A 12-year old kid from Cloverdale is now a published author.
Grade 7 student Jade Lof recently released a 74-page book on Oct. 11. Called Bliss: A Daydream Away, the story follows the main character Bliss Lorana as she is whisked away to a magical candy world.
“I started writing this book when I was nine years old, and it took three years to publish,” Lof said in a press release issued by Surrey Schools. “Me and writing go way back – before I learned how to write, I would draw pictures of people and characters, but my earliest memory of writing is probably when I was four or five. I just loved writing on blank pieces of paper.”
According to a short overview of the book on indigo.ca, Bliss, 9, created the candy-land world called “Poptous” in her mind as she daydreamed over the years.
“One day, while exploring deep into the forest, Bliss discovers a peculiar object,” reads the short overview. “Overcome with curiosity, she finds herself transported into the enchanting world of her dreams. Meanwhile, in a nearby province, another girl named Connie longs to escape her life bound by so many rules. When she stumbles upon the same mysterious object, she is also whisked away to Poptous."
Bliss and Connie then go on adventures together where they meet unique characters and have to overcome several challenges.
"To return to the real world, they will need to rely on each other and the strength of their newfound friendship.”
Lof said the character of Bliss, in a way, is just a different version of herself.
“She’s very adventurous,” said Lof. “I felt that Bliss should have a sidekick, a best friend, so that’s how Connie came to be. They befriend all sorts of strange creatures to take down an evil villain in her childhood daydream world.”
Lof’s final version of the book is far different from her first draft. She said the book went through many revisions before she signed off on the final copy.
“I have the original manuscript at home and sometimes I look at it and go, ‘Hmm, that’s not in the book anymore.' The publishing process involves a lot of revisions – you catch mistakes or think, ‘That sentence doesn’t sound so great,’ and you go back to the publisher with changes," she explained. "It would be back and forth for a few months before moving on to the next stage of publishing.”
Although “Bliss” is her first book, it’s not the first time Lof has been published. In 2023, Lof was one of 27, and the only Canadian, chosen to be a Scholastic Kid Reporter with the international Scholastic Kids Press.
She remembers being overcome with emotion when she first found out she’d be a published author.
“I just remember being so excited getting that first letter saying, ‘Yes, we’re going to publish your book,’ and getting my first copy and holding it in my hands,” she said. “It felt so rewarding and I’m so grateful.”
Up next for Lof, she plans to write a sequel to her book as she eventually wants to turn the adventures of Bliss into a five-part series.
Published by Austin Macauley Publishers, Bliss: A Daydream Away is available at bookstores and online.
