Monsters, mystery and murder. Newbury College welcomed self-published author Nick Cennamo-Smith to share his story of turning fantasy into reality.
The Newbury-based crime-fantasy writer, author of the fledgling series "Mortzeel's Lost & Found," visited the Monks Lane campus to inspire students studying English and Art and Design.
With a background in animation and design and a passion for role-play games, Nick blends crime and fantasy with humour. He spoke to students about his literary process and shared his experience with independently publishing his own work.
Emma Smith, Essential Skills Teacher, said: “Having a good understanding of English helps people to express themselves, and Nick has taken this even further. I am grateful for him sharing his passion with the students and encouraging them to engage in literature.”
Art and Design students were also given the opportunity to examine the cover art and illustrations in Nick's debut book and learn about the process of good cover design from a commercial perspective.
Alison Harris, Course Leader for Art and Design, said: “The embracement of exciting new technologies is expanding the potential of the creative industries, encouraging artists, authors, musicians and others to collaborate, combining specialist skills in previously unimaginable ways and sharing the results with a global audience. As a college focused on ‘Careers, not courses’, I would like to thank Nick for inspiring our students to consider these new and emerging channels alongside traditional types of employment.”
The thrilling first instalment of Mortzeel's Lost & Found, The One-Armed Wizard, follows the young elven wizard Tal'avera as she finds herself caught up in a world of intrigue and malevolence. It is available on Amazon in either Kindle format or paperback.
Find out more about improving your language skills or exploring your own creativity.