Forget Harry Potter and his flock of wizards. The real wunderkind will be at BETT this year on stand PZ40, where publishers Payne-Gallway will launch Alex Richards’ second book, Basic Web Pages using Publisher 2002.
To recap, Alex, made his debut at BETT last year with Basic Web Page Creation using Word 2000. He’d created several websites of his own and given advice to friends on their projects. The local bookshops and libraries in Suffolk didn’t really have much helpful literature on the subject of websites so Alex decided to write a book - as you do when you are aged 13 and a half.
Ipswich firm Payne-Gallway signed him up and his book, one of a collection of eight on basic ICT skills, was released to much acclaim. Not to mention a page in the Daily Mirror. To date, the book has sold more than 10,000 copies, with both children and adults using it as a guide to website creation.
In November, a survey conducted by the University of Warwick for Reuters found that, contrary to popular mythology, Net users weren’t shifty, lank-haired social degenerates who spent their sad fevered lives gazing into the phosphor beyond with only an iMac, a Big Mac and Pepsi for company. On the contrary, they were likely to be more sociable, trust other people and do voluntary work than non-users. Oh, and go to church.
It’s good to be able to say that Alex falls firmly into this new stereotype, spending much of his spare time playing football and skateboardingIand writing books. He hopes to write one a year and will use any profits to keep down his student overdraft if he goes on to college. Mum Rosemary has noticed that he’s definitely got more pocket money now than he used to.
Basic Pages using Publisher 2002 employs the same format as the first book. The layout is uncluttered and a collection of cartoon characters in the margins offers tips and advice. The illustrations and simple, appropriate English should ensure that the book is successful with its target audience - children from Year 6 upwards.
The eight chapters take readers through Web design from basic page creation to pictures, sounds and animations and finally, publishing to the Web. Alex certainly makes a convincing case for using Microsoft Publisher, which is usually thought of as a desktop publishing package rather than a web-creating tool. Publisher 2002, for example, incorporates tools such as hit counters, navigation bars and electronic forms. And, as many readers will already have the package on their system, the only expense is the cost of the book.
Has success changed him? Alex doesn’t think so, nor do his parents. “Well, I don’t need to do a paper round these days,” he says, “but that’s the only real difference.”
Hard-working, polite and friendly, this teenager sounds too good be true. But if you follow football, you’ll realise something’s not right when you find he’s an Ipswich Town fan.
Hugh John
Basic Web Pages Using Publisher 2002 by Alex Richards is published by BEBCand is available from BEBC Distribution PO Box 3371, Poole, Dorset BH12 3LL
Tel: 0845 1309 200
Price: pound;5.95
Payne-Gallway’s website is at: www.payne-gallway.co.uk
Alex Richards will be on the Payne-Gallway stand PZ40 at BETT for the launch of his book on Wednesday January 9
