Glass (Crank Series #2)

Glass (Crank Series #2)

by Ellen Hopkins
Glass (Crank Series #2)

Glass (Crank Series #2)

by Ellen Hopkins

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Overview

Crank. Glass. Ice. Crystal. Whatever you call it, it's all the same: a monster. And once it's got hold of you, this monster will never let you go.

Kristina thinks she can control the urge, the addiction, the monster trying to drag her down. Now with a baby to care for, she's determined to be the one deciding when and how much, the one calling the shots. But the monster is too strong, and before she knows it, Kristina is back in its grips. She needs the monster to keep going, to face the pressures of day-to-day life. She needs it to feel alive.

Once again the monster takes over Kristina's life and she will do anything for it, including giving up the one person who gives her the unconditional love she craves—her baby.

A vivid portrait of a victim to addiction, this sequel to Crank is the continuing story of Kristina and her descent back to hell. Told in verse, it's a harrowing and disturbing look at addiction and the damage that it inflicts.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781416940906
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date: 08/21/2007
Series: Crank Series , #2
Pages: 688
Sales rank: 319,389
Product dimensions: 5.30(w) x 7.30(h) x 2.10(d)
Lexile: HL600L (what's this?)
Age Range: 14 - 17 Years

About the Author

About The Author
Ellen Hopkins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous young adult novels, as well as the adult novels such as Triangles, Collateral, and Love Lies Beneath. She lives with her family in Carson City, Nevada, where she has founded Ventana Sierra, a nonprofit youth housing and resource initiative. Follow her on Twitter at @EllenHopkinsLit.

