During last Saturday’s book launch, Lashika was awarded the Malaysia Book of Records title for being the Youngest Book Author in the “human world” category.
“Every Friday, since I was six, my mum and I would go for our mother-daughter dates. And every time we walked past the storybook section in the bookshop, I would ask her, ‘Will I see my book here someday?’
“And my mum always told me, ‘Of course, as long as you put your hard work into it’,” Lashika shared with FMT Lifestyle.
Those simple words made a big impression on Lashika, a student at Cempaka National School, igniting her passion to become a published author someday.
Inspired by authors like Bella Swift, JK Rowling, and Roald Dahl, Lashika embarked on her own literary journey, driven by her imagination and boosted by her love for storytelling. Lashika said she was mostly influenced by Swift’s “The Puppy Who Needed a Princess”.
Speaking about Lashika’s foray into writing, her mother Dr S Premalatha said: “When my daughter first told me she planned to write a book, I encouraged her. She’s good at writing short stories. You can give her any scenario, and she can write a story out of it.
“I know she is creative in that way. So, I encouraged her and told her that she can go very far with this.”
Premalatha said storytelling and re-enacting scenes from movies have also been a regular family activity during gatherings.
Now, with her book published, Lashika is beaming with pride and excitement.
“I feel so happy and excited. Whenever I look at the book, I smile and think to myself, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m an author’,” she exclaimed, adding that her school friends now affectionately refer to her as “Mrs Famous Book Author”.
“The Waffle Truffle Adventure”, a self-published book which Lashika completed in under a month, is about a group of friends who enter a waffle competition. The protagonist, Rose, wants to seek out the old woman in the forest, rumoured to make the best waffles.
Together with her friends Gloria, Zachary, and Tom, Rose enters the forest to uncover the truth about the old woman, who could very well turn out to be a sinister witch.
“I sketched out all of the characters first, and I planned to come up with many stories with them. I thought I should start with something sweet, like desserts. Hence waffles – a little bit of sweet, a little bit of adventure!”
When asked about the moral of “The Waffle Truffle Adventure”, Lashika said it was about the importance of being adventurous and determined in life. “If you put your mind to something, you can do it.”
Lashika, who also writes poems and aspires to be a full-time author someday, credited her family for their support throughout the writing process.
“My mum and dad gave a lot of support and guidance. My grandparents, uncle, auntie, and cousin were all very encouraging!”
Lashika said every moment of writing her debut book was joyous. She “loved the journey” of sitting next to her mother at the dining table and penning her story.
“My mum was stunned that I was able to write a book all by myself!” Lashika chuckled. “Whenever I think about it, I’m very happy and excited that I’m an author.”
Lashika is already planning her next literary adventure – a spooky summer camp tale filled with even more adventures.
And for other aspiring young authors, she offers simple yet profound advice: “Don’t write a big book first but start with short stories. Start small, and you will accomplish big things. Anyone can write a book. If you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”
‘The Waffle Truffle Adventure’ is available on Lazada and Shopee. It will hit the shelves of major bookstores nationwide soon.