15-Year-Old Bethany Lunney’s Autism-Inspired Novel Set for Publication

For many individuals, the aspiration of writing a novel and subsequently achieving its publication appears to be an unattainable ambition. However, Bethany Lunney, a 15-year-old residing in Malvern, has accomplished precisely this, with her book, which draws inspiration from her personal life story, scheduled to be released for sale next year. Bethany, who is due to undertake her GCSE examinations next summer, commenced writing “If Only” at the age of 11, shortly after receiving her diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Four years later, she articulated her desire “to write a novel from the perspective of a neurodivergent teenager – by a neurodivergent teenager”. She remarked that securing publication “was always going to be the aim, but it’s just amazing when you have these dreams… and they actually start to unfold”. “If Only” recounts the narrative of two girls, one diagnosed with ASD and the other having experienced neglect and abuse at home, who develop a friendship and discover how they can provide mutual assistance. Bethany indicated that her writing inherently contains a “semi-autobiographical” element. She explained, “I wrote this because I was kind of struggling.” She further observed, “I know there’s been a few [novels about ASD], but they’ve been written by adults. So I feel like it’s really good to get that raw insight from a teenager.” Bethany hopes her novel will demonstrate to other young people with similar experiences that they are not alone. She commented, “Myself and so many other people, we just feel so misunderstood, or labelled the whole time. It can be a really frustrating thing.” “If Only” will be available for purchase from Waterstones, Foyles, and Amazon starting in February. For further updates, follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Information regarding the BBC’s approach to external linking is available.