Read an Excerpt


Walking with the Monster Life was radical right after I met the monster. Later, life became harder, complicated. Ultimately, a living hell, like swimming against a riptide, walking the wrong direction in the fast lane of the freeway, waking from sweetest dreams to find yourself in the middle of a nightmare. You Know My Story Don't you? All about my dive into the lair of the monster drug some people call crank. Crystal. Tina. Ice. How a summer visit to my dad sent me into the arms of a boy -- a hot-bodied hunk, my very first love, who led me down the path to insanity. How I came home no longer Kristina Georgia Snow, gifted high school junior, total dweeb, and perfect daughter, but instead a stranger who called herself Bree. How, no matter how hard Kristina fought her, Bree was stronger, brighter, better equipped to deal with a world where everything moved at light speed, everyone mired in ego. Where "everyday" became another word for making love with the monster. It Wasn't a Long Process I went to my dad's in June, met Adam the very first day. It took some time to pry him from his girlfriend's grasp. But within two weeks, he introduced me to the monster. One time was all it took to want more. It's a roller- coaster ride. Catch the downhill thrill, you want to ride again, enough to endure the long, hard climb back up again. In days, I was hooked on Adam, tobacco, and meth, in no particular order. But all summer vacations must end. I had to come home to Reno. And all my new bad habits came with me. It was a hella speed bump, oh yeah. Until I hurt for it, I believed I could leave the crystal behind. But the crash-and-burn was more than I could take. When the jet landed, I was still buzzed from a good-bye binge. My family crowded round me at the airport, discussing summer plans and celebration dinners, and all I wanted to do was skip off for another snort. Mom kept trying to feed me. My stepfa- ther, Scott, kept trying to ask questions about my visit with Dad. My big sister, Leigh, wanted to talk about her new girlfriend, and my little brother, Jake, kept going on about soccer. It didn't take long to figure out I was in serious trouble. Not the Kind of Trouble You might think I'm talking about. I was pretty sure I could get away with B.S.ing Mom and Scott. I'd always been such a good girl, they wouldn't make the jump to "bad" too quickly. Especially not if I stayed cool. I wasn't worried about getting busted at school or on the street. I'd only just begun my walk with the monster. I still had meat on my bones, the teeth still looked good. I didn't stutter yet. My mouth could still keep up with my brain. No, the main thing I worried about was how I could score there, at home. I'd never even experimented with pot, let alone meth. Where could I go? Who could I trust with my money, my secrets? I couldn't ask Leigh. She was the prettiest lesbian you've ever seen. But to my knowledge she had never used anything stronger than a hearty glass of wine. Not Sarah, my best friend since fourth grade, or any of my old crowd, all of whom lived by the code of the D.A.R.E. pledge. I really didn't need to worry, of course. All I had to do was leave things up to Bree, the goddess of persuasion. Before I Continue I just want to remind you that turning into Bree was a conscious decision on my part. I never really liked Kristina that much. Oh, some things about her were pretty cool -- how she was loyal to her family and friends. How she loved easily. How she was good at any and all things artistic. But she was such a brain, with no sense of fashion or any idea how to have fun. So when fun presented itself, I decided someone new would have to take charge. That someone was Bree. I chose her name (not sure where I got it), chose when to become her. What I didn't expect was discovering she had always been there, inside of me. How could Kristina and Bree live inside of one person? How could two such different halves make up the whole of me? How could Bree have possibly survived, stuck in Kristina's daily existence? The Funny Thing Was Bree solved the meth dilemma on a family trip to Wild Waters, Scott's annual company picnic. Sarah came The first was along to spend time with a truly gorgeous Kristina. But Bree lifeguard. Turned out had other things Brendan wasn't so pretty in mind. on the inside, but even Bree, who thrived on intuition, was clueless. Hard on the make, Brendan shared booze, cigarettes. But one guy wasn't quite enough. I also ran into Chase Wagner that day. His outside wasn't as I found out attractive, but inside he soon enough that was fine. Of course, both Chase and Brendan I didn't know knew the score -- and both that yet. were interested in me. Brendan only wanted sex; Chase offered love. Either way, I had my path to the monster. My Mom and Stepfather Later, I discovered that Robyn, my old friend Trent's sister (not to mention an "in" cheerleader), It didn't take tweaked to stay thin long to immerse and "pep up." She myself in the lifestyle. taught me how Didn't take long for school to smoke it. to go to shit; for friend -ships and dedication to family to falter. Didn't take long to become a slave to the monster. Tried to stop me before it all went completely wrong. Kristina spent almost a whole year GUFN -- grounded until further notice. But Bree was really good at prying open windows at night, lying with a straight face, denying she had slipped so far downhill. Nothing slowed me down. Not losing my virginity to Brendan's rape. Not spending a few days in juvenile hall. The only thing that kept me sane was Chase's love, despite all I put him through. He even swore to love me when I told him I was pregnant. Pregnant. And Brendan was the father. Bree considered abortion. Exorcism. Kristina understood the baby was not the demon. His father was. But you know this part of the story. You followed me on my journey through the monster's territory. We wound up here. Who am I now, three months after I left you, standing on the deck with me, listening to my new baby, crying inside? I told you then, the monster is a way of life, one it's difficult to leave behind, no matter how hard you try. I have tried, really I have. Maybe if Chase had stayed with me, instead of running off to California, in search of his dreams. Then again, I told him to go. Maybe if I had dreams of my own to run off in search of. I did once. But now I have no plans for a perfect tomorrow. All I have is today. T for Today I'd really like to tell you I have a nice little place with a white picket fence, flowers in the garden, and Winnie- the-Pooh, Eeyore, and Tigger, too, on baby blue nursery walls. I'd like to inform you that I am on a fast track to a college degree and a career in computer animation -- something I've aimed for, ever since I found out I could draw. I'd love to let you know I left the monster screaming in my dust, shut my ears, scrambled back to my family, back to my baby, my heart. I could tell you those things, but they'd be lies -- nothing new for me, true. But if all I wrote was lies, you wouldn't really know my story. I want you to know. Not a day passes when I don't think about getting high. Strung. Getting out of this deep well of monotony I'm slowly drowning in. Copyright © 2007 by Ellen Hopkins

Reading Group Guide

A Reading Group Guide to the

Crank, Glass, Fallout trilogy

by Ellen Hopkins

Overall pre-reading questions for the series:

Why might teens begin using drugs like meth even though they know the dangers?

How might drug addiction impact a family?

What scars might drug addiction leave for generations to come?

A Reading Group Guide to Crank by Ellen Hopkins

ABOUT THE BOOK

Maybe it wouldn’t have happened if she had just stayed in Reno for the summer. Or if her father had turned out to be the man she had wanted him to be instead of the disappointment that she found. Or maybe if Adam hadn’t been so beautiful and broken and in need of her love. Maybe then Kristina wouldn’t have snorted her first line of crank and maybe then her life wouldn’t be spiraling out of control. But maybe doesn’t count in the real world, and it certainly won’t save Kristina from the monster.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

How would you describe Bree? Is this the same way that Kristina would describe her? Where did Bree come from?

