By Aaliyah Thomas- 9th Grade, CAPA High School

We all have authors we admire…Veronica Roth. John Green. No matter your choice, we all have inspiration. I had the opportunity to meet the one and only Siobhan Vivian, an acclaimed author whose books highlight different emotions as each book progresses.

The Last Boy and Girl in the World follows Keeley Hewitt, in her last days in her town, Aberdeen. The story is filled with love, as well as heartbreak. Not only that but friendship, and the process of moving on.

The following are the questions I asked Siobhan, and her replies:

 Q: Will there be a sequel to The Last Boy and Girl in the World?

   A: Probably not, because I wrote a series and I feel like I have to know ahead of time, or before I start it. I like where I left it, but if it became a giant hit, I would definitely take another dip at the well. But the other thing is, what would the overall story be about? Her and her boy maybe? But her friend is gone, so there isn’t much to work with.

   Q: What inspired you to write The Last Boy and Girl in the World?

   A: My parents were selling the house I had grown up in, and they were gone from New Jersey. So I had no connection to my hometown. I couldn’t see the people I grew up with or anything like that. I was really thinking about that, and I heard about the true things happening in a town outside of Pittsburgh, called Livermore. So I used the feelings I had about my town, and narrowed the lens to me, my feelings, and how I could make this what I want it to be.

I had a limited amount of time with each author, but I managed to get 2 questions in for each. Which included Siobhan Vivian, Jonathan Auxier, and Nick Courage. I had a chance to meet all of them, and review their books as well as getting my own personal copies signed.

Overall the Author Conversation Conference was a huge success. The authors were extremely polite, and shared a welcoming smile. I was delighted to meet all of them, and share the same perspective as a writer. I had an amazing time, thanks to these authors. I hope to one day meet and share moments like we had on 7/26/16.

The  following is my favorite quote from the book, The Last Boy and Girl in the World.

“Something about that smile made me uneasy. The thing we were holding was proof for sure, but it wasn’t something to gloat about.”

Thank you to Siobhan, for being my inspiration, and to the authors who gave me their time.

Aaliyah Thomas is entering 9^th grade at CAPA High School. She lives in Crafton with her mother, father and 3 siblings. She’s been writing since 4^th grade, stories about a tiger named Tigi. She enjoys swimming, singing, reading, soccer, and writing. She’s never been to any journalism/ media classes/ programs. But she is hoping to learn more about journalism/ media.