My First Novel

 My plans for publishing my books go as back as five years ago. When I was eleven, some of my friends and I just tore off several pages from our books and began to write a little short story when our teacher was away. Since I was the only one who spoke and used English on a regular basis, all of us wrote in Sinhala. 

Anyway, the teacher came a while later, so we stop.

*Chapter closed*

*Some weeks later/probably a weekend - I can't remember*

_a forward - to make you aware of the fact that I'm very messy at packing and unpacking_

I was suddenly aware that my eldest sister was  squealing her head off over something. When I went into the room, my school books are all over the place - on tables, chairs, and beds. (Here's the side that no one knows of me: I'm very, very, hopelessly messy - and I'm proud enough to say that.)

And In her hand, she held some sheets of A5 paper - carbon-inked with my unneat, ever changing handwriting.

If I was pale, I would've said that I went red in the face. But as I'm not, I'll just say that I went hot in the face. 

"Give it back!"

"No! It's cuuuute!" My sister said. "I'm gonna translate this!"

And in this manner, my writing was forming words. That's how my first ever short story - The Rose - came to be. She did several changes, but she couldn't finish it, because she had her A/L's the following year. So I picked up from where she left off and when I was twelve, my first story was done. 

But we could publish it. The reasons are as follows:

1. In 2016 my sister had her A/L's
2. 2017 was uneventful but the ending was bad (like 10000000000*)
3. 2018&2019 we were literally broke
4. 2020 I'm having my O/L's

That's right.  I'm writing all this to you when I should actually be spending my time studying.

But I didn't give up writing. Now it's not just short stories, but poetry, novels, and full fledged worldbuilding. 

But I needed the push. I needed to make sure that there'll be a worth for all the things that I write. And I couldn't wait. (Here's the second point that no one knows about me other than my immediate family: I'm very, very, very impatient - and I'm proud enough to admit it.)

So I began to search for opportunities to publish my book in the traditional method. After all, the past two years left us pretty broke. I couldn't ask money from my parents. Besides, the Rupee value of the dollar is climbing. 

I of course knew about Amazon, but I never dared to use it. That is until my father said yes. (Third fact that no one knows about me: I've never done anything without my parents knowing it.)

And now I'm officially a novelist!! (But no one's bought my book.)

About 1.5 months ago, I published my first novel - the first book of  a science fiction trilogy. 

Well here we are! I guess no one'll read  it now either - no one reads my blog other than myself.