Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

On September 19, Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy in Avondale, Louisiana, welcomed seasoned authors, Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian, who came to speak to all the sophomores and juniors about their "Burn for Burn" series (S & S), including the forthcoming Fire with Fire. (Sorry, no spoilers here!) You can read more about their visit on the librarian’s blog. After the authors’ presentation, the two sat down with two fans for an intimate interview. The following is a summary of their chat.—Elizabeth Kahn, library media specialist, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy It’s not always easy to share your writing with someone else whose main goal is to point out its flaws, failures, and fallacies. Criticism is difficult to receive, especially when you’ve worked tirelessly. Yet Jenny Han, author of Shug (2007) and "The Summer I Turned Pretty" trilogy (both S & S), and Siobhan Vivian, author of The List (Scholastic, 2012), share everything they write with each other, feeling like a novel is not fully finished until the other has looked it over. With Han’s skill of writing rounded out characters and Vivian’s talent for storytelling, the two fully trust and rely on each other for writing improvement. Thus, it seems natural that the two would write a book together—their writing is already so intertwined.

Kayla and Destiny with the authors

The first novel in their trilogy, Burn for Burn (S & S, 2012), introduces three teenage girls seeking revenge on those who have wronged them. Inspiration comes from real life; after all, who hasn’t been intentionally embarrassed or hurt by someone? Vivian even shared her own amusing story about a high school hookup, an annoying loudmouthed classmate, and the frustration of not having the perfect comeback. What the two manage to create through these characters is a suspenseful, twisted story that keeps readers on the edge. All of these twists, though, are not gratuitous, but rather carefully planned out to ensure that the story all connects. This planning also helped to ensure that the characters remained consistent throughout despite the fact that two different writers were influencing their stories. Still, sometimes discrepancies occur, not in the novel, but in real life. There was one incident where Han and Vivian became legitimately angry with each other as they defended the actions of characters. In this case, they were actually fighting as the characters, really becoming a part of the story. Perhaps this is why Burn for Burn seems so real and relatable, because the authors are really able to be a part of the story. (Those who have read Burn for Burn know that there is something a little bit off about Mary that seems not-so-real, but we’ve been assured that it’s all based in reality.) Additionally, Han and Vivian are very real and relatable themselves. With incredibly cool personalities and an enthusiasm to share their tips and tricks, Han and Vivian left us super excited about our opportunity to get to know them.  By Destiny B. age 16 and Kayla T. age 17