A SCHOOLGIRL has surprised her classmates, parents and teachers by secretly writing a full-length science fiction novel.

Mia Foley Doyle, 14, a Year Nine pupil at Oxford Spires Academy, East Oxford, worked day and night to complete her book, The Rebel Forces.

And now, with the help of her school she is preparing to make the 475-page tome available as an e-book.

The teenager’s mammoth effort only came to light when a teaching assistant asked if anyone had done anything “cool” recently.

Mia surprised the class by declaring that she had written a novel.

Mia, who lives in Cowley, said: “I had the idea for ages and then there is this competition, called National Novel Writing Month, so I though I would do it then, because it was motivating.”

National Novel Writing Month, which takes place every November, challenges authors to write 50,000 words in 30 days.

Mia, who would write until 4am after finishing her homework and sometimes went on all-night writing sessions, managed to hit that target in just 25 days.

But the book was not finished, so she carried on until she had completed the work, 50 days after first putting pen to paper.

The story is set 900 years in the future and tells of fights between planets because Earth has taken people from another planet.

Mia said: “My mum thought I was ill, because I kept falling asleep in the day, but she was happy afterwards when she knew why.

“I kept my schoolwork at a good level and I slept a lot afterwards.”

The initial reviews – from her mother, teachers and friends – have been good and Mia said she would love to be a writer, although she was aware it could be an unreliable and competitive career.

She said: “It was really fun to write and it would be nice to have it as a real book one day, but a Kindle book is good too.

“It felt really good to finish.”

She is now thinking of writing a sequel to The Rebel Forces, but said she would try and keep more sensible writing hours next time.

She said: “Before, I was doing it as a surprise, but now everyone knows it doesn't need to be a secret.”

Headteacher Sue Croft has already read the first chapter and described the quality of her young pupil’s first published work as “excellent”.

She said: “It’s very sophisticated, both in terms of the idea and also the quality of language and sophistication of vocabulary and writing.

“We knew she was gifted in English, but this was a real revelation.”

The school’s writer-in-residence, Kate Clanchy, is helping to proofread the book and prepare it for publication.