From journalist to novelist: Littleton journalist publishes his first book


Chancy J. Gatlin-Anderson
Special for Colorado community media

Tabatha Deans Stewart is the former community editor of Elbert County News, a sister publication of that newspaper. And now the Littleton resident is a published novelist.

Stewart’s first book, “The Enchanted Scribe: Book One – The Gate and the Girl,” was released on November 5 through Connecticut-based Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Co. It is the result of almost a decade of work.

This is Samantha Biggers, a 13-year-old girl who with the stroke of a pen can change the direction of the future. But there are two big issues with Samantha’s incredible powers.

First, as the book says, she has no idea that she owns them. Daughter of drug addicts, Sam is the laughing stock of her small community. Her days are filled with abuse and ridicule from the teachers and students at her high school. She spends her days writing stories, wishing to be carried away, and also dreaming of being someone else.

The second problem is more dangerous. An ancient “Eraser” is sent to kill Samantha before she realizes her powers exist.

Suddenly, Sam finds herself fighting for her life and that of the world, as she struggles to harness her emerging powers and stop the Eraser from taking control of the Universal Portal. If that happens, it will allow all kinds of evil to enter this world.

In an interview, Stewart shared his enthusiasm for publishing his first novel, his writing processes and tips for new writers.

“Everyone is a writer, whether you write for fun, for some kind of fulfillment, and whether you make money or not,” she said. “There is a misconception that you have to be Dean Koontz or JK Rowling to be a writer. As long as you put it on paper, you are a writer.

How does it feel to have published your first book?

It’s incredible ! I wrote my first book when I was 13, but I didn’t really publish my first book until 53. This moment has been brewing for 40 years and it’s great to finally be able to publish a book.

How long have you been working on this book?

I first wrote it about 10 years ago and recently revisited it. Things were very different 10 years ago. I got tired of dealing with rejection letters and the submission system. The system is much better now. You can get quick answers. Back then, you had to send physical letters and wait for a response, which could take up to two months. Now, with advancements in technology, things are done much faster.

What inspired you to write this book?

Growing up, I got lost in the books. I had a very good friend who didn’t like to read, however. She really has trouble reading. I wanted her to have a book to read that she really liked. She was not a very strong reader at the time and now her son has autism. I want something for kids and teens to read that is accessible and easy. I want to write a book that the average reader can read and something for people who are not avid readers.

When do you think someone can call themselves a writer?

From the moment they put something on the page. I believe everyone is a writer. Anyone who enjoys creating and formulating ideas. As long as these thoughts are put on paper, a person can be called a writer.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to write their first book?

Just get the words out. Put them on the page by writing the most exciting scenes first. When you focus on what you can’t wait to write about, the rest falls into place. Plus, never completely remove large text spaces! Put it in a separate folder. You can spend years rewriting your story and you will never be done. In general, just have fun with it.

What are the easiest and most difficult parts of your writing process?

The easiest way is to write the exciting scenes that I love. The hardest part is remembering the nuance of the story, such as the days of the week and the time of year. Sometimes I put on something in late fall and then have a scene where a character runs through a field of sunflowers, later realizing that fall is not sunflower season. I also don’t like endless editing. Every time the editor makes a change, I have to go back and reread it.

Are there any therapeutic benefits of modeling a character after someone you know?

Some of my characters are loosely based on people I know or have met throughout my life. One of the main characters, the protagonist’s assistant, is based on a woman who I became friends with years ago and who has since passed away. Sometimes when I meet new people I like to ask, “If I had to give a character your name, what would their name be?” “

What are your future writing projects?

I will write the second book in this series. I would also like to finish the other three half-written manuscripts lying around.

You can find Tabatha Deans Stewart on Instagram at instagram.com/tabathadeansstewart and read more about her work at tabathadeans.com. You can find Stewart’s book at tinyurl.com/BNEnchantedScribe and tinyurl.com/AmazonEnchantedScribe.


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