Number 4

What happens when a group of old high school friends comes together to launch a novel? That was the question in the summer of 2024, when a talented crew of alumni from Island School, Hong Kong, joined forces to release Stewart Burton's debut, Number 4.

I had the privilege of attending high school with Stewart, and we reconnected through social media when news of his novel broke. While the book covers were beautifully designed by artist Martin Lever, Stewart needed help pulling everything together and sharing it with the world—and I was more than happy to step in.

I took the lead in crafting a gritty, scrappy brand identity, building his website and spearheading a vibrant organic social media campaign across Meta platforms. To honor the novel’s niche audience, we designed custom merch inspired by the iconic bars and nightclubs featured in the story—real spots we frequented during our senior years, now sadly lost to time.

Taking the sensory experience even further, I wrote and recorded an original song, Broken Mind, which was released alongside the book. The single added a unique layer of authenticity to the project and was expertly mixed by another high school friend, Adrian Hall.

This full-circle creative collaboration captured the spirit of our shared history, brought Stewart's storytelling to life, and proved that big ideas can thrive—even on a shoestring budget.