She was exposed to drugs, abandonment, and abuse-passed around the foster care system like an unwanted toy and haunted by painful memories that never seemed to go away.
And this was just the beginning of the struggles Lavinia would face in her life as a young girl who found only nightmares in the place that should have been her greatest sanctuary.
Still, in experiencing these obstacles, she maintained a miraculous ability: the power to see the best in herself and others, to become strong and independent, and to emerge a better and more positive person on the other side.
Inspired by a remarkable true story, Lavinia combines a heartbreaking narrative of a difficult childhood with an uplifting tale of survival and redemption-and adds an unexpectedly lighthearted and humorous touch to these devastating subjects.
Author Selena Flores shares Lavinia's story in a uniquely candid and captivating style, speaking directly and never shying away from a variety of raw and true-to-life issues.
About the Author: Selena Flores is a freshman at the University of Arizona. A published poet who wrote her first novel in third grade, she has a passion for releasing the millions of thoughts and ideas in her mind through pen and paper as she continues to grow as an artist.
Three of her poems, "Soliloquy," "Coloured Walls," and "Apartment 4B," are currently published in the Midwest Writing Center's Atlas. Her work has also appeared in the America Library of Poetry's Accolades, Creative Communications' A Celebration of Poets, and Teen Ink magazine.
Flores currently resides in Tucson, Arizona.
