HARLINGEN — Kudos, kudos and more kudos.
The world of literature just keeps getting better for Katelynn Renteria, 17, who just won a Silver Book Award for her work “The Other Side of the Law.”
“Honestly, it feels so surreal,” said Katelynn, a senior at Early College High School.
Since she published her spy novel — she’s finishing up a sequel — she’s been invited to speak at numerous events about her work and writing in general. Winning the prestigious award from the 2017 Literary Classics International Book Awards has taken the recognition to a whole other level.
“It’s a huge accomplishment,” she said. “I know this is going to open doors for many more great triumphs in the future. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to receive this award.”
This all began last year when Sarah Book Publishing released her novel about Kay Verdant, a high school sophomore who goes out on missions with her brother and a friend. They work for an organization which gives them cases to solve. One case involves apprehending an art thief.
Katelynn said she wanted to create a rather unconventional superhero, a high school student with no special powers, just her own grit and determination to fight crime.
“I’ve just been so amazed with how much support I’ve been getting, how far I’ve gotten,” Katelynn said. “I present at a lot more libraries, I present at a lot more elementary schools. Knowing that those kids are reading my book and knowing that I can share my passion for reading has definitely been awesome.”
She’s finishing up a sequel to her first novel.
“Kay continues her journey as a spy,” she said. “The mysterious ally you meet in the first book, you get to watch their relationship grow. She has come to this kind of crossroads where she has to say, ‘Should I take the good path, the right path, the wrong path?’”
Other challenges have also presented themselves to Katelynn. Her publisher, Sarah Book Publishing, closed earlier this year. Therefore, she’s had to self publish the second edition with Outskirts Press of Colorado. She’s going on her own with the sequel, too.
“It’s a transition going from having everything done for you to being more independent,” she said. “It has definitely been positive because I feel like with myself in control I can branch out and be as creative as I want.”
With such an active literary life at this age, she appears to be on a path toward a career in writing.
Well, yes and no.
She declared with great passion her desire to keep writing, but she plans to pursue a degree in psychology. As a senior at ECHS where she’s taking both high school and college courses, her grades are extremely important to her. Therefore, it’s something of a no-brainer that she has to pass up some opportunities to maintain her grade point average.
As winner of the Silver Award, she has the opportunity to an event in Rapid City, South Dakota on Labor Day Weekend. She’s turning it down.
“I would have to miss four days of school, and as a student at ECHS that’s not something I want to do,” said Katelynn who, as it turns out, is in the run for valedictorian of her senior class.
Meanwhile, the writing continues, and so do the speaking engagements, the tense hours of study and her plans to become a psychologist.
So, is there anything this young lady can’t do?
Yes, as a matter of fact there is.
She can’t drive. Not yet, anyway.
