Journalist and newbie author Claudia Meléndez Salinas has published a novel that delves into the multi-layered world of underground youth boxing.

Titled "A Fighting Chance," the novel tells the story of 17-year-old Miguel Angel who lives with his single mother and becomes passionate about boxing as a means to stay away from the wrong crowd and other bad influences.

The novel has piqued the interest of the literary community. Renowned Coast Guard Academy literature professor José González has reserved a spot for Meléndez in the Top 10 List of "New" Latino Authors to Watch (and Read). View the complete list here.

"Written in a style that stays away from fighting clichés, this work is sure to appeal to teenage readers," said González.

Meléndez was once a beat reporter assigned to cover town hall meetings in Salinas, California. In 2004, the hometown of acclaimed writer and Nobel laureate John Steinbeck was at the brink of bankruptcy, prompting city officials to close libraries and other public establishments to save money.

"What was not as well known was that they were also closing the community centers, one of which had a boxing club for young people," Meléndez told NBC News. "I saw all these kids line up and talk about how important the community center was, and I thought this is a story that can go beyond the pages of a newspaper."

She soon did her extensive research on boxing clubs, gang prevalence and youth trends in the community.

"In the city there is a sizeable population of gangs and they are very violent, but the percentage of kids who are not in trouble is much larger," said Meléndez. "In reality, most kids are good kids and that's what I wanted to show: that most kids are trying to do well and stay in school."

The budding novelist added that good stories are often cast aside in favor of the more thrilling gang stories. Meléndez maintained that while her novel is a fictional tale, it's hugely based on the youth experiences in Salinas.

Salinas is the largest municipality of Monterey County, located in central California. Its booming agricultural industry has earned it the nickname the" Salad Bowl of the World," as per Monterey Herald. The Latino community accounts for 75 percent of the town's total population.

"A Fighting Chance" is the first novel written by Meléndez, a native of Puebla, Mexico who arrived in the United States to pursue her college education at the University of Southern California and the University of California at Santa Cruz. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.