Local teen pens page turner

Royalwood

St. Boniface

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This article was published 18/10/2023 (1047 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Amaani Safiya Khan has been hitting the books lately — in more ways than one.

The 17-year-old Royalwood resident just released her first self-published novel, called Dissection. The paperback was published using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing platform.

Described as a young adult dark academia novel, the story focuses on six students who, by chance, find mysterious letters inviting them to join a secret society called The Arcane, which is meant to unlock the potential of the human mind. With the help of three professors, the students learn about philosophy and psychology — but, of course, nothing is as it seems.

“The professors teach them little tricks, facts about the human mind to expand their ways of thinking. They begin to realize not everything they’re being told is true,” said Khan, who recently started her Grade 12 year at St. Boniface Diocesan High School.

“Throughout the course of things, the students get separated for different activities and assignments, and they start to form different bonds. Can they trust each other and trust other people? Ultimately, this leads to chaos in the end.”

Khan wrote the book in the summer of 2022. She said she has reading more books in the mystery/thriller genre — “with that kind of feel” — and is interested in how easily some people can be influenced.

The teen said she that, while the work is fiction, there are autobiographical elements in some of the characters.

“I think there are aspects of me in all of them,” Khan said. “All of them have insecurities, flaws, aspirations. They are also collages of people I know.”

Khan has been writing stories since she was five, she said. When she has an idea, she reaches for her phone, opens her notes app and starts fleshing things out.

“I start with an overall plot point, and don’t necessarily do things chronologically. I put the story in a way that makes sense to me.”

Khan said she didn’t have much knowledge of the publishing industry when she started the project, and she’s grateful the experience has given her some idea how the process works.

While it’s too early to say if there might be a sequel, Khan said the door could be ajar.

“It does end on a kind-of pensive note, but everything does speak for itself.”

Dissection is available on Amazon. Visit Khan on Instagram: @thatwriteroninsta, and on TikTok: @thatwriterontiktok for more information.