A FORMER teacher at Teignmouth Community College has published the first in a set of children's stories.

Jason Button, 30, now a captain with the Army Education and Training Corps, wrote parts of The Ocean Tree while on tour in Iraq last year.

It became a type of therapy for the author, who used to write by torchlight in the small hours. The book follows the magical journey protagonists go on in their search for the mythical Ocean Tree. It brings together themes of spirituality, philosophy and the wonder of nature.

'I essentially used the old adage of writing about what you know, said Mr Button. 'I love surfing, travel, the sea and the myriad of creatures in it, philosophy, spirituality, history, archaeology, and environmental issues. 'By the time I sat down and thought how I could weave all these together I knew I had my story.

'It goes back to having a sense of wonder at the world. You definitely have days when you despair at the state of the world and the people in it, and I had many of these in Iraq, but there is always something to fill you up with good feelings, even if its something as simple as a sunset,' he said.

Mr Button wrote his first story at the age of nine and, after writing adult fiction, has turned his hand to children's writing. It is an outlet for his own sense of wonder at the world and also an empathy with the young mind. 'I think it's probably the teacher in me. I like trying to explain things or putting points of view across.

'Plus, I think that books at this age range are the most interesting and exciting. The transition from childhood to adult hood has to be one of the most turbulent and exciting, even if it does not seem like it at the time, and I think that the meeting of questions about the world and the discovery of some of the realities is excellent source material,' explained Mr Button.

'I think the best stories are those that entertain but also inform children or inspire them. If I thought that a child would read my book and then have a burning desire to try surfing then that would be great,' he said. The spiritual guide of one of the main characters, Michael, is a talking surfboard.

It is the voice of reason and knows more about Michael than he knows himself. The idea is akin to Obi-Wan and the emotionally-charged Skywalker. And it is brought up-to-date skilfully in this instance. The surf board is in many ways an emblem of youth and balance in both senses of the word. With a bit of discipline, Mr Button writes for an hour a day.

As an unknown author, he does not have the luxury of editors and proofreaders. All that is done by the himself. 'I do all the editing and proofreading myself and rope in any friends who are foolish enough to express an interest in what I've done.' He is completing the second and about to embark on the last of the trilogy. The book is available at most internet book stores or at http://www.authorhouse.com">www.authorhouse.com.