Perry Hall Teenage Book Author Inspires Seven Oaks

's literary efforts aren't confined to just one book at a time.

"I'm working on about three books right now," she told a group of fifth-graders in the library on Friday.

Students were audibly impressed.

Denisch, only about seven years older than most of her audience, has already published her first children's novel, "Jack the Clown" with Tate Publishing & Enterprises. It is sold on Amazon.

But outside her work as a budding author, the senior insists she leads a fairly normal life, doing schoolwork and preparing for college. She said she expects to study creative writing at Roanoke College this upcoming fall.

A student asked her if it was hard writing books.

"It's a lot harder to get it published than to write," Denisch said. "You work with editors. I had to rewrite the ending to 'Jack the Clown' three times."

When another student asked why she didn't start her own publishing company to get around the process, she responded, "All right guys, when you're teenagers and you write books, I'll publish them."

Students cheered and one boy shouted that was how he was going to "make money."

After meeting Denisch, fifth-grader Chiamaka Ibe said she'd like to be an author someday too.

"I liked hearing her because she's young. It was interesting," she said.

Do you know a local teenager doing something extraordinary? Tell us in the comments.