Author Chats

From left to right: John Green, Kirby Larson, Cecil Castellucci, Ann Brashares, and Sara Zarr

If you could meet any person in the world, who would it be?

Oh, I hate having to make these choices!!! I think I would've loved to have met Mother Teresa but otherwise, I feel so lucky to know so many wonderful children's and YA writers -- who, as you must know, are the greatest folks in the whole world.
-Kirby Larson

Anyone who has been to Outerspace.
-Cecil Castellucci

Any person in the entire world? Gosh that's a tough question. I'm going to assume they must be living (otherwise: Shakespeare. I have questions for him). I would be pretty interested in meeting Philip Roth. I think he's my pick, weirdly enough.
-John Green

Oooh, tough questions! Like, so tough that I can't think of any ONE person in the world that I'd particularly like to meet...every time I've met someone famous or semi-famous or just someone I admire, they turn out to be just regular people like you and me. Only usually with a lot more money. :) Okay, a name that comes to mind because she my favorite actress of my generation: Kate Winslet.
-Sara Zarr

Besides writing, what are some other interests of yours?

I love yoga and walking and feeding the birds in my backyard. I am also addicted to lattes! I have also been very involved in our community, including serving two terms on the school board, starting a foundation to build a performing arts center (it opened last year!) and helping raise money for literacy causes.
-Kirby Larson

Have you had any interesting fan experiences?

It was all pretty normal until the Nerdfighters started coming to stuff with their homemade shirts and their posters and everything. That's pretty awesome, I have to say. Nerdfighters are good at making a guy feel welcome.
-John Green

Soon after I published my first book, I was in an airport and saw a girl reading [my book]. I was so excited I couldn't contain myself. I went over to her and told her it was my book and that I was so happy she was reading it. Both she and her mother looked very suspicious and scared for a moment, but then they looked at the author photo in the book and decided it was me. We took our picture together. I still have it. I guess I was kind of the fan in this instance.
-Ann Brashares

What first got you interested in writing?

As for writing, my mom read to me all the time when I was a kid, from toddler years on through age 11 or 12. I think that put stories in my blood and pretty soon I wanted to start telling them myself.
-Sara Zarr


Many thanks to all the amazing people on readergirlz and the authors who took time to talk with us and make these online chats possible!
31 Flavorite Authors for Teens