I think that ties in with issues of identity as well - that sometimes there are parts of us we want to hide, and then there's other times we say, "You know what? Nope. Done hiding that part."

Sometimes when we forget to do things for others, it's because we're too wrapped up in our own problems.

Some people do want to stand on the rooftop and scream out their story. Others are cowering in the corner, or sitting with a blank face in class, and not knowing how to tell their story.

I've written a lot of novels for teens and tweens ... but I'd never really tackled the North Carolina side of me. And it's so strong and so important, and yet I hadn't acknowledged it. And so one of the things I wanted to do in "Shine" is take that on.

If you breathed deep and set your mind to it, you could rise above your anger.

Knowledge was more powerful than fear. Love was stronger than hate.

We all mess up. It's what we learn from our mistakes that matters.