Interview With Ellen Hopkins Crank Trilogy For Teens

Ellen Hopkins is the best-selling author of the enormously popular Crank trilogy of young adult (YA) books. Although she was an established poet, journalist and freelance writer before the success of Crank, Hopkins is now an award-winning YA author with five bestselling novels in verse for teens. Her novels in verse attract many teen readers because of their realistic topics, authentic teen voice, and the appealing poetic format that is easy to read. Ms. Hopkins, a highly sought after speaker and writing mentor, took time out of her busy schedule to grant me an email interview. Read on to learn more about this talented writer including information about the writers and poets who influenced her, the inspiration behind her Crank trilogy, and her stand on censorship.  Ã‚  Q.   What types of books did you like to read as a teen?  Ã‚  A.  Ã‚  There was a total dearth of YA literature when I was a teen. I gravitated toward horror-- Stephen King, Dean Koontz. But I also loved popula r fiction--Mario Puzo, Ken Kesey, James Dickey, John Irving. For sure if I found an author I liked, I read everything by that author I could find.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q. You write poetry and prose.   Which poets/poems have influenced your writing?  Ã‚  A.   Billy Collins. Sharon Olds. Langston Hughes. T.S. Eliot  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q.   Most of your books are written in free verse. Why do you choose to write in this style?  Ã‚  A.   My books are completely character driven, and verse as a storytelling format  feels like a characters thoughts. It puts readers right on the page, inside my characters heads.  That makes my stories real, and as a contemporary storyteller, thats my goal.  Plus, I truly love the challenge of making every word count. I have, in fact, become an impatient reader. Too much extraneous language makes me want to close a book.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q.   Besides your books in verse, what other books have you written?  Ã‚  A.   I started writing as a free lance journalist, and some of the stories I wrote sparked my interest in nonfiction books for children. I published twenty before I moved into fiction. My first adult novel, Triangles, publishes October 2011, but that is also in verse.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q.   How would you describe yourself as a writer?  Ã‚  A.   Dedicated, focused and passionate about my writing. I am blessed to have a creative career that is relatively lucrative, too. I worked really hard to get here, and will never forget those days, trying to decide where I belonged as a writer and scraping by until I figured it out. Quite simply, I love what I do.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q.   Why do you like writing for teens?  Ã‚  A.   I very much respect this generation and hope my books speak to the place inside them that makes them want to be the best they can be. Teens are our future. I  want to help them create a brilliant one.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q.   Many teens read your books. How do you find your â€Å"teen voice† and why do you think you are able to connect with them?  Ã‚  A.   I have a fourteen-year-old son at home, so Im around teens through him and his friends. But I also spend a lot of time talking with them at events, signings, online, etc.  In fact, I hear teen every day.  And I remember being a teen. What it was like to still be a kid, with my inner adult screaming for freedom. Those were challenging years, and that hasnt changed for todays teens.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q.   You’ve written about some serious topics in regards to teens. If you were to give teens any advice about life, what would it be? What would you say to their parents?  Ã‚  A.   To teens: life will present you with choices. Think carefully before you make them. Most mistakes can be forgiven, but some choices have outcomes that cant be taken back. To parents: Dont underestimate your teens. They are wiser and more sophisticated than you know, even though their emotions are still developi ng. They see/hear/experience things you may not want them to. Talk to them. Arm them with knowledge and help them make the best choices they can.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q.   The book Crank is a fictionalized story based on your own daughter’s experience with drugs. How did  she influence  you to write Crank?  Ã‚  A.   This was my perfect A kid. No problems at all right up until the time she met the wrong guy, who turned her on to drugs. First, I needed to write the book to gain some understanding. It was a personal need that made me start the book. Through the writing process, I gained much insight and it became clear this was a story many people shared. I wanted readers to understand that addiction happens in good homes, too. If it could happen to my daughter, it could happen to anyones daughter. Or son or mother or brother or whatever.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q.   Glass and Fallout continue the story you started in Crank.   What influenced you to continue writing Krist ina’s story?  A.   I never planned sequels. But Crank resonated with so many, especially because I made it clear it was inspired by my familys story. They wanted to know what happened to Kristina. What most hoped for was that she quit and became the perfect young mom, but that wasnt what happened. I really wanted readers to understand the power of crystal meth, and hopefully influence them to stay far, far away from it.   For more information on Ellen Hopkins and the book challenges to Crank,   see the next page. Q. When did you find out Crank was being challenged?A. Which time? Its been challenged many times and was, in fact, the 4th most challenged book in 2010. Q. What was the reason given for the challenge?A. Reasons include: drugs, language, sexual contentQ. Were you surprised at the challenges? How did you feel about them?A. Actually, I find them ridiculous. Drugs? Uh, yeah. Its about how drugs take you down. Language? Really? The f-word is in there exactly twice, for specific reasons. Teens cuss. They do. They also have sex, especially when theyre using drugs. Crank is a cautionary tale, and the truth is the book changes lives for the better all the time. Q. How did you respond?A. When I hear about a challenge, its usually from a librarian who is fighting it. I send a file of reader letters thanking me for: 1. Letting them see the destructive path they were on, and encouraging them to change it. 2. Giving them insight into a loved-ones addiction. 3. Making them want to help troubled kids. etc. Q. In the nonfiction essay collection called Flirtin with the Monster, you stated in your introduction that you wanted to write Crank from Kristinas point of view. How difficult of a task was this and what do you feel you learned from it?A. The story was close behind us when I started Crank. It had been a six-year nightmare, fighting for her and with her. She was inside my head already, so writing from her POV [point of view] wasnt difficult. What I learned, and needed to learn, was that once the addiction kicked into high gear, it was the drug we were dealing with, not my daughter. The monster analogy is accurate. We were dealing with a monster in my daughters skin. Q. How do you determine which topics to write about in your books?A. I receive literally hundreds of messages a day from readers, and many are telling me personal stories. If a topic comes up many times, it means to me its worth exploration. I want to write where my readers live. I know, because I hear it from my readers.Q. Why do you think its important to read about the topics you cover in your books?A. These things--addiction, abuse, thoughts of suicide--touch lives every day, including young lives. Understanding the why of them can help change the horrific statistics that some people refuse to believe. Hiding your eyes wont make them go away. Helping people make better choices will. And its hugely important to gain empathy for those whose lives are touched by them. Its hugely important to give them a voice. To let them know they are not alone.Q. How has your life changed since publishing Crank?A. A lot. First of all, I discovered where I belong as a writer. Ive found a widening a udience that loves what I do, and through that Ive gained some small amount of fame and fortune. I never expected that, and it didnt happen overnight. Its a lot of hard work, both on the writing end and on the promotion end. I travel. Meet lots of great people. And while I love that, Ive come to appreciate home even more.Q. What are your plans for future writing projects?A. Ive recently moved onto the adult side of publishing, so Im currently writing two novels a year--one young adult and one adult, also in verse. So I plan to be very, very busy.Ellen Hopkins new novel in verse for teens, Perfect, will be released September 13, 2011.