For Kristina, what is the lure of crystal meth? What does it provide for her? What does it take away?

Describe Kristina’s mother, father, and stepfather. Are they in any way responsible for her addiction? Do you think that there’s anything else they could have—or should have—done to help her?

Why is Kristina drawn to Adam? To Chase? To Brendan? In what ways are these three similar and in what ways are they different? How does Kristina’s relationship with each one affect her?

Which boy is most harmful to her?

Why does Kristina decide to keep her baby? What reasons might she have had for giving it up? Do you think she made the right decision?

Why does Kristina always call crank “the monster”? How do you think her renaming of the drug affects her attitude toward it and her sense of responsibility regarding it? Are there other things or people in the story that get renamed? How does this affect the way in which they are regarded?

Kristina sometimes refers to herself and her life before drugs as boring and worthless, yet at other times she seems to regard it as something very precious. What attitude do you think is closest to her true feelings? Do you think those around her would agree with her assessment?

The author chose to write this story in verse. Why do you think that she chose this format? What effect does this have on how you feel about the characters and events?

What is the overall message of this book? Do you think the story will act as a deterrent for teens who are considering drugs?

ACTIVITIES

As we can see in Crank, poetry allows us to express ourselves in new and creative ways. Write a poem or series of poems about something that has happened in your life

Choose a drug—crystal meth or some other drug that you’ve heard of—and research its effects on the user. Find out exactly what it does in the body, how long the side effects last, how much it typically costs, and any other pertinent facts.

Kristina has an alter ego who allows her to be more careless and daring. What would your alter ego be like? Choose a name, list all the character traits s/he would have, and list the things that s/he could help you do. Imagine what your life would be like if you acted more like your alter ego.

Kristina’s baby, like many children of addicts, cries a lot and needs to be held more than other babies. Find out if your local hospital will allow you to volunteer to hold babies born addicted. If your community has no such programs, perhaps you could consider volunteering at a local drug clinic or an anti-drug program at your school.

Write a short story about what you think will happen to Kristina and her baby after the events depicted in the book.

There are several other books about teenage drug addiction, including Go Ask Alice and Smack. Read one of these other books and compare it to Crank.

A Reading Group Guide to Glass by Ellen Hopkins

ABOUT THE BOOK

This sequel to Crank (2004) picks up after Kristina Snow has given birth to her first son, Hunter. Addicted to meth after a brief visit to her estranged father, Kristina thinks that she can manage her addiction—without giving it up—now that she has a baby to care for. A young mother living with her mother and stepfather, who support her and Hunter, Kristina is disheartened with her excess weight and has lost confidence in herself in other ways, as well. Now a high school dropout, Kristina takes a job at the 7-11 and toys with the idea of using again to regain her pre-baby figure. Kristina gives in to the monster again, thinking she can control how much she uses, and begins another gradual spiral downward into hopelessness. Along the way, she meets Trey, a meth user, and moves farther away from her relationship with her baby and the support of her family. Her parents take custody of her son, and Kristina and Trey live rough lives as meth addicts, sleeping in Trey’s car and selling drugs to pay for their addiction. A final discovery leads to yet another challenge that Kristina may or may not be able to handle, and hope for her future, as fragile as it’s become, wears even thinner.

PREREADING ACTIVITY

Ask students one of the following: 1) What do you know about the drug meth? 2) Why might a seemingly “perfect” teen turn to meth? 3) To what extent would you be willing to support an immediate family member who is addicted to meth?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

In the opening of Glass, Hopkins reminds the reader of Kristina Snow’s fall “into the lair of the monster,” a metaphor for meth. How is the word monster an appropriate metaphor for meth?

Kristina’s alter ego, Bree, takes over when she is high on meth. What does Kristina mean when she says she made a “conscious decision” to turn into Bree?

Kristina meets Trey, a user and drug dealer, and falls head over heels for him. A year previously she had fallen for Adam, who introduced her to meth. After their relationship, why does Kristina fall for Trey, another drug dealer? What characteristics does he have that draw her in? Why does she maintain this relationship even though she knows Trey has other girlfriends?

