Bradford schoolgirl writes book whilst revising for exams
Added: (Fri Jun 09 2023)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Few writers have the problem of revising for their GCSEs while writing their debut novellas.
But 14-year-old Farida Kotochi Adam from Bradford somehow managed to combine hours of study with crafting her first full-length thriller.
Aleena is a gripping and surprisingly mature adventure which confronts modern-day slavery at a London orphanage.
Following the fortunes of an Algerian, Muslim child who has only ever known the orphanage as her home, Farida has brought a distinctively innocent voice to the disturbing problem of people-smuggling and child exploitation.
She explained: “Aleena is mainly about two friends who are living in what can only be described as a workhouse.
“Aleena and her best friend, Maddy, decide their only option is to escape the orphanage.
“But after being harshly separated, their plans have to change if they want to create better futures for themselves.
“I based the book in London as that’s where most of the Victorian workhouses were – and it shows that little has changed.”
Written in the first-person, Aleena is a revealing and, at times, amusing insight into the world of determined young refugee.
Although this is Farida’s first full length novella, she began writing short stories prior to starting school.
And she had completed her first 24-page booklet, called Lily and Emily in Winter Wonderland, at the age of just six.
Farida, whose favourite authors include Anthony Horowitz, Jacqueline Wilson and Harper Lee, admits it was boredom during lockdown that drove her towards writing her first full-length novella.
She added: “I was really bored one day in year eight of school - when I was 12 - and decided to come up with a story that I could concentrate on writing.
“Lots of ideas about the plot and characters started floating towards me, which was really exciting.
“I have loved writing ever since I was small, and the more I write the more I enjoy it – and better I am getting at it.
“It wasn’t always easy finding the time to write Aleena, as I also had to revise for my GCSEs – I created time each day to write while taking a break from revision.”
With more exams on the horizon, Farida isn’t committing to an Aleena sequel… just yet.
For more details, visit Amazon and search for Farida Kotochi Adam, where the paperback and Kindle formats of Aleena are both available.
Notes to the editor
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