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New single, "Beautiful Story" out now! This is one of my favorite songs I've ever written, so I hope you'll enjoy it too!
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previous posts
Coming Soon!
A humorous middle-grade novel involving eclectic neighbors, creative pranks, and a summer rivalry between two mischievous ten-year-olds.
I'm giving away free copies of New Life!
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From now until February 20, you can enter my GoodReads giveaway for a chance to win a print copy of New Life for freeeeeeeeeeee! |
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Exciting News for Allisen's Notebooks fans!On June 13, 2021 (National Children's Day), THE PREQUEL will be available for purchase. Here is the summary, in Allisen's own words:
"I’ve been keeping diaries since sixth grade, and they’ve been really helpful for remembering all the happy, sad, funny, and embarrassing moments of my life. But what about my life before that? That’s why I decided to write down all these memorable moments of my life from birth through fifth grade. From my fear of losing teeth, to my days of troublemaking, to my yearly experiences switching schools, you finally have the complete story of the events that made me who I am." 0-3 Years Old: The Family Grows 4 Years Old: Baby Blues Kindergarten: “I Can Do It Too!” 1st Grade: The Year of Firsts 2nd Grade: Mischief in the Making 3rd Grade: Everything New 4th Grade: The Difficult Year 5th Grade: Trying Things Out In December 2022, THE SEQUEL will hit the shelves, chronicling the end of tenth grade up through Allisen's high school graduation. |
first song release of 2021!
I'm so excited to share my newest song, "Good Times"! It is a very special song about my life, and I created a special lyric video slideshow to go with it. Click on the YouTube image on the left to hear the song, or the "Good Times" collage on the right to read the story behind the song.
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new single - "This Christmas Night"
November 11, 2020Eleven-year-old Lynn Waley has always loved raquetball. So when she finds out that she’s going to be living with her grandparents in New York City and playing racquetball every day, she should be excited, right?
It isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. On top of worrying about her older brother in the military, and dealing with memories of her dog and little sister, both of whom she lost within the last year, Lynn has to spend time with Jerr, the most annoying boy she’s ever met… and perhaps the only person who understands what she’s going through. |
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coming july 20, 2020
The long-awaited sequel to New Life
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It’s been two years since Lauren Bradka had her heart broken by the man she always thought she’d marry, and she’s starting to lose hope of ever having the family she so desperately craves. When unforeseen circumstances lead Lauren to a completely new career, she can’t help feeling excited about the possibilities, despite the challenges she faces from the very start.
Nineteen-year-old Aleah Matthews is living a full life, taking care of her two toddlers while also balancing church, work, and college. When her peer mentor, Bobby, starts showing interest in her, Aleah can’t help feeling something in return. But flashbacks from her broken past still haunt her, reminding her to keep her distance. Bobby is determined to break through Aleah’s walls and get to her heart. Aleah is terrified of letting him get too close. Meanwhile, everything is finally falling into place for Lauren—until a challenge to her beliefs faces her with a choice that could cause her to lose everything. As Lauren, Aleah, and Bobby each find their faith being tested in new ways, they need to decide whether to let the past take control, or to treat each day as a new chance. |
New web pages to explore!
My website now has two exciting new sections! The first is a new Teen Talk category: Tough Stuff. The advice and information presented in the Tough Stuff category is written to help teenagers who are dealing with difficult situations. The second is an all-new Music section! In addition to being an author, I am also a songwriter, so the Music section is where I share links to my songs, as well as lyrics and behind-the scenes content.
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I have a new email address! You can now reach me at [email protected]. While I will still answer emails directed to [email protected], my new address is the one I will use to send updates and bonus materials to people on my mailing list. If you want to contact me personally with a question about my books or my life as an author, [email protected] is now the best way to reach me.
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coming this month! 2/20/2020Now you can read all of the Allisen's Notebooks super specials in one paperback book! The Allisen's Notebooks Super Specials Complete Collection contains 8 mini-stories, each focusing on the life of one of Allisen Zepetto's friends or family members. Read all about how Mirisen navigates the social challenges of being ten-year-old seventh grader, how Jack deals with academic insecurities while shining on the baseball field, how Shevea comes to terms with huge changes in her family, and how Kim gathers the courage to make a difficult relationship choice. Find out how Harrisson addresses a situation with a bully, Stivre becomes more confident with who he is, and Ellie overcomes fears that have been controlling her life for years. Also, hear all about Allisen's cross-country trip the summer between ninth and tenth grade!
This short story collection includes Mirisen, Jack, Shevea, Kim, Harrisson, Stivre, America The Beautiful, and Ellie, all of which are sold individually as Kindle e-books. It is recommended that you read the Allisen's Notebooks series before reading this collection, as the stories in this collection take place concurrently with the Allisen's Notebooks series and may contain spoilers. |
happy new year!
