"I Dropped Out of School to Pursue My Dream as a Teen Author: After 12 Books and 1.5 Million Copies Sold, My Next Novel is My Boldest Move Yet!"

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AUTHOR Estelle Maskame took a massive risk leaving school at 17 to pursue a career in writing – but is about to publish her 12th book in 12 years.

The Peterhead-based romance writer actually started penning stories at school and had completed her first novel by just 13.

Now aged 29, her latest title All Bets Are Off is a spicy tale set in Vegas as she says her books have become racier as she gets older.

She said: “I wrote YA books and now I write adult romance. So as I’ve grown up, the books have grown up with me. I’ve put out 12 books since I started being published – and have no plans of stopping anytime soon.”

When most kids were coming home from school and sticking the telly on, Estelle was dreaming up plotlines. And she became famous online by the time she was a teen.

The best-seller said: “I’ve always had a passion for writing. From a young age, I would come home from school and I would write. I’ve always loved storytelling.

“When I was about 13, I was writing full length novels. I started posting them online, most notably on storytelling platform Wattpad. And the novels got really – they had several million hits.”

It was her online fame that saw Estelle approached by a publisher and led to her having her first book rubber-stamped by 17.

But leaving school as a teen was a huge step as the now-established writer knew how tough the industry could be.

She said: “I left school at that point and decided just to take a big risk and pursue writing.

“You always hear how it’s so difficult to make it as a full-time writer. But I had nothing to lose at that point, I was 17. If it didn’t work out, I still had time to figure out a plan B out.”

The new book sees a group of girls set off on a bachelorette trip to Vegas with the chapters flitting between the viewpoints of three main characters. The bachelors crash the weekend and drama ensues.

She said: “The Vegas setting came to me first. I’ve been to Vegas a few times and I was there last year with my partner. I thought it would be an amazing setting, just the size and scale of the place. The possibilities are endless.

“Then I wanted to write a multi point of view. I’ve never done it where there were three female main characters and you get to see all of their points of view. It was a challenge, writing their voices and making each of them stand out and stand apart.

“It is fun, it is kind of spicy and scandalous. But there are also deeper emotional themes as well.”

Fiction sales brought in more than £1billion for the first time in 2024 – and sales of hot and heavy romance books were credited for the boom.

And while book snobs may look down their nose at the genre, Estelle reckons any reading is good reading.

She said: “I think before people maybe have hidden what they read, especially the spicier romances.

“Now that people have started talking about it, it’s taken away the taboo of it.

“And there is no shame in enjoying it. I love reading spicy books. A book is a book. If you’re reading, you’re reading. It doesn’t matter what the topic is as long as it’s something you enjoy, because if you’re not enjoying it, then you’re not going to read.”

So far all of Estelle’s books have been set Stateside and she admits that she’s had a long-time obsession with the US.

But she revealed her next story will take place in Scotland – although, despite growing up in the North-East – she is struggling a bit to adjust.

Estelle, who lives with sales exec partner Craig Paterson, 27, said: “All my books have been set in America, even when I was 13 my first book was set in LA and New York. I’ve been used to having to do all the research so that’s just part of my process now.

“Growing up, America was all you saw on TV and in books. And I had an obsession with America – I wanted to live there, I even used to speak in an American accent at school. As time’s gone on, writing with the American voice feels more natural to me.

“The one I have been writing this year is actually set in Scotland – and I wonder if that’s why I’m so slow with it.

“You would think it would come more naturally. But it feels really weird writing about characters that talk too much like me.”

For now she’s excited to see how readers love her latest work – and is more than glad she took that big risk 12 years ago.

Estelle, who has sold more than 1.5million books worldwide, said: “Writing is all I’d ever wanted to do. I never thought it was actually possible but my publisher encouraged me and I just never really looked back.

“Luckily it worked out.”

• All Bets are Off from Black & White Publishing is out now