My alma mater, SCPA, is soon to be the nation’s only K-12 public school of the arts. The new facility, which the students will move into for the 2010-2011 school year, is less a school than a campus. It is only fitting that they have such a great new facility, as the school (currently located in Cincinnati’s ghetto, Over the Rhine) has produced (and is producing) such talented gems, one of whom is named Chelsey Shannon. Chelsey is currently a senior at SCPA, but her first book, Chelsey, is available now from HCI Books. From the website:

HCI Books is thrilled to present the first-ever series of teen-authored memoirs, written by teens for teens, Louder Than Words.

This breakthrough series gives talented teen writers a voice and an opportunity to share their experiences and unique stories in a powerful, authentic way.

The mission of Louder Than Words is to connect with teenagers on a deeply personal level by offering compelling “real teens / real life experiences.” We hope Louder Than Words will empower teen authors with important stories to tell, reinforce the message that the experiences of teenagers and their perceptions and beliefs regarding these experiences have validity, inspire more teens to write as a way to explore their own lives, and give every teen the opportunity to see themselves in the material.

As told through compelling prose, poetry, and journal entries, Louder Than Words memoirs not only acknowledge and celebrate the teen experience – they empower girls everywhere and are sure to spark a new generation of writers.

My many congratulations to Chelsey, for sharing her story in such a hard-hitting and honest way.

Please do what you can to support this press, especially if you know any young readers who might enjoy or benefit from reading the books in this series.