National Library Week Spotlight: HPU Student Authors | Library

It’s National Library Week! This is the time of year when we celebrate the library, the services offered by the library, and the people who work tirelessly to run the library and provide these services. 2024-2025 has been a special year for HPU Libraries, as two of our library assistants have successfully published their first books. Sophia Cina and Julian Sardo celebrated this year when their books, “Not Smart, Driven” and “Fire and Flames,” respectively, were published after years of hard work and dedication.

 

HPU Libraries is proud to recognize these two students for their momentous achievement. Most college students, this librarian included, are probably not thinking about writing a full-length book in addition to the rigorous demands required to complete a college degree. We recently sat down with these authors to discuss their experiences writing their first books, as well as what they have learned during this process and what they would encourage other aspiring authors to consider when writing their books. 

 

Question #1: What is your book about?

Sophia: In Not Smart, Driven, I share my life story, a testament to how sheer determination can propel you beyond the limits of natural intelligence. The first half of this memoir dives into defining moments that shaped me, including being recognized as one of the top-producing sales reps for Origami Owl, a nationwide direct sales company, and speaking on stage to inspire others. I reflect on the honor of delivering my high school graduation speech, where I recited my original poem, “High School Graduation,” to 5,000 attendees at the MGM Arena in Las Vegas. These achievements even caught the attention of Dr. Nido Qubein, President of High Point University, who invited me to speak at convocation for my incoming class. Through these various experiences, I show how grit, focus, and persistent ambition have guided me through life’s challenges. This is more than just a memoir; it’s a call to action. In the second half, I provide readers with practical lessons and insights gained from my journey. I emphasize the power of mindset, consistency, and drive to transform any obstacle into an opportunity. Not Smart, Driven is an inspiring guide for anyone ready to rewrite their own story. This book is proof that success isn’t about being the smartest person in the room; it’s about having the passion and determination to work harder than anyone else. Let my experiences motivate you to find your own path to greatness.

Julian: On the surface, Fire and Flames is about grand social change happening in a short amount of time, and how people react to it in their own ways. On a grander scale, my novel is a deep dive into the psyche of a living person, and how our best intentions might cause harm, and how our worst intentions might save someone else.

Source: Julian Sardo

 

Question #2: What inspired you to write a book while still in college?

Julian: I wasn’t necessarily inspired to write a book because I was in college; I write because I have a story to tell, a story which I want to share with as many people as I can. I plan on continuing writing after college and go on to publish many more books. There is no good time to start doing anything that someone is passionate about, so I decided to start in the present.

Sophia: What inspired me to write Not Smart, Driven was the belief that everyone holds the potential for greatness. Throughout my life, people have doubted my abilities based on how I looked or the hobbies I was involved in. To them, I may not have seemed intelligent or naturally gifted in the things I pursued. And yet, I was still able to succeed. That realization led me to something deeper. I do not believe accomplishments are solely the result of being smart. I believe they come from drive, grit, and how deeply someone desires to achieve something. I wanted to share my story with the world. I wanted others to see how I grew up, what I have faced, and what I have been able to accomplish. I first came to this understanding in high school and shared it with my family. When I got to college, my father, Charles Cina, continued to encourage and support me. His guidance helped turn the idea of writing this book into a reality.

Source: Sophia Cina

 

Question #3: What challenges did you encounter while writing this book?

Sophia: One of the biggest challenges I faced while writing this book was learning to be patient with the process. I tend to move quickly once I set my mind to something. I like to see results fast, but with a book, I had to accept that it would take time. Writing this book was already a major undertaking. Editing it was an even bigger one. Creating the perfect cover and figuring out how to publish it on Amazon came with a whole new set of obstacles. The entire process took me almost two years from start to finish, and there were certainly moments where I had to remind myself to slow down and trust the journey. Still, I truly enjoyed every second of it. This book represents so much more than just words on a page. It is an accomplishment that requires dedication, patience, and persistence. I am incredibly proud of what it became and deeply thankful for the experience.

Julian: There were many challenges to writing this book. Firstly, is that it’s my first book ever, so I had quite literally no idea what I was doing. After a lot of research into writing and writing fantasy specifically, I felt I was starting to get a grasp of it. Also, my book being nearly 500 pages, means that the amount of time I had to dedicate to the book really challenged me due to my busy academic schedule. The book went through seven total drafts, so it took a hot minute.

Source: HPU Libraries Instagram

  

Question #4: Describe your daily writing regimen when writing this book.

