Airline pilot, debut author and former Mansfield engineer Tom Elliott is donating free books to schools – including the school where he learned to read and write
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Now, 18 months later and in between his day job of flying passengers around Europe, Tom has published his debut children's novel and is using profits from the first 350 sales to donate copies to schools .
Last year, Tom paid for 100 copies of the draft of Key Quest: Crossings to be sent to a number of schools to get feedback from children in his target age range of 10-14.
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Hide AdOver several months he received feedback from the students on what they liked and, more importantly, how to improve the story.
Over the next 18 months, Tom fine-tuned his story and now has published his book on Amazon.
After enjoying the experience of working with students to perfect the final draft of his novel, he is now using the profits from the first 350 sales to donate more books to schools, including De Aston School in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, here he wrote the first draft 24 years ago, as a piece of homework at the age of 12.
Topm said: “Key Quest is a fantasy adventure novel, written for readers aged 10-14 and will appeal to those who enjoyed Harry Potter and books by Philip Pullman.
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Hide Ad“It is a classic adventure story; a modern day cross between The Hobbit and The Tales of Narnia, packed full of unexpected plot twists and end of chapter cliff hangers.”
The back of the book blurb reads: “When William Winters in transported from London to Leraan, all he can remember is his name. He soon finds himself on an action packed adventure; crossing waterfalls, fighting goblins and coming face to face with an evil being not seen in centuries. As the stakes keep getting raised, William realises there is more to lose than just his life, for the fate of the world is at stake – the fate of all worlds are.”
After beginning it aged 12, he expanded it as part of his A-levels in 2003, aged 17, and revisited again in 2018, changing the name of the main character and printing it as a short booklet for his nephew - William.
In 2020, during lockdown, Tom took the opportunity to expand Key Quest into a full length fantasy novel.
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Hide AdHe contacted an artist he met whilst rock climbing in Morocco to help develop the front cover and in November 2022 he released Key Quest: Crossings.
He plans to use the profits from the first 350 copies to donate books to schools, including Welton St Mary’s Primary in Lincolnshire, where he learned to read and write, and De Aston School.
Tom, who grew up in Lincolnshire, spent a year travelling the world after completing his A-levels, before studying astrophysics at university and then spending six years working for an engineering company based in Mansfield.
However, after deciding an office job was not for him, he quit, sold his house and retrained as a pilot. When Tom is not flying, or spending time with his family, he can be found rock climbing, mountain biking, or relaxing outdoors.