Kristina knows that she should resist the monster. Why do you think she lacks the strength? Why might recovering addicts believe they can use again but control their drug habit?

Chase, a boyfriend from Crank, has a minor role in this novel. When Kristina encounters him, she is somewhat tentative. What feelings does she have for him? Why do you think Hopkins develops the scene in which Kristina encounters Chase with his new wife?

Kristina’s mother and stepfather want Kristina to heal. Why does Kristina journey down the wrong path again? What emotions exist between Kristina and her mother? Between her stepfather and Kristina?

Would you describe the way Kristina feels as “empty”? Explain. How much power do Kristina’s parents have to help her? Could they have done anything to prevent her from spiraling downward again? If so, what?

Kristina became hooked on meth when visiting her biological father, a meth user. When her father pays a visit on her birthday, Kristina shares her own stash with him. Describe their relationship. In what ways is her relationship with her father similar to her relationship with her mother? How is it different?

Does Trey genuinely care for Kristina? Does Brad? Cite scenes to support your response.

Does Kristina feel parental attachment to Hunter in the beginning of the story? Explain. Do her feelings toward him change throughout the story? If so, in what way?

Does Kristina grow throughout the story? Why or why not? Cite passages to support your thoughts.

Kristina’s mother “throws her out” and/or refuses to see her while she is addicted. Does her mother take appropriate steps by turning her away?

Glass
contains numerous shape poems. Identify two shape poems and explain the meaning of these forms. What effect do they have on the overall story? Why do you think Hopkins chose these shapes?

Glass begs for another follow-up in the series. What might happen to Kristina now that she and Trey have been busted? Will she distance herself from Trey or will they continue their relationship? Will she rejoin her family and resist the monster?

ACTIVITIES

Organize a drug awareness campaign in your school and/or community. You may develop brochures outlining the dangers of meth and invite a guest speaker (ex., adolescent therapist) to your school, church/synagogue, etc., to speak to your peers.

Re-examine the shape poetry found in Glass. Write your own poem in a shape that suits the poem’s theme. You may create a Shape Poetry Collection that when read together convenes a theme or short story.

Research meth and its effects on the body. Develop a blog or wiki on the dangers of meth and include information about where teens can go for help. Share the site with others in your school.

Kristina is the “perfect” girl. She is pretty, smart, and lives a comfortable lifestyle with her family. Why might someone who seemingly has everything turn to drugs? Read nonfiction accounts of teens who turn to meth. Develop a presentation that outlines common reasons teens turn toward drugs.

Volunteer to work for an organization that supports high-risk children such as a Big Brother or Big Sister.

Read a follow-up fiction novel that addresses drug addiction (ex., Candy by Kevin Brooks or St. Iggy by K. L. Going). Compare and contrast the stories. What characteristics do the drug addicts share? How are they different?

A Reading Group Guide to Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

ABOUT THE BOOK

The final installment in the Crank trilogy, Fallout picks up almost two decades after Kristina’s parents assume custody of Hunter. Hunter is in college and has two half sisters and two half brothers. Told in alternating voices, the verse novel concentrates on the lives of Hunter and his two teenage half sisters: Autumn and Summer. All three are being raised by different families. Hunter has a steady girlfriend and struggles to understand and control his anger. Autumn has panic attacks and cannot handle the fact her aunt, Trey’s sister, is marrying and moving away. She turns to alcohol and begins having unprotected sex, even fantasizing about getting pregnant. Summer has been abused at the hands of her father’s girlfriends and does not know she has a sister until she begins questioning her father about her past. Lonely and longing for connection, Summer runs away with her boyfriend, Kyle. Hunter, Autumn, and Summer share the same anger and mixed feelings about their mother. Their lives intersect one Christmas at Kristina’s parents’ home, where they encounter their mother, who has little emotional connection with them. While the three fear they are predestined to follow in their mother’s footsteps, they begin finding pieces of connection and dare to hope for better lives.

PREREADING ACTIVITY

What psychological impact might drug addiction have on offspring?

Is it possible for a drug addiction to be just one person’s problem?

How else, besides drugs like meth, can an addiction manifest itself, especially in the life of a teenager?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Since the birth of her first child, Hunter, how has Kristina changed over the years? How has she remained the same? How has her relationship with her parents evolved?

