Konomanyi becomes one of Britain’s youngest professional authors
At the age of 15, Kevin Fatoma Konomanyi is one of the youngest novelists in Britain. In 2010, he published his first novel Born 2 Rule, a historical work about the eventful life of a European King. Kevin is currently working on his second as-yet untitled novel. (Photo: Kevin Fatoma Konomanyi)
Kevin, of Sierra Leone descent, son of Mr. Andrew Konomanyi, was born in July, 1995, in Greenwich, London. He lives in Downley, Buckinghamshire, and is the eldest of three children. Kevin is currently a GCSE student of LVS (Licensed Victuallers’ School), situated in Ascot, Berkshire.
Kevin states that “it was an invaluable piece of advice from my parents which really got me going. They suggested I ask myself why I should complete the novel and what good would I want to see come out of it. Well, to start with, I felt I wanted to change the perception most people have of people of a certain race as trouble-making hoodlums. I wanted people to know that there is no correlation between skin-colour and intelligence, and I wanted to be an inspiration to all those kids out there (regardless of skin-colour) who have similar aspiration but are used to being told “you can’t”.
Another source of inspiration for Kevin is the fact that he wants to become Prime Minister of Britain in the future, and he believes achieving such a feat as writing a novel as a teenager would surely put him on track.
“One day I thought to myself, I don’t have to become a politician to help people and realised that the limits to our world are endless. Now I just want to be the best that I can be in life and hopefully inspire people to be the same.” Kevin Konomanyi
Born 2 Rule cover
Kevin received an ”undisclosed sum” for the worldwide rights to ‘Born2Rule: Memoirs of Frederick III’. His 154-page ”historical epic” chronicles the rise and fall of Robert Holstein, a fictional member of the German Royal Family, from humble beginnings as a lowly orphan to one of the world’s most powerful and respected leaders. There is even talk of a film version!
Kevin has always loved writing and telling stories. ”As I got older, writing became a passion and I realised that I wanted to do it full time. ”I’ve still got to finish my studies but, when I do, I plan to become a full-time author and, I hope, sell lots and lots of books,” he stated.
Kevin – who has no family background in writing – was inspired to write the novel by a school English assignment.
His class at St. Bernard’s Catholic School in High Wycombe was told to write a short story on a topic of their choice.
Kevin, who describes himself as an ”average teenager”, based his on the German Royal Family in the 19th-Century.
‘The Four Stages’, the story’s original title, was so good that he had trouble convincing his teacher he wrote it himself.
Given the feedback he received, his parents sent the story to a leading literary agent in London, who said in an email: ”My advice is that you give this story the time and space it deserves and develop it in a full-length novel, which I’m looking forward to reading…”
”I jumped at the chance,” he said. ”The original short story was only 3,000 words in length, so it needed lots of work.
”I worked on weekends, after school and even, at times, at the back of the classroom!’
Once the manuscript was completed, Kevin sent it to the same literary agent – who signed him on the spot.
Within weeks, the publisher Pneuma Springs Publishing offered him a contract. The story has also been passed to movie producers, who are ”seriously considering” adapting it for the big screen.
Kevin, who is already working on a sequel, said: ”I’m just over the moon. This is a dream come true, and I can’t wait to see what the public and reviewers think.”
A spokesman for Pneuma Springs Publishing said: ”We were really impressed when we read the story.
”He has created a brilliant book – it’s got pace, great historical characters, and a real sense of adventure which leaves the reader wanting to know more. He is a remarkable talent and definitely a writer to watch.”
You can follow Kevin Konomanyi’s achievements on his website at http://www.kevin-konomanyi.com
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