gold can stay

Student Name, Age, Hometown:

Kerby Lynch, 16 Alameda,CA

How do your teachers and parents feel about your writing? Do they support you?

My teachers like it; Rosenberg is very supportive and looks out for my best interest. My mother is supportive but only of certain topics. She likes my black liberation political pieces, but not my sexuality pieces.

Anyone else who encourages you to write?

Kate-Teacher

Do you have any favorite authors or books that inspire you?

Assata, Huey P. Newton, Jasmine Mann, Lauryn Hill, Catcher in the Rye

What did you read when you were younger? What were your favorites?

Harriet Tubman, Cosmo Girl, Seventeen

What do you think about Y.A.L? Why is it important?

Y.A.L is hard to navigate; it’s not well established. It should be split into categories. Its good for others to read but I prefer something deeper. It can be more important for others, life is beyond me.

What books should be in the Y.A Book Collection at OSA? Is there one book or series that you nominate?

R.L Stine-Teenage Series

Should certain books be censored from young adults? Which ones? Why?

No they should just be categorized by age. Something like 11-14, 15-17, 18-21

What if your work was censored? How would that make you feel?

Horrible

How do you feel about e-books and blogs?

Don’t like e-books, but I like tumblr because I can follow poets

Has anyone ever discouraged your reading and/or writing? Why?

No, because I don’t care what others think. If anything I like writing political pieces because it sparks opinion.

Would you ever want to write Y.A.L? Why or why not?

No, I prefer poetry.

November 5, 2011

Q1. Do girls or boys go to the young adult book section more often? Age?

Susy: More like half and half, but sometimes more girls. Teens around age 12~18 usually come after school to hang out. Age can range from 9 to early 20s.

Q2. What genres do boys like? And girls? Specific books in particular?

Susy: Popular genres cross between genders. Boys tend to like more about sports and sci-fi. Girls like vampire and romance. For example, Hunger Games, Dystopia (sci-fi), and Shojo (manga).

Q3. What do you feel about censorship in YA literature? Any type of book should be banned?

Susy: No, every book is meant for its reader. Parents should be the ones to look over their children what to read and what not to read.

Q4. Are YAs more attracted to books with illustrations? What kind of YA book format do they like?

Susy: Manga, GN, and non-fiction.

Q5. What do you think YA learn from these books?

Susy: About life experience. Step in others shoes.

 Q6. What are some popular YA book authors YAs like?

Susy: Susan Colin, Sarah Dassin, and Darren Shan.

Q7. How long do YAs spend on reading in the YA book section in average?

Susy: Usually 1~2 hrs reading and talking with friends after school.

Q8. Do they go for other sections as well?

Susy: Adult section, children section, and magazine section.

Q9. What books should be in the YA section? What are some of the collections here?

Susy: Non-fiction for either adults or children’s recreational interest should be included. The main collections here are fictions and there are some biographies as well.

Q1. How do your teachers and parents feel about your writing? Do they support you?

Chloe: Teachers are supportive, and parents are supportive, but they would be mad if I finish my studies first.

Q2. Anyone else who encourages you to write?

Alani: Erin Hunter, the Cats series. Rice

Chloe: Young sister encourages to write and provide interesting topic and ideas. Harry Potter series

Q3. What did you read when you were younger? What were your favorites?

Alani: Children’s books and fairy tales

Chloe: Harry Potters, Doctor Suss, Charle the Chocolate Factory

Q4. What do you think about young adult literature? Why is it important?

Alani: the concept has to be intriguing

Chloe: one trait of a character tells good or bad

Rosali: characters are not appealing or interesting. Like Adult Fiction and children fiction better.

Q5: What kind of YA genre do you like?

Alani: Romance, Mystery, Fantasy&Drama

Chloe: Fantasy, long interesting novel

Rosali: Classic, Literature

Andre: Sports

Q6. What books should be in the YA Book Collection at OSA? Is there one book or series that you would nominate?

A: Pretty Little Liars

C: Maximum Right series

R: Traitors in Brooklyn

Q7. Should certain books be censored from YAs? Which ones? Why?

