SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — A teen with roots in Sevierville has just released a new coloring book. It's a companion for the book she wrote when she was 16.
Kiera Colson is a 17-year-old with a very mature vision.
"Everyone has a story, and that you're not ever too young to start. Go ahead and start developing it and start dreaming," Kiera Colson said.
That attitude guided her to follow her dream of becoming an author. She's always been a reader.
"I read all the Nancy Drew books. Nancy really inspired me as well because she's an independent girl, she saves the day, she doesn't need Ned. And she has really inspired me into becoming an author," she said.
The high school junior wrote Twin Tales when she was 16. It grew out of a series of short stories Kiera wrote in 4th grade.
"Twin Tales is about a mother mermaid named Merena, and she is separated from her two twin daughters. And as they travel and they're separated journeys from all three of their perspectives. And there's villains and the only way for the entire kingdom to come back together is if these mermaids have to find each other again," she said.
A book launch and book signings are part of the excitement of writing a book that's available on Amazon and her website. And now fans can also order a coloring book.
"The coloring book goes along with the story. So it's really for kids are six to 10 so it builds them up for the older age for the book which is eight to 14. And they can color along as they read the story, because I have illustrations in the book," she said.
The young author is looking beyond books to become what she calls a Teen Success Coach.
"I'm actually developing this idea of teen influencers, because right now there's the term influencer that's being thrown around. But teens haven't really, we are being the ones influenced upon, but I feel like we need to start influencing and coming together to each other and start working together and communicating especially because was have Zoom and things like this. We can talk to each other all around the world, share ideas, and grow the next generation," she said.
The teen-fluencer takes her message to social media. And supports other young people with a story to share.
Kiera has been attending her high school in South Carolina virtually while she lives with her grandmother in Sevierville.
