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Teen author take readers on a journey of romance and adventure

A local teenager is one of the newest writers to add her name the list of published authors. At just 19-years-old, Cassandra Beck has released her first novel, The Golden Pearl. "I've always had a passion for writing.
Cassandra Beck, 19, just published her first novel, The Golden Pearl.
Cassandra Beck, 19, just published her first novel, The Golden Pearl.

A local teenager is one of the newest writers to add her name the list of published authors.

At just 19-years-old, Cassandra Beck has released her first novel, The Golden Pearl.

"I've always had a passion for writing. Grade 1 was the year I really learned how to read and instantly loved it. I wanted to make something with my own name on it," said Beck. "It's a little overwhelming, but definitely exciting. I just hope everyone enjoys it."

Beck is a Bonnyville Centralized High School alumni and lives in the MD of Bonnyville near Ardmore.

Coming in at 330 pages, The Golden Pearl is a project she started working on when she was 16-year-old while still in school.

"I wrote it mostly in the middle of the night, sometimes even two o'clock in the morning. Trying to balance school, sports, and work, it was difficult."

After close to two years of writing, by the time she was 18, Beck had finished the novel and was ready to move onto the publishing process. Opting to use the self-published route, The Golden Pearl was approved for printing by Archway Publishing, a baby company of Simon & Schuster.

"It's kind of difficult," Beck said of getting published. "There were several times where they could have rejected it, but it got accepted all the way through. It was really exciting."

The Golden Pearl is a young adult fiction book filled with romance and action. It follows the adventures of a princess who, on her 17th birthday, is chosen to be the keeper of her galaxy's life source: a golden pearl. However when she's banished to Earth for being declared a sorceress, there is someone else looking to possess that pearl as well. It's up to the young princess to do everything in her power to keep it safe, and save everyone she loves.

"So far, everyone's read it in a day and a half and said they couldn't put it down, so that's really encouraging," expressed Beck, adding that even people outside of the 'young adult' demographic have taken a liking to the tale.

"I've had a few elders read the book too and they really liked it."

After she woke one morning and "decided she was going to write a book," Beck explained her biggest obstacle, was transitioning writing from her hobby to a profession.

"Deciding whether or not it was a good idea, if I could actually do it or not. It was mostly just a hobby but then I decided to go for it."

Along with learning a lot about grammar, going through the process to publishing confirmed to Beck that writing is something she loves to do. Though currently working full-time as a cake decorator, the young author is hoping to focus more on her writing.

"I'm hoping one day to be a full-time author, but time will tell," she noted.

It's a goal that she's well on her way to accomplishing. With one novel already in the books, Beck has started working on the sequel to The Golden Pearl, which she plans on making into a trilogy. The second book is planned for release at the beginning of 2018. To branch out, the local author is also working on a separate novel, a drama.

The Golden Pearl is available for purchase online as a hard cover or e-book from Indigo, Amazon, Kobo, eBook and Archway Publishing. Beck is also hoping to hold a book signing in May at the Bonnyville library.

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