s secret weapon. We are going to win this war. The test was given to find the most bright, most able children to assist us in winning the war. Many thousands of children took the test, but very few were up to our standard. Ten, to be exact. And you are one of them,” said the woman proudly. “You will help us win the war.”

Hazel was shocked into silence. This was the most bizarre thing that had ever happened to her. She was special, important. She could win the war! Her parents, and her two older brothers, they would be so proud of her, and the whole world would be in debt to her. She would be rich beyond belief, and adored by the whole world.

Great as this sounded, Hazel had a hard time believing it. “Yeah, I think you’ve got the wrong person,” she said. “I don’t even know what the war’s about. I don’t think I can help.”

The woman sighed, as if she had been expecting this. She pushed her glasses further up her nose, and spoke to Hazel. “We are going to have to take you away with us, in order to help us. We need you. Your parents have agreed to this.” Hazel stared at her parents. “You sold me to these freaks?” Her mom burst into tears. Her dad was shaking.

“Hazel, you’ll be safe with them. If you can win us the war, it’s worth it,” her dad said sadly.

Hazel quickly formulated a plan in her head. It was her best chance.

“Okay,” she sniffled, trying to make it sound as realistic as possible. “I’ll go. But I promise, I’ll see you again.”

Hazel embraced both her parents, and turned to the two doctors. A split second before she reached them, she acted. Hazel’s foot flew out and hit the table. It skidded across the floor and hit the doctors, knocking them clean over. Before they could recover, Hazel leapt for the door, and bolted dovvn the corridor. She wasn’t quite sure where she was going, just away. She had to get out.”