These Teen Girls Are Publishing Novels Like It’s NBD

This October brings with it two engaging new profiles of authors that give new meaning to the phrase “teen novels.” That’s because their science fiction and fantasy novels aren’t just written for young adult and teenage readers — the young authors are teenagers themselves.

In Broad Run, Virginia, 19-year-old writer Rosemary Groux released her new fantasy novel “Finding Freedom” on Septemeber 22. It’s the final novel in Groux’s Christian fantasy trilogy the Brenwyd Legacy. Already, Groux has received national praise for the first two books in her trilogy, “Finding Truth” and “Finding Secrets.”

“In the final book of the ‘Brenwyd’ trilogy, Rosemary Groux does a masterful job with the complex plot and characters to create a surprise ending,” said Dr. Gregory Hackett, a pastor who recently reviewed the book. “This would make a great movie.”

The Brenwyd trilogy weaves Arthurian legends and spiritual themes, and like the novels of C.S. Lewis, Groux’s works explore the spiritual conflict between good and evil — a common theme in fantasy novels for young readers. Currently, Groux is studying animal science at a Georgia college, but she started writing her trilogy at the young age of 14. The books are published by Believe Books and available online at Amazon.com. Groux is helping pave the way for other young authors.

“Writing a book takes courage, skill and grit,” says Scotty Sanders, Author of “Quest of the Keys.” “I am impressed that a young person would take such a bold initiative. At a time when young people are reading less, these examples may inspire others to read and even consider writing their own book.”

Then there’s 12-year-old Hannah Mullen from Mechanicsville, also in Virginia. Mullen attends Stonewall Jackson Middle School as an eighth grader, and on August 31 she published her first novel, “Experimentals.” She was just 12 years old when she decided to start writing science fiction novels for middle school students like herself.

“I wouldn’t say it was really that difficult for me, I just think I have so many stories and words inside my heart that I just need to let them out sort of like a drain,” Mullen said. The young writer believes the writing process “was kind of a release of all of the emotions that I have, because I’m a teenager and I have a lot of emotions. And you can just be somewhere else for awhile.”

“Experimentals” is also available for sale on Amazon.com.