Ivan Wilson failed the Common Entrance exam, now Secondary Entrance Assessment, so that his highest level of formal education was primary school. Yet, on April 17, 2022, he became an author with the publication of his first novel, Stella.

Wilson, 58, told Sunday Newsday he failed Common Entrance and continued to Standard Seven in primary school until he got his school leaving certificate at age 15. He said other than the Bible he is not a reader of books, nor is he a writer but he has always had ideas for books in his head.

Although there are many grammatical errors and the writing can be described as simplistic, Wilson tells an engaging story of three people and how their lives eventually entwine.

Stella is an aggressive girl from a poor family who always stood up for herself. Chris is a boy from a middle class home who grew up to be a detective. And Steven was physically and verbally abused by his father as a child.

It is primarily the story of the friendship between Stella and Chris. Though they had very different upbringings, they became best friends who were separated by distance and time but never forgot about each other. Meanwhile, Steven lived in Stella’s neighbourhood and always admired Stella’s strength but was not confident enough to speak to hear.

Years later, Stella and Steven’s paths crossed in difficult circumstances and they formed a friendship but Steven’s hangups broke that friendship and put Stella’s life in jeopardy.

[caption id="attachment_954727" align="alignnone" width="802"] Ivan Wilson says he was able to identify with his characters and their situations as he wrote his book, Stella. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]

Stella is a story about how true friendship can save lives and how abuse can destroy them.

Born in Laventille, Wilson grew up in Diego Martin and now lives in Arima.

He grew up in a single parent household with his mother and six siblings after his alcoholic father left them “to suffer.” He would notice how frustrated his mother got about their situation and he longed for a father-figure.

“Growing up I hadn’t anybody to give me any idea about life, how life’s supposed to be, how you’re supposed to go about to prosper. When you’re growing you need that guidance.”

After finishing primary school he decided to find a way to help his mother financially and she encouraged him to learn to fix cars at a nearby auto-mechanic garage.

However, at age 16, he and his mother had a misunderstanding and he left home. He fell in and out with bad company and occasionally lived on the street but he worked several jobs and learned about seven trades including body work on crashed vehicles, working with fibreglass, woodwork, construction, and building speaker boxes for companies and bands.

He credited God for steering him away from many negative situations, activities and habits.

“I went from pillar to post. Renting here, sometimes can’t afford the rent, find a next place, can’t afford the rent. But Go