Author Nicola Yoon visited the library on December 1 after school and spoke to students and teachers about herself, her books, her perspectives and her life as a writer. The visit included an interview with senior Alex Appel, questions from the audience and concluded with a book signing.

The last time that the high school had a published author come to the high school was seven years ago, and this was an opportunity that was offered to students.

“It is not often that people have the opportunity to meet a published author. My hope is that the students might want to read her other book,” Library Media Specialist Nancy Carlson said.

 Yoon was born in Jamaica and moved to New York. In New York, the took a creative writing class her senior year of high school and realized her passion for it. She majored in electrical engineering as an undergraduate student but majored in writing during graduate school.

“Science is in pursuit of truth and trying to figure out the truth about the world, and so is art. It’s just that you approach it from two different places,” Yoon said.

Her first book, Everything Everything debuted at number one of the New York Times bestseller list and stayed on that list for nine months. It recently finished its movie adaptation which comes out on August 18, 2017. Her inspiration for writing the book was based upon her comparisons between her childhood and what she wants for her daughter.

“When I wrote Everything Everything, I wanted my little girl to see someone that looked like her in a book because I never seen, that and when I was growing up I rarely saw people that looked like me as a hero of a story. I believe everyone deserves to see themselves as the hero. It’s this very personal thing; that’s why I put Maddie in Everything Everything,” Yoon said.

Her second book, The Sun is Also a Star, is a National Book Award finalist and is featured on the short list which consists a total of the top five books. The title comes from scientist Carl Sagan, someone Yoon admires. The story follows two unlike teens, Natasha and Daniel, who have 12 hours to fall in love.

Gallery • 11 Photos

MJ Martinez

Autograph please?-- Young adult author Nicola Yoon signs books for students, faculty and staff at her recent visit to the high school on December 1. Yoon came to discuss her newest novel, The Sun is Also a Star.

“Part of the point of the story is to show that we are all connected in ways that we don’t expect. You’re connected to the person across the subway car and that kid you don’t know in class. You have more in common with that person than you think as their history is affecting you. If we can notice that, we will have a little bit more empathy for each other,” Yoon said.

The theme of the book also focuses on the idea of love being the closest and strongest of connections.

“Reading her book made me think about how best I can spend time with people I care about and love just like Daniel and Natasha who had 12 hours to fall in love,” sophomore Tiffany Addy said.

As a writer, Yoon believes a writer’s job is to tell the truth. This includes avoiding stereotypes as it is classified as the surface of a character. The goal is to create actual people who can be seen as heros. Yoon decided to write for young adults due to the connection she has with teenagers’ mindsets in beginning to understand the world.

“When I was a kid I had lots and lots of angst, and I thought if I could just figure out all the answers if someone could just tell me this then I would be happy forever but it took me a really long time to figure out that that it was actually asking the questions that mattered,” Yoon said.

She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and children and is an active member of the We Need Diverse Books Organization which is dedicated to increasing diversity in young adult literature.

“Our job as writers is to tell the truth, and the truth is that we live in a big, beautiful and diverse world, and the world is more beautiful because of its diversity. I wish we had more time to slow down and notice that we have more in common with the people that we think we do. We are more similar than we are different,” Yoon said.

It is through visits that Yoon will be able to continue to share her message about diversity and community with others.

“By listening to an author’s perspective and process, we are given the opportunity to gain insight into our reading lives, our writing lives, and our thinking lives in a different way. Nicola Yoon offered insight on the writing process, the philosophical tension between science and art, the importance of community and the need for diversity in literature,” English teacher James Carter said.