What you can expect to see in 2020:
- A paperback anthology of all of the Allisen's Notebooks super specials
- New Chance, the long-awaited sequel to New Life
- That's The Way The Racquetball Bounces, a stand-alone middle grade novel
coming 10-29-19
allisen's notebooks super special #8: Ellie
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Allisen's newest, quietest friend has her own story to tell in this e-short that takes place alongside Book #48, "Don't Bug Me, Buddy" in 10th Grade with My Interesting Interactions, My Terrific Travels, & Me. Ellie has a lot on her plate--her mom's leukemia, her insecurities about her differences, and her crippling fear of riding a bike. She wants to be a good role model for her Little Buddy, Max, showing him that disabilities aren't limitations. But how can she do that if she can't even join the school's cross country team for fear of people noticing her prosthetic leg?
Enter Rushton, the outgoing, charismatic new boy who seems completely comfortable with himself and his Tourette syndrome. Rushton is everything Ellie wants to be, and the more time Ellie spends with him, the more she starts to realize that maybe it is possible for her to get over her fear and start walking her talk. But will she be able to break out of the box of insecurity she's built up around herself for so long? |
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Coming 7-19-19
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WAVES CRASHING JUST LIKE ME
A stand-alone YA novel that weaves together themes of mental health, romance, friendship, and self-acceptance. Fifteen-year-olds Mariana and Elyse Kaywood may look identical, but they have nothing at all in common—until they both find themselves falling for the same boy during a vacation at the beach. While exuberant Mariana is trying desperately not to let her biggest secret become known, clinically depressed Elyse is striving to create a life for herself, even if that means latching onto happiness in a way that feels like playing with fire. As the summer progresses, both Mariana and Elyse need to decide what’s important… and how much they’re willing to risk to obtain it. |
new release 9.18.18: i didn't plan this
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Alanna just wants everything to stay the same as it's always been. But upon starting seventh grade, she realizes that's not the way the world works.
Read full summary |
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newest release 3-31-18
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Summary, in Allisen's own words:
New friends everywhere I go. Relationships changing in exciting ways. Heartwrenching secrets, damaging rumors, and the volunteer experience of a lifetime. Welcome to my sophomore year of high school. Tenth grade was the year of questions—questions like, “Am I ready for a boyfriend?” and, “How can I be the best mentor possible?” Questions about what to do, who to trust, and most importantly, how to make a positive difference in the lives of people around me. I can’t say all my questions were answered. But I can say with confidence that I learned a lot. |
coming soon! Allisen's Notebooks super Special #7
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Allisen's family is going on vacation in an RV for an entire month! From the St. Louis arch to the Pacific Ocean to the beautiful Grand Canyon, it's bound to be an exciting journey, only made more exciting by creepy gas stations and unexpected sights. Between catching up with long-distance friends and setting foot in states where no Zepetto has ever ventured before, Allisen is sure to have a summer she'll never forget!
(This is "Book 47" in the Allisen's Notebooks series. It takes place between 9th Grade With My Expanding Experiences, My Rollercoaster Relationships, & Me and 10th Grade With My Interesting Interactions, My Terrific Travels, & Me.) |
New Life, available in print and kindle
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Sixteen-year-old Aleah Matthews is living a wild and reckless life, consumed with getting revenge on her ex-boyfriend for leaving her alone and pregnant last year. Her nights out with various guys leave her little time for anything else, including talking with her overworked mother and taking care of her baby boy. Although Aleah presents herself as confident and self-assured, on the inside she is brokenhearted and lost.
Steve Jenkins is a pastor and the leader of a youth group called New Life. He feels fulfilled in his mission to make a positive impact in teenagers’ lives, and in his role as a single father to his son, Ben. But he also feels as if his next-door neighbor is trying too hard to butt her way into his life. When Aleah receives the news she’s been dreading, she heads down a desperate road of hopelessness and despair. A spark of hope arises when she ends up at a New Life meeting, and feels accepted for the first time in years. Even though she knows her feelings of joy and contentment are just temporary, and that her pretend life as a normal teenager will collapse the moment the other kids learn the truth about her, Aleah can’t help coming back week after week, talking to and learning from Pastor Steve. Maybe, just maybe, he holds the key to a whole new life for both Aleah and her mother. |
NEW RELEASE! 9-8-17
What if you had a crush on the one person who would never like you back?
stivre (released January 31, 2017)
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At school and with his friends, Stivre Faremont puts on a “cool guy” act—he’s into snowboarding and skateboarding, he does okay in his low-level classes, and he thinks his mom is a mental case. What his friends don’t see is his fear that they’ll eventually find out the rest of the story—his passion for art, the fact that his classes are far too easy for him, and his secret longing for his mom to be more mature and mom-like. While Stivre and his friends are gearing up for an amazing weekend of skiing and snowboarding (Book 41, “Halfway to Independence Day”, in 9th Grade With My Expanding Experiences, My Rollercoaster Relationships, & Me), Stivre is simultaneously trying to come to terms with his disdain over his mother’s recent engagement and his yearning for the dad he never had. However, a weekend away can bring some surprising revelations… and comfort from a source he never expected.