How are Hunter, Autumn, and Summer alike? How are they different? Which of the three has a better chance at a successful life? Why?

Why is Autumn so careless about unprotected sex? How does she feel about getting pregnant? Is she grounded in reality? Explain.

Summer has feelings for both Matt and Matt’s friend, Kyle. She describes Matt as a nice guy who has never pushed her to have sex and who has never belittled her or yelled at her. However, these positive characteristics “make him boring” How can this be? What characteristics in a boy excite her? Why? What similar responses to men does her mother have? Consider her mother’s relationship with Ron.

Trey and Autumn’s journey to Autumn’s grandparents house is also a journey through Trey’s relationship with Autumn’s mother and, ultimately, his relationship with Autumn, his daughter. Along the way, Trey says, “I’ve/spent the last fifteen/years hating your mother . . . What I couldn’t see/ was that hate controlled me.” What does Trey mean? Give examples. What other characters have been controlled by hate? Explain.

Anger is a recurring theme in Fallout. Hunter reflects on his own rage and wonders why people take it out on those they love. Why do you think those closest often are hit the hardest by rage? Is Hunter’s anger justified? What about his mother’s? Explain.

How might anger be self-contempt? Use Kristina as an example.

Hunter’s mother remarks in the closing pages that she “used to live ‘mad’”. What does she mean and how has she changed? Has she found peace? Explain.

Autumn and Summer both want desperately to be loved. Explain their desperation. Why are they so quick to fall for a boy? Why are they so needy? In what ways are they like their mother? In what ways are they different from their mother? How will they need to change so that they can have healthy relationships with men?

How do Kristina’s children define love? Would you say they “misname” love? If so, explain.

Kristina has hurt everyone she has touched, and she seems to know she has. How does she respond to the pain she has caused?

Will Kristina’s family ever heal? What scars might remain? Explain.

Fallout ends with the phrase, “ . . . look/very long at/Kristina, I see/me/me/me.” Each use of the pronoun me represents one of Kristina’s three older children. What do all three wish for? What are their fears? Will each of them be able to stop the “monster” from destroying their own families?

ACTIVITIES

Draw and/or use computer software to generate a relationship tree, highlighting the key characters in Fallout.

Choose one of the following relationships to research: father/daughter, father/son, mother/son, mother/daughter. What are the characteristics of a healthy relationship between the two? What relationship difficulties might a young teen have if one of these relationships is damaged? Prepare a class presentation based on your findings.

Organize a book read at your school between parents/guardians and their children around a book with strong relationship themes between parents/guardians and teens. Mothers and sons might read a YA novel about a mother/son relationship (ex., Bucking the Sarge by Christopher Paul Curtis); a father and daughter might read a YA novel about a father/daughter relationship (ex., Story of a Girl by Sara Zaar). Adopted children and their adoptive parents might read Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher.

Read a nonfiction account or a biography about a child growing up in a foster home (ex., Three Little Words: A Memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter) and share your reactions to the reading with the class.

Crank guide written by Cory Grimminck, Director, Hillsdale Community Library, Hillsdale, MI.

Glass & Fallout guide written by Pam B. Cole, Professor of English Education & Literacy, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA.

This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.



Interviews

An Interview with Ellen Hopkins

Q: Crank and Impulse have recently become New York Times bestsellers. Why do you think your novels are so successful with young adults?

A: I think my success stems from a couple of things. The first is, I write about issues that some other authors shy away from -- difficult subjects that teens (or people they know) face every day. And the second thing is, I refuse to sugarcoat these issues. I write with honesty, from a place of deep respect for my readers.

Q: In Crank, you tell a powerful story about addiction. Do you have firsthand knowledge of this subject?

A: Crank is loosely based on the very true story of my daughter's path to addiction. It was a story I had to tell. Crystal meth is unlike other drugs because it is so highly addictive and so damaging, not only to the user but also to the people around him/her. I have opened a lot of eyes to the strength of "the monster" and its grasp. I am grateful for the opportunity to perhaps veer people from this path.

Q: Why did you decide to continue the Kristina/Bree story in Glass?

A: There was so much story left to tell, I had to. It is crucial to me to paint a three-dimensional picture of the nature of addiction. One facet of that, especially with methamphetamine, is how hard it is to put it behind you once you let it into your life. Very few people can simply turn their backs on the monster and walk away. It takes true desire, a strong will, and for most, help.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your background.

