AMHERST, Ohio — Two Amherst eighth graders are taking on the children’s books industry after publishing their own book at just 13 years old and they’re thanking the pandemic for inspiring them to do it.
The unexpected reality of 2021 allowed their imagination to run wild.
During a time of uncertainty, sickness, and constant change Emma Kucbel and Katelyn Banyas’ friendship provided an escape as they grew closer.
“During the pandemic, our teacher had us doing those writing contests like I said and that’s what got us like sucked into writing together,” said Kucbel. “We wanted to keep writing it and so the crazy idea of writing a book came in my head and we were having a sleepover and I was like Kaitlyn what if we wrote a book and she was like what?”
Banyas added, “we stayed up until like midnight just thinking of the plot and thinking of names…we started ‘Expect the Unexpected’, and we fully committed.”
“They just kept at it,” said Sarah Kucbel. “Then it started, ‘mom can you help us edit can you read it’ and I started reading it and was just like how did you girls learn to write like this? This is amazing.”
The two eighth graders’ 175-page novel follows a group of friends navigating a normal school year when one of them goes missing. According to the book blurb on Amazon, “after receiving a shocking letter, they all head on a daring adventure to get their friend back discovering new secrets along the way.”
As Kucbel and Banyas’ fictional plot thickened, their reality hit a plot twist of its own. The duo explains that they started writing on March 29, 2021, when they were 11 and we finished it on Easter of 2022. A month later their book has published all thanks to a nudge from their number one fan.
“My Nana has been so excited. She’s the one that like reached out and she just thinks it’s so cool,” said Kucbel.
Banyas shared they “even dedicated the book to her.”
Like their book title, life is filled with the unexpected. However, these two friends are writing their own stories with at least 30 more ideas to they plan to bring to life.
“Our book is kind of like the rainbow after the storm,” said Kucbel.
To purchase a copy of the "Expect the Unexpected," click here.
