Wiley Magnet Middle School Eighth Grader Brianna Davis recently took a big step in what looks like a promising career as an author when she published her first children’s book, “A Painter’s Journey”.
The book follows the story of a young painter who loses her inspiration after the passing of her grandmother, who taught her how to paint. With the help of a friend she meets in a dream, the painter learns to process her grief and live out her dreams.
The story is partially inspired by Davis’ own experience after losing her grandfather. While she’s wanted to publish a book for a long time, she feels “A Painter’s Journey” was the perfect story to get started with because of its uplifting outlook.
“I knew that if I ever put a book out, I wanted it to be something that made an impact on people,” Davis said. “People lose people every day, and it’s hard. I want to connect with those people and let them know that it’s going to be okay.”
Davis is part of the NC EmpowerUP Early Scribes program, a cohort of young authors from throughout the state that helped her get her story published. She’s always loved reading and writing, with a particular affinity for fantasy stories, so joining a writing collective like Early Scribes has been a great source of feedback and inspiration for her.
Angela Huntley, the founding executive director of NC EmpowerUP and the creator of Early Scribes, says Davis was already an avid writer when she joined the program, and her skills have only improved over time. She’s delighted to see Davis growing as a creator and looks forward to seeing all that she’ll achieve in the future.
“Her creativity and ability to captivate readers make her an incredible storyteller,” Huntley said. “I truly believe we’ll see a Brianna Davis novel on the bestseller list one day.”
The book had a special release event at Bookmarks in Winston-Salem earlier this month, and it’s now available to purchase online at https://breezysbooknook.wixsite.com/mysite. Davis is enjoying a bit of a celebrity moment around school, and her teachers are exceptionally proud to see her investing in her literary talents.
"Brianna is a talented young lady, and I am sure her writings will light up the world," Language Arts Teacher Tamela Payne said. "We are so honored to have her here at Wiley Magnet Middle School."
Davis is proud of herself as well, and she looks forward to telling many more of the stories on her mind. She’s grateful to her teachers, the Early Scribes program, and everyone who’s believed in her and helped her believe in herself.
“I had never seen my words printed on paper before, only on a screen, so this has been surreal,” Davis said. “It’s really inspired me to keep going. I’ll be forever grateful to all of the people who have supported me and who are going to keep supporting me on my journey.”