North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Self-published to on-screen
‘‘It's a different kind of 'mutant sci-fi' - it's bloody, painful and gritty.’’
A Massey University graduate has sold the international screenadaptation rights to a ‘‘mutant scifi’’ novel she first self-published online.
On top of this, she has a growing list of international bookbuyers and an online fan base of nearly one million readers.
Not bad for Jessica Pawley’s first novel.
Air Born is a science-fiction novel about a group of teenagers who suddenly grow wings and learn to fly.
Pawley, who goes by the pen name J L Pawley, said since the book has been published the whole experience has been a bit surreal.
‘‘Being a published author is the only career I’ve ever wanted,’’ she said.
‘‘But several times I nearly gave up. It was my own obsession that would always bring me back.’’
The labour of love from first draft to published book has been seven years in the making.
In 2011, after a succession of rejections letters and the realisation it may take ‘‘three to 10 to never years’’ to get published, Pawley took to self-publishing.
Wattpad is like YouTube for e-books, allowing authors to ‘‘stream’’ books around the world.
Wattpad was perfect for Pawley, because it enabled her to reach and interact with her target audience of international teens.
Slowly, Pawley gathered a small but loyal fanbase around the world.
However, it wasn’t until publisher Eunoia Group saw the original Air Born manuscript on the desk of another interested editor that she got her big break and the book was published on paper.
‘‘Yup, it was that serendipitous,’’ she said.
Since then, Steam Press publishers have sold the book to international buyers in Russia, China and soon, Europe and Britain.
Screenplay adaptation rights were sold last month and producers are reportedly leaning towards an American TV show.
Pawley said she thought the secret to her success was the diversity of characters in her narrative.
‘‘The two main characters are mixed race, and there are also Ma¯ori and Chinese characters too.
‘‘I feel like teenagers really respond to that.’’
It’s a different kind of ‘‘mutant sci-fi’’, she said.
‘‘It’s bloody, gritty.’’ painful and