Living With Caution Cones takes readers through friendship, ambition, romance and fresh starts in the high-energy world of Chicago public relations.
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Certain individuals enter our lives and change everything, often without warning. In her sharp and emotionally rich first book, Living With Caution Cones, Chelsea King examines how the deepest connections frequently come from the people we pick ourselves. This character-focused contemporary tale highlights the lasting strength of platonic bonds and self-made families.
Taking place amid the dazzling and intense atmosphere of mid-2000s Chicago, Living With Caution Cones centers on Claire Dalton, a top-tier boutique public relations executive managing a demanding profession. Still, what truly grounds her in this whirlwind existence is an unforeseen group of companions who become the rare kind of family many never find. Among them are lively, tightly bonded gay men whose relationships with Claire rank among the most significant of her life. They serve as her “caution cones”—the treasured family she chose, standing with her through every messy and wonderful stage of adult life.
King’s prose sparkles in her detailed portrayal of Chicago’s vibrant PR industry, giving readers a peek behind the scenes of spin and image management. But the emotional core of Claire’s path truly takes the spotlight. The book captures the funny, tender and challenging times when friends become essential partners in each other’s lives. From midnight conversations in the kitchen to lavish celebrations and deep sorrow, the story reveals the sacrifices and fierce devotion that mark genuine kinship.
As Claire nears 30, the narrative explores how close friendships shift when priorities change. Life rarely follows a neat plan, and when a surprising, steady romance enters Claire’s life, she must figure out how fresh love fits alongside the friendships and chosen family she has nurtured. Instead of demanding she pick between romantic love and her found family, King offers a tale about creating space for both.
The narrative pays tribute to the LGBTQ community and the essential role of found families, serving as a touching reminder that those who truly know us, push us and remain by our side help shape the lives we eventually create.
Key Features:
● Friendship, Love and Reinvention: Looks at how career, romance and chosen family overlap as Claire builds the life she envisions.
● Inside the PR World: Delivers an engaging look at the intense realm of crisis management, pairing clever humor with genuine vulnerability.
● A Tribute to Found Families: Recognizes lasting friendship and LGBTQ representation through characters whose connections become a powerful source of love, devotion and belonging.
Author’s Words:
“This book started as a personal homage to an extraordinary group of friends who influenced my life, and it grew into a celebration of love that often goes unnoticed,” King said. “I aimed to write about people who come into our lives unaware of how crucial they will become. Sometimes, the real win is just finding those who understand us and love us regardless.”
Living With Caution Cones is available now in paperback, hardcover and eBook editions.
About the author:
Chelsea King writes character-driven fiction centered on friendship, identity and the lives we create alongside those who influence us. She resides in Austin, Texas, with her husband and two children.
Book Information:
● Title: Living With Caution Cones
● Author: Chelsea King
● Publisher: Spines
● Paperback ISBN: 9798902235972
● Hardcover ISBN: 9798902235989
● eBook ISBN: 9798902235996
● Availability: Currently available in paperback, hardcover and eBook formats.
Natalie Gunn
CK/PR
cs.publicrelations@gmail.com
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