Anyone who was a teenager in the 80s grew up on the wonderful Canadian drama, Degrassi Junior High. The success of the show can be summed up by its fun cast, real teens, and its great writing. As a teen, I never thought I'd ever be so lucky as to meet one of those writers.

Lee and I met up with Susin Neilsen at Oz Coffee on a warm and sunny Vancouver afternoon. We chatted about her picture books, her novels and her career as a TV writer. Her dry wit extends beyond the pages of her books and scripts, right into her in-person conversation.

In the first part of the interview, we chat with Susin about her newest book - Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom. While the machines at Oz were a bit loud (actually, my recorder was just more powerful than I realized) we hope the background noise will make you feel as if you were there with us.

You can learn more about Susin at: http://www.susinnielsen.com/