14-year-old Collierville girl publishes first book

COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. — A Collierville 8th grader can now add the title “author” under her belt. Janani Prakash was just 11 years old when she penned her first title, Sedna of Hanaway. Now fast forward more than two years later, the 14-year-old is a published author.

“If there was an 8th grader that could write and publish a book, it would be Janani,” said the teen’s Agri-STEM teacher Dr. Carmen Kelsey.

Janani is at the top of her class, enrolled in all advanced and honors courses at West Collierville Middle School, and now she can add published teen author to her impressive list of accomplishments.

“I feel really proud of myself because a lot of people tell me this isn’t something most people can do, and I realize that,” she said.

Her parents, Prakash Kandasamy and Subhashini Prakash shared the role they played in the process, seeking out editors and a publisher. They express feelings of joy and fulfillment as they share in their daughter’s success.

“She puts her heart and soul into whatever she does.”

Sedna of Hanaway follows the struggle of the main character Sedna, who tries to escape a wicked empire. The story is filled with fantasy, gods, magicians and even a magic necklace.

“The person living inside the necklace used to be a really, powerful magician before he was sealed in,” Janani said.

Janani said she began writing fiction as an outlet to get away from the rigors of her daily studies and academic routine. She explained, writing as a hobby brought about inspiration and relief.

“I started writing this to escape a bit,” Janani said.

The teen implied that putting pen to pad sort of offers an alternate universe where she, the author, is ruler.

“I’d feel like the God of this world, of my book’s world because I’m the one who made everything. It does make me feel a bit powerful, and I like that,” Janani said.

Already one book in, Janani’s work is far from complete. She plans to turn this first project into a series, adding three to four more books. The teen has also started writing the first few chapters of a separate novel.

Sedna of Hanaway can be purchased in paperback for $9.99 and $2.99 on Kindle from the Amazon and Barnes and Noble websites.

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