NAMBUCCA Heads High School student Charlotte Battiston, who writes under the pen name Charlie Batt, has launched the second book in her Imagine series.

The book, ‘Imagine: A Long Winter – Part 1’ was published in print and eBook in the first week of March 2023.

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Fifteen-year-old Charlotte is a talented young woman who is on the autism spectrum.

She loves storytelling and drawing and has put her talents into writing the Imagine series, as well as creating the original covers.

The book’s synopsis states: ‘It’s the last few days of Autumn and Winter Time is imminent.

‘Charlie Neon Imagination goes on a quest to the White Land with her pal, Bucky, to find Quil, the eldest brother of a family that once had three siblings.

‘But they won’t be the only ones going.

‘When shy and broken-hearted Surviving Mind Ryan Cyan is discovered after being banished by Queen Scarlet, Charlie and Bucky decide to help him find his future’.

Having written the first book, ‘Imagine: A Wild Civilization’, which was published in December 2021, Charlotte was in flow state and completed Book 2.

Her editor was amazed to see that this second book was over 100,000 words, which is the size of a full-length adult novel.

To make it a more manageable size for junior fiction readers, Book 2 has been split into Parts 1, 2 and 3.

The second part which will be published in April 2023.

Two sentences to describe this great adventure: ‘Charlie Neon Imagination and her friends, Bucky and Surviving Mind Ryan Cyan, continue on their quest to find Quil.

‘Will they succeed despite the adventures they encounter on the way?’.

The prolific writer is currently writing the rest of the series, to be published in due course.

Beyond becoming a children’s book author, Charlotte’s work has been noticed by the education world.

Just recently in February, Charlotte’s editor, author Annie Seaton, who is also Charlotte’s Nan, was contacted by an English teacher at Arthur Phillip High School in Parramatta.

“He was seeking permission to use Charlotte’s book as an example for Year 7 students to show them that ‘young people have lots of opportunities’,” Annie told News Of The Area, adding, “‘If they do their best, there are many things they can achieve’, the teacher said.”

The class at Arthur Phillip High is creating eBooks for their projects and they are now studying Charlotte’s book.

When asked how she felt about her book being used as an example for students in another high school, Charlotte told NOTA, “I honestly feel very happy because those students will know me and see what I have achieved.

“I will be having a Zoom meeting with the class in Sydney and they will be able to ask me questions.

“I believe we are never too old, or too young or too ‘different’ to shine.

“When you believe in yourself, you can do it,” she said.

Charlotte believed in herself and has created an amazing series of print and eBooks.

She has also created the original digital covers, hand drawing the characters and settings on her iPad.

“Certainly, an inspiring achievement for a fifteen-year-old high school student,” said Annie.

By Andrea FERRARI