Postie Dan pens first fantasy tale
Dan Darbey has wrote his first novel. (d24011208)
POSTIE-by-day Dan Darbey is hoping his latest adventure will make him a household name for years to come.
Dan is recognised by children and parents alike as he makes his daily rounds through Birstall delivering bundles of post.
But once he’s hung up his red jacket and satchel, it’s to the computer to pen the latest adventures of Kazume-fuyu Tokito in his fantasy world in medieval Japan.
And his hard work has been made all the more worthwhile now that he has published his first book Prisons of Oni: Fire,
Dan, 27, started writing when he was five years old, and said it was the first thing he ever knew he was good at.
“Books was my thing,” he said.
Dan took a creative writing course while studying at Carlisle University, and since then has used his spare time to write ‘bits and bats’.
It was by chance, when his wife stumbled across his efforts, that he decided to write a novel.
Then, as more and more people heard of Prisons of Oni, the more they wanted to read it, compelling Dan to finish the title.
Now it’s complete, he has another four books in his imagination to make a five-part series, which he describes as a martial arts, fantasy epic.
Dan, who lives in Summerbridge Close, Carlinghow, said it was thanks to his job that he was able to finish the book.
“Being a postman has really helped me understand the character,” he said.
“I’d spend my mornings doing a lot of walking, carrying around a heavy sack full of letters thinking about it how must feel to be carrying a heavy load through the desert. The only difference is that children won’t be singing Postman Pat to him.”
Dan said spending all morning in the fresh air gave him the energy to spend his afternoons at the computer.
Prisons of Oni has been published through a self-printing website lulu.com.
But Dan said he was still sending his manuscript to publication houses in the hope that the series gets picked up.
He said: “A lot of people were telling me they wanted to read it, so I just thought I’d get it out there. So far I’ve had some very good feedback.”
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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