Meet Roy Mahajan, an 11-year-old young Australian author whose literary journey began with a spark of imagination and a deep love for storytelling.

At just 10 years old, Roy published his debut book, ‘No Worries, Jason Will Be There’, becoming one of the youngest authors in the country. His work quickly gained recognition, earning him an interview with 2GB’s Ben Fordham and a Community Recognition Statement in Parliament by Mark Hodges, State Member for Castle Hill.

Roy’s second book, ‘Shallow Yet Deep’, is a heartfelt collection of poems that originated as a school passion project. He not only wrote but also illustrated the book, showcasing his creative versatility. His writing has been featured in Desi Australia, Bush Telegraph, and the Children’s Book Council of Australia, and his poem ‘The Story of Nature’ was published by Red Room Poetry, contributing to the Poem Forest initiative.

Roy’s commitment to social impact is evident in his decision to donate all profits from his books to Tangaroa Blue, a marine conservation charity. His third book, Owen Goes to Disneyland, was written as a personal gift for his Kindy Buddy, reflecting his generous spirit and love for storytelling.

With a growing portfolio of published works and a passion for using words to inspire and uplift, Roy continues to make his mark as a young author with a powerful voice and a heart for change.

Roy’s latest initiative is capturing the art of storytelling of his 4-year-old brother Kabir who loves to create stories from his imagination. He is working on getting this book published, making Kabir the youngest writer in Australia. This book is work in progress and will be published soon.

Roy, you were only 10 when you wrote your first book “No Worries, Jason Will Be There”. How did the story first pop into your mind?

I originally loved riddles and detective mysteries. One day a story of this boy who solves cases just randomly popped into my head. After that the story built itself with the main character Jason having a lot of similar characteristics to me.

Lots of kids like to write, but not many actually publish books. What made you think, “Yes, I want to do this”?

I wanted to share my story with the world not leave it trapped in a notebook because I knew that the only way to succeed is to try, and that’s the mindset I had with my book, I didn’t want to be the next J.K Rowling, I just wanted to share my story with the world and see where it takes me.

Your second book is full of poems that you also drew pictures for. Do you like writing stories, writing poems, or drawing more?

Like all three to be honest, but poems are especially fun because I can play with words, and illustrating makes them come alive, however I owe it all to my mum who taught me how to write amazing poems just like hers that are still inspiring me to write more poems.

You gave all the money from your books to help the ocean through Tangaroa Blue. Why is the ocean so special to you?

I always wanted to give back to the community, and I mean it just breaks my heart to see these harmed sea creatures and the unfixable damage the pollution in the sea has caused. We clean our house at the cost of theirs, which is not right. I want to take a step towards fixing that, because if I didn’t try to fix it then nobody else would either.

You’ve been on the radio, in magazines, and even mentioned in Parliament! How do you feel when so many grown-ups talk about your books?

It feels a bit unreal I mean. I’m just a kid writing stories, so it just goes to show how anything is possible from a young age, you can change the world if you want, but first you try and not be scared to fail.

Owen Goes to Disneyland was a gift for your Kindy Buddy. How did he react when you gave him the book?

He was super happy, surprised and excited. His smile made me feel like all the effort I put into writing and illustrating it was all worth it to see his reaction.

Now you’re helping your little brother Kabir publish his own stories. What’s it like being his “big brother editor”?

Honestly, it’s kind of fun. He has so many ideas, he just can’t stop talking, because the second he gets an idea, he can fill millions of pages with his unique stories which is what I like about him, and there might even be a chance that his book is bigger and longer than mine!

You sold so many books at your author events in just a few hours! How did it feel meeting kids and families who wanted to read your stories?

It felt so surreal to just see the amount of people who were not only interested but also bought my books, it just fills us with pride to see my story being read and shared by others.

If another kid picks up your books, what’s the one message you hope they learn from them?
I hope that they learn that no dream is too big and no child is too small, they can achieve anything as long as they try.

You’re only 11 and already have three books! What’s your next big dream as an author?

I want to write a long chapter book series, something exciting that kids can get lost in like Harry Potter.

If you wish to add anything else, please go ahead.

I just want kids to know that you don’t have to wait until you’re older to chase your dreams. If you start now, amazing things can happen.