Q: What made you decide to write books for teenagers?

A: It's a great age, when you're really discovering who you are, but it can also be difficult. There are the highs of more freedom and increased awareness but also the fears of peers and all sorts of adult worries. I admire teenagers and how they handle their lives, which are fast paced, complicated, and fraught with high expectations. I hope my books give some comfort, hope, and maybe a few laughs, too.

Q: When you were a teenager, did you already see yourself becoming a writer?

A: I always enjoyed writing but I thought I'd be an anthropologist or social worker or Foreign Service officer. Instead, I became a lawyer(!). I was going to wait until I retired to write. After my mom died, though, I realized that if there's something you want to do in your life, you should do it. You never know what might happen.

Q: Right now, who are your favorite authors out there today for teens? Do you feel that your writing has been influenced by any of these writers?

A: Wow, there are so many great authors out there! Markus Zusak, Sara Dessen, Carrie Jones, John Green, Beckie Weinheimer, Sharon Creech, M. T. Anderson . . . I could go on and on. If you're ever stuck, ask your librarian! I'm sure I've been influenced by what I've read but I make a point not to read a book that's anything like what I'm writing at the time because I don't want to be influenced. I want to write my own story.

Q: Can you share with us something about yourself that is not commonly known?

A: I almost joined the Foreign Service and, at the time, was the youngest to pass their series of exams. According to my language testing, I was a prime candidate for Arabic and Mandarin Chinese. I decided against it because it didn't appear that I'd have much impact on the way our government behaved overseas, but I often think what a different life I would have had.

Q: What was the most memorable response you have gotten regarding your novels?

A: An American Muslim mom told me that she and her daughters felt very comforted by Quaking. They felt as if I really understood what they'd gone through. The girls had been teased and shunned at school, and the whole family had been treated like terrorists after the events of September 11, 2001. It was an awful ordeal they went through, but I was glad that I was able to give them something that could help them feel just a bit better.

Q: What advice would you give a new writer?

A: Keep writing! That's what I heard my editor say at a conference way before she was my editor. The more you write, the better writer you become. Reading a lot helps, too, because you see all different styles and that frees you to experiment with your own style. Don't worry what others say about your writing. We can't please everyone. Advice is great but you don't want to compromise who you are.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your current project?

A: The Absolute Value of Mike is about a teen who has math issues (so many of us do!) but his father is a math genius so they're not on the same plane (little math joke). Dad sends Mike to spend the summer with wacky relatives in order to work on an engineering project-which turns out to be anything but at least, not the kind of "engineering" Dad thinks! Throw in townspeople like "the three stooges," a homeless guy, and Numchuck, not to mention an orphan, Lake Revival, and Do Over Day, and you'll get plenty of laughs and maybe even a few tears.

Interview Date: July 2009
Profile and questions compiled by Angela A, Cornelius Branch Library