Sitting in the high school library, former Drouin student Lyn Yeowart found her passion for books and dreamt of writing a novel.

Lyn, who now lives in Melbourne, returned to Drouin Secondary College recently to donate copies of her debut novel “The Silent Listener” and inspire a new generation of readers and writers.

“Ever since I was a student at Drouin High School and was amazed at all the books in the library, it’s been a lifelong dream,” said Lyn.

Lyn, the daughter of John and Jean Yeowart, grew up on a farm at Drouin South and attended the nearby Drouin South Primary School before Drouin High School.

After pursuing a career as a secondary school teacher, Lyn become a professional writer and editor working on anything from website copy and speeches to art programs and training manuals.

However, it wasn’t enough to quench her writing thirst.

After more than 10 years of delays, Lyn knuckled down to complete her novel dream about five years ago.

The result is literary suspense thriller “The Silent Listener” which Lyn said was attracting strong sales and positive reviews, even topping Reading’s best-selling list.

“It’s set in Gippsland but in a fictional town,” Lyn said.  “It draws heavily on my experiences of growing up on a farm in Gippsland.  The farm in the novel is the farm I grew up on, right down to the wall-hanging, the tank, the dam, the eels, the beheaded chooks, the snakes, the Dutch hoe and the waterlilies.”

She said readers could expect intrigue, mystery, crime and unexpected revelations.

“It’s full of twists and turns and I think it also demonstrates my love of language and words.”

“The Silent Listener” was published by Penguin Random House and Lyn is now working on her second novel.