Ellen Hopkins: Crank It Up

Addiction. Teen prostitution. Crystal meth. Ellen Hopkins talks about ending her semiautobiographical "Crank" trilogy with Fallout (S & S/Margaret K. McElderry Bks., 2010), due out this summer.

School Library Journal caught up with the author to talk about work, life, and what it feels like to be overlooked by some awards committees.

Fallout, the last book in your "Crank" trilogy, is due out this fall. Tell us about it.
Fallout moves into the POVs of Kristina’s three oldest children, now teens in the book, and dealing with the fallout of the choices Kristina made when she was their age. I moved out of Kristina’s POV for a couple of reasons. First, by shifting and moving into the future, it allowed me to end her story with this book. I don’t want to write her forever. But more, I wanted to give voice to the children of addicts, and leave the hope of the story with the generation that can choose to break the cycle of addiction.

Why do you think your first book Crank (McElderry, 2004), loosely based on your daughter’s crystal meth addiction, was under the radar? 
As I wrote Crank, I became certain the book was an important story, and so would eventually find an audience. But I never could have predicted the success it has realized. It was my first novel, and the advance was low, so my publisher did not throw a lot of marketing dollars behind it. I did what I could as a new author to promote it—press releases, some morning news shows on TV and radio, school visits, etc.—but word of mouth most definitely launched the book. It was totally viral. Someone picked it up and loved it. Shared it with a friend. A parent. A teacher. A librarian. It is now required reading in many high schools, as well as many drug and drug court programs. It has touched—this sounds amazing, even to me—millions of people, across the US and now around the world. 

What was your response to all the controversy surrounding Glass (McElderry, 2007), the second book in the trilogy, in Norman, OK, last fall? 
I wasn’t necessarily surprised that my book, Glass, was pulled for review. I understand the book challenge process and don’t get upset by challenges. What surprised me most, however, was the school district banning me, rather than my book (it remained on the shelves). I was supposed to do a school visit. One parent decided she didn’t want her daughter, or any other student to see me speak. First of all, the takeaway from my school visits is the importance of making good choices, and the ability to realize your dreams. And secondly, why should one parent be allowed to wield such power?

I truly believe when uber-conservatives had their way and banished President Obama from classrooms (seriously…the President, telling kids to work hard and stay in school?), they became emboldened. School visit cancellations and preemptive book pulls multiplied exponentially in the months that followed. The upside was I became an outspoken opponent of censorship in this country, a role I’m happy to have stepped into. No one has the right to decide for everyone what books can be on bookshelves, or what authors should can speak in schools.

Do you think the various award committees have overlooked you books?
I know they are aware of my books. I think they are a bit squeamish about the difficult subject matter, and the verse may be off-putting as well, although other verse novels have definitely found major recognition. Maybe they want me to pay my dues longer, or maybe I’m “too commercial,” or maybe I just don’t write as well as I believe I do. Thank goodness my readers disagree. My books have won many reader awards, which mean the world to me. And the truth is, while I’d love a nod from the Printz committee, I don’t write for awards. I write for my readers, and I will continue to write boldly, whether or not my books ever wear shiny medals.

Do you have any plans to write for adults?
I will continue to write YA for the foreseeable future, but yes, I plan to move into adult fiction, too. And, against all conventional wisdom, I plan to write in verse. My audience has crossed over widely, not only because my readers are getting older, but also because adults have come to my books on their own. And they enjoy the verse format. I’m sure they’ll continue to read my YA also, but I’d like to explore more adult subject matter, including stillbirth and losing someone to deployment.

You’re very open about being adopted. Has it affected your writing?
It’s an interesting question, one I haven’t been asked before. I think most adoptees have a sense of something missing in their lives, a lack of connection with people who should be important components of their lives. I tend to write about young people searching for connections of one kind or another. That probably does come trickling from the little recess in my brain that felt empty when I was younger.

How does it feel to be the best-selling poet on the planet?
I am actually rather awed. I spent years growing my poetry, reading masters and new talent alike, and to be in this position is incredibly rewarding. I am especially happy to have opened the world of poetry to my readers. Young children love poetry, but it seems as people grow older, they often close themselves off to the beauty of the form because much of it feels inaccessible. Verse-as-story can be highly accessible and my readers, I think, come to look at poetry in new ways. Once they lose their fear of it, they can love it again and enjoy looking at other kinds of poetry. Intrinsically, they are drawn to the imagery and the power of fewer words, packed with meaning. 

You’re often quoted by Twitter readers and one recent quote reads “Taking no chances means wasting your dreams.” What does it mean to you?
Rarely are dreams easily realized. Not only must you work toward them but, yes, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith to find where you belong. This could mean in relationships, career choices, or moving someplace new. Too often people choose the easiest path, fall into the mundane. They grow old, wondering “what if,” “why didn’t I,” “where would I be?” I say go for it. Take chances. Don’t listen to those who insist you can’t. You can. If you make a mistake, pick yourself up and take that leap again. 

You are very involved in social media, is that how you stay on top of pop culture? 
Social networking is easily two hours or more of my day, which still leaves me plenty of time to write! Per day, I’m fielding over 200 emails; Twitter tweets; MySpace, and Facebook friend requests, comments and messages; plus various others (Goodreads, Linkedin, etc. A lot of those are from young people, so yes, I’m plugged into them and their concerns. Many of them truly consider me a friend, or even the mom they wish they could go to. They tell me their stories, ask for advice. I do try to answer each and every one, although a few can slip by, especially when I travel. I have even been involved in helping three couples get engaged this year. That was really fun, and I am honored to have played a small part in launching their futures together.

What are some of your favorite ways to stay connected? 
Different media are valuable for different things. MySpace connections are generally younger, and they tend to move to Facebook once they learn to maneuver cyberspace well. Twitter I especially like because there I’m connected to a community of authors, editors, agents, librarians, etc. We share information, funny stories and links to articles and blogs of interest to the writing community. Our Twitter followers can “lurk,” becoming voyeurs in a way. They like seeing the interaction within the writing community. 

I know many writers feel this kind of attention to social networking can become overwhelming, but daily contact with my readers is extremely important to me.

How do you feel about ebooks? 
I think there is a place for them. But for me, and many others I’ve spoken to, they will never replace print. There is something about holding a book, turning the pages, smelling the ink, flipping back to a favorite passage, and re-shelving it when you’re finished that digital formats cannot replicate. People have become too plugged into their screens. They text, rather than call. They email, rather than write. They play games via the Internet, instead of across the table. We are losing human connection, and technology is much to blame. I fear the day when toddlers are read to only by machines. There is such joy, such connection, in sitting a child on your lap, holding a book together, turning the pages, pointing to things and giving your child words for those things. I hope we never lose the desire to do that.

What do you enjoy most about meeting and speaking to your readers?
I just love the connection. Love letting them see I’m a real person, with flaws and strengths and a history and, believe it or not, a great sense of humor. Love letting them hear me read from my books, so they can better understand my voice and the voice of my characters, and the poetry of my books. Poetry is meant to be read aloud. Most of all, I love meeting them, tapping into their youthful enthusiasm and getting a real glimpse of our future.