Biggleswade’s ‘Unlikely Author’ launches his first children’s book
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Dad of two Ricky Aris is proving that the biggest stories don’t always come from perfect spelling or polished sentences - sometimes they come from lived experience.
Despite daily struggles with reading, writing, and even pronouncing words, 42-year-old Ricky Aris from Biggleswade has just launched his debut children’s book under the aptly chosen pen name The Unlikely Author.
The Power of the Poster is a story of resilience, centred on belief, confidence, and learning to keep going when things feel stacked against you - values that sit at the heart of The Unlikely Author’s work.
And instead of letting fear of failure stop him, Ricky decided to use them to inspire him.
“I can’t actually read the books I’ve written,” he admits. “I’ve struggled with reading and writing my whole life – and I still do. But that’s exactly why these books exist.”
The Power of the Poster: The Footballer is the first book in a heartfelt and ambitious trilogy aimed at children aged seven to 14. Across the series, young characters face self-doubt, setbacks, and moments of failure, but learn the importance of persistence, resilience, and self-belief.
A former pupil at Edward Peake Middle School and later Stratton Upper School, Ricky struggled at school. Often labelled rebellious or lazy, he left school at 16 to work in construction.
But after becoming a dad, he realised he had an unexpected gift for storytelling.
“Telling my kids made-up bedtime stories – because I couldn’t read very well – is really what inspired me to become The Unlikely Author,” he says.
“I want kids to know that just because something feels hard, or because you don’t fit the mould, it doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. You really can become anything. I’m living proof of that.”
And he says there are already early discussions about adapting the trilogy into a television series, a dream scenario for the Unlikely Author.
“This isn’t about being perfect,” Ricky says. “It’s about turning up every day, doing your best, and not giving up on yourself, even when things feel impossible.”
The Power of the Poster: The Footballer, is available on Amazon from today (January 30), in paperback and eBook formats.
You can buy it here.