Tell your story in any way you see fit

Follow in the footsteps of an inspirational teacher and now author 

‘Everyone has a book in them’ is a familiar saying, but not many people ever actually write it. Not so in the case of Claremont High School’s very own Dr Salaria, whose new novel for young adults, 'Hamza and the Intergalactic Portal', has just been published on Amazon. It tells the story of 15-year-old Hamza, who unearths an apparently ancient fossil on a school trip and unknowingly unlocks a portal to another galaxy… 

Is this the first book that Dr Salaria’s written? 

‘My first book, yes,’ he says, ‘but I did author a number of peer-reviewed articles when I used to work in the pharmaceutical industry.’ 

So what prompted him to write a YA novel? 

‘A number of factors,’ explains Dr Salaria. ‘My own children (my eldest is called Hamza), my love of sci-fi and reading, alongside all the characters - students and teachers – I’ve met along my teaching journey. I think the main driver, though, was the fact that as a child, when I read sci-fi books, I never saw any names that I could identify with. This always troubled me as a kid - the under-representation of ethnic characters and authors in teens’ sci-fi fiction. This is something I'm hoping to help move along with more inclusivity and greater representation.’ 

How long did it actually take to write 'Hamza and the Intergalactic Portal'? 

‘The idea had been germinating in my mind for a number of years,’ he says, ‘but it was only last year that I actually started writing, with massive chunks getting written during the school holidays!’ 

In total, Dr Salaria worked through sixteen drafts of the novel, sharing these with trusted family members who all gave feedback, before the final draft was professionally edited. ‘Many corrections and rewrites took place during this process,’ he explains, ‘and even now that it’s published, I still think I should have omitted that part or extended this.’ 

While enjoying the writing itself and the early response from readers, Dr Salaria admits that ‘the whole marketing, publishing and selling process is very challenging’. Having decided against the traditional route of selling the book via an established publisher, who would take responsibility for all the marketing, Dr Salaria opted for self-publishing on Amazon. This allowed him to retain creative control of the novel, but did create additional work. 

‘Publishing on Amazon is a convoluted process as you need to comply with all their formatting protocols, which are very time-consuming. Once you’ve reviewed your manuscript with a "fine tooth comb” – a torturous process - and ensured it meets Amazon’s requirements, you can then upload onto their platform.’ 

But the pain appears to be worth the gain, with (at time of writing) seventy-plus books already sold worldwide, including in America. And the customer feedback makes for very positive reading: ‘Excellent fun story with great characters and language kids relate to. Bonus is the physics lessons!’ … ‘It was so refreshing to read something that was equal parts funny and gripping, and with such a modern feel to it.’ 

So what’s next? Has Dr Salaria any plans for a new book? 

‘Yes! I’ve already written the first chapter of the sequel and have an extensive plan in my mind for further development.’ 

And what advice would he give to any other aspiring authors among the Claremont community? 

‘I’d encourage anyone and everyone to write a book. Be creative and tell your story in any way you see fit. You can entwine so many things into writing: experiences, inspirations, imagination, adventures, fact or fiction. You will be surprised how much pours out once you get into the flow.’ 

Everyone has a book in them, so why not follow Dr Salaria’s inspirational lead and get yours out there… In this galaxy and beyond! 

Hamza and the Intergalactic Portal : Salaria, Shahid: Amazon.co.uk: Books