A: Yes, books need to have warning captions

C: No, not going to affect YAs

R: No

An: No, the problems should be shared

Q8. What if your work was censored? How would that make you feel?

A: No, disagreement with censorship

C: Nifty. No.

R: No

An: No

Q9: How do you feel about e-books and blogs?

A: good, but don’t read all the time

C: not a fan. like hard copies

R: like hard copies

An: Neither

Q10: Has anyone ever discouraged your reading and/or writing? Why?

A: I don’t like books that are innocent

C: Mom dictates what to read and write.

R: Teachers want her to finish assignments first.

An: No

Q11: Would you ever want to write YA literature? Why or why not?

A: Yes

C: yes, anything.

R: Not necessary

An: wouldn’t hurt.

My name is Sonia Belasco, and I’m a native of Washington, D.C. – the city itself. I love to cook – I’m kind of obsessed with it, actually. I see cooking as the most fun kind of chemistry, because you can eat what you make. Or – theoretically you can. I think cooking is intensely creative, but in a very physical way where the results are concrete and a way to connect to people. It’s a nice counterpoint to writing, which can sometimes feel very abstract and lonely.

When did you decide to become a writer? And why did you choose Young Adult Literature, out of all the themes of writing why YA Lit?

I honestly don’t know when I decided to become a writer. I think I became a writer because it never felt like a choice, it was just something I did and couldn’t stop doing. I chose to write YA in particular for two reasons: It’s a genre that I could see was exploding, and there was a lot of innovation and risks being taken and weird, smart, hilarious, scary, fantastic stuff being published. And then about six years ago I read Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, and that book completely blew me away. I thought: Oh my God, you can do that in YA? This is the kind of book people are writing now about teenagers? It was different than a lot of what I’d read as a teenager, more raw and uncensored and truthful. I wanted to write a book like that, a book that touched on this uniquely intense time in our lives that I think ultimately shapes us forever.

What inspires you to write? Do you find yourself drawn to one subject? Or more than one? What are some common themes in your writing? Or if you have more than one?

A lot of things inspire me, everything from people in my life to past experiences to news stories I hear to music I listen to and books I read. I can find inspiration in photographs or dreams. It sounds cheesy, but I think inspiration exists everywhere. It’s all about taking the time to listen and observe.

I write a lot about romances, particularly first-time romances, that incredible intensity of falling for someone when you’ve never felt that way before. It can be very hard to write in an authentic way about romance, because there are so many cliches about love, but in reality romantic relationships are immensely complex and varied and messy. 

I find I write a lot about secrets, too – people trying to keep them from each other, failing, lying, pretending to be things they’re not. And I’m definitely drawn to coming-of-age stories, the search for identity. Obviously that connects to my desire to write YA, but I think coming-of-age stories can happen at any age. We’re constantly transforming ourselves.

If you have ever experienced writer’s block, what do you do to overcome this? Any suggestions or recommendations on how to improve this?

Oh sure, I experience writer’s block all the time. I don’t think there’s any foolproof solution that works for everyone, but I know one thing I do sometimes is write things out by hand. When I write on a computer, it’s so easy to get caught up in going backwards, editing everything, being obsessive, and then you never move forward. When I write by hand, I feel more free to make mistakes, to create a truly rough draft, something really unpolished.

Sometimes I think the solution to writer’s block is just to start something new. When I get stuck on a particular project and can’t seem to go anywhere, I’ll write something short and completely unrelated, even if it’s something that will never see the light of day. It’s like a way to loosen up the writing muscles.

How do you feel about censorship? Is there ever a situation where censorship is needed? Has your work ever been censored? How would you feel about this and what would you do about it?

I am 100% against censorship. This is a big issue in YA lit, because there are still a ton of books being banned and people protesting against them…I think it’s ridiculous. My agent told me once that a certain press would never publish my book because it has curse words in it and also discussion of homosexuality. This made me really angry, because I don’t understand what publishers think they are sheltering kids from. Like teenagers don’t use profanity or know gay people? Teenagers aren’t talking about sex or having sex? It’s so stupid.

