Teen writes worthy coming of age book

By Kathryn Reed

Writing a coming of age book is no easy feat. Writing a book with the main character as the opposite sex is not easy. Writing compelling dialogue and description — again, not easy.

Heather E. Pauly was able to do all of the above in “Changing Strides.”

And while many authors have accomplished what Pauly has done, a key difference is their age. Pauly is 16.

The teenager draws on her experience of living in Yerington and riding horses to create a story about a troubled 14-year-old boy who was sent away for the summer to live and work on his uncle’s ranch.

And while a veteran writer clearly did not write this, one with vision wrote it. The plot is compelling and believable.

There are sections that could have been developed more and where tighter editing would have helped the final outcome.

Still, Pauly has all the ingredients in the book to want to keep reading it.

If Pauly keeps writing, she will be an author many will want to read.