It's funny. Sometimes when I tell people about being a writer they ask me if it's really competitive and cutthroat with other authors, if we don't give away trade secrets to each other, etc. I'm always surprised by the question because the teen-author world is SO NOT THAT. I can't imagine a more supportive field. Last week, I had a lovely dinner with some great author friends - some I've been friends with for years and some I just met. It was one of those perfect warm NYC nights, an elegant restaurant, and eight of us gathered around the table talking about our kids, reality TV, and - yes - writing. Clockwise from top left: Sarah Mlynowsi, Julia Devillers, Coe Booth, Wendy Mass, Mariah Fredericks, E.R. Frank, me, E. Lockhart. If anyone got lost in that roundup of names, I'm in the center of the front row.