Weymouth: Young author's fantasy novel hits bookshops

Alex enjoys writing about LGBTQ+ issues, mental health and neurodivergence

A young author with a passion for writing about fantasy is self-publishing their second book.

Alex Phillips-Hawkes from Weymouth, Dorset, began penning novellas about powerful queer female characters last year.

Following on from their debut book, published in October, the 16-year-old's second title, Trust, will be hitting bookshops in the county this week.

It will be sold in Waterstones stores in Dorchester and Bridport.

The book, which is set in a fantasy world and features a guard and a princess who fall in love, will be featured on a stand in the Young Adult section of the bookshops, according to the author.

"I was overjoyed when they agreed to stock it in stores," Alex said, adding they hoped it would help their books reach a wider audience.

Trust is the second book to be published by the young author

The teenager said they had "almost always" been writing, covering topics like LGBTQ+ issues, mental health and neurodivergence, but only began creating novels last year.

Once published, their first book, Fate: The Reason not the Blame, sold 50 hard copies around the world.

Alex will soon begin studying creative media at Weymouth College, but said they had "more books in the works".

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