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Nine-year old Celeste Catena signing books at Chapters. Photo Gary Moore.
In among the crowds and shelves lined with books as far as the eye could see sat a nine year old girl at a colourful table in Chapters on Highway 97.
If you didn’t know you could mistake her for a young child at the lost and found station waiting for her parents to return but instead she is an author and this is her book signing.
Her book is called “Undefeated” and her name is Celeste Catena. She sits and her tiny frame almost disappears behind the table as life in the massive bookstore buzzes around her. Her mother is a stone’s throw away talking to a family friend.
I can feel my jaw dropping as words escape from her when asked about her book.
“It’s about a girl who has to overcome obstacles, external jealousy’s, adversity and loss but she handles it all with grace and elegance. She has a peer who pushes her and challenges her to stay authentic to who she really is,” she says.
“I don’t have a specific genre I write with since I read a variety style of books, I will write a variety style of books. I’m really into describing things and making the reader’s feel emotions with the characters and connecting the characters to the readers,” she added.
She started writing at four years of age and developed her inspiration for her book from her dance studio. She also lasted 13 rounds and placed 5th at the 2009 Canwest Canspell spelling B.
“Writing gives you life skills. I know definitely it has matured me and made me become a different person and I’ve grown so much in this journey,” Celeste states.
“It is still taking time to click in that I’ve written and published my first book. It’s all very surreal for me, it’s hard for a nine year old to handle, especially when you see your name on hundreds of books,” she said.
“Whatever you want to do believe you can before you do anything. If you want to write a book, write a book, Don’t wait. Later in life you might not want to write that book,” the young author and dancer said.
“Dance is just a part of your soul in many different levels so for her to be able to express that through writing is absolutely incredible. She is just an amazing girl and an amazing dancer. She is just full of life and inspiration, so we are just so very proud of her,” Jodie Klingbeil, owner of Reflections Dance studio told Kelowna.com.
Angela Catena, Celeste’s mother beams with adoration for her daughter and gave a behind the scenes insight into her character.
“At two I would read her bedtime stories and the next day she would read it back to me verbatim. It’s been in her heart and soul that reading has come naturally to her. Even at a young age she has been reading books way beyond her years, and writing at a very young age, she entered several writing competitions that has seen her work published. When she entered Grade 4 she told her teacher she wanted to write a book, so between writing the book last year and doing the regional spelling Bee that’s where Celeste kind of put it all together,” Angela Catena said.
“I’m very proud of her. What’s really cool about her is that wants to inspire other kids to pick up a book or a pen and she really wants to give them the message of believing in yourself,” Angela added.
Her next book will be a suspense mystery.
gary@kelowna.com
250-575-4021
Tags: author, celeste cantena, dance, girl, Kelowna, people, reporter gary moore
