If the early reviews are anything to go on, Clayton Comber is about to burst onto the literary stage with the release of his book, 100 Remarkable Feats of Xander Maze.

Published by Harper Collins, the book tells the story of a list-making 15 year old who sets off to complete 100 remarkable feats for a very special cause, in a very public way.

“It is universally themed, as it is about a boy doing something for his grandmother,” says Clayton.

“While classified as young adult fiction, I think it is something that everyone can identify with.”

He says the early reviews have been humbling.

“A lot of book stores have got behind it, and I have a series of events coming up over the next few months to help publicise it.”

Clayton has always loved books and writing, with his passion seeing him follow up a MA from Sydney University with a Masters in Creative Writing from Oxford.

“I’ve written stories since I was little, but only in the last ten years has it become something that I wanted to pursue as a career,” he says.

With his partner Hannah, he set up bouquiniste in the Centrepoint Arcade (just down from his family’s optometry store) as a bookstore, café and literary hub.

“We both love books, and it was the right timing for us. Hannah has a Master of Publishing, and as well as being my first editor she is amazing at running everything.”

This includes a book club with 300 members, and a number of on-line author events.

It was through connections built via bouquiniste that Clayton sent the novel he had been working on for five years to Harper Collins’ Head of Fiction. She loved it, and a year later the book is ready to be launched tonight at The Pavilion to a packed house of 300.

At the launch, Clayton will be talking about the book and its themes with Markus Zusak, the author of The Book Thief.

100 Remarkable Feats of Xander Maze will be available at bouquiniste and other good booksellers from today.

Clayton is working on another book at the moment, one that he has come back to after some time with fresh eyes.