If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a debut author, it’s that writing is a balancing act between the real and the imagined. While my novel, Nathan Cartwright: Week to Remember, is not strictly fantasy, it’s not quite grounded in strict reality either. It’s a mix of both, and for me, that’s where the fun begins.
Writing the way I do gives me the chance to explore how we, as humans, interact with the world around us—and more importantly, how we imagine it to be. Reality, in all its beauty and chaos, is often more fantastical than we give it credit for. I wanted to explore this through Nathan’s eyes as he faces a week that shakes up his entire life. Some things may seem fantastical—like the almost-too-perfect relationships he finds himself tangled in—but ultimately, they all feel grounded in emotional truths that anyone can relate to.
In my writing, I try to blend fantasy-like elements with real-world struggles. The emotions and challenges Nathan faces aren’t all that different from the struggles we all encounter—figuring out who you are, navigating friendships, and coming to terms with life-changing decisions. But through the lens of what if, I was able to explore these in an amplified way. What if time itself could shift under the weight of important moments? What if we could break through the invisible barriers between who we are now and who we could become?
What I’ve realized is that the magic of blending fantasy and reality isn’t about escaping one for the other—it’s about showing how both can coexist. We don’t live in a fantasy world, but the stories we tell, the things we believe, shape the world around us. And in that sense, even the most mundane moments are filled with a kind of magic that’s waiting to be discovered.
Writing the way I do gives me the chance to explore how we, as humans, interact with the world around us—and more importantly, how we imagine it to be. Reality, in all its beauty and chaos, is often more fantastical than we give it credit for. I wanted to explore this through Nathan’s eyes as he faces a week that shakes up his entire life. Some things may seem fantastical—like the almost-too-perfect relationships he finds himself tangled in—but ultimately, they all feel grounded in emotional truths that anyone can relate to.
In my writing, I try to blend fantasy-like elements with real-world struggles. The emotions and challenges Nathan faces aren’t all that different from the struggles we all encounter—figuring out
I’m a debut author, and Nathan Cartwright: Week to Remember is my first published work. To be honest, that fact feels both surreal and overwhelming. It’s exciting to see my name on the cover of something real, but there’s also a lot of pressure—what if this is the only book I ever get to write?
The inspiration for Nathan Cartwright: Week to Remember came from a place of curiosity, but more importantly, from a need to tell a story that mattered to me. The book explores the idea that life can change in an instant. Nathan, the protagonist, has his entire world turned upside down in one week, and it’s that sense of unpredictable, fleeting time that really resonated with me.
What you’ll find in the story isn’t just about a teenager on the verge of a major life transition. It’s about us—how we process change, how we cope with challenges, and how every single decision can alter the course of our future. It’s funny how you can spend years plotting out your future, and yet, the most important moments often take place when you least expect them. I wanted to capture that.
This debut novel also pulls from my own experiences—whether it’s the ups and downs of adolescence, the complexities of relationships, or just the feeling of being caught between two worlds: the old and the new. It’s a blend of reality and possibility, much like the way we navigate life itself. It’s messy, unpredictable, but ultimately beautiful in its chaos.
Maybe Nathan Cartwright: Week to Remember will be my only published book, but I’ll always look back at the process with pride. It’s the first step in a journey that may have just begun, or it may be a chapter that closes here. Either way, it’s been a ride I’ll never forget.