Carolyn Mackler (continued)

Carolyn is reading summer goals she wrote in her journal when she was in her early 20s. Among them:

• look in to psychology as a career
• become an au pair in Italy
• rent a house with a guy
• live in NYC with her mom
• get a dog.
• go to Africa

Instead she wrote her first book, fell in love with her husband, and wrote eight hours a day on THE EARTH, MY BUTT, AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS. The following January she won a Printz Honor, and suddenly she began getting big royalty checks and being asked to speak.

And then, she said, her words dried up.

She got to a point where she tought, I can't write a book.

After encouragement from her friend, and the passing of a little time, she got through her hard time and began writing again.

Then THE EARTH got pulled from an entire school district and got TONS of press. It was the 4th most challenged book in America in 2008, and continues to stay on the list. (And it made her father very proud.)

At first, Carolyn was stunted by the censorship, second guessing herself. Then she let herself go with her writing, and came up with her latest novel TANGLED.