A: I grew up in Palm Springs, CA (swimming pools . . . movie stars!), and later moved to the Santa Ynez Valley, near Santa Barbara. My mother loved literature and instilled an infatuation with language at a very young age. I studied journalism in college but left school to marry and start a family. After a divorce, new marriage, and move to Lake Tahoe, I decided to return to what I have always loved best -- writing. I worked as a freelance journalist for a number of years, while writing poetry and dabbling in fiction. My journey into publishing for young adults began with middle-grade nonfiction books. I published twenty with educational publishers before truly finding where I belong -- young adult fiction.

Q: Why do you write novels about troubled teens?

A: Well, everyone has problems, don't they? Young adults like to know they're not alone with their problems. And for me on a personal level, creating complex, believable characters is vital. Who wants to write (or read) about someone whose life is perfect? Now that is fiction.

Q: Do you ever work directly with young people?

A: Often! I do lots of school visits, conferences, festivals, and creative writing workshops. I am also a Nevada Artist in Residence. Our arts council sends me to schools for creative writing residencies that may last two or more weeks. I've taught fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting, and, of course, poetry. I love to teach. It's exhausting, but exceptionally satisfying.

Q: Have you received letters from young people who identify with your novels?

A: Thousands. I get them every day, usually via e-mail but handwritten ones as well. I feel like I've got this huge network of friends out there. They thank me for the stories I tell, and the honesty in them. Many readers also thank me for helping them learn to enjoy reading. The verse novel format allows even nonreaders to pick up a "big" book (all my novels are well over 500 pages) and read it in a matter of days, or even hours. This empowers them to try other books.

Q: In your YA novels, you use poetry as a form of narrative. How did you begin doing this?

A: I started writing and publishing poetry in elementary school, and it has always been close to my heart. I started Crank, my first YA novel, as a prose novel but thought the voice was too strong. When I discovered verse novel as a viable format (hearing Sonya Sones speak at a conference), I knew immediately that's how Crank should be written. I did spend some time creating a unique "look" for the poetry in my novels, which I want to stand out from the crowd.

Q: You have written a lot of nonfiction, what made you decide to start writing novels?

A: I think all nonfiction writers are closet novelists, or maybe closet short story writers. We are storytellers at heart, at least good nonfiction writers are. I've got a drawer full of legal pads, with the beginnings of many stories I started over the years, then put aside. I just might have to finish them some day.

Q: What do you like best about writing in verse?

A: Verse accomplishes a couple of things. It makes you write only the words that have to be on the page. There is no room for extraneous verbiage. And it is an internal form of writing. It makes you climb inside your characters' heads for a good, long look around. My books are not about the things that happen to my characters, but rather about how those characters react to those things. People are the story. Plot is secondary.

Q: Please tell us some your favorite things . . . in verse!

A: Raindrops on roses and whiskers . . . oh, wait . . . don't want to borrow. So here, in verse, are some of my favorite things:

That Time of Day
sunlight splashes
eastern hills, spills blue
into gray, and the kitchen
swells with snapshots: steaming
mugs and marmalade toast;
hasty pencils fine-tuning homework;
papered German shepherds
and barn-bred tabbies, intent
on breakfast bowls. Three
minutes of reminders lead to half-
planted kisses, a volley
of slams, and sudden, blessed silence.

That time of day, I open
the French doors, step lightly
over thin ice veneer,
into the sage-perfumed morning.
Steaming mug in hand, I nibble
marmalade and look to the mountain
lifting quilted amber and evergreen
into the azure-splashed sky.
A hawk dips low in early hunt
and far across the valley, traffic
stirs the day. I bundle up
in the magic, join the red-tail,
and fly away.

Q: What do you have coming out next?

A: Next is Identical, about identical twins whose father is sexually abusing one of them. I know, I know, another light subject, but one I wanted to explore. Statistically, one in five women and one in seven men experience incest (defined as sexual abuse by someone close, in a position of power over the victim) in their lifetimes. Only by shedding light on subjects like this one can we learn not only to understand them, but also to move beyond them into a more positive future.

This interview is provided by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and can be reprinted for publication either in full or excerpted as individual questions and answers, as long as they are reprinted in their entirety.

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