I think one of the advantages of living in the internet age is that it’s not difficult to protest censorship like this. If my work was actually censored, I think I’d try to create some momentum around it, get people informed and angry.

How do you feel about the internet as a way of publishing? For example, blogs, e-readers, online journals… etc. How do you feel about this direction as a way of reading/writing and publishing work?

Ultimately I think internet-based publishing and marketing will be great for writers, because it seriously diminishes the cost of distribution of books and allows writers to reach a potentially huge audience very quickly and efficiently. It also gives writers more control over their own marketing – in YA in particular there’s a huge emphasis on the use of social media to market books because the teen audience is so tied in to things like Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube, etc. I think it’s exciting because it allows authors to interact more with their readers, and vice versa.

That said, I don’t want to see the book disappear, either, and I don’t think it will. I think the publishing industry is in this awkward stage where they’re undergoing a transformation not unlike what the music industry went through ten years ago, adapting to using the internet, and they haven’t quite figured it out yet. But I definitely think e-publishing is the way things are going, and I’m embracing it. I think anything that allows you to reach a bigger audience more easily is a good thing. 

What YA books can you suggest for the OSA young adult library collection? What books inspired you when you were a young adult? Name a couple of your favorite books. 

This question is so hard because I have so many favorites. Here’s a sampling: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky; Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan; The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie; What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell; obviously Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. As a teenager, I really loved The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and also the Alanna books by Tamora Pierce. And Anne Frank’s diary, because there’s no more powerful coming-of-age story than a true one told by a teenager herself.

Marabet Morales is a sixteen-year-old high school Junior at Oakland School for the Arts located in downtown Oakland California, just by the historical Fox Theater. Marabet comes from a family that supports her in everything she does. She was born the in Bay Area and now resides and lives in Oakland while attending OSA as a literature student. She is one of the few students in the course who is a veteran; she’s been in the program for years. From my short meeting with Marabet, I could already tell she is a very enthusiastic, and talkative person. This was something I admired most from our brief interview. It is great to see the youth so full of energy- and so passionate about something such as reading and writing. Marabet has such a positive attitude about literature.

How do your teachers and parents feel about your writing? Do they support you?

 Yes my parents support me in everything I do; whether it’s through literature or the arts I have support from both sides of my family. Throughout middle school my primary focus was music, playing the violin. My teachers are very supportive of my work also. If I have questions I am never afraid to ask my teachers and get feedback and different resources from them. Feedback is very important to me. It helps me grow as a writer.

 Anyone else who encourages you to write?

 My friends definitely encourage me along with my family’s support. On my father’s side of the family they have a passion for the arts and literature, so my support from them comes from true practice within the field. On the other hand, my mother’s side of the family comes from a line of mathematicians, scientists, and more of a professional field, so there is definitely a better understanding from my father’s line. However I still get equal support from my entire family. It’s great because I have the best of both worlds, a family of arts, literature, math, and science.

 Do you have any favorite authors or books that inspire you?

 I love creative non-fiction works. The idea of taking something real, for example history, and incorporating a unique style of writing is something that has always fascinated me in literature. Harry Potter is definitely a favorite. I love all sorts of fantasy books, anything that pops- titles intrigue me, it’s kind of my way of deciding whether or not I want to pick up that book and start reading it. A good title equals a good storyline. Cover art plays a part in this, however seems less important to me, I would prefer a good title rather than good cover art. Photography, painting, music, and drawing quick sketches also inspire me.

 What did you read when you were younger? What were your favorites?

 The Phantom Toll Booth. I read chapter books at a really young age; my family and the people I surrounded myself with encouraged me to read at a fairly young age.

 What do you think about young adult literature? Why is it important?

 Young Adult Literature is the foundation for the youth. Even if you’re a teenager and don’t like reading YA Lit is important because whether you love it or hate it- its important to always be reading. It helps your creative mind grow and is definitely a fundamental part of life. Reading is really important to me.

 What books should be in the Young Adult Book Collection at OSA? Is there one book or series that you would nominate?

