A young author from Weymouth is celebrating seeing copies of their books displayed at local bookstores.

Alex Phillips-Hawkes, 16, identifies as non-binary so goes by they/them pronouns. They have pursued their love of writing by creating empowering stories about queer female characters which they have self-published.

They said: “Words have always been my way of expressing myself. I’ve never been one for talking. Writing was my way of showing emotion and that made me think I can write a story and articulate my feelings.”

Their debut book hit Fate was first released on Kindle in August 2023 and as a paperback in October 2023. The story is about a young Latina witch as she must come to terms with her troubling past while trying to find the true meaning of friendship. 

Dorset Echo:

They have a particular fondness for the fantasy genre while also exploring the challenges of navigating through adolescence, LGBT themes and mental health.

Now Alex has released their second book Trust, a romance story which is also set in a fantasy world was released on Amazon on February 14 and as a paperback.

These works are now available to buy in print in Waterstones stores in Bridport and Dorchester, which Alex describes as a surreal experience.

They added: “It’s all very dream line. I had no idea I would actually be able to get something published. LGBTQ+ themes, mental health and neurodivergence are all really important topics and I tried to include them as much as possible.”

Dorset Echo:

Alex is currently home-schooled and is set to continue their studies at Weymouth college. 

Still brimming with ideas for further novels, they hope to keep writing and publish more stories around similar topics.

Above all else, they hope readers can gravitate towards the different themes covered in the books which, while primarily directed at young adults, have also garnered an adult audience.

“I am proud that I get to share stories with people and the fact that they might help. If people are in same position as some of my characters and they relate and feel seen in them, I’m proud that I’m able to do that and help in some way.”