Of course, I had my heart broken as a teen. I was desperately in love with myself. Then I found out that I was completely shallow. I haven't spoken to myself since.

Why not write a book which is as sophisticated as a book for an adult, but is about the concerns that teenagers actually have?

And I realize that the decision to be human is not one single instant, but is a thousand choices made very day. It is choices we make every second and requires constant vigilance. We have to fight to remain human.

If we're going to ask our kids at age 18 to go off to war and die for their country, I don't see any problem with asking them at age 16 to think about what that might mean.

It's insulting to believe that teens should have a different kind of book than an adult should.

A lot of the drive to make narratives came from having to play by myself as a 5- or 6-year-old in the woods.

Of course, I had my heart broken as a teen. I was desperately in love with myself. Then I found out that I was completely shallow. I haven't spoken to myself since.