A FANTASY novel more than 30 years in the making has finally become available after its author opted to publish the story himself.


Nigel Upson, of Tiree Ave-nue, St Peter’s, Worcester, has released Aviatha’s King-doms via the e-Reader Kindle after originally putting pen to paper in 1978 while a pupil at Dyson Perrins CE Acad-emy in Malvern.


In the intervening years, it has found numerous incarnations and the 48-year-old said the final version took three years and several re-writes to complete.


Self-publication has allow-ed Mr Upson the flexibility to prepare, edit and format the book himself, as well as de-signing and creating its cover.


He said: “I have always wanted to get the story into print but I didn’t have the means until I had my first home computer in 2000. I spent many hours late at night and into the early hours of the morning getting it onto a hard drive.


“The story and characters have always been around in the background for me since I first wrote it in 1978 and after it first arrived on paper in full in 1982 the story and the characters have taken many twists and turns since then.”


Set in the Dark Ages amid a time of bitter and bloody war, the tale begins during a battle between two kingdoms, Argostia and Vartagron, who are involved in a 1,000-year feud while being terrorised by a dragon named Aviatha.


It develops to look at an impossible passion shared by a prince and princess from either kingdom, powerful se-crets, abductions and brave quests.
Mr Upson feels it would appeal to teenagers and ad-ults alike and he is close to completing a sequel.