Emma Pinto, 10, becomes published author

Most authors spend years before managing to write a book and even longer getting it published. But not 10-year-old Emma Pinto.

The young Pembroke author has already had her young adult novel “Lying Shards” published through the Studio Dreamshare Young Writers program, which is run by Doctor Cameron Montgomery. This studio offers after-school programs for creative youth in the Ottawa Valley and encourages kids to follow their dreams.

Pinto dreamed of being an author.

Despite being visually impaired, she spends most of her time reading and writing, pushing her imagination to its furthest boundaries. After school, she can usually be found typing up a storm on her iPad or tweaking a new short story.

Having her ideas published in a full novel and on printed paper is a dream come true.

At school, she has astounded her peers and teachers alike.

“Nobody believes me when I tell them that a 10-year-old wrote a book, but then I show them the proof copy,” said Pinto. “It does make me feel weird but ... maybe a little proud.”

Though writing is something that comes to her naturally, it doesn’t mean that writing a book was an easy process. It took about four months of work. Rain or shine, she made sure that she wrote two chapters every Wednesday and forced herself to write anything for at least 10 minutes regardless of how she felt that day. The book was then edited by Montgomery, who refined her novel and then published it.

She finds inspiration in the smallest of things and her surroundings can spur entire storylines; it is very important for her that her stories come to life. An interesting looking tree on her way home from school, an antique mirror at a thrift shop or a strangely coloured apple are all fair game for elements of her stories.

She is very pleased with all the support she’s received from family and friends.

“It makes me feel good,” said Pinto. “It’s very exciting to be a young author, and an author in general.

“When you see people reading your book, it makes you happy they enjoyed something you made,” she added.

As well as writing, Pinto is involved in other creative endeavours. She was part of the studio’s acting camp and was cast in Stel and the Violin.

“I’m just really, really proud of her,” said her mother Sky Pinto. “I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with.”

Her novel can be purchased on Amazon, or by contacting the author or her mother, and more information can be found on Facebook.