The Shackles of Constantine

“Jade Orwell had been firmly assured of three things at Constantine Academy: first, that the Division was an enemy to be hunted down and killed with all the wrath of her own fierce magic; second, that Constantine Academy was a safe haven–her one and only refuge; and third, that the Academy was a place she would always be able to call home. Not one of these facts had ever rung true, and they certainly wouldn’t help her now.

Christine had her claws outstretched before her. She lunged at Jade…” Prologue, The Shadows of Constantine

Seventeen-year-old Kelsey Anne Young lived in Sugar Land for nine years and moved to Richmond, Texas six years ago…but that’s only the beginning of her story. When Kelsey was only fourteen, she wrote her debut novel, The Shackles of Constantine, and last September it was published. She says, “The ambition that my main character, Jade Orwell, needs in order to face her mysterious and paranormal environment reflects some of the bravery it has taken to pursue a career in writing at such a young age.”

In The Shackles of Constantine, talented students are called from far and wide to fight to the death, or earn themselves the title of a warrior, at Constantine Academy. In this elite world of magic and mystery, Jade Orwell  will find intrigue, betrayal and the enduring strength of friendship. With her classmates Matt and Aaron, and her roommates, Justine and Camilla, Jade takes action against the threats that imperil their school…as their lives hang in the balance.

What inspired Kelsey to write such a thrilling story? She says, “My love of travel has taken me to Australia, England, France, China, and Spain. In fact, for the past two years I attended the boarding school, King’s College, Soto de Viñuelas, in Madrid, Spain. Learning to adapt to a new culture was an unforgettable and thought-provoking experience. I learned that between one culture and the next there is a magical, undiscovered place that hangs in between. It is in this space that I have set my novel, where the protagonist must deal with newfound independence and overcome self-doubt to survive in her new world.”

“I hope my journey can give other teens the faith and motivation to reach for their own dreams. Last October I completed a workshop with high-performing students at McReynolds Middle School, in collaboration with the Moran Norris Foundation. In addition to my novel, I have also published poetry through the largest publisher of new poetry in the world (Poetry Publishers UK—Forward Poetry competition).”

Even though she’s done so much, Kelsey’s life story is just still in the opening chapters. This summer she graduated from high school and was accepted at Harvard University, where she hopes to study economics, and continue exercising her passion for writing, travel and international relations. And fans of The Shackles of Constantine will rejoice to learn that she plans to publish the second novel of the four part series in the upcoming year…and the manuscript is already completed!

The Shackles of Constantine is available in paperback or on Kindle at Amazon.com

For more information visit www.theshacklesofconstantine.com or www.facebook.com/constantineseries

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