Brandon Hoy’s first novel may have only hit bookshelves about 10 months ago, but it’s the beginning of a deeply personal epic he’s been writing for over a decade – including his time as a student at Montgomery County Community College.

“I wrote the first draft of “Teague Wars: Phase One: Emerald X” my sophomore year in high school, when I was 16 years old,” said the 26-year-old North Wales resident. “The grammar was awful. There was no plotline. For the last 10 years, I’ve been revisiting chapters over and over again. I also started working on the second and third novel over that time as well.”

The official synopsis reads “Phoenix Reinhard lives in Luminar, one of Osiren's five great cities. These cities are rumored to be protecting religious emeralds used to lift a curse their Protectors' had cast upon them. They had been forgotten long ago until Luminar was destroyed in search of this artifact. Twelve years later, Phoenix assumes responsibility of protecting the remaining cities from those planning to collect all five. He quickly learns there is more to his religion than he ever believed.”

The dystopian, fantasy, war adventure is the result of growing up largely alone, said Hoy. The 2013 Methacton High School graduate lived in a trailer park community in Eagleville with his mom and stepdad. Drug dealing and addiction in his neighborhood at the time ran rampant. Hoy avoided spending time with kids his own age, as many of their favorite ways to pass the time included getting into trouble.

“Stereotypical stuff,” he said. “They’d throw rocks at cars, trespass, and stuff like that. So I started writing. My mom encouraged me to do so.”

Writing has always been a way for his mind to escape reality and begin to exorcise the demons of his childhood. His first story was written on folded printer paper and was about adopting his dog. Soon he had filled an entire drawer of the kitchen with stories on papers stapled together.

By the time he got to high school, Hoy had developed a love for fantasy novels like the “Percy Jackson” series and fantasy shows based on novels like “Game of Thrones.”

“I decided to write a short story to release some pent up emotions,” said Hoy. “When I started writing the precursor to Emerald X, I was just diagnosed with depression. My grandmother had passed away. She raised me. When she passed, it took a toll on everything in my life. My therapist said since I enjoy writing and it’s a good release, I should give it a shot.”

That short story was the basis for the first 10 pages of Emerald X.

“It was my first reflection on my life,” said Hoy. “I was a shy kid with an aggressive father and a passive mother. The short story ends in mayhem. There’s a massacre in the city. It gave me the release I needed. It helped me cope.”

He remembered showing the story to close friends who understood the sadness and anger he was trying to convey. Hoy said their positive reaction gave him the encouragement to pursue the story further.

After high school, Hoy felt community college was the right decision for him.

“Great opportunity, less expensive than a four-year school, and I had no real career path,” he said. “I applied to other places just to say that I got in. I was also working quite a lot. I was paying all my bills myself. I couldn’t take the leap to move to a new city. I had car loans and other bills and knew I had to stay home to pay them. Not knowing what to do, I said ‘all right, Montco is my best option.’”

At MCCC, Hoy, who graduated with an associate’s degree in Liberal Studies in 2015, incorporated many of the lessons he was learning in the classroom. In English classes, for example, he learned about the use of different plot structures and other narrative devices he would later incorporate into his story. He also pulled lessons from other classes.

“In my psychology classes, I learned about different mental illnesses. Schizophrenia, (obsessive compulsive disorder), depression, I want to make sure my books are relatable and readers connect to someone,” he said. “One of my characters is diagnosed with schizophrenia. The main character has (post-traumatic stress disorder) and anxiety. Throughout my college years, I learned something new and would incorporate it throughout the novel. TV shows love to make characters perfect but giving them flaws makes them realistic. Representation matters. In 2020, I don’t know someone who isn’t struggling with something.” 

For a while, writing the book was more or less a hobby for Hoy, not an actual career pursuit. Writing his book was one thing. Actually getting it published would be something completely different. While he would tinker with his novel, he rose through the ranks in the food service industry. By the end of his college career, he became the manager of the dining department at Shannondell at Valley Forge retirement community in Audubon.

Then a friend of his had their book published through a company in Lancaster and recommended Hoy do the same.

“It was a long process of finding an editor, getting it edited and then sending it to a publisher,” he said. “Once it was done, it was an awesome experience.”

Hoy said the book first started appearing on shelves in January and there were official release parties this past February.

“It’s been phenomenal,” he said. “So many people from Methacton, Montco, and previous jobs who showed up to support me. So many friends. It’s been an exceptional time. I stood in one spot once for five hours. People were in line 45 minutes to an hour. It was incredible.”

One event at his restaurant saw a line out the door, he said.

Since then though the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed things down. Book stores have closed their doors. Business has slowed and Hoy said he’s been reaching out to influencers on social media and other avenues to try to promote the novel as best as he can. He’s made some progress, as he has a pocket following in India, according to sales data, he said.

Locally, readers can purchase the book at the Reads and Company independent bookstore in Phoenixville and also Towne Book Center in Collegeville. Hoy said he’s working with other local retailers to begin selling copies as well.

“I’m doing what I can to spread the word,” he said.

Hoy is also working on getting the second two books in the series published. The first, “Teague Wars: Phase One: The Brotherhood” is scheduled to be released by Christmas. That will be followed by “Teague Wars: Phase One: Forgotten Light,” which is scheduled for a summer 2021 release.