Every time students suggested debate topics in my English classes, I’d take a deep breath. Some were expected (legalizing marijuana—now a reality in Canada, so, there goes that topic!), lowering the drinking age (it’s 19 years old in Ontario; lower than 21 … Continue reading →

Okay, at first glance, I’m not sure I’m the best person to write about refreshing parental support in YA novels when, well, my debut novel, Evangeline’s Heaven, featured Lucifer as a dad. His poor daughter thought she had unconditional love from her father; she … Continue reading →

At the outset, this question seems silly. There are no official qualifications to write young adult literature; as long as you can put a good story on the page and get it into the hands of the readers, then, yes, you’re qualified. … Continue reading →

At the start of each new year, I like to sit down with my journal and my tarot cards and think about what my theme for that year is going to be. It doesn’t have to be big or earth-shattering … Continue reading →

Christmases, after my parents separated when I was 16, were brutal. My sister, at college, chose not to come home. I’d visit my dad in the mornings, then my mother and I would drive three hours to see her family, … Continue reading →

YA literature can’t exist without YA authors but it’s hard to get in the game. Jen and I understand. We’ve been there. We still ARE there! But there are days when it feels like we’re all alone–like everyone else is … Continue reading →

When Katie and I were chatting about “siblings” as the theme for our November posts, I immediately thought of Flowers in the Attic (1979) by Virginia (V.C.) Andrews. It’s a story of four children, Cathy, the protagonist, age 12 when the novel … Continue reading →