Short story by LHS student to be featured in Young Writers showcase

LACONIA — It’s not every day a 15-year-old has their writing published, but at Laconia High School, a 10th grader with writing aspirations is already on the right track, with his work appearing in the U.S. Voices Annual Showcase organized by the Young Writers program.

Nolan Spears is the author of a short story called “The Creature of the Dark,” which will be included in a publication featuring writers around the country scheduled to come out next spring. Young Writers is an organization based in the United Kingdom and founded by Ian Walton, whose staff strive to have poets and writers of all ages be able to display their work.

Spears' story revolves around a group of children who are meandering through a hiking trail in the western United States called Edward’s Walk, where hikers are known to go missing. They were camping with their families during April vacation and decided to take a walk alone to explore. While they promised their parents they would be back before the sun went down, one of the children, Monty, accidentally led them off course as it was getting dark.

Another friend, Oliver, said any stories about creatures in the woods are made up to scare children about getting lost. As they tried to look for landmarks, worries of their parents punishing them overtook their fears, but there was something far more sinister lurking in the shadows.

Realizing their compass was malfunctioning, the situation was becoming more dire by the second. Then the group started to hear noises around them. It happened to be Oliver’s little brother Jon, who decided to tag along unannounced. But that wasn’t all that was out there, as the children began hearing growling noises hidden in the darkness, accompanied by glowing red eyes.

“What was attached was a sight only the devil could describe,” Spears wrote in the story.

This horrific tale of childhood horror, mixed with an entity they could barely see in the moonlight, builds tension as it dives into the unthinkable, with the creature making its move to take the kids. Spears captured the feeling of fear, mixing reality with a supernatural force, and using literary elements in his writing to keep the reader on-edge, right to the end.

Sara Dea, an English teacher at Laconia High School who has taught Spears in the past, said the Young Writers program promotes writing and publication opportunities for students. When Spears was a ninth grader, he took a seminar course which incorporated the program, and part of the class was learning how to be concise and choose words wisely when writing. Students took part in a 100-word story contest through Young Writers, and Spears was able to display his already budding writing skills.

“He is a kid who is truly a writer,” Dea said. “He turned in eight to 10 stories that he just kept churning out, and took whatever feedback I gave him to just keep getting better.”

Dea said Spears took on challenges of writing from different perspectives, or using different themes and building characters. His work was often used as a sample of what it looks like to build literary elements.

“He could easily have turned in one story for credit and called it good, but he genuinely sought out opportunities to hone his craft, and then saw each story to completion,” Dea said. “He commits himself to his passions, and he does so with a sense of balance and positivity that is delightful.”

At the start of this school year, Dea received an email from Young Writers about the annual showcase. This takes place once a year, and is far more competitive than the 100-word contest. Dea knew right away who should participate.

“I reached put to Nolan and he was really interested in it,” Dea said. “He put it all together really quickly, right at the beginning of the year in September.”

While this story enters the world of horror and the macabre, Spears said he enjoys writing in a wide range of styles. This coincides with his literary interests, saying he has an affinity for the "Harry Potter" and "Hunger Games" books, and was originally inspired by "The Railway Series," which are children’s books written by Rev. Wilbert Awdry.

“I think it was that kind of stylized writing that inspired me,” Spears said.

He has a love for literature, mainly mysteries prompting readers to wonder what direction it will go, and how it will end. This is reflective in “The Creature of the Dark,” which leaves room for interpretation.

While Spears writes for his own amusement, he has also been hard at work in his schoolwork with essays about the stage play “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry. This is about a Black family living in Chicago in the 1940s during a time of racial segregation.

Spears called it a “great honor” to be included in the compilation of stories, and also displayed humility, saying he is just one author with great material to display.

“There are a lot of writers across America that will become full-time authors someday,” Spears said. “This did come as a surprise to me, but it shows I do have a knack for writing.”

Spears doesn’t want to reveal too much, as to not set unrealistic expectations, but he does have a plan to write a novel in the future. It is a work in progress, but one he has hopes will someday come to fruition.

Dea said there is not a more deserving student for the recognition, and expressed how proud she is of him and his work.

“I have so many great things to say about Nolan, but I think it's particularly important to highlight his ambition and follow-through,” Dea said.

Dea said the Young Writers program is a great starting point for student authors, giving them a platform to allow their work to be printed. She noted Laconia schools don't get enough positive light about how unique and innovative their students are, and Spears is a shining example.

Interim Principal Mike Boyle said it is a goal of the high school staff to promote future learning pathways, and allow students to explore different ones for their next steps in life.

“Any time we have the capacity to let kids follow their passion and be creative is a great thing,” said Boyle. “We are proud of Nolan for following his dreams and passions, and this is an incredible honor for him and Laconia High School.”