`High hopes for Sophie as the next JK Rowling
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Written by terrypratchettbooks.org
Saturday, 30 July 2005 |
icHuddersfield (UK)
SOPHIE Codman could be the next J K Rowling - at just 16 years of age.
The Mirfield Free Grammar School girl has had her first book published, a dark fantasy called Wizard: The Novice's Quest. And has two more lined up in a planned trilogy.
She will be in Ottakar's book store in Huddersfield tomorrow from two o'clock for the launch of the book and to sign copies.
Sophie realises there is a long way to go before she emulates the Harry Potter author and rakes in her first million, but it's a nice thought to be going on with.
Aultbee Publishers of Inverness have produced the book with high hopes of success. They made headlines when they published another fantasy title from a 13-year-old girl earlier this year. They launched a 50,000 print run of Emma Marie Urqhart's Dragon Tamers and say negotiations are now under way for film and foreign language deals.
Publicity brought them a deluge of manuscripts from other young hopefuls. They read the lot but offered only two contracts - one of them to Sophie.
The teenage writer is a fan of Rowling and Terry Pratchett but a bigger influence, she says, was Robert Jordan, author of the cult Wheel Of Time series. She started writing Wizard when she was 14, has completed the second part of the trilogy and is halfway through the third. She writes under the pen name of Sophie Wainwright.
All this and schoolwork, too, for Sophie does not intend to allow success to divert her from continuing her studies and going to university.
Her publisher and editor are travelling down from Inverness for the book launch tomorrow afternoon and will be bringing a little magic of their own to spice up the proceedings: a cake containing hidden coins.
Everyone who buys a book will get a piece of cake and if yours has a coin inside, you will get a goody bag.
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