Many writers spend years of their career dedicated to publishing one of their works. Some research reflects that, on average, authors publish their first book in their late 30s or 40s.  

However, Cardinal Gibbons senior Amelie Flagler has exceeded this expectation of “average” and accomplished this goal as a teenager with the recent publication of her book, Beyond the Shadows.

After receiving encouragement from her father, Flagler self-published her book of poetic stories on Kindle Direct in June of this year, prior to entering her senior year. 

Beyond the Shadows is “a looking glass into a bunch of different perspectives in world views with specific examples, that are all kind of tied together by the thread of the human experience and emotion,” Flagler said.

The essence of the both fiction and non-fiction poems that form this book were crafted from the inspiration Flagler gained from all that she observed and experienced in her underclassmen years of high school, making the timing of publication perfect as Flagler begins closing her chapter on adolescents and concluding her high school career.

The  Struggles of High School

The transition from middle school to high school is a struggle that many students battle.

The weight carried by high schoolers is far heavier than that of middle schoolers, as grades 9-12 endure the pivotal years that serve as a precursor to adulthood.

For someone like Flagler who had been homeschooled her entire life, the change was certainly a huge adjustment. Flagler’s freshman and sophomore year were filled with new experiences, particularly social ones.

“I got to meet people and make friends, but also it was my first time really dealing with social dynamics and friendships and relationships,” said Flagler. 

Throughout Beyond the Shadows, Flagler acknowledges the difficult struggles of not only a high school student, but as a person in today’s world. She uses both fiction and non-fiction to depict some of these worldly struggles in poems such as “Confessions of a Grieving Mind,” “PTSD,” “A Memoir of a Sleepless Night,” and “Soliloquy for Rose.”

“How Would I Come Across To Them?”

With her poems carrying deep, emotional weight, Flagler was concerned about what people would think about Beyond the Shadows.

“A lot of the stories, I know what they are in my head, but for other people who don’t know me, or don’t know the situation, how would I come across to them?” Flagler said.

Due  to the dark tone of the majority of the poems, Flagler worried that readers may wonder if she or her family were in a bad place. 

However, in reality, Flagler writes about darker topics in efforts to remain so happy in reality.

“That kind of darker reality of life that most people deal with in different ways, I put to the side and put on paper, and that’s how I’m able to be so positive in my real life,” Flagler said.

In a way, Flagler stays “beyond the shadows” in her own life by choosing to look beyond the dark shade of negativities in order to focus on the light and blessings of life. 

Personal Growth

Flagler used her book as a mechanism to reflect her own growth journey.

Flagler’s favorite poem in the book is titled “Cognitive Dissonance.” This one is unique because it is actually featured twice throughout the book; it is both the first and last poem, with slight altercations made. 

Flagler wrote this about halfway through her sophomore year, but was unsure how to end it. She left it alone for about eight months, and upon revisiting the poem, she created an ending based upon the new perspective she gained from her own personal growth. “Cognitive Dissonance” is about social and emotional growth, and Flagler decided to include her newfound resilient perspective to conclude her book.

“I’m in control now, my worries won’t win

If the sea wants to drown me – –

I’ll learn how to swim.”

Each poem in “Beyond the Shadows” serves as a building block to these concluding lines and the mindset of perseverance Flagler grew to obtain.

“I, as a person, changed so much during high school, and I hope the people who read it from start-to-finish kind of see a little bit of that.” Flagler said.

Preview To What’s Next!

Flagler has just recently completed her first young adult novel. She hopes that it will be published and ready to be read in the spring.

“It is a Percy Jackson/Harry Potter kind of mold,” Flagler said. “Their abilities are all based on things that could actually happen, with a little bit of imagination mixed in.”

Until then, you can check out Beyond the Shadows in the Cardinal Gibbons library.