Wylie Independent School District encourages students to explore big ideas, think creatively, and pursue their passions. For Wylie East sophomore Atharva Eleyaar, that encouragement recently led to an impressive accomplishment: publishing his own science-fiction thriller while still in high school.

Eleyaar’s novel, The Last Pulse, imagines a future where humanity is on the brink of collapse. The story follows Arin, a teenager unexpectedly chosen by a mysterious living construct that connects him to forces beyond Earth. As machines enforce an ancient judgment and civilizations crumble, Arin must navigate multiple worlds and dimensions, making choices that could determine the fate of humanity.

“It’s about three characters fighting machines that are taking over the world,” Eleyaar said. “It explores responsibility, survival, and the value of human life.”

Inspired by his love of science fiction, and particularly the work of his favorite author, Neal Shusterman, Eleyaar began writing the novel simply because he wondered if he could. That curiosity turned into a year-long journey of drafting, revising, and refining his manuscript.

While Eleyaar completed the writing independently, he credits his experience in Wylie ISD classrooms for helping shape his voice and ideas.

“My English classes helped me with writing skills and different types of writing I can use and incorporate into my book,” he said. 

Reading influential works like Night in his freshman English class introduced Eleyaar to powerful storytelling techniques and themes that influenced his own approach.

His science classes also played a key role in his writing process, especially Anna Iley’s pre-AP biology class.

“Learning about molecular structures, viruses, and evolution helped me think about how to write my aliens and bioconstructs,” Eleyaar said. “It gave me ideas for how they would function and interact.”

After completing his manuscript, Eleyaar took on the challenge of publishing. Using Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, he uploaded his work, finalized the cover design, and prepared the book for release. Within just a couple of days, The Last Pulse was live.

“I’m proud that people are buying it and enjoying it,” he said. “Even people I don’t know have reached out to say they loved the book.”

With one published book under his belt, Eleyaar isn’t slowing down. He’s already working on his next novel, Acid Dawn, a post-apocalyptic story about rebuilding society after disaster. He is also considering a return to the world of The Last Pulse with a sequel.

In a message to school leaders, his father expressed gratitude for the district's role in his son’s growth, noting that the encouragement and dedication of teachers helped nurture his son’s confidence, creativity, and passion.

The Last Pulse is available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle formats.