 I can’t recall the title of the book but it was about a girl who gave up at an early age. It’s a book that is created around a poem. Also, The Hollow and From Hell.

 Should certain books be censored from young adults? Which ones? Why?

 No, books should not be censored at all. It’s a person’s right to read anyone else’s work, opinions, or thoughts. Reading provides you with more information. Literature is incorporated into life and should not be ridiculed through censorship.

 What if your work was censored? How would that make you feel?

 Very upset- really pissed. W-T-F?! Writing is for everyone. If I had invested my time into a story and if there is a censor on it, what makes one person decide my work should be censored. I would try to re-edit my work, without completely changing it if I found there was a good enough reasoning to their censorship. But overall, literature should never be censored.

 How do you feel about e-books and blogs?

 Really cool. You can carry a bunch of books with you in one device. But paperbacks are still important to me. They are published works and feel more real than a fancy e-reader. I was always taught to read from a book. Blogs are awesome. Harry Potter blogs are important to me; I am a huge Harry Potter fan. Blogs are an opportunity to display work throughout the web, it’s all about accessibility.

 Has anyone ever discouraged your reading and/or writing? Why?

 Yes I have been discouraged from writing. In the 9^th grade I was discouraged from a teacher at OSA, actually, because of a journalism class. He had said my journalism writing was bad, this discouraged me a little, but I found that I just was not into journalism. So in a way his criticism helped me realize this.

 Would you ever want to write young adult literature? Why or why not?

 I want to become a writer or even work for a publishing company. Young Adult Literature is so important for the youth and to me. I would love to be an editor for a publishing company- even if I do not publish a book myself.

 What are your plans after you graduate from OSA?

 Definitely college. Was possibly looking at art schools, CCA. SCAD. UC Santa Cruz. Or even possibly studying abroad somewhere in Europe. 

Puma: How do your teachers and parents feel about your writing? Do they support you?

Francesca: My parents feel fine about it. My teachers are really supportive.

Chloë: My  teachers have encouraged me always. My parents tell me that I can be whatever I wanna be.

Puma: Is there anyone else who encourages you to write?

Francesca: Friends, but mostly my family.

Chloë: Friends and family friends, like my aunts and uncles. My mom’s friend Frank has always liked my writing, he’s told me that since I was five.

Puma: Do you have any favorite authors or books that inspire you?

Francesca: Rosie, by Anne Lamott. Good Omens, written by both Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchette. The Book Theif.

Chloë: I like Moriene Johnson. If I had to pick a book I’d say Catcher In The Rye because it changed literature for me.

Puma: What did you read when you were younger? What were your favorites?

Francesca: I read mostly fantasy and fairy tales, stories about Dragons! The Phantom Toll Booth and Dragon Rider were my favorite. I love Cornelia Funke’s work.

Chloë: Yeah, I love Cornelia Funke too. I read The Twits when I was younger. I really like the voice for it on e-books as well.

Puma: What do you think about young adult literature? Why is it important?

Francesca: My feelings about young adult literature are not positive. I feel that a lot of it is really predictable, trite and flat. I don’t think it’s specifically important.

Chloë: Yeah, there’s a lot of really really bad stuff, and then there’s some decent ones. You have to find the right kind. Moriene Johnson and John Green are definitely good. They are not trying to relate, they just write and it fits in.

Puma: What books should be in the Young Adult Book Collection at OSA? Is there one book or series that you would nominate?

Francesca: Good Omens, the new one.

Chloë: Will Grayson, Will Grayson -By John Green.

Puma: Should certain books be censored from young adults? Which ones? And Why?

Francesca: No. There are more books that are censored than there should be.

Chloë: No.

Puma: What if your work was censored? How would that make you feel?

Francesca: I’d be pissed off… Then revise and see if I did go too far.

Chloë: I’d be really really angry! And wouldn’t do anything about it because I wouldn’t want to give them the satisfaction… That “we won” kinda feeling.

Puma: How do you feel about e-books and blogs?

Francesca: Figma is a great cite. I think it’s pretty cool to have stuff read to you. But blogs are annoying because they are not as insightful.

