HONG KONG – At just 18 years old, Dhoma Gurung is proud to have achieved her goal of becoming an author with the release of her first novel, “Almost” (published by Partridge Singapore). A mix of supernatural fantasy and young adult romance, this new book follows a young girl grappling with a secret that threatens her life and those whom she loves.

Stella is a young high school girl who does not seem to fit in. She has no trouble getting her school work done and attends social functions that her peers deem important. Deep down, however, she feels empty and alone. Everything changes when she meets Dylan and Charles who show her that she, too, can experience love in her life. Stella finds herself struggling not just with her conflicted emotions but with a secret that could change her life and future forever.

Despite its fantasy elements, “Almost” also examines real issues that teenagers face such as isolation, acceptance and self-confidence. Gurung has lent a voice to her generation and invites readers to relish the connection offered by experience.

“This story is drawn from the world we live in, the songs and movies that are trending today,” Gurung says, “It also has a bit of personal experience according to what I’ve seen in people around me and what they share about themselves. We are all connected by strong emotions and we cannot deny that.” “Almost” By Dhoma Gurung. The book is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

 Dhoma Gurung is a high school student raised in Nepal by her grandparents and educated in a boarding school for 12 years. She has spent more than seven years writing and narrating fictional stories, singing, swimming and sketching. She has two siblings and now lives with her family in Hong Kong.

Partridge Singapore is a partnership between the Penguin Group, the world’s foremost trade book publisher, and Author Solutions LLC, the industry leader in supported self-publishing, that aims to help writers in Singapore, Malaysia, and the rest of Southeast Asia become published authors. Partridge Singapore gives authors in the region direct access to a comprehensive range of expert publishing services that meet industry standards but are more accessible to the market. For more information or to publish a book, visit www.partridgepublishing.com/singapore or call 800 101 2657 (Singapore) or 1 800 81 7340 (Malaysia). For the latest, follow @PartridgeSG on Twitter.