Pluto Belt

by Benjamin Stahl

"Every boy should remember that he is in reality just what he is when alone in the dark"- Boy Scouts Handbook, 1911.

This is to be my first novel; a coming-of-age story about childhood, innocence and hardship. In a rural town in Australia's Blue Mountains, a group of children face their own unique challenges as the end of their childhood draws near. As they come to grips with sexuality, parental expectations and the fear of loss, the world itself begins to change around them.

Their greatest hardship will be faced together though. When they set out on a fateful cub-scouts camp in the bush, they will have to come home shaped as adults, if they come back home at all.

Unknown Binding

About the author

I'm a voracious reader and occasional, poorly disciplined writer whose worst enemies are himself and probably YouTube. I was generally indifferent to books until I was nineteen, when the irrepressible agony of unrequited love drove me into other worlds. I fell in love with horror novels, then grew into Victorian literature, and find myself these days being mostly interested in Christianity, Islam and non-fiction (let's say of the "secular" kind, as my religious scrupulousness will not permit me to risk sounding like I draw a broad distinction between religion and non-fiction).

I am one of those people who is genuinely interested in chatting about books with others. In fact, this hobby goes so far that I even actually really like checking my friends' book comparisons, to see which books I love that they hate, I hate that they love, what we both love together, etc. etc.

My reviews, if you ever see them (they tend not to be high up on any page), are all over the place. I'd like to say I feel the urge to turn in something decent occasionally, but mostly I just jot down my thoughts quickly and move on. In other words, many of my reviews are probably terrible.

Otherwise, some random things perhaps worth saying about myself: I'm a married man with an amazing wife and a crazy little boy, I'm a proud Australian (although I was born in England), I'm a faithful and practicing Catholic (though I wish I were a better one), and I'm obsessed with sharks, Islamic culture, and ghosts among other things. When I should be focussed wholly on my studies, I have taken up learning Arabic instead. Politically speaking, I am generally conservative, though far from a hardcore right-winger - as my tastes in political reading would hopefully demonstrate. And I guess I'll leave it there.


LINKS TO MY COMPLETED WORKS:

Kitty Flew Away https://www.wattpad.com/story/2099986...

Everything is Fine in St. Louis https://www.wattpad.com/story/2100426...

Confessions of a Wattpad Author https://www.wattpad.com/story/2267554...

The Old Games https://www.wattpad.com/story/2146205...


Oh, and I make music in a one-man pop/rock band of sorts. I have about one fan, and that, quite sadly, is yours truly. What can I say? My songs help me get through life. If you're feeling charitable, feel free to check them out:

https://www.wattpad.com/story/2176496...