Things Change
Page 19
What authors do you admire the most?
Rob Thomas, Chris Crutcher, and Terry Davis. I think Rob's Rats Saw God is the best teen novel ever, while Terry's books If Rock and Roll Were a Machine and Vision Quest are the best duo. Chris is just amazing: as a writer, as a speaker, and as a person. Finally, I do admire R. L. Stine and not just for his productivity or pocketbook. I think it is very, very hard to create a book that is entertaining to a mass audience. If you compare the number of novels written every year that everyone gushes over to those that everybody buys, I think you'll find just how difficult it is to write a bestseller, let alone one a month as he did. I think it goes without saying that I admire Bruce Springsteen greatly, and I try to put into a 200-page book the same passion that he can get into a three-minute song.
To read the interview in its entirety, visit
www.connectingya.com/thingschange
or
www.walkeryoungreaders.com
PATRICK JONES
has been connecting teens with books since he graduated from college. He is a nationally respected young-adult librarian, the author of several critically acclaimed books for YA experts, and a popular speaker for teens and librarians. Things Change was Patrick's first novel for teens. He was born and raised in Flint, Michigan, and currently lives in the Minneapolis area.
Visit his Web site at
www.connectingya.com/thingschange