Literature Review of Fast Food Industry - 2409 Words

With today’s hectic lifestyles, timesaving products are increasingly in demand. Perhaps one of the most obvious examples is fast food. Today the demand for the, hectic lifestyles, timesaving products are increasingly. Obliviously one of the example is Fast Food Industry. The rate of growth in consumer expenditures on fast food has led most other segments of the food-away-from home market for much of the last two decades. Since 1982, there is growth rate in consumer spending at fast food. The consumers spent at fast food outlets grew at an annually he proportion of away-from-home food expenditures on fast food also increased. Ref:http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/foodreview/jan1999/frjan99b.pdf , Causes and Consequences of Fast Food†¦show more content†¦But according to new survey the restaurants location may be the biggest factor in fast-food purchase decisions. Consumers that fast service is less important than the convenience of getting to the restaurant in the first place. Twenty-six percent of adults surveyed by Maritz Marketing Research of Fenton, Missouri, say that a convenient location is the most influential factor in their choice of fast-food restaurants. Men are more likely than women to value convenience, at 31 percent versus 23 percent, and those aged 65 and older value it less than younger adults. Ref:http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4021/is_n5_v18/ai_18225781, Fast food for thought American Demographics, May, 1996 by Pamela Kasdan Kathy, think to improve upon meal preparation franchises, became involved with Meal Creations as a way to allow busy families to eat diverse, exciting, economical meals taking advantage of Schnucks unrivaled products and ingredients, accomplished chefs, and their outstanding original recipes that are easy to assemble and prepare. Meal creation involves customer satisfaction and need to serve home cooked, tasty, and nutritious meals for family and friends Custom designed menu for an audience who appreciates quick and delicious mealtime solutions. To provide customers quick and healthy options for mealtime Meal Creation allows you to customize delicious recipes that suit your family’sShow MoreRelatedPest Analysis on Fast Food Restourants796 Words   |  4 PagesTable of Contents Introduction to Fast Food Industry in Bahawalpur 1 PEST ANALYSIS 1 POLITICAL 1 ECONOMICS2 SOCIAL / CULTURAL 2 TECHNOLOGY 2 SOURCES OF INFORMATION3 Introduction to Fast Food Industry in Bahawalpur Today, eating out definitely is part of modern lifestyle, or can be said as necessity of modern age. Fast food is mainly targeted to youngster who is providing the fast food Restaurant the most revenue. 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Modern Latin America Free Essays

