HE has written an intriguing first novel, captured the world’s attention with a unique proposal to his girlfriend and now Warwick’s favourite new author Christopher Currie is coming home.

The former School of Total Education student, whose debut novel The Ottoman Motel was released this month, is now arguably one of the nation’s most sought after young writers.

And this weekend the Brisbane-based 29-year-old will be back to launch his book, with his parents Judy and Paul and younger brother Andrew, in the city where he spent his childhood.

It is a moment to make a mother proud.

But yesterday Judy Currie was downplaying her elder son’s rapid rise to national attention.

“I am proud of Chris, with or without his book,” she said.

“His younger brother Andrew has Down Syndrome and Chris has always been the most fantastic older brother.

“He is just a really nice person.”

And now she can add an extremely talented young writer.

Strangely enough though it was a marriage proposal to Christopher’s girlfriend, Leesa Wockner, on the acknowledgments page that initially thrust his debut novel into the international spotlight.

And, to the relief of romantics globally, his girl said yes.

So it will be the mystery tale of a young boy’s search for his missing parents at a lake, based on our very own Leslie Dam that now keeps readers turning the pages.

The Ottoman Motel was originally short-listed for the 2007 Vogel awards and has received rave reviews across the country, drawing Warwick firmly into the spotlight in the process.

“I think Chris really enjoyed his childhood in Warwick,” Judy explained.

“He had a very country upbringing in the sense he was really able to just enjoy being a child.”

She said as a youngster he was creative in an artistic sense, preferring drawing to writing.

“The stories definitely came a little later,” Judy said.

So how does a child whose parents both have science degrees – his mother boasts a PhD in physics – end up as a creative writer?

“I think it comes from his father’s side,” she laughed.

“But we are all readers.

“There have always been loads and loads of books around our house.”

Christopher Currie will launch The Ottoman Motel at Cafe Jacqui’s 5pm Saturday.