Author Turns School Struggles Into Hope for LGBTQ+ Teens

Wesley Roodt almost let his manuscript gather dust forever on his laptop. The 30-year-old Nelson Mandela Bay author had written a deeply personal novel about a boy grappling with his identity at a prestigious all-boys school, but he wasn't sure anyone needed to read it.

Then one evening last year, his mother sent him a link to a publishing program. The deadline was midnight, and it was already 8pm. With nothing to lose, Roodt submitted his complete manuscript just 15 minutes before time ran up.

By November, he was launching his debut novel "All the Saints" in Gqeberha. The book follows Isaac Kingston, a student at an esteemed school who struggles with his sexuality while navigating school politics and homophobia. Only later, through a college film assignment, does Kingston piece together his teenage years and accept who he truly is.

The story mirrors Roodt's own experiences at Grey High School. He started writing during Covid lockdown, turning what began as short stories into a full manuscript during his film studies at the University of Westminster.

Roodt initially wrote the book hoping to give queer teens facing similar challenges a sense of hope. "I don't want it to come across as a trauma diary," he said. "I want people to realize that through the challenges there are always highlights."

The Ripple Effect

The book has reached far beyond its intended audience. Roodt's former English teacher sent a congratulatory letter, and current students have reached out with messages of support. Parents whose children recently came out have thanked him for providing a window into what life in the closet actually feels like.

"Different people will read it for different reasons," Roodt explained. The feedback from his old school community has been overwhelmingly positive, proving what his publishers told him all along: this story is for everyone.

The book includes scenes unique to Nelson Mandela Bay, from the school grounds to life-changing drives along Sundays River. Its characters feel universal, the kind of personalities every school has in some form.

"At times the book revolves around challenging and dark themes, but the fact that I was able to write it implies that it has a happy ending," Roodt said with a laugh. "I in fact made it."

With a million more ideas bouncing around his head, Roodt hopes to share another project with the world soon.