Photo credit: Winky LewisNoor Sager is a senior at Gorham High School who has just recently released her first book, called A Destiny Borrowed. After months and months spent writing, rewriting, editing, and marketing, it was officially published this past August.
The novel tells the story of a 19-year-old hero named Ness Willows. Ness, the savior of a fictional world called Taisen, is prophesied to end a violent rebellion, and restore peace to their kingdom.
“The initial idea was that I really wanted to write a chosen-one story,” said Sager. “There’s this kid that doesn’t know how to drive or sign papers, but they’re going to save the world. And people are just like ‘Okay, yeah, I’ll put my faith in them.’”
Sager explained that the book was supposed to be a partial metaphor for imposter syndrome. It follows someone who has a lot of weight to carry on their shoulders, which is relatable for many teenagers. The main character is expected to know what they’re doing at all times, even if they actually have no clue.
Although Sager started planning the basic outline of the book back when she was in eighth grade, she didn’t really start the process of writing it until she connected with the Telling Room a couple of years ago. The Telling Room is a writing program based in Portland that guides young people through the steps of writing and publishing a book.
“I’m really grateful to the Telling Room for giving me the opportunity to stretch my wings and grow, and for giving me a safe space to write within my comfort zone,” Sager said.
Sager will be holding a book launch at Baxter Memorial Library on Tuesday, October 11. She’s hoping to do a short reading from a few parts of “Destiny Borrowed,” then will be available to answer questions and hopefully sign copies of her book. She encourages younger people who are interested in learning more about the Telling Room to attend, as they are a great resource for anyone looking to explore their talent and build writing skills.
Meanwhile, Sager is already working on her next book. It’s in the early stages of planning, and has no real working title yet, but will take place within a new fantasy world set among floating islands in the sky. As for A Destiny Borrowed, she hints that she may not be done telling stories from that world yet either.
“A few have asked me about a sequel,” Sager said. “It’s certainly open enough for me to write a second book, and I’d love to explore the world more, so I guess we’ll just have to see.”
A Destiny Borrowed ISBN: 9781737593874 was published in 2022 by The Telling Room, and can be purchased online here.