Grafton Girl Publishes A Tale About Teenage Life

submitted by Carolyn Durnin
Ninth-grader Kelsey O’Dell often told her friends that she would like to become a writer someday.  Armed with an active imagination and the self-publishing industry, her dream is about to be realized, with the printing of her first book entitled Dear Diary, Am I Really Thirteen?
The slim, 82-page paperback tells the story of a girl named Ellen who struggles to fit in, while coping with the verbal and physical abuse of her best friend.  Kelsey writes confidently about teen worries as only a teenager can, as the plot moves easily from home to school, adhering to the familiar form and themes of young adult fiction. Firmly rooted in the present, the charm of the book lies in the first-person narrative as we learn about Ellen’s world from her thoughts and observations – not unlike Bella in the mega-bestseller Twilight.  The story is populated with believable characters, like the none-too-perceptive therapist mother and the cruel, backbiting best friend.  And there are unexpected moments of insight, provoking serious questions about the vicious nature of teenage girls.  The affecting story pulls the reader in and maintains a feeling of tension for much of the book.  While tragedy forces Ellen to wrestle with some of the big questions of life, along the way she finds her own voice, and ultimately learns the meaning of authentic friendship.
A book release event will be held at the Grafton Community Library on Sunday, January 10, at 4 pm.  Copies of the book, printed by Xlibris, will be available for purchase at that time, and it is also available through several online booksellers (ISBN 9781441585264).
Kelsey lives in Grafton and is a student at Berlin Junior Senior High School.