Literacy fuels page-turner

 

 

Books are never written without inspiration. International best-selling authors such as Maya Angelou, J.K. Rowling and Stephen King were all roused by something in the development of their books.

However, inspiration alone is never enough to carry a pen across paper, or fingers across a keyboard.

Reggie Cuyler Jr., 22, a Florida State University public administration graduate student from Orlando, produced a manuscript that turned into a novel “Plight of the Savage” during his freshman year.

“While working at the educational building, Solution Skills, I never would have thought that this manuscript would become a book, so the process of publication was unexpected,” Cuyler said.

Word of Cuyler’s manuscript began to spread and, soon enough, Cuyler’s boss discovered what all the hype was about.

Cuyler’s boss put him in contact with the president of Solution Skills, Randy Vickers, who read the manuscript and decided to publish it through SokheChapke Publishing, Inc., in February 2009.

Cuyler’s parents were never writers, but this did not stop him from pursuing his passion. His potential for writing was finally realized.

“I had no idea that I could write at a professional level until I wrote a research paper titled ‘Shocking Reality,’ my freshman year,” Cuyler said of his paper that was published into FSU’s English composition book “On Writing: A Process Reader.” “My teacher read the paper, sent it to the dean, and the dean published it.”

The desire for Cuyler to write was strong, but he didn’t want to write just anything.

Cuyler wanted to frame entertainment and education, while “getting straight to the point.”

“I wanted to write something that was entertaining, because many books take a while to get to the interesting part,” Cuyler said. “Literature is the most powerful medium for people.”

Cuyler said “Plight of the Savage” is a mixture of all the qualities of action and conciseness, appealing to young adults, aged 17-35. Cuyler said this group is programmed to watch television, surf the web and neglect reading. The novel is focused on the effects of a failed relationship and the seemingly endless pursuit of an off-limits person.

“I wanted to inspire our people to read and experience life enrichment through the form of literature,” Cuyler said.

Cuyler wanted “‘Plight of the Savage'” to be fun and informative while encouraging moral values at the same time.

Cuyler’s goal was not to write a book. He was a marketing student with the business program at FSU. As he stretched himself past business into SGA and his fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, he gained  momentum and discovered the purpose of his book.

“Literature liberates one from the constraints of reality, and releases the mind’s greatest elation,” Cuyler said. “The release was very candid, and I didn’t understand how much of a big deal it was. I truly felt like an author.”

“Plight of the Savage” has sold 450 copies in 11 different states. Cuyler’s next book is “Dances with Deception.”

“Writing is something that I’m passionate about, and I see myself doing it for the rest of my life,” Cuyler said.

One local fan commented on Cuyler’s success on Amazon in making a fun, entertaining novel.

“Though I had plenty of other school-related reading to conquer, I couldn’t put down “‘Plight of the Savage.'”