Julian: My daily regimen is simple. I write 1000 words a day. On average for me that’s about an hour. Some days I’m super in the zone and can pump it out in 30 minutes, and sometimes I’m in such a creative slump that it takes many hours, but in general my plan is to hit 1000 words a day.

Sophia: I started writing my book during fall break of my sophomore year in 2023. I was back home in Las Vegas, sitting in my dad’s office, where the idea really started to take shape. I remember having a meaningful conversation with my dad about my goals. We talked about who I wanted to reach with this book, what message I wanted to share, and the impact I hoped it would have. That clarity gave me direction, and from there, I outlined my chapters before I ever started writing. I didn’t have a strict daily writing routine. Instead, I wrote whenever I had free time and a clear mind. I made a lot of progress during fall break and winter break that year, but once school picked up again, I had to pause. It wasn’t until the summer that I returned to the project, and I ended up finishing most of it during fall break of my junior year in 2024. By late October, I was holding the first physical copy in my hands. This wasn’t something I rushed. I wanted it to be meaningful, honest, and thoughtfully written. Every word was chosen with care. Even though I wanted to complete it in a timely manner, I also wanted it to be something I could truly be proud of, and I am!

Source: Sophia Cina

 

Question #5: What lessons will you take with you that you learned while writing this book?

Sophia: One of the biggest lessons I learned while writing this book is that no book will ever feel completely perfect. As a new author, I found myself constantly wanting to go back and tweak something, add a little more, or reword a sentence just slightly. I kept searching for that sense of “it’s finally done,” but it never came the way I expected. My father gave me some of the best advice during this process. He told me there will always be something more I’ll want to add or adjust, but that is exactly why authors write more books. That shifted my mindset. I realized that releasing this book into the world does not mean the journey ends. It simply means a new chapter begins. I learned to let go of the idea of perfection and embrace the beauty of growth. This experience taught me that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is share your story as it is in this moment, and trust that it will continue to evolve with you.

Julian: I think my biggest lesson that I learned is that the greatest and most difficult of achievements need to be broken down into small, manageable parts. Once one part is completed, you move onto the next, and then the next, and soon you have this colossal undertaking completed.

Source: HPU Libraries Instagram

 

Question #6: What words of encouragement do you have for others who are interested in/currently writing their own books?

Sophia: My biggest word of encouragement is simple. Do not stop. Writing a book can be a slow burn, but the outcome is completely worth it. Everyone has a beautiful story to tell, and I truly believe yours matters. Please share it. A book is not just a personal accomplishment. It becomes a keepsake, a memory, and a powerful way to inspire others. If your words, stories, or insight impact even one person, that is something truly special. Keep writing. Keep being creative. Keep telling stories. I know that getting started can feel overwhelming, but it really just takes the courage to sit down and begin. Eventually, the words will come together, and everything will fall into place.

Also, do not be afraid to ask for help. Writing a book is deeply personal, but it is also a process that often involves others. There are people who inspire your story, people who support your creative ideas, people who help with editing, design, publishing, and even promoting your work. The list goes on. Let those people in. Let them support you. And most importantly, do not let fear hold you back from sharing your voice. Someone out there needs your story.

Julian: If you are interested in writing your own book, here are probably the top six pieces of advice I can give:

1. Do a ton of research about structure for your genre… It’s a lot of work but the payoff is more than worth it.
2. The first draft is intended to be garbage. Don’t worry about creating a masterpiece on your first try, that’s what the future drafts are for. Your first draft is to simply get all your ideas on the page.
3. Writing a book is a behemoth of an undertaking… So don’t get discouraged. Finishing the first draft marks about the halfway point of actually getting your book ready to be published.
4. Once your first draft is completed, do a quick revision of it, and then don’t touch it for a few months. Send it to as many people as you can to test read it and get their honest feedback. Once all your alpha readers are done reading it then you can go back and edit it with a new pair of fresh eyes.
5. For editing, do bottom-up editing. Start with big picture things like plot holes, or character arcs/changes. Sentence level grammar stuff and stylistic choices should be saved for the last pair of drafts
6. Most importantly–and I cannot stress this enough–write because you love writing and love your story. Don’t write for the prospect of money. Write because you are a human being. Art is a necessity in mankind, and when burnout strikes–because it will–keep your head high and remember why you love what you do.

Source: HPU Libraries Instagram

 

Both Not Smart, Driven and Fire and Flames are available for checkout from HPU Libraries, as well as available for purchase via Amazon. As Sophia said, everyone has a story to tell, and libraries everywhere are so excited to share in the telling. This National Library Week, check out your local library where you can read, watch or listen to the stories of countless others, or start telling your own.

-Blog post written by Bryan Nicholls, Evening Librarian