Mixing together a love of dinosaurs with her own imaginary world, a St John’s girl has released her first novel.

’Dinoalya’ is an imaginative and colourful story written, illustrated and published by Keila Jones, 20.

Aimed at the younger reader, Keila’s book is set on the fictional island of Dinoalya, where humans and dinosaurs exist side by side.

The story is centred around a young girl named Vina, who feels like she doesn’t quite belong in her own world.

She is sent to a special school on the island, where she learns some surprising things about herself.

The book is something of a labour of love for Keila and having the book published marks the end of a project that she started many years ago while still at school.

’Dinoalya is something I have been thinking about and working on for a very long time,’ said Keila.

’I wrote the first draft when I was about 12.

’It all started when I was at primary school.

’I was, and still am, a huge fan of dinosaurs and I knew so much about them.

’I was the one everyone turned to when they had a question about dinosaurs.

’I also had a lot of imaginary friends when I was little and, when I grew a little older, I decided to write a book about them.’

She added: ’The first draft was only a couple of pages, but when I turned 16 I was given a laptop and I started to type up the story properly.

’I think it took about a year to get all my ideas down and written.

’Then after that I just kept adding bits to it until I finally felt like it was done.

’I would say it has taken me nearly four years to have my first book done.’

Despite the highly-fictionalised world of Dinoalya, Keila’s story contains lots of messages that younger readers would identify with, such as the main character learning about the world around her, where she is from, who she is and how she fits in to her world.

’The whole plot is based on the idea that the school, on this island, which is run by dinosaurs, is for special children who are actually half-human and half-dinosaur.

’The main character, Vina, starts off being raised in a orphanage.

’She doesn’t know who her parents are or what the island is.

’One day these strange things start to happen to her and these experts tell her that, now she is growing older, she is going to start growing claws and other dinosaur bits.

’So they send her to the special school where Vina will learn all about all of these things and about herself at the same time.’

Keila hopes that her book will eventually turn into a series of novels, and is currently looking for an on-island publisher.

She has already written a second book and is currently in the process of creating the eye-catching and vivid illustrations.

Dinoalya is available from Amazon Books or through www.lulu.com