Andrew Van Beveren's Book "Before the Red Storm," has arrived at FHS!

Image Source: Isaiah Mosley Aviles

Andrew Van Beveren is a Franklin High School senior and has been working on developing The Drill for the past four years, which was finally, officially published in August 2024 on Amazon. The Drill is a dystopian, science-fiction novel set during the aftermath of a global nuclear disaster where the protagonist, Tom Bunker, a man struggling with intense memory loss, is kidnapped by a malicious company, Syvrin, and forced into a horrible prison work camp, known as The Drill. Throughout the story, Tom goes head-to-head with the facility's robotic security forces, known as Synthetics, along with many other dangerous threats, notably the central Antagonist, The Commander. To save himself and the ones he loves most, Tom must break free from The Drill, brave the harsh wastelands of the shattered world, and find the truth behind his forgotten memories.

Alongside his editor. Isaiah Mosley-Aviles, Van Beveren has spent countless hours reviewing, revising, and writing this book. When asked about the experience, Van Beveren reports that “Making this book has been one of the most important moments in my life. Sure it was really hard, and took lots of time, improvements, and energy, but it was absolutely worth it. From giving me a way to express myself, to inspiring me to do so many things I never thought I could do, writing The Drill has been an essential part of my life, and has shaped me to become the person I am today. I am beyond thankful for the experience, and hope more people are able to connect with the book, and get something out of it similar to my experience.” What makes Van Beveren’s story even more remarkable is his victory over his dyslexia, a reading and writing disorder, publishing the book with a word count of around 130000 words.

This book serves as the first installment in a series, known as Before the Red Storm, and is set to have three books. With the second novel set to come out in the later months of 2025. Title is yet to be revealed. The book’s management is handled by him and his editor, who organize everything from advertisement, events, and development on future projects. 

Recently, after a discussion with the librarian, The Drill is set to be a featured novel at Franklin High School’s library. A symbol of excellence found at the High School. You can find The Drill at the display case inside the Franklin High School Library and can start reading it yourself!