Teen Dreams: Avondale Alumni Publish Young Adult Novels
TEACH Journal of Christian Education
Teen Dreams: Avondale Alumni Publish Young Adult Novels
Brenton Stacey
Avondale College of Higher Education
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Teen dreams: Avondale Alumni
publish young adult novels
Brenton Stacey
Public Relations Officer, Avondale College of Higher Education, Cooranbong, NSW
Publications by two Avondale alumni are
not only providing stock for the young adult
section of bookstores and libraries but also
promoting creativity and literacy. Trudy Adams
and Danielle Weiler, both graduates of 2007—
Danielle served as president of the class—have
published six novels between them.
Trudy promoted creativity and literacy to young
adults in Kurri Kurri at the launch of her third
novel, Broken Melody (Even Before Publishing),
this past year. She presented awards donated by
local businesses and organisations for a writing
competition she held in conjunction with the high
school. Broken Melody tells of a girl torn between
a dysfunctional past and a promising future. It
explores “the battle in a person’s mind when they
have been consistently told they are worthless,” but
it also shows “that with help and time, that battle
can be won.”
Trudy published her first novel, Desolate Beauty
(Ark House Press), in 2009. Her second, Judging
Meghan (Even Before Publishing), followed in 2010.
When she is not writing, Trudy works as the
coordinator of the Kurri Youth Centre and blogs—
her topics cover a range of issues affecting young
adults, including bullying, self-esteem and stress.
Danielle has published each of her novels—
Friendship on Fire (2011), Reckless (2013) and
Assembly of Shapes, released this year. She writes
to encourage readers “to have hope in whatever
situation they find themselves.” Some readers, she
says, find the themes tough, “but that’s life.” Her
hope is readers “focus on what they can do to help
these young adults.” Danielle is currently writing
a Christian young adult novel. Her aim: to make it
“authentic and modern without being preachy.”
Trudy and Danielle’s novels are available
through Amazon.com. TEACH
“Broken
Melody tells
of a girl torn
between a
dysfunctional
past and a
promising
future. …
“The battle
in a person’s
mind”
Trudy Adams
Danielle Weiler