EVERYONE finds that difficult first book hard to write.

But for Colchester-based author William Hagerup it was especially hard because he was writing from experience.

In Good Faith tells the story of a young man, M, who comes to London in the late Nineties, to study radical Christianity at Europe’s largest super-church.

Once there, he discovers not all is as it seems, his doubts about the church and in his own faith grow, and M realises he must get out.

For William this story has a lot of similarities to his own experiences when he arrived in England from Norway.

He says: "I've wanted to write ever since my younger days. Back then, around 14/15, I was making short films, at first silly ones with my friends, but then later more serious drama pieces which won awards.

"I began this book when I returned to England and was commuting to London on the train from Colchester. One day I just picked up my fountain pen and started writing, and it just flowed. My past was my inspiration for the story really but after a while it became clear I was also writing the book because I wanted to give people an insight into that world."

Born and brought up in a small coastal town on the west coast of Norway, William first arrived in England in 1997 when he was 24 years-old.

A staunch Christian he came to the capital with his wife to study at a religious institute but soon got involved with a church.

William tells me: "I was coming into a church that was supposed to represent the best of what humanity can do on earth and eventually I found that severely lacking in the people I met while I worked there.

"I know the book is supposed to be a story, and it is, but it is based on the kind of things I witnessed when I was there. Just being told you cannot criticise or disagree with the people in charge because that demonstrates demonic thoughts. That's a pretty nasty way of controlling and manipulating a young mind.

"Fortunately my wife became doubtful very quickly. It took me a little bit longer I suppose because I was working in the church but I started to question what they were saying more and more."

Having studied English language and literature at Trondheim University in Norway and 18th Century English literature, critical theory and translation at King’s College London, since returning to England William has worked as a translator and editor.

William adds: "We moved to Colchester because a friend of ours had been here and said it was a very nice town. We did a bit of research and found a nice school for our daughter to go to and we've loved it here ever since."

In Good Faith is out now, published by DB Publishing, available from Red Lion Books in High Street, Colchester.