International fiction author and Southville alumna Kate Evangelista gets a publishing deal with Swoon Reads, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers USA. In a recent interview, Kate, who did her debut as a young adult fiction writer with her novel, Taste, shared the story of her accomplishment. “Swoon Reads has this fantastic website where writers of young adult romance can post their novels in the hopes of getting chosen for their next list. At the same time, authors who do post can gain valuable feedback from fellow authors and readers alike. It’s a wonderful community. I posted No Love Allowed (then called Warning! You Might Fall In Love With Me) in September of 2014. Readers and writers started leaving comments and rating it and next thing I know I was chosen as part of the third list. It was pretty much a fairy tale come true that I’m thankful for each and every day.

Kate Evangelista has been writing professionally for almost seven years now. But as a hobby, she has been writing since high school off and on. When asked what sparked her interest to write young adult fiction, she replied, “I’ve always been writing young adult fiction. I just didn’t have a word for it until I started writing professionally.” Looking back on her student days at Southville, a particular experience inspired Kate to pursue a writing career. “I remember being given an assignment to write a short story and was praised for it. That basically started my path toward being a writer,” Kate shared. Even the bullies read her work and she found it liberating. “I might not have known it at the time, but I eventually realized being a writer was the career I’ve always wanted.”

For the young writers in Southville who want to be successful like Kate Evangelista, the author has advice for you: “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t live your dream. That you are less than who you are. Believing in yourself and the talent within you is one of the most important parts of being a writer because you will meet a lot of rejection along the way. That belief is what will help you get up and more forward when you stumble and fall. Southville International School and Colleges is a great breeding ground for writers.”

From the entire Southville community, congratulations on your wonderful accomplishment, Kate! We are proud of you!

No Love Allowed by Kate Evangelista is on sale April 19, 2016.