Local journalist turns from fact to fiction to write his first children's book just in time for Christmas

A local freelance journalist who decided to turn his hand to writing children’s fiction has released his debut book, The Heroes of Winterville, just in time for Christmas.

Paul McElwee, 38, is more used to writing news and meeting deadlines but had always thought about writing children’s fiction. He came up with a heart-warming tale of ‘two plucky snowflakes’ that rescue Santa and save Christmas and Paul has managed to get the book to print just in time to fill children’s Christmas stockings.

Paul, who hails from Strabane but proudly calls himself ‘a quarter Derry’, said he first came up with the idea for the book in August this year.

“I had always wanted to write something and, I don’t know why, but around August time a story about snowflakes came into my head,” he said.

“I thought to myself it was a story I could make something out off; I didn’t expect it to turn into a bigger story but more ideas came to me and I just kept writing and I finished it around September. I didn’t think I would go to a publisher with it, I thought I would just keep it for myself but then I decided I would do something with it.

“I was kind of naïve sending it to a publisher because I thought they would be take a couple of days before they got back to you but then I realised it would be more like a month.

“It’s brilliant timing, I’m so glad it’s worked out how it did. I went for advice to a friend of mine, Sanna Borchert, she runs her own media business based in Berlin and has published books for various other writers.

“I sent it to her, not expecting it to be published, so that her two girls could read it and see if they liked it and if there was anything they would change about the story.

“They loved it and Sanna actually gave it to her kids’ school for the English class then she said, ‘I want to publish it for you’. I was delighted.”

Paul already has plans for a tetralogy; four books telling the tales of the mystical lands of Season Islands. The following books, having already told the story of Winterville, will tell stories of the other islands, Springton, Summer City, Autumn Falls and their inhabitants.

Paul said he has already begun work on his Springton book.

“The books represent a story from each season and I know it’s not even Christmas yet but I’ve already started on Spring – but, then again, I was thinking about snowflakes in August!” he laughed.

Paul said that he wished to thank his friend and publisher, Sanna Borchert of Sabobe Media Production Company.

“I just want to say a huge thanks to Sanna, if it wasn’t for her believing in my book – I would never have gotten this far.”

The Heroes of Winterville costs around £2.50 or €3 and is now available for download in Kindle and other e-readers and is also available on German and English Amazon sites. You can see an overview of the book on issuu.com

The audiobook will also be available in the coming days from iTunes and audible.co.uk.