TIFFANY JACKSON:Ooh, let me tell the story.
She immediately knew who I was and invited me over to her house.
I thought it must be a trap.
Credit: Andrew Fennell; Randy Fontanilla
But I did go over there and we had, basically, a sleepover party.
We make a run at do it once a year I call it Weekend at Laurie’s.
I remember what it feels like to walk into a room and think, what am I doing here?
Viking Books for Young Readers
JACKSON:There’s no real handbook no how to be an author how to exist in that space.
She had to tell me, it’s like getting an A+ inEntertainment Weekly.
ANDERSON:My first novel,Speak, came out 20 years ago.
Katherine Tegen Books
Once the English teachers got ahold of it my life changed.
They seemed to think it wasn’t as bad because it wasn’t a stranger in the bushes.
So I wanted to, in my book, discuss those issues and protect girls, too.
JACKSON:When I do ripped from the headlines stories I do my due diligence with research.
I get all the case files.
It’s harder to research something subjective like that it gets into culture, economics.
Also, I was a girl who had her own age-inappropriate relationship.
As my therapist said, it wasn’t doing regular research but more soul-searching.
ANDERSON:I never thought thatSpeakwould be my first book to be published.
I was like oh, cool.
But I feel so fortunate it all worked out the way it did.
It’s the biggest thing I ever kept from my mom.
Meanwhile, I was freaking out.
I was like, I’m about to go out into the world with my shame, basically.
I immediately called Laurie, like, okay how did you deal withSpeak?
ANDERSON:I don’t know if you realize this, Tiffany, butSpeakis very fictionalized.
It’s my feelings.
But the attack, that’s a different setting and set of facts.
For awhile I went out and was like, look at my nice fictional story.
Let me talk to you about metaphor, children.
All the adults in their lives have let them down and they don’t feel safe asking them.
I think you’ll find your rhythm and you’ll speak your truth.
We assign this label to them like Black children are supposed to be all-knowing.
I’ve been called these things, too.
JACKSON:Absolutely, and it’s an internal response as well.
They’ve internalized that.
Our criticism is rooted in survival.
How do you find that political climates or cultural changes affect the way your books are received?
JACKSON:If I had writtenGrownfirst I don’t know if anyone would have published it.
It’s like a mirror that people aren’t willing to look at.
And you know, I don’t hear R. Kelly being played as much either.
I’m proud of the progress we’ve made.
What kind of hopes or goals do you have for the YA community and the publishing industry?
ANDERSON:We’re just getting started.
Imagine if we had diversified children’s publishing back in 1960, how different our world would be today.
JACKSON:That idea kind of takes my breath away.
I’m only four years into this industry and still understanding all the ways diversity has been a problem.
I would keep my head down and keep working.
Now, everyone needs to be using their voice and challenging a system.
I should not be scared to publish a book likeGrownanymore.
