I’m so excited about a post I had at Book Riot earlier this week that I wanted to direct readers over there for the day. I got the opportunity to interview Laurie Halse Anderson. We talked about the 15th anniversary of Speak, the way that the YA world has changed over the last 15 years, how she feels about challenges to her work, and we dug into gender and the book world. Check it out.

It’s neat to get the chance to interview someone that you’ve “known” since you were a teenager. I read Speak when I was in high school, and it’s a title that has stayed with me since. As you may or may not know, Laurie and her publisher are working on the #Speak4RAINN15 campaign to raise money to help survivors of sexual violence this month. Details are on the Riot post. When I posted the piece, I made a donation (which will be matched) and I encourage anyone who can make a donation to do so, too. If you can’t, the next best thing you can do is spread the word, which also makes a difference.

I’m really proud of this interview, and I love the conversation Laurie and I were able to have. I hope you enjoy it, too!