THE VOICE - Talisha Doing the 'write' thing!

16-year-old author celebrates having her first book published

She may be only 16 but Talisha Johnson has already published her first book after discovering her passion for writing at the tender age of five.

With the unforgettable title of Snow Black and the Seven Rastas, Birmingham, England, schoolgirl Talisha's debut work is a collection of short stories, some of which have been described as a 21st-century equivalent of Alice in Wonderland.

The book takes its name from one of Talisha's seven stories which is her own take on the classic fairy tale Snow White.

"Writing, to me, is more than fancy words written on a page - it's a creative part of life," said Talisha, who is currently studying for her GCSEs at Great Barr School, where she is one of the head girls.

"It allows me to express, imagine and explore, enabling my mind to think beyond the human mindset and allowing it to venture out to reach the unthinkable."

Support, encouragement

The teenager, who has her heart set on a career in journalism, thanks her parents for giving her the support and encouragement to write. A keen singer/songwriter, she has also organised a fund-raising event at her school for victims of the Haiti earthquake.

"My mum encouraged me to keep a diary from when I was five," she said. "By the time I was 11, I had an overwhelming desire to write a book but felt this was beyond me at such a young age. I thought, 'how could I possibly be like established writers like Jacqueline Wilson when I'm so young?' I felt I was only a child with a dream, but my parents kept telling me, 'you can do this'.

"It's made me realise that you can achieve your dreams. Most young people think they have to reach adulthood before they can accomplish their goal, but this is simply not true - I wrote this book at the age of 15.

Best decision

"Taking up a challenge like this is sometimes the best decision you could ever make. Often, the word 'can't' means 'shan't' and 'won't'. Saying 'I can' gives you that ability to succeed."

Talisha's mother, Esha, who is a counsellor for the children's charity Barnardo's, is a good role model as she has written poetry from an early age and published her own book a couple of years ago called My Lover, My King and I. She also organises an annual Youth Excellence Awards ceremony to recognise the budding young stars of tomorrow and the unsung heroes in the community who encourage them.

Talisha's book is available by contacting the publishers at www.graftedbydesign.co.uk