Create Your Own Familiar

We've been traveling around the country visiting schools and at each one the students have created their own Familiar Story.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Why I Read Twilight, Watch Gossip Girl, and Listen to Justin Bieber

GUEST POST on Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf

It’s research. At least that’s what I tell friends and family who ask why I’m reading the Twilight books, or watching the CW, or listening to tween pop music. Yes, I’m a man in my early thirties. I’m married with a kid on the way. But for much of my career I wrote teen comedy movies and for MTV, and now I have transitioned into writing fantasy middle grade fiction. So it’s not entirely a stretch when I justify my tendencies toward adolescent entertainment as research for work. And what an awesome job I have, creating stories for an audience of tastemakers, many of who aren’t even old enough to have a driver’s license.

It’s true, I have to stay current on what kind of pop culture the pre-teen and teen demo are consuming. My secret… my hidden shame… is that I actually like it. I’m a superfan of Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. I never miss an episode of American Idol or Glee. I listen to Taylor Swift (when my wife isn’t in the car). A perusal of my bookshelf or DVD collection or car CD player might give the impression that they belonged to a tweenager. But alas, they are the property of a fantasy football playing, red meat eating, superhero loving dude who also happens to enjoy The Hills. I don’t know if I’ll ever outgrow my affinity for youthful diversion. Just know that if you find me standing in line for Breaking Dawn… it’s research.

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