Chloë: Yeah, I’d have to agree with Francesca. I like e-books and don’t see anything wrong with them. Blogs are just a lot of people talking about themselves, not thinking about anybody but themself.

Puma: Has anyone ever discouraged your reading and/or writing? Why?

Francesca: Nope.

Chloë: No.

Puma: Would you ever want to write young adult literature? Why or why not?

Francesca. Yes, I do… because I am young. I don’t exactly know what qualifies as young adult, I just write.

Chloë: I do and probably will keep writing young adult literature.

Beth Mattson is a writer who lives and works in Portland, Oregon. She has her MFA in writing from California College of the Arts. When she is not busy nannying for cash, she hunkers down in a snug little bungalow where she hides form zombies, edits her YA novel, pens sarcastic poetry and chases after her messy and rambunctious baby and partner.

Chhat: When did you first decide to become a writer? And why did you choose Young Adult Literature, out of all the genres of writing why YA Lit?

Beth: The first time I decided to be a writer was in middle school, and I was set on illustrating my own children’s picture books. The second time I decided to be an author I was in my early twenties and was composing a lesbian-themed, erotic action adventure. The third and most recent time that I became bent on being an author was when I applied to get my MFA in Writing based largely on my dark, mean, adult poetry.

My thesis project was a YA zombie novel that I am still editing and submitting to literary agents. I chose YA for my novel because the teenage years are very dramatic, adventurous years where many life decisions are in flux. Such a tumultuous time of life gives me a lot of freedom to explore the extremes of love, lust, horror and adventure. I’m not drawn to stories that consist only of quiet moments, and I use YA fiction to focus on the epic, flamboyant aspects of my stories.

Chhat:  What inspires you to write? Do you find yourself drawn to one subject? Or more than one? What are some common themes in your writing? Or if you have more than one?

Beth: My annoyingly moody and daydream-y, not entirely un-teenager-ly personality drives me to write. I am easily excited and overwhelmed by intense concepts, leading me to focus on topics that give me nightmares. These themes readily become apparent in my writing: unclear definitions of and attempts to join humanity, the huge errors and flaws on the winding path to success and physical, the struggle to act in the face of others’ controlling decisions, and bodily development and transformation.

Chhat: If you have ever experienced writer’s block, what do you do to overcome this? Any suggestions or recommendations on how to improve this?

Beth: Every writer experiences writer’s block at some, nay, many points in the process! (Nervously: don’t they?) I try to do like Johnny Cash says and “get a rhythm when you get the blues.” Mopey moods without ready inspiration can be very helpful. On the days that feel too dull and full of pressure to write new material, I work on old material, write about my foul mood and desperation or absolutely put off working on anything productive. Slacking off by taking a walk, watching a movie or reading comics can be accidentally inspiring and every piece of writing occasionally needs some time and space before it can be truly seen and improved upon again.

I write and produce creative works the best when am I am supposed to be working on something else, so sometimes I get a day job or take a math class. Hating a cubicle or procrastinating the studying of something practical really lights my fire.

Chhat: How do you feel about censorship? Is there ever a situation where censorship is needed? Has your work ever been censored? How would you feel about this and what would you do about it?

Beth: Censorship is relative. If one is planning on publishing a book for children through a major publisher, once can expect to have all graphic material removed from one’s manuscript. One can expect to agree to it. On the other hand, if one does not agree with a certain degree of manuscript censorship, for whatever reason, one can self-publish, issue a press release or re-evaluate whether or not the rest of the message is worth cutting out what a third party considers distracting.

Chhat: How do you feel about the internet as a way of publishing? For example, blogs, e-readers, online journals… etc. How do you feel about this direction as a way of reading/writing and publishing work?

Beth: I love physical, paper, glue-bound books. Real books are amazing. They smell good, feel nice and carry a lot of prestige that e-publishing does not award. That said, when material is not suitable or chosen for publication by a major (or even minor) house, it was still worth writing and reading. There are many ways to distribute stories. Movies, zines, stickers, graffiti, blogs, physical or e-publishing of novels and collaborative, open-source projects are wonderful ways of releasing work to the world. Many officially published books are badly done or require self-promotion lest they fall into obscurity; I don’t think that broadcasting narratives on the Internet or Kindle is much different. With a constant eye towards quality and content, informal ways of publishing stories can be a great thing.

