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Carolyn Mackler is the acclaimed author of the Printz Honor YA novel The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things and its brand-new sequel The Universe is Expanding and So Am I as well as many others. Even though Carolyn has written 10 novels, she still feels like she doesn't know what she's doing. But if she has a vague clue it is this, her ten things she's learned: 1. Write what you love. 2. Do your research. 3. Don't copy trends. 4. Always love to read. 5. Pay attention to your children, families, and yourself. 6. Know that you sometimes think your writing suck. Keep going. 7. Put things away for a while (the magic of the drawer). 8. Groom good readers (to get the feedback you need from them in order to improve story). 9. Start a new project. 10. Send a freakin' thank you note. (Remember you are hopefully in this field for a long time and it depends on building relationships. Keep track of people along they way who have helped you.)

Carolyn Mackler is the author of Printz Honor Book THE EARTH, MY BUTT, AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS and many many more. Linda Sue Park introduces each author by reading a first line from their books, Carolyn gets two: From THE EARTH, MY BUTT, AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS: "Froggy Welsh the Fourth is trying to get up my shirt." And from THE UNIVERSE IS EXPANDING AND SO AM I: "Froggy Welsh the Fourth is trying to get in my jeans." Linda Sue asks the panel what they think 'dark' means to them in literature.  "I see dark as just part of life," says Carolyn, "Shit happens, and it sucks. When I'm writing those themes come up. Leaning into the sadness that happens in life is like leaning into the light of life and finding humor in the sadness." Did you like reading dark books as a child? "I liked reading real." says Carolyn. Carolyn mentions AUTUMN STREET by Lois Lowry as a book that she loved as a kid. A book that has so much sadness ...

The panelists before starting the panel Moderated by Linda Sue Park, the panel features, left to right: Brandy Colbert, Elana K. Arnold, Carolyn Mackler, and Erin Entrada Kelly.