Keynsham carpenter spreads Hope's Truth by writing a novel

A first-time self-published writer from Keynsham has taken book shops and readers of the South West by storm, selling some 1,000 copies of his novel in just seven months.

Father-of-four, and self-employed carpenter Stuart Olds, had never written so much as a short story until he suffered a severe episode of what he would discover was bi-polar condition. The result was eco sci-fi novel Hopes Truth, which brings together his deeply held beliefs on the environment, sustainable living and the fear that greed could bring about man's downfall.

"The manic episode was the most amazing experience of my life – it gave me self-belief," says Mr Olds, 41. "It was a springboard into many ideas I'd had which went back years. Now they all fitted together perfectly. The whole book came to me in one go and I had to write it to become sane.

"Sci-fi was the tool to put across my message. I'd always had practical ideas until then, but the story was strong and the passion to write it pushed me on."

Although he was knocked back by both publishers and agents, Mrs Olds' enthusiasm and conviction in the message contained within his novel was so strong that he published it himself. He then sent it to a number of celebrities, including Stephen Fry, Prince Charles, and the actress Pauline Quirke, who wrote back to Mr Olds – saying she had found it 'an enjoyable and challenging read'.

Most Saturdays you will find him in a bookshop somewhere, plugging his work to passing shoppers, and, more often than not – achieving a sale.

"I sold 75 books in Waterstones in Fareham, which is a record for them," Mr Olds smiles. "Michael Winner sold four."

"I sit there in the shop, call people over and show them the reviews of my book. No one has heard of me and if I sat there and said nothing, no one would pay any attention."

Mr Old's approach seems to work, as an Amazon reviewer describes meeting him: "I only purchased this book to read by chance by seeing the author in Southampton Waterstones," the reviewer writes on the bookseller's website.

"I actually replaced my intended purchase (by an established author) and instead was intrigued by this guy trying to get people to buy his signed book. A wise decision, it turns out, as I could not put Hope's Truth down."

With a mind buzzing with ideas, not just in creative writing, but in civil engineering and the environment, and with radical views on life and society, Mr Olds is currently writing the sequel to Hope's Truth. He then plans to write a third in the series, before moving on to a number of other novels and children's stories.

He still hopes to see his first book taken on by a mainstream publisher and dreams of it seeing it turned into a film.

Mr Olds says: "Your confidence goes with depression and you feel nothing is achievable, but since writing the book and knowing that people love it, I feel accepted and invincible."

Hope's Truth is published by Tricorn Books at £8.99 and is available from

www.amazon.co.uk and Mr Olds will be signing copies of his book in the Galleries, Bristol on October 29