Allison van Diepen

Readings

The story behind the books: Allison describes her journey to becoming a published author and the inspiration behind Street Pharm and Snitch. She discusses how writing YA fiction was her way of entertaining teens while exploring difficult questions such as: Why do some teens choose criminal activity? And, why is snitching taboo?

Special Equipment:

n/a

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to be sold and autographed.

Workshops

Writing workshop for teens: Ever wonder how a book comes together? This talk introduces students to the novel writing process. Allison discusses her journey from aspiring writer to published author, and gives students an in-depth look into book publishing – from initial drafts to copyedits, reviews and publicity.

Special Equipment:

n/a

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to be sold and autographed.

Biography

Allison van Diepen is a high school teacher who taught in Brooklyn, New York, and now teaches at an alternative school for at-risk youth in Ottawa, Canada. She is the author of the critically-acclaimed YA novel Street Pharm, which explores the life of a teen drug dealer. Her next novel, Snitch, about teens, gangs, and the no-snitching code, is coming out on November 27, 2007, from Simon and Schuster.

Street Pharm was named an ALA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and a NYPL Book for the Teen Age.

Quill & Quire Starred review:

“[Allison] van Diepen has created a compelling, morally challenging, and emotionally rewarding work. Street Pharm is precisely the kind of book that will draw young readers and, more importantly, keep them reading…. Street Pharm is a daring book…a gripping read that can be enjoyed as much by adults as by YA readers. With skilled characterization, tight plotting, and a sensitive ear for the language of the streets, Street Pharm is a remarkable achievement.”

Globe and Mail:

“Street Pharm pierces through the "glamour" and exposes the underbelly: the perils of hard drugs, the perpetual deceit practised on loved ones, the physical mayhem, ruined lives and interrupted educations…Van Diepen's keen eye and ear bring the teens' world to life: hip hop, clothes, customs, thoughts and culture. The author skillfully captures the social, physical and emotional costs of a young drug lord trying to keep it together in an unsettling urban landscape.”