Author. Singer. Motivational Speaker. Even though she's only 15 years old, Kristina Coia already includes these titles on her resume!

If you've ever aspired to be a writer, this Marlton, New Jersey high school sophomore's real-life story should be just the inspiration you need to realize you CAN do it!

Kristina has always enjoyed reading and writing and by freshman year had penned Falcon's Prey!

The book is a thrilling fantasy novel, in which a princess embarks on a journey of self-discovery and love through a land filled with treachery and hate. It is designed for teen girls. The book teaches an underlying message of self-esteem and self-respect.

Thanks to Kristina, we have the following excerpt to whet your whistle for both the book and for following your dreams!

The following is an excerpt from Falcon's Prey.

Chapter One

The smell of the giant oak door soothed me as I peered through its tiny keyhole. Father and his advisors were sitting around the grand table, discussing very important matters. There was only one thing unusual about it-the empty seat next to my father. My brother Jacobi always sat there from the day he turned thirteen. I always loved to watch his face as he listened intently to the conversations, never saying a word. He looked so serious and so focused, but I could definitely see a light in his eyes and knew that there was no other place he would rather be. Even when he was a child, he knew that all he ever wanted was to be a great king, like Father. Years ago when we would play games in the courtyard, Jacobi was always the wise, brave king, Viktor was the evil king of a foreign land, and I was the beautiful princess that needed rescuing. Our adventures always involved a tower or a dragon and Jacobi was always my hero. Now, Jacobi was a real hero, a knight fighting for Prantarr. There next to Father sat the empty seat awaiting the victory of war and the homecoming of a prince.

"You know, you shouldn't spy on the royal advisory board. It's rude," someone whispered. I leapt two feet in the air and turned to see Viktor silently laughing behind me.

"That was not very funny. You almost scared me to death," I whispered back angrily.

He continued to chuckle.

"Then move over so that I can see, too."

I moved my head down so that he could also see and we watched the rest of the discussion unfold. This was something we did almost every week when the advisory board met. Sometimes, if they started a heated argument, we could hear every word. Mostly, we watched Jacobi and Father, just to see their faces. No one ever saw us there. It wasn't proper for the royal children to eavesdrop around the castle, but Viktor and I would always break the rules for a little excitement. After all, we were not really children anymore; Viktor was almost old enough to become a knight and mother always talked about the day I would marry. That is probably what separated us most from Jacobi, who would never break the rules under any circumstances. That is perhaps why Viktor and I were so close.

The men around the table began to stand up. The meeting was over.

Viktor and I bolted away from the door as fast as we possibly could and ran out to the courtyard. Our escape plan, though, somehow turned into a race toward the stables. We dashed past carts of tapestries and silks, fruits and breads, jewelry, pottery, and anything else you could think of. Mothers with young children, elderly women fondling jewelry, and boys fighting with wooden swords all cleared the way for us, bowing their heads as we darted past.

The stables were just ahead, and Viktor was far behind me. Of course, I reached the stable first, mounted Lia, my horse, and took off toward the fields. Viktor followed, and we raced across the meadow and back. The warm summer sun beat down on my back and my skirts rippled around my legs. I laughed at the sun and the sky. I laughed because, even though the kingdom was at war, nothing had changed between Viktor and me. Nothing would ever change. Eventually, we arrived back at the stables.

"I won!" I shouted, so that Viktor could hear me as he rounded the corner.

"You had a head start," he said, breathless from laughing.

I handed Lia's reigns over to the stable-hand and strolled out to the courtyard. I always loved the chaos, sights, and smells of it.

Suddenly, the hollow sound of a horn echoed from the watchtower. Something was wrong. Viktor ran back toward the palace and I followed, trying desperately to figure out what had happened.

When we arrived in the grand hall, Father was reading a roll of parchment delivered by a squire. Our footsteps echoed off the marble walls. The sunlight that shone through the windows was a blinding white, causing the room to look ashen and wan. Moments later, he solemnly looked up from the letter.

"Cristiana," he said with a wavering voice. "Go to your chambers. I will send for you later."

"Yes, Father." I replied and obediently went to my chamber where I waited for what I knew was going to be awful news, which came to me the next morning. Jacobi was dead. Now Viktor was to succeed Father on the throne, a responsibility he was not prepared for in the least. The news came as a shock to the kingdom because it was Jacobi that had proven himself as the great warrior. The fact that the Delmish army's forces were greater than ever predicted put everyone in a state of fear.

I was distraught. I spent the day in my room weeping. When no more tears came, I sat by my window and watched the sky. I watched how the clouds moved and veiled the sunlight, as though in sadness for a fallen king. The sun, which was once high in the sky, now relocated and seemed to want to hide as evening approached. The shadows of the castle towers seemed to grow and then wane with the light of the sun, and I began to wonder if everything was stimulated by the sun's glow. Maybe our lives were like shadows, growing bigger until the peak of day, then shrinking at nightfall until the end. Suddenly, the horn sounded from the watchtower again. This was the second time in two days. I rushed down to the grand hall.