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The aspiring author hopes to continue campaigning against the world of false advertising.

Gavrael Vaughan is only eight but he already knows what he wants in life - to live alone with a few cats for company and to write books for a living.
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Gavrael Vaughan is only eight but he already knows what he wants in life - to live alone with a few cats for company and to write books for a living.

Earlier this month, The Free Press received a handwritten letter in the mail from the precocious Fernie boy, whose favourite tool is his pen. If you haven’t already read the letter, check out the January 10 edition of The Free Press and turn to page six.

The aspiring author hopes to continue campaigning against the world of false advertising through letters to the press.

“I decided to do it because I don’t want people to get a ripoff,” said Gavrael, who goes by “Gav”.

Vaughan was inspired to write about false advertising after watching a video in his elementary school class called Buy Me That Too.

In this video it showed some of the tricks that companies use to promote a product. Gavrael also has firsthand experience of expensive products breaking after only a short time.

“My brother X (Xavier), he had VR goggles and the remote control just doesn’t work on it at all,” he explained.

Very rarely do the Vaughans visit a fast food restaurant but when they do, Gavrael is always the first to point out how poorly made the toys are.

“If he does get a toy… he’s always just like, ‘this is going to break in an hour’,” said dad Todd.

In addition to several letters, the youth has written and bound three of his own books. Unfortunately these are not yet for sale.

“I was actually thinking of being an author,” said Gavrael when asked what his future holds.

“I heard about authors and I like reading books and writing, so I was like ‘oh, maybe I could make books and then give them to the Fernie publishing office’,” he added.

Xavier said that his brother has always been creative.

“Sometimes he can be annoying, no offense, but he’s really creative in a bunch of different ways,” said Xavier. “He’s really good at art, he’s good at writing, he is good at video games. He’s really good at school, math and science, and stuff and just really, really creative.”

Gavrael smiled and nodded as his brother spoke, adding, “especially Minecraft”.

For months Gavrael has been anticipating the day he could send a letter into the local newspaper. To start off the new year, the two brothers worked together to find the address for The Free Press and mail Gavrael’s letter off together.

“He’s really passionate about writing,” said mom Laura.

“He says he’s not going to be married, he’s going to live alone, he’s going to have cats and he’s going to write - that’s going to be his thing,” added Todd.

“He’s pretty focused, especially for an eight-year-old,” said Laura.

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Phil McLachlan

About the Author: Phil McLachlan

Phil McLachlan is the editor at the Penticton Western News. He served as the reporter, and eventually editor of The Free Press newspaper in Fernie.
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