PARISHVILLE -- Shea Zellweger, a 2005 graduate of Parishville-Hopkinton Central School, recently published his first novella, with a follow-up novel planned for the end of the year.

“Eleven Deaths of Mortimer Trout,” available in paperback and ebook from Amazon.com, tells the story of Mortimer Trout. Trout dies on at least eleven occasions throughout his life.

Along the way he reads the Encyclopaedia Britannica aloud in a single breath, becomes a professional daredevil, and gains expertise in falconry.

At the end of each phase in his life Mortimer dies, with each death more absurd and improbable than the last.

Zellweger describes his work as a continuation of the legacy of authors like Roald Dahl, Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams.

He describes himself as “a career student.”

“Mild-mannered finance worker by day, at night I uncover my secret typewriter of justice and unleash my powers of freelance writing and editing upon the world,” he said.

Born in Syracuse, Zellweger and his family moved to Parishville in 1990, where his parents and younger siblings still reside.

Since graduating from Parishville-Hopkinton in 2005, Zellweger has completed two degrees, lived in five states, and started a family.

He is married to pastry chef Jocelyn and is father to Coletrane.

He is currently living in Eudora, Kan., working in finance for a non-profit organization and completing his second master’s degree.