Hello! I've been writing young adult novels for eight years now and they are my favorite genre—teenagers are funny, smart, savvy, world-wise and yet still have enough innocence to keep believing in people. When I was a teenager, YA novels helped me through some tough, lonely times. Honestly, they saved my life (although maybe a few of my favorite musicians helped ). Without books, I never would have understood there was a better world just waiting for me both inside my head and after I survived high school. Why YA? Because young readers feel things. They haven't forgotten that the world is both real and unreal, and that everything flipping matters. That's a marvelous, scary, amazing, wild ride. I remember when I was little, thinking to myself, "I'll never grow up and forget that I had real thoughts and they meant something. Everyone treats me like I'm not real yet, because I'm still a kid." I remember exactly where I was—on the school bus, slowing down to drop me off at my lonely mailbox, my face pressed against the rattling bus window. My characters are real to me. And they inspire me. And I love, just love the Young Adult and Middle Grade genres. When we're young, it's so hard to see past the walls trapping us into our immediate lives, so hard to believe that we have the power to change our world. It's also so frustrating to be young and trust that our thoughts matter, to realize that we're insightful and real and important, when often our peers, communities, and politicians don't value us or ask our opinions. I love focusing on realistic, imperfect characters. We're all misfit toys in our own way, and labels don't do anyone any good in this upside-down world. I also value sibling relationships, probably because I spent more time with my brother than my parents. We grew up too young and too fast, and we didn't always get along, but during the rough times, we were the closet family we had. You can read more about that in Seventeen Seconds when it's finally out. Representing marginalized characters is also crucial to me. I especially like telling stories that aren't often told, stories about kids who haven't grown up with money or in exciting circumstances or even with two functioning parents in the household. For most of us, that's a fantasy. I love a good story that someone could read and relate to while tucked away under a leafy tree in their small-town favorite reading nook, or when settled on the metal stairs of their fire-escape hideaway, finding precious solitude in a busy city. Please check out my Pox series. It begins with Pablo's adventures in The Pox Ward, continues with my almost finished sequel for those who survive the Ward, and then jumps ahead to the return of the Pox in Apocalypse Thoughts with Kella. (I promise this is not a real spoiler :) I will be adding sequels as quickly as I can get them edited! I began this Pox series years ago before we had any idea a pandemic would change the way we saw ourselves and live in this world. I believe it will also change the way we treat each other, in both good and bad ways. I'm editing and publishing as quickly as I can, but please feel free to ask me questions and send suggestions! I'm also a teacher at a community college, and I host workshop in my community and advise our school's creative writing club. I love helping writers of all ages find and trust their voices.