Notes From Elsewhere
Five weeks from now, The Boy From Elsewhere will take its first steps into the big wide world.
Which is exciting. And strange. And currently being processed over several cups of tea, like all major life events.
This book didn’t begin as a book. It actually started as a charity writing challenge in May 2020, raising money for trans young people during lockdown. I live-streamed myself writing 26,000 words in 26 hours. I didn’t sleep. I drank far too many energy drinks.
And somewhere in that slightly feral haze, the kernel of the story that became The Boy From Elsewhere was born.
At first, I thought I was writing a comedy to entertain my Twitch audience. Then I thought maybe it was a mystery. Or a speculative puzzle. Or a series of blog posts. Over time, though, the story made its priorities clear. It wanted to be a book, then a whole series of books. And, at its core, it wanted to be about people. About connection. About what happens when kindness matters more than certainty.
I don’t think that’s a coincidence. I wrote those early pages at a moment when kindness felt both fragile and essential, and I think the book has carried a bit of that with it ever since.
Over the past few years, the story has evolved a lot. The plot got twistier. The characters got louder. The emotional core sharpened its elbows and demanded attention. What I ended up with is a story about belonging, found family, and the quiet courage it takes to choose each other when the world starts coming apart at the seams.
It’s a young adult novel, but I didn’t write it with kid gloves on. I wrote it for teenagers and adults alike who can spot nonsense a mile off, and who see kindness as a strength rather than a weakness. It’s thoughtful, tense, occasionally funny in the dark, and very invested in the idea that making room for people is a radical act.
It’s also got several authentic queer characters, and a villain called Graham. If you know, you know.
Most importantly, it’s a book I’m genuinely proud of. Not because it’s perfect, but because it became itself. Because it grew up a bit. I think we all have since 2020, really.
The Boy From Elsewhere is the first book in a series and launches on 7 February 2026. You can check out the details on my publisher’s website, and I’ll share news about the launch event soon.
But for now, I just wanted to mark the moment. Five weeks to go. The kettle’s on. The countdown has begun. And I am beyond excited.
The Boy From Elsewhere: A gripping new fiction novel by award-winning author Kestral Gaian.