The 480 pages work by Editors Thomas E Skidmore, Peter H Smith named Modern Latin America; 5th Edition published in September 1, 2000 by Oxford University Press, USA is a truly intriguing book on the subject of modern Latin America and the influence and impact of globalization and neo liberalism on its population. Though this book starts with the opening line that indicates the birth of ancient civilization by mentioning â€Å"When Europeans reached present-day Latin America they found three important civilizations: Mayan, Aztec, and Incan† (Skidmore, 2000), it soon came to the focal point of the book that is the influence and impact of globalization and neo liberalism on Latin American population by even mentioning areas like the Brazilian soccer, Latino popular music and Cuban Santeria and their influence all over the world by the dint of globalization. However the book always tends to focus on the socio cultural transitions from fundamental cultural stability to the intricacy and complexities of modernization. We will write a custom essay sample on Modern Latin America or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is true that no socio cultural evaluation can be complete without the mention of political and economical significance on the population thus information regarding these are well updated with the mention of neo democratic movements that is fast becoming the basic milieu of the Latin American culture. Examples like Brazil and Argentina are well received in his context. The examples of the new world economy with the advent of globalization are another aspect that has influenced the various walks of life in the Latin world. This has incorporated differential positioning of art, literature and movies in the area along with the impact of US interventions in many occasions.   Thus with further future development prospects in this region the dynamism of the socio-cultural and economical drifts are well incorporated in this work by Editors Thomas E Skidmore, Peter H Smith. Reference: Editors: Skidmore, Thomas E Smith, Peter H; 2000; Modern Latin America; 5th Edition; Oxford University Press, USA How to cite Modern Latin America, Essay examples

Technology Marketing Research In Business-Myassignmenthewlp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Technology Marketing Research In Business? Answer: Introduction Technology plays a vital role in the manner marketing research is conducted. Different technologies are being used by the market research firms for enhancing the performance of the marketing research activities carried out for the clients. ResMarket Pty is using different technologies for market research and is planning to use innovative technologies which will contribute towards providing a competitive advantage to the others in the business environment. Use of technology for marketing research increases the cost of the company as well as the effectiveness of the marketing research activities of the business Impact of technology on the marketing research activities of the business in the dynamic world Marketing research is focused on the customer segmentation so as to analyse the target market of the business. Market research plays a vital role in the growth and success of the business. Market research helps the business in reaching to the customers and creating an image of the business in the mind of the customers. Technology is the driving force which has changed the manner in which operations in the business environment are carried out. Use of technologies for market research provided a better approach to the data and enhancing the capabilities of the marketing research activities. With the Different technologies are being used by the marketing research firms for providing enhanced services to their clients (Krasilya, 2015). These technologies include customer relationship management, social media, search engine marketing, data analytics, marketing automation and virtual Reality research tool. Use of these technologies has changed the manner in which marketing research is condu cted by the researchers. With the increase in the use of technology, there has been a shift in the market research industry. Changing technology has resulted in a shift in the data collection process through offline mode towards the data collection process through online mode. Innovations in the technology used have resulted in a shift of offline or paper surveys towards the online surveys. Technological innovations have enhanced the performance of the marketing research process as well as have contributed towards the better customer satisfaction (Moller Parvinen, 2015). Use of the technologies has reduced the cost of the business engaged in the market research. Change in the technologies used by the business provides various benefits to the business including cost reduction, enhances accuracy and reliability, marketing of the products or services offered by the clients and enhancing the effectiveness of the operations by reducing the time involved (Shaqiri, 2015). Innovations in the technologies have provided opportunities to the business for improving the quality of the services offered by them to the customers. ResMarket Pty is using different technologies for conducting market research on the behalf of their clients (Omladic, 2012). For providing better services it is planning to use new technologies which will help in providing better marketing research activities. Adoption of these new technologies will ensure that ResMarket Pty is performing the marketing research activities for the clients in a better manner. It is vital for a business to ove rcome the issues or challenges faced for gaining a competitive advantage over the others in the industry (PR Newswire, 2014). Use of customer relationship management by ResMarket Pty will help in identification and targeting of the clients in a better manner and match with the expectations and needs of the clients. Use of social media platforms can be used by ResMarket Pty for marketing or gain traffic with the help of social media sites. Search engine marketing can be used by ResMarket Pty for promoting the websites of the clients by enhancing the visibility of the website in the results of the search engine (Hollebeek Skard, 2017). Impacts of the use of advanced technologies by ResMarket Pty on its performance are mentioned below: Providing better opportunities to ResMarket Pty for promoting the products and maintaining healthy relationships with the clients (Fariborzi Zahedifard, 2012). Effective marketing research technologies will help in communicating with the targeted market in a better manner and focusing on the needs of the clients. This will help in minimising the cost involved in the marketing research. Different technologies can be used which reduces the cost involved. These technologies will help ResMarket Pty in analysing the issues or the problems which the client business is facing. This analysis of the problems will help in making the client aware of the issues affecting its performance in the market (Bach Alghamdi, 2014). Market research