Becoming a Young Author
Jennifer Knapp gets a book series published
Senior Jennifer Knapp and her book “The Chosen Few.”
February 9, 2023
Many students at school have achieved incredible accomplishments but one student has achieved a huge one. Senior Jennifer Knapp has done something that isn’t easy and that is writing a book series. Knapp was going through some life changes in her early years at Liberty and how she handled it was with writing a book called “The Chosen Few.”
The story follows a girl named Lilith Maize who has trouble fitting in. After giving up on friends and fitting in with society, her father sends her to a facility to help her deal with her problems. Once she arrives, people start acting strange and there appears to be a big secret that is being covered up. Wondering why she was truly sent there, the girl must now find out what is going on.
Knapp expressed how much she “always wanted to be an author,” and how the book was an “escape” from every change in her life. Knapp did say that the hardest part of her writing was creating the book by herself. She couldn’t find anyone with the experience to help her complete it. On top of that, dealing with writing and school was just as bad.
After spending so much time reviewing, Knapp got her book published on Aug. 12, 2022 and achieved her goal of becoming a writer. She explained that her book being published was both “weird” and a “bizarre experience” which means that it is only more special for her.
Even though she didn’t have anyone with the creative writing skills to help her with the book, she did have many people cheering her on along the way. One in particular is her friend Leilani Green. Knapp explained how Green was the “ears to all of my complaints,” saying how she was always there for her. They became close friends in marching band and became close friends. Green stated the fact that one of her friends wrote and got a book published is “unreal.”
Green said that watching the process was “really exciting” and when the book was finally published, she said that it was “just us screaming.” She truly had high hopes for Knapp saying that she “knew it would be a success,” and is very proud of how far she has come. Green has shown the most support for her friend since she has read both the first book and the second one titled “The Brother Nephus” and is currently reading the third one titled “The Broken Bonds.”
Two of her other friends, Owen Greer and Connor Velleca, both supported her as well by helping her through the process and have read the first book of the series as well. Greer stated that Knapp “worked a lot during lunches” and that she asked a lot of questions. Greer was given “bits and pieces” of the book while the process was being made and when asked about the book Greer replied by saying it was “a pretty good read.” Connor Velleca was another friend who also read the book. Velleca stated that he was “proud” of her for writing and says that it is cool to be friends with a published writer.
Friends weren’t the only people she turned to for advice. Matthew Barker, a teacher at the school, was another person who inspired her. Mr. Barker was Knapp’s AP psychology teacher and was happy to see her start writing. He expressed with true belief that he is proud of Knapp for her work.
He believes that it “takes a lot of time and effort” to write a book and that she has put in that time and effort. While he didn’t she the writing process he is still proud of her. Mr. Barker was “honored” to be her teacher and has learned something from her.
“Jenny has shown us that dreams can be obtainable if you put your heart and effort into it,” he said.
Knapp is now a senior at school and her third and final book is published. Knapp’s writing isn’t going to stop here, though. She hopes to continue writing outside of school. “I want to go to college for creative writing,” she said.
For anyone who wants to become a future student writer, work hard and never give up just like Knapp.
