Library Hosts Kelsey O’Dell Book Release Party

The Grafton Community Library will host a book release party for Kelsey O’Dell’s self-published book entitled Am I Really 13? on Sunday, January 10, at 4 pm.   Attendees will have the opportunity to ask Kelsey about her short novel, which she wrote last year.  She is currently a ninth-grader at the Berlin Junior Senior High School. While the book is not autobiographical in any sense, she acknowledges that the story includes occasional kernels of truth that she used as starting points for the plot.
Kelsey was encouraged from an early age by her mother, Lecia O’Dell, who recognized the value of imagination.  She frequently encouraged Kelsey to make up stories if she was unable to fall asleep at night, and eventually Kelsey learned to keep a journal where she recorded many of her thoughts and observations about life.   Kelsey also recalls that her second grade teacher, Susan Brown, told her what a terrific imagination she had.  Ultimately, however, it was her love of reading that led her to pen the believable story of a 13-year old teenager and her abusive best friend; a story that will resonate with teens everywhere.
Kelsey’s favorite books include The Truth About Forever by the popular young adult author Sarah Dessen, the topical page-turner, My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult and the dragon fantasy epic Eragon by Christopher Paolini.
Copies of Kelsey’s book, printed by Xlibris, will be available for purchase at the book release party, and it is also available through several online booksellers (ISBN 9781441585264).