• An Author's Life,  Why YA Matters

    YA is Everywhere

    What books have you read lately? What movies have you seen? Unless you’ve been holed up in a cellar for the past year, there’s a good chance that you ran across a Young Adult novel in one form or another. Mockingjay, Part 1 If I Stay The Maze Runner Divergent The Fault in Our Stars What made all of these books such successful movies? Was it the plot? Was it the characters? What about “Pretty Little Liars”, “The Lying Game”, and “The Carrie Diaries”? All YA novels that were turned into TV shows. Whether it’s through books, movies, television, or even just walking down the street behind a bunch of…

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  • An Author's Life,  Daily Life

    Why YA Books Matter

    My high school years were less than stellar. I was awkward and unpopular, dreaming up ways to become someone other than whom I was. I spent most of the years between my 14th and 19th birthdays depressed, misunderstood, or yearning for something more than what I had. I wanted to be as awesome as I thought everyone around me seemed to be. As I think back, I remember how complicated being a teenager was. For many, high school was a hundred years ago. They seem to have forgotten how it feels to have their best friend betray them by dating their ex. They no longer remember that instant connection with…