Billingsley School teacher and technology coordinator Wayne Martin believes books are the key to unlocking the imagination.

“While growing up as a child, I was not one that enjoyed reading,” Martin said. “As I got older, I found that it was not so bad. Books can open one’s imagination to different and exciting things and places.”

Martin’s newfound enjoyment of literature was the catalyst to writing his first book, “Dragonfly Valley,” a story of four friends, a small town, in a long time past.

The book follows four characters, Keneshia Humphries, Timo Delgado, Silvia Foo and Gary George as they encounter adventures that will forever change their lives.

Martin said the story centers on a secret that has been passed down for generations becomes revealed leading to extraordinary discoveries about the characters and life in general.

“An old book that is opened points the way to an incredible find,” Martin said. “In their possession they have a bizarre key that unlocks a strange door. This leads to a place that will forever change their lives.”

Martin said he wanted to create a book that readers would want to read and one that displayed the positive attributes of people.

Although Martin said the most challenging part of writing his debut novel was organizing his thoughts so the book would flow, he enjoyed seeing the book come from an intangible object to something he could actually see and touch.

“I hope readers will see within the story that if people work together and support each other, amazing things can happen,” Martin said.

Martin is already planning a second “Dragonfly Valley” book to go along with a series he is planning to write that should be available next fall.

Currently, his first book, “Dragonfly Valley,” is available at www.Amazon.com, www.booksamillion.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.

Martin said for anyone thinking about writing a book he would encourage them to make up their mind about writing and stick with it.

“Being tenacious in the undertaking will ensure its completion,” Martin said.