Interview with Alan David Pritchard, Author of The Pebble Champion
Some stories entertain us. Others stay with us long after we’ve turned the final page. The Pebble Champion by Alan David Pritchard is one of those unforgettable novels.
Award-winning and celebrated for its heartfelt storytelling, The Pebble Champion follows Christopher Elliot, a young man whose world is shattered by tragedy, forcing him to leave everything familiar behind. As he begins a new life on the Isle of Wight, Christopher embarks on a deeply personal journey of healing, self-discovery, friendship, love, and finding the courage to embrace who he truly is.
Praised by readers and critics alike for its emotional depth, authentic characters, and beautifully crafted prose, the novel has earned multiple honors, including Best Book at the Miracle Makers International Film and Writers’ Festival and finalist recognition in several prestigious literary awards.
Today, we’re delighted to welcome author Alan David Pritchard to discuss the inspiration behind The Pebble Champion, the themes that shaped the story, his writing journey, and what he hopes readers will take away from Christopher’s remarkable adventure.
Alan, thank you for joining us. We’re excited to learn more about you and the story behind this extraordinary novel.
❖ PERSONAL JOURNEY & INSPIRATION
Congratulations on the recognition The Pebble Champion has received, including winning Best Book at the Miracle Makers International Film and Writers’ Festival. What has that journey been like for you as an author?
Thank you. It’s been an incredible journey.
The Pebble Champion really began in 1984 when I first wrote it as a short story. I then put it aside until 1999, when I decided it deserved to become a novel. It took another thirteen years before I found a publisher, and those years were filled with constant rejections. Eventually an independent publisher saw something special in the manuscript, and it was first published in 2013.
When that publishing contract ended, I wanted greater control over how the book was marketed and promoted, so I republished it independently through Amazon Kindle. Since then, it has gone on to receive awards around the world, which has been tremendously rewarding.
The story has also been adapted into a screenplay, and that adaptation has won numerous international screenplay awards. Looking back, it’s been a journey spanning more than thirty years, and one that has taught me that perseverance really does matter.
What first inspired you to write Christopher Elliot’s story, and when did you know this was a novel you had to tell?
Christopher’s story was inspired by the death of my own mother when I was fourteen.
I was an avid reader at the time, but I couldn’t find books that dealt honestly with grief or showed young people how to cope with such a profound loss. Writing the original short story in 1984 became my own way of processing those emotions.
Years later, after becoming a teacher, I realised there still weren’t many novels that addressed grief in a direct and compassionate way. That’s when I knew Christopher’s story needed to become a full novel.
Writing in the first person allowed me to experience the journey alongside him, almost minute by minute, as he tried to make sense of the biggest loss of his life.
Christopher experiences tremendous loss at such a young age. How did you approach writing grief in a way that feels authentic and compassionate?
The emotion in the novel comes from personal experience.
Having lost my own mother at a young age, I wasn’t trying to imagine what grief might feel like. I was writing from memories of emotions I had already experienced. That allowed me to approach Christopher’s journey honestly rather than dramatically.
I also wanted readers to understand that grief isn’t a straight line. There are moments of darkness, moments of hope, moments of anger, and moments of acceptance. Christopher experiences all of those because that’s how grief often unfolds in real life.
Ultimately, I wanted readers to see that although grief changes us, it doesn’t have to define us forever.
The Isle of Wight becomes much more than just a setting—it almost feels like another character. What drew you to this location, and why was it the perfect backdrop for Christopher’s journey?
The Isle of Wight became the setting after I moved there in the early 2000s. I was immediately struck by both its natural beauty and the warmth of the people who lived there.
Originally, the novel simply referred to “the city” and “the coast.” It was actually my publisher who suggested giving the story a specific time and place.
By then I had moved from London to the Isle of Wight myself, so it felt completely natural to make Christopher’s journey mirror that move.
I also liked the symbolism. Christopher is taken away from everything familiar and transported to an island, literally separated from his old life. That physical journey reflects the emotional journey he’s about to undertake as he learns to heal.
Skimming stones and competing to become “The Pebble Champion” serves as both a pastime and a powerful metaphor. What does pebble skipping symbolize to you?
It goes back to my childhood in Cape Town, South Africa.
I spent countless hours on the beach skimming stones across the water. Like Christopher, I’d imagine I was competing against everyone else in the world, even if my pebble only skipped four or five times.
That childhood memory stayed with me.
For me, pebble skimming symbolises imagination, hope, and letting go. Throughout the novel Christopher has to decide which memories he needs to hold onto and which he needs to release. The pebbles become a quiet metaphor for that process.
Christopher is navigating both personal loss and discovering his identity. How important was it for you to portray LGBTQ+ representation through an honest and relatable coming-of-age story?
That was extremely important to me.
I never wanted Christopher to become a stereotype or for the novel to be defined simply as a coming-out story. I wanted him to be seen first as a normal teenager dealing with extraordinary circumstances.
His sexuality is part of who he is, but it isn’t the whole story.
As Christopher learns to accept his grief, he also learns to accept himself. The kindness, friendship and support he finds on the Isle of Wight help him realise that being true to yourself isn’t something to fear.
I wanted readers from every background to connect with Christopher, because grief, love, friendship and self-acceptance are universal experiences.
Were any of the characters inspired by real people or experiences from your own life?
The emotional journey certainly was.
Christopher’s feelings about grief and aspects of discovering his identity were drawn from my own experiences growing up.
The individual characters, however, are fictional.
That said, Auntie Wendy was definitely inspired by my own Auntie Wendy, who is every bit as vibrant, warm and full of life as the character in the novel. I wanted to capture her wonderful spirit on the page.
Many readers have commented on the emotional depth of your writing. How do you balance heartbreaking moments with hope and resilience?
When you’re writing about grief or identity, there are naturally going to be moments of heartbreak.
Christopher experiences difficult dreams, painful memories and periods where life feels overwhelming. But I never wanted readers to feel that the darkness was the destination.
The novel is really about showing that love, friendship and family can help us through even the hardest experiences.
Christopher’s developing relationship with his father, Marmaduke, becomes one of the sources of strength that enables him to move forward. For me, hope is what gives the difficult moments their meaning.
Which scene was the most emotionally challenging for you to write, and why?
Probably the confrontation between Christopher and Marmaduke near the end of the novel.
That scene had to carry a tremendous amount of emotional weight, and I knew it couldn’t become melodramatic or filled with clichés.
Finding the right balance took time because that conversation represents a turning point for both characters. I wanted it to feel earned and truthful, allowing forgiveness and understanding to emerge naturally rather than being forced.
Was there a particular character who surprised you while writing the novel?
Yes, Thane.
I loved writing him.
Although he has difficulties of his own, he approaches life with optimism, humour and generosity. Christopher often experiences moments of emotional darkness, and Thane becomes the person who helps lift him back into the light.
In many ways, writing Thane brought me as much joy as I hoped he would bring Christopher.
🦋 Forgiveness, Healing, and Self-Discovery
Themes of forgiveness, healing, and self-discovery run throughout the story. Which message do you hope readers carry with them after finishing the final page?
More than anything, I hope readers come away believing that no matter how difficult life becomes, we all possess the strength to overcome extraordinary challenges.
The Pebble Champion isn’t really a coming-out story. It’s the story of a young person learning to cope with the devastating loss of his mother, reconnecting with a father he barely knows, and discovering that healing is possible through love, friendship and acceptance.
Life can be incredibly difficult at times, but there is also so much to be grateful for. I hope readers finish the novel feeling uplifted and reassured that, even in our darkest moments, hope is never beyond our reach.
The novel has received praise for handling sensitive topics with tenderness. Did you conduct any special research while writing, or did much of the emotion come from personal observation?
I didn’t conduct any special research while writing the novel. The emotional journey comes from personal experience.
After I’d finished writing, I remember reading about the recognised stages of grief and realising that I’d naturally incorporated many of them without consciously setting out to do so.
The emotions in the novel are rooted in observation, memory and lived experience rather than research. I wanted Christopher’s journey to feel genuine because those emotions were genuine to me.
What do you hope LGBTQ+ teens—and readers from every background—take away from Christopher’s journey?
I hope they come away knowing that it’s okay to be who they are.
Your sexuality is only one part of who you are. It doesn’t define your ability to love, to care for others, to make a difference or to contribute something good to the world. Those qualities come from your character.
One of Christopher’s most important realisations is that he is the product of love. We all are. We are part of a long chain of people who loved, cared and hoped for those who came after them.
To me, that’s a powerful reminder that the purpose of life is to continue that love by showing kindness, compassion and acceptance to others.
Every author has a unique writing process. What does a typical writing day look like for you?
My writing days probably aren’t as disciplined as they should be!
As well as writing creatively, I spend a great deal of time producing educational resources and teaching materials, so my day is usually broken into shorter writing sessions.
I’ll write for a while, take a walk, think about what I’ve written, then come back and continue. I’ve learned not to fight those breaks because they’re often when the best ideas arrive.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is not to keep rereading and endlessly polishing the opening chapters while I’m still writing the first draft. Get the story down first. Once you’ve reached the end, then you can begin the real craft of rewriting.
Did The Pebble Champion change you personally while you were writing it?
I’m not sure it changed me personally as much as it changed the way I viewed writing itself.
When I first started, I thought writing was all about getting the story onto the page. I now realise that’s only the beginning.
The first draft took me about six weeks to write, but the editing, rewriting, proofreading and refining took nearly two years. Surprisingly, that became my favourite part of the process. I loved returning to scenes, improving them and discovering better ways to express what I wanted to say.
I learned that writing doesn’t end with the first draft. In many ways, that’s where it truly begins.
What has been the most memorable piece of feedback you’ve received from a reader?
Any message from a reader who tells me the book genuinely affected them means a great deal to me.
One piece of feedback has stayed with me in particular. A teacher who was using The Pebble Champion with IB students told me that one of her pupils, who normally had difficulty connecting with those around him, had formed a deep connection with Christopher and his journey.
Knowing that the novel reached someone in such a meaningful way was incredibly rewarding. Moments like that remind you why stories matter.
If The Pebble Champion were adapted for film or television, who would be your dream director or creative team?
The Pebble Champion has already been adapted into an award-winning screenplay, so naturally I’d love to see it reach the screen one day. More than having a particular director in mind, I’d want someone who understands quiet, character-driven storytelling and who can capture the emotional relationship between people and the natural world.
The landscape isn’t simply a backdrop in The Pebble Champion; it’s part of Christopher’s healing journey. Finding a director with that sensitivity would matter far more to me than finding the biggest name.
What advice would you give aspiring writers who want to tell deeply personal and emotionally honest stories?
Say what you need to say.
Don’t worry about what other people might think while you’re writing your first draft. That draft belongs entirely to you. Get the story out exactly as you need to tell it.
Only afterwards should you begin thinking about the reader.
When I started revising my own work, I found myself asking different questions: How do I want the reader to feel? What do I want them to think? Is there a more powerful way to express this idea?
The first draft is for the writer. Every draft after that is for the reader.
Are you currently working on another book or creative project that readers can look forward to?
Yes.
I’m currently writing a new stage play set in post-apartheid South Africa, which is a project I’m thoroughly enjoying.
Alongside that, I’m continuing to develop educational resources, particularly materials designed to improve academic writing for second-language learners. Teaching has always been an important part of my life, so it’s rewarding to combine my passion for education with my love of writing.
Finally, if readers could remember just one thing after closing The Pebble Champion, what would you hope it would be?
I hope they remember that it’s okay to be who they are.
I also hope they remember that no matter how dark life may seem, there is always a way through. With kindness, love, friendship and hope, people are capable of overcoming far more than they often believe.
And if they finish the novel wanting to recommend it to someone else, that would make me incredibly happy. Books are meant to be read, shared and passed from one person to another. They’re at their loneliest when they sit unopened on a shelf.
If The Pebble Champion leaves readers feeling a little more hopeful than when they began, then I’ll feel I’ve achieved what I set out to do.
Alan, thank you for sharing your time and insights with us. The Pebble Champion is a moving exploration of grief, identity, resilience, and hope that has clearly touched readers around the world. We wish you continued success and look forward to seeing what stories you tell next. Happy writing!
📚Here is where t find Alan’s Book The Pebble Champion