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coming this year:
Keep your eyes out for the following new releases:
January 31, 2017: Stivre, the sixth e-short in the Allisen's Notebooks series
September 8, 2017: Out Of My League, a YA short story
November 17, 2017: New Life, the first book in my new series for emerging adults
September 8, 2017: Out Of My League, a YA short story
November 17, 2017: New Life, the first book in my new series for emerging adults
Also, in addition to my Facebook account, I am now on Instagram! Follow me on Facebook for updates about new releases, and Instagram for fun pictures and insights into my personal life!
newest release: november 29, 2016
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Harrisson Zepetto spills all in the fifth Allisen’s Notebooks Super Special. While Allisen is enjoying the neighborhood Olympics (Book 36, “The Summer Games”, in 8th Grade With My Awesome Adventures, My Various Visitors, & Me), and meeting a mysterious new classmate (Book 37, “New Kid At School”, in 9th Grade With My Expanding Experiences, My Rollercoaster Relationships, & Me), Harrisson’s emotions are swinging between pride in his athletic ability and utter terror at the impending prospect of getting his own room. When his excitement over starting fourth grade is dampened by a run-in with a bully, Harrisson needs to make some quick decisions about how he’s going to stand up for himself and the kids around him. Is he brave enough to face everything coming his way?
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released september 28, 2016
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Summary, in Allisen's own words:
"How is it that I’m in high school already? Freshman year was a collage of ups and downs—from the ecstatic feeling of having a huge crush to the heartbreaking blow of a tragedy no one was prepared for. It was a year of realizing that people hold secrets, and that no matter how well I might think I know my classmates, it’s possible that I don’t know them at all. It was a season of becoming closer to God, and of having to make some important decisions that could significantly impact other people’s lives. Most of all, it was a time of realizing how much I need my friends—and how much they need me." |
coming soon! July 30, 2016
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Kim Carras is generally a positive person. She’s bouncy, sparkly, and loves having good times with her family and friends. And it looks like April is going to be full of fun, what with soccer tryouts, her brother earning his driver’s license, and her Boston BFF finally getting to meet her Nashua BFFs. But while her sister Daisie is busy being a princess and her friend Allisen is dealing with all sorts of surprising events and revelations (Book 32, “Springtime Surprises” in 8th Grade With My Awesome Adventures, My Various Visitors, & Me), Kim is starting to feel frustrated by her boyfriend, Stivre. She wants to break up with him… but how can she do that without hurting his feelings? Will it still be possible for them to be friends if they break up? And what’s the deal between him and that girl Madalee Lish?
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New release! april 20, 2016
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Another super special--a look into the world of Allisen's best friend Shevea!
Shevea Lusani is shy, reserved, and desperately afraid of being put on the spot. She’s thrilled to finally have two very good friends, Kim Carras and Allisen Zepetto. But while Allisen is busy adjusting to having her friend Nalcie living with her (Book 26, “What is a Family?” in 8th Grade With My Awesome Adventures, My Various Visitors, & Me), Shevea’s life is turned upside-down by a startling revelation about relatives she never knew existed. Will these relatives threaten the calm life Shevea has always known? Will she be able to provide a home for the cat that keeps coming to her door? What is she going to do about that terrifying English project, and will she ever get up the courage to invite her friends over to her house? |
For the entire month of March, 100% of the proceeds from ALL purchases of ANY book in the Allisen’s Notebooks series will be donated to the First Church mission trip fund. In April, 20 members of the First Church of Nashua (including Allisen's Notebooks author Kelsey Gallant) will be traveling to Nicaragua to work with disadvantaged children at their elementary school. These children live in extreme poverty, so the group will be bringing supplies for them and their families—items such as soap, toothpaste, clothing, and non-perishable food items. The group will also be teaching English at the school, and reading to the children in both English and Spanish to increase their literacy.
If you buy any paperback or Kindle book in the Allisen’s Notebooks series—including Jack or Mirisen—at any point during the month of March, all the money you spent on the book will go toward covering the cost of the mission trip to Nicaragua. It’s a great opportunity to support a worthy cause while enjoying a good read!
If you buy any paperback or Kindle book in the Allisen’s Notebooks series—including Jack or Mirisen—at any point during the month of March, all the money you spent on the book will go toward covering the cost of the mission trip to Nicaragua. It’s a great opportunity to support a worthy cause while enjoying a good read!
“Everybody makes mistakes. Nobody is a mistake."
--Kelsey Gallant
--Kelsey Gallant
