Mystery girl inspires 18-year-old author

Sam Bowyer-Frost, 18, from Haywards Heath, has just had his first novel, The Kingdom of Light published.

And one of the stars of the romantic fantasy is based on a local lass - but Sam is not revealing who.

The young author (pictured right), who studied at Wivelsfield Primary school, Chailey Secondary School and Central Sussex College, described the moment he spotted his book for sale online.

He said: “I felt quite good when I first saw it, I was just browsing the internet and saw it on Amazon and thought ‘hang on a minute, that’s my book’.

“It is a romantic fantasy with the major parts of the novel encompassing military strategy, politics and social and economic questions.”

The novel features the Heath Hill Empire, a name derived from his two home towns, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill.

Sam added: “The book is mainly about a girl I like in the local area. As much as she probably does not want to think so, the girl the princess is based on does know that I have written about her.”

He said that many of the characters are based on his friends, reflecting their intelligence, feistiness and determination. But he has decided to keep the identity of the girl who inspired the creation of his main character a secret.

The author added: “Some of the physical traits in the book are also based on some of my friends, for example the long dark brown hair and blue eyes of the princess are based on the anonymous girl.”

Sam, who works part time in Sainsbury’s in Haywards Heath, said he had not ruled out becoming a full-time writer. “I am still considering every possibility for my future and I have a notepad full of different ideas and therefore maybe it could become a career,” he said.

The plot of his first novel features the princess of The Kingdom of Light declaring independence and fighting for survival against the two greatest powers in the land.

It has been published by Authorhouse and is available at www.authorhouse.co.uk or on Amazon.