Shannon Messenger is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the award-winning middle grade series, Keeper of the Lost Cities, as well as the Sky Fall series for young adults. Although the Keeper of the Lost Cities books are longer than most for the targeted audience, Messenger says “I think they just have to look past the thickness of the book and trust that the chapters are short and it reads really fun.” When asked about inspiration, Messenger replied “I find inspiration everywhere. I feel like the best thing an author can do is learn to be observant and always keep a notebook handy because you never know when a tiny detail will inspire you.” During the live webcast, students can call in and talk to the author about character development, her writing process, whatever is on their minds.Originally recorded on 11/30/18