Malea Jones, 15, Berkeley.
Teachers are supportive, parents not so much. Still, Mom had her audition as Malea wrote poetry, but she doesn’t read most of Malea’s writing.
Malea’s grandmother’s girlfriend is supportive.
Push by Sapphire is her favorite novel of late.
As a child she liked the Hungry Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
She thinks YA lit is important when taken seriously but doesn’t enjoy it as much as adult fiction.
She would like to include Of Mice and Men in the YA library.
She doesn’t support censorship and thinks that the decision should be up to the reader.
If she were censored she would feel disrespected. She feels all writing has a purpose.
She thinks that with Kindles the format of the novel is changed, prefers paper.
Kristina Rose Adaire Midgett, 16, Rodanthe, NC.
Her parents support her. She found OSA online.
She lives with her aunt and uncle in Richmond who also support her.
She enjoyed the Hunger Games by Robert Cormier as well as Mark Twain, Poe, and VC Andrews.
When she was little she read Little House on the Prairie, Harry Potter and Gathering Blue.
She reads a lot of YA lit and thinks that it is good if it is done well but does not think that as a genre it is particularly important.
She would nominate the Mortal Instruments series, Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, and the Percy Jackson series.
She does not support censorship.
She would feel pissed off if her work was censored.
She thinks that Kindles are convenient and save trees.
She was discouraged from writing as a kid by peers, who thought it was a nerdy thing to do from 8th grade under.
She says she ‘kind of’ writes YA already, and might pursue it in the future.
Calder Marchman, 17, Oakland
He is supported, for the most part.
Could not think of anyone besides parents and teachers who encourage his writing.
Favorite authors include Hemingway, Bukowski, HS Thompson, and Daniel Alarcon.
When he was younger he read A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Calder thinks a lot of YA lit ‘blows’, but that a few stand out. He thinks that for some readers it could be important.
He would nominate A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving and Cometbus by Aaron Cometbus.
He doesn’t believe books should be censored.
If his were, he’d be ‘pretty mad’.
He is indifferent toward ebooks and kindles. He doubts the publishing industry will combust as a result of ebooks.
His parents are occasionally dismissive of his writing.
He might want to write YA one day, secretly. Would not want work to be blatantly YA as he believes there is a stigma.
