Saint Andrew’s Junior Publishes First Novel

Saint Andrew’s School’s Bryce Boshell ’27 has turned a dream he began at age nine into reality with the publication of his debut novel, Madagascar Marauders: Pursuit of Precious Plunder, released on April 24.

Now 16, Bryce finished writing the book at age 15, a process that began years earlier when his mother recognized his love for storytelling, whether through drawing or short stories, and connected him with a creative writing mentor. Meeting several times a week one summer, the pair quickly clicked. “It was about telling a story,” Bryce explained, “Once I created characters, I was able to build a world around them.”

That world became Madagascar. Inspired by his lifelong interest in nature and a documentary he had seen about the island, Bryce populated his story with creatures from Madagascar’s diverse landscape. The book even came to life visually, thanks to illustrations he saw in one of his visual art classes at Saint Andrew’s School that were created by Jessie Jordan, an artist based in Madagascar whom Bryce connected with through his art teacher, Ms. Kelsey Roy '07.

For Bryce, writing is both a discipline and a joy. He balances his work with school and varsity basketball, often using every spare moment at school to get homework assignments finished so he can devote evenings and weekends to writing. Time at his family’s ranch in central Florida is especially productive, where he often loses himself in the process, sometimes writing until dawn. Another interesting fact is that half the book was written with pen and paper. “I love the feeling of handwriting, but editing is easier on the computer.”

The day he held the finished book in his hands was unforgettable. “I’d always carried around pages of handwritten notes, so the heft wasn’t new,” he said. “But seeing the glossy cover and the artwork, I was very pleased.”

Publishing with the self-publishing company Mindstir Media gave Bryce a team of editors and designers to guide the process. The positive reactions since publication have been encouraging. Friends were surprised, family friends have eagerly read the story, and Bryce already has two ideas for his next project.

He’s not stopping here. “There are so many more books coming,” Bryce said. While he’s considering studying writing in college, he knows he can also continue to pursue his passion independently.

Bryce’s story reflects this year’s school theme of purpose – a nine-year-old’s idea that grew into a finished novel through commitment, creativity, and perseverance.

Madagascar Marauders: Pursuit of Precious Plunder is available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Click here to read the story published in the Boca Raton Observer this past summer.