Chelsea Fraser, who writes under the pseudonym Chelsea Lena, released her debut children’s book “My Amsterdam Day” in July. “My Amsterdam Day” tells the story of a young girl named Betsy as she explores Amsterdam alongside her mother, discovering everyday sights such as bikes, canals, markets, and shared routines, and is designed for children ages 3-10 with illustrations by Brazilian Children’s Illustrator Hugo Duarte. 

The granddaughter of Dr. Sal and Alma Apicella and the oldest daughter of Lucia Apicella Fraser, Chelsea lived in Salem until she was10 years old and attended St. Paul Elementary through fourth grade before moving to Baltimore, Md., with her mother. In 2014, Fraser returned to Salem while she attended Kent State University, graduating with a degree in speech pathology and audiology in 2018. She and currently lives in Maryland where she works part-time as a speech pathology assistant, though she hopes to be able to write full-time someday. 

“At its core my writing is, if you take away all the layers and the pictures, trying to support language. I’m trying to inspire kids to ask questions and have conversations about their reading,” said Fraser. 

Fraser said that while she didn’t go to school for writing that she has always kept writing “in the back of [her] head” and would write stories in her journal even when she was a child. She said that her love of story was shaped by her early experiences of shared stories in Salem, including those she shared with her mother, whom she said was “her first teacher” and would read to her and her sister every night. 

Chelsea Fraser

“Whether she sat in a chair or on the floor or between our beds, and would skip pages, or make up her own words didn’t matter. What was important was the connection we were sharing. I think she knew then what I know now. That reading together forms a special connection, and I think I owe a lot of my love of story to her,” said Fraser. 

Fraser also championed efforts of the staff at St. Paul like librarian Kristy Simcox, who “would read stories with so much energy and passion and would use puppets and props to help [students] understand” and her teachers. 

“I have very vivid memories of being read to at St. Paul school by my second-grade teacher Patty Bauman. I was always impressed by how articulate she was and that I wanted to read as well as her.”

Fraser said that while she hopes to someday write books for adults as well, that writing children’s books had been a natural fit, due to her experience working with children. She finds writing for a child audience liberating because it allows her to write about a wider range of subjects and can focus on less serious subjects. 

“I have most of my work experience with kids. Even before I became a speech therapist. I worked at a day-care in Kent, and even before that I would go to work with my mom as a Kindergarten teacher. I work well with kids. Maybe I’m a bit of a kid at heart,” said Fraser. 

Chelsea Fraser, a Salem native who writes under the pseudonym Chelsea Lena, released her debut children’s book “My Amsterdam Day” in July. Shown is an illustration from the book by Brazilian children’s illustrator Hugo Duarte. (Submitted photo)

Fraser said that even before she had found an illustrator, she knew she wanted “My Amsterdam Day” to be a picture book and was already envisioning how it would look. 

“I made a slide show for the story and was inserting little pictures of what they could look like, so I was thinking about the look of the pages even then,” said Fraser. 

The story of Betsy’s story was inspired by Fraser’s own trip to Amsterdam with her friend Kathleen last year. She explained the beauty of the city and its culture had inspired her to write a story about it. Betsy’s name too was inspired by that trip, more specifically by a friend of Kathleen who lived in Amsterdam named Betsy. 

“All three of us would get together a few times in Amsterdam, and it was always wonderful. So, I chose the name because I really enjoyed the real Betsy,” said Fraser. 

Fraser said that the journey to publication took about a year, and that during that time she not only had to find the right illustrator, but readers both at home and in Amsterdam to make sure everything was being represented accurately. 

Chelsea Fraser, a Salem native who writes under the pseudonym Chelsea Lena, released her debut children’s book “My Amsterdam Day” in July. Shown is an illustration from the book by Brazilian children’s illustrator Hugo Duarte. (Submitted photo)

“It was both exciting and humbling. It was a much longer process than I expected. I chose to self-publish so there was a big learning curve,” said Fraser. 

She said the process taught her both the importance of patience and standing by her own vision. She also said that it had taken so long that the satisfaction of holding her finished book for the first time took its own time arriving. 

“After such a long process with all the steps, it didn’t really register. I was so focused on all the steps and getting it done that it didn’t really click. Then I started speaking to people about it and being called an author and I kind of re-evaluated my entire career path as it started to sink in and I just felt so proud. Then the next feeling was excitement for what’s to come.” 

Her advice to an aspiring writer is to begin their stories with something they feel a genuine connection to — and identify the people in their lives that can help them in their writing journey and let them provide support.

“I think the most important to start with something you care a lot about. Writing a story is much easier when it’s based on an honest real-life scenario, and you can form it to meet your audience. Of course, it’s daunting but if you work towards it a little bit every day, you’ll get there and have something tangible to show for it when you’ve finished it,” said Fraser. 

Chelsea Fraser, a Salem native who writes under the pseudonym Chelsea Lena, released her debut children’s book “My Amsterdam Day” in July. Shown is an illustration from the book by Brazilian children’s illustrator Hugo Duarte. (Submitted photo)

“My Amsterdam Day” is available in hardcover and paperback through Amazon, IngramSpark, and Barnes & Noble. Fraser’s upcoming second book “Zoo Rendezvous” will continue Betsy’s adventures with a visit to the Amsterdam Zoo and is currently set to release May 12. To learn more about Fraser visit her Instagram page chelsealena–author, or her website at www.chelsealena.com.