Bangor student sells a book from a coursework
Jake Hugh Reece Wilson is a 17-year-old Welsh author from Rhyl, and he is studying Bachelor of Arts in Film at Bangor University.
He released only in February, the book shot into Top 100 bestsellers for Mythological Fantasy in the States within one week of its launch. The novel is an interesting account that has a preference on myths and an ‘indirect’ culture tales of Welsh.
Described as a fan of 'myth-making', he started to write his book as a university project, and he fleshed it out between October 2012 and February 2013.
Jake Wilson, author of A Boy and a Dragon and Bangor University student said: “I originally wrote a short novel chapter for a university project, which was the precursor to ‘A Boy and a Dragon’. The book has been expanded upon heavily since that first piece of prose, and at around thirty-three thousand words it is the largest piece of writing that I have produced.”
He says: “I absolutely love every bits of studying at Bangor University. It is more Welsh here than in Rhyl! And if it is not because of Bangor, I don’t think I would have written my book.”
“The concept of the dragon is of having completely alien, ugly and disgusting hybrid creature, and making it the most noble and sympathetic one. That’s what Welsh folks’ stories tell about the red dragon. I love Welsh dragon, and dragons recur in every culture…”
Talking of his plans for the future, Jake says: “I’m working on my second novel, as a successor to A Boy and a Dragon. And I hope to have it published between May and June.”
I asked Jake who he admires most in his life, and he said that Winson Spencer Churchill as to how to interact on people. Winson Churchill is the former Prime Minister in the United Kingdom from 1640 - 1945 and 1951 – 1655.
“He’s stubborn and polite, and if he wanted to do something he was going to do it. To be stubborn and polite, to confirm on what you believe, to express yourself, but not too much as so you’d be arrogant. That’s what I admire him.” Jake said.
In person, Jake is a long-haired man and sober. He said that he does not have so much social life as he wants to have three to four published books next year. He appears confident, articulate, and his manner is earnest.
He is also influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien as a writer, the author of Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. And he wants to have his work a ‘quarter or less’ of what Mr. Tolkien has accomplished.
No wonder, as this frank young lad tells me in an interview: “I don’t want to be famous. I want what I write to be famous. I want something of me will surpass me and live on until I die.”
By: Roland Andujar Adala
