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BAHRAIN-based writer Merlyn D’Souza has released her first novel Unconditional Love at the tender age of 17 years, and is already writing a new book that she plans to publish by the end of the year.
The story will take the reader on a journey of resilience and healing where, in the end, love trumps adversity. Protagonists Averie and Kade have troubled pasts, which have scarred them, leading them to doubt the true existence of love. Despite their scepticism, fate brings them together, challenging their beliefs and pushing them to confront their demons. How they navigate the complexities of emotion is what Merlyn brings alive through words and a seemingly mature perspective on love and life in general.
“The book is inspired by my encounters with different people,” the young author told GulfWeekly. “Some were positive, while others were less. Witnessing how they handled love inspired the characters and relationships in the book.”
The 218-page novel took Merlyn three months to complete. The writer first developed the plot, and then created the characters. Making time for the book while also juggling school work was a challenge but the self-published author was determined to realise her dream - become a recognised writer.
“My routine involved working on the book after 10pm, since I was busy with school during the day. I had the idea for the book a while ago, but due to time constraints, it took three months to write it from start to finish,” she revealed.
The hurdles didn’t end there. Once she got done with the writing bit, Merlyn had to figure out how to get her book to readers. There were times when she felt ‘demotivated and fatigued’ but the grade 12 student of The Indian School Bahrain persisted.
“As a self-published author, I had to edit and proofread all on my own which was difficult as it required significant time and effort. I also faced difficulties with setting up a bank account due to my age, but fortunately, I was able to resolve that issue,” she noted.
Self-publishers need a bank account that they can link with Amazon to receive payments from online sales.
An excerpt from Unconditional Love reads: ‘As I looked around the hall, I noticed that every detail was exactly what I had dreamed of as a child. But how did he know? I had never told him any of it, but I did write everything down in a diary. The dream house, the fairy tale theme for the wedding hall, and everything in between. It was all just as I had wanted and as I had written in the diary as a child.’
Merlyn has many unpublished manuscripts, which she hopes to release in good time. Her past published works, under the pseudonym Blossomawe, include His Cold Regina, The Enemy’s Shadow, and Haunting Redemption, available on Wattpad, a platform for aspirant authors, readers and lovers of stories and books.
Unconditional Love has been published under ‘Merlyn R’, where the ‘R’ stands for Rebello, the young writer’s aunt’s surname.
“I used to live with my mum’s younger sister and her family and so, as a mark of respect and gratitude for all that they’ve done for me, I decided to add their name to mine for this book,” she added.
“In the coming years, I aim to persist in creating and sharing new literary works. Currently, I’m immersed in writing a new book, which I plan to release by year end. Looking ahead, my ultimate ambition is to be a recognised author,” the Hoora resident who has called Bahrain her home for the last 17 years revealed. Merlyn lives with her parents Priscilla and Wilson D’Souza
Speaking of her educational goals, Merlyn said: “I intend to pursue a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Business Administration degree first, followed by a Master’s in Business Administration. After that, I may consider starting my own business, depending on how things go.”
Unconditional Love is available on various online platforms and in bookstores, including Amazon, Bookshop.org, eBay, Alibris, Powell’s Books and AbeBooks.
