By Kaitlyn Smith
Tega Cay, South Carolina is known for a variety of things, from its beautiful Lake Wylie views and green faraways to its excellence in both police force and academics, but one thing we don’t hear much about is its celebrities. Insert Helena Cirian, a self-publishing teenage author from Tega Cay, SC who wrote, edited, and marketed her own book at the age of just 17. Don’t believe me? Look up Hope’s Warrior on Amazon and you’ll see that her novel is not only available for purchase but also has a 4.6-star review!
Cirian’s Novel Hope’s Warrior follows a girl named Eylin, who lives in a society where it’s uncommon for women to have jobs outside the home. However, Eyelin has larger ambitions and decides to defend her city alongside other warriors at the cost of rejection by her family. This book dives into the struggles women have faced and the expectations society has placed upon them.
Helena first realized she wanted to be an author in 7th Grade when she wrote a short story that was published in a local anthology. “The feeling of holding a physical copy of my work was transformative, and I found that to be the moment I wanted to make the hobby into a career,” Helena said. From that point on, she began to use writing to incite change in her community, even at a young age when her voice was not heard.
In 8th Grade, Helena was hit with the idea that would change her life! She wanted to write a novel and use it to make a difference, which is where Hope’s Warrior originated from. “I was struggling to scratch out a niche for what I could do to cause change. Eylin made that possible. [She was] a manifestation of someone I would have wanted to see when I was young” Helena commented when asked what inspired her to write her book. For all of 8th Grade and into High School, Helena worked on her first ever long work of fiction, struggling to find the right balance of tension and pacing throughout the story, while maintaining her theme of acceptance and overcoming prejudice.
Following the long writing process, Helena was faced with the difficult task of editing and eventually publishing her work. Helena was innovative, though, and used Kindle Direct Publishing through Amazon to publish her work. She recalls it as “a stressful time and [she] did not know if [she] had the skillset to see it through” since this program requires authors to do all the editing, cover designing, and formatting themselves. But Helena found support in the people around her throughout her writing process, commenting “thanks to the kindness of people in my community, word spread that I was a teenage author, and I earned a good deal of support from my neighborhood.” Helena was able to bring her amazing piece of work, Hope’s Warrior, to life and reader’s hands on October 21st, 2021, while she was still a senior at Fort Mill High School.
Helena is now 19 years old and a sophomore studying Creative Writing at Oberlin College in Ohio. She still loves to write science fiction and fantasy novels and plans to release her second novel in January of 2024. This new book will continue to explore the way people treat one another through the view of a mage in a kingdom that no longer accepts magic and who is forced to join forces with a former enemy to escape the confines of a home that can no longer be identified with.
More information can be found about Helena Cirian and her novels on Amazon.com.
Helena Cirian Q’s
1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
She started writing in 7th grade until she published a story in an anthology (an outside program for young writers). I didn’t want it to be a hobby anymore. Written sci-fi and fantasy
2. How long did it take you to write your book?
Hope’s Warrior was a 2 year process (my first longer work of fiction), struggled between finding tension & longer format. Had to rewrite through 8 and 9th grade.
3. How did you get your book published (and add in your age when you did!)
Published her senior year, took a year and a half to edit. To make a good product, need understanding! Self-publishing in High School!
Kindle Direct Publishing (did everything herself, editing, formatting, title).
4. What college do you currently attend and what is your age? (My guess would be 19 but I want clarification!)
Overland Liberal College in Ohio, Studying Creative Writing
5. Give some general information about the book (synopsis, name, page number, etc)
Hope’s Warrior: a study of how people come over prejudice. Accepting people’s
Main character a girl named Eylin, in a society where its uncommon for women to have jobs outside the home. She overcomes her own struggles and everyone else’s expectations for her. Rejected by her family but wanting to do more! About 350 pages.
6. Where can readers find out more about your book?
Amazon Link & New Website
7. What inspired you to write your book?
8th Grader when first came up with the idea. She wanted to do something with her writing talent and wanted to make a difference. She felt like she couldn’t do anything as a young person. Impressive
8. Have you gotten any reviews? What did they say?
No marketing plan b/c first book! Her neighborhood was super willing to read her book and advertise it to their friends. Mostly positive!
9. Next book?
New universe/book. Coming out in the next months (January 2024). Expanding on how people treat people. Written during COVID-19, 9-month writing period. Coping mechanism for time period. A little longer than Hope’s Warrior. Dual-perspective book having to have mage’s in a world where there not expected.