Chhat: What YA books can you suggest for the OSA young adult library collection? What books inspired you when you were a young adult? Name a couple of your favorite books.

Beth: Oh my goodness. Where to begin? I think my tastes occasionally include middle-grade fiction or adult novels with young characters.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi

Island of the Blue Dophins, by Scott O’dell

A Wrinkle In Time, by Madeleine L’Engle

The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison

Fledgling, by Octavia Butler

The Rapture of Canaan, by Sheri Reynolds

A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, by Michael Dorris

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou (yeah yeah, not fiction)

We Should Never Meet, by Aimee Phan

The Giver, by Lois Lowry

Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry

Holes, Louis Sachar

The Journey of Natty Gan, by Ann Mathews

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Colins

Boneshaker, by Cherie Priest

Q1. Do girls or boys go to the young adult book section more often? Age?

Susy: More like half and half, but sometimes more girls. Teens around age 12~18 usually come after school to hang out. Age can range from 9 to early 20s.

Q2. What genres do boys like? And girls? Specific books in particular?

Susy: Popular genres cross between genders. Boys tend to like more about sports and sci-fi. Girls like vampire and romance. For example, Hunger Games, Dystopia (sci-fi), and Shojo (manga).

Q3. What do you feel about censorship in YA literature? Any type of book should be banned?

Susy: No, every book is meant for its reader. Parents should be the ones to look over their children what to read and what not to read.

Q4. Are YAs more attracted to books with illustrations? What kind of YA book format do they like?

Susy: Manga, GN, and non-fiction.

Q5. What do you think YA learn from these books?

Susy: About life experience. Step in others shoes.

Q6. What are some popular YA book authors YAs like?

Susy: Susan Colin, Sarah Dassin, and Darren Shan.

Q7. How long do YAs spend on reading in the YA book section in average?

Susy: Usually 1~2 hrs reading and talking with friends after school.

Q8. Do they go for other sections as well?

Susy: Adult section, children section, and magazine section.

Q9. What books should be in the YA section? What are some of the collections here?

Susy: Non-fiction for either adults or children’s recreational interest should be included. The main collections here are fictions and there are some biographies as well.

10/8/2011

 Ariel was shy and soft-spoken and most of her responses were short.  She told me she was studying to be a writer when she grew up, and that she was very good at writing, but didn’t like the story she wrote to give to me.  She wrote about a mermaid that was captured by trying to eat a fish that had a hook in it, and how the mermaid got released.  In my opinion the story was good, but it could use some work.

How did your parents and teachers feel about your writing?  Do they support you?

Parents encouraged her to go to the school in Oakland and audition there specifically for writing.

Anyone else encourages you to write?

She did this mainly on her own.

Do you have any favorite authors or books that inspire you?

She likes J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.
What did you read when you were younger?  What were you’re favorites?

She read doctor sues, Judy Nudy, and Judy b. Jones.

What do you think about young adult literature?  Why is it important?

She says that she likes adult literature and that reading is important for the sake of reading-for the joy of it.

What books should be in the Young Adult Book Collection at OSA?  Is there one book or series that you would nominate?

She liked the book Forbidden by Tabitha Suze where a brother and sister fall in love in New England.  She told me that the parents did a lot of drugs

Should certain books be censored from young adults?  Which ones?  Why?

She said that books shouldn’t be censored because of freedom of speech.

What if your work was censored?  How would that make you feel?

She said that this is sort of like taking away rights and shouldn’t be done.  It would make her feel mad.

How do you feel about e-books and blogs?

She likes them but prefers a physical book.

Has anyone ever discouraged you from reading or writing?  Why?

No one has ever done this.

Would you ever want to write young adult literature?   Why or Why not?

She told me maybe-there was a possibility.

Young Adult literature gets a lot of people talking. Check out these interviews with students, teachers, librarians, authors, and enthusiasts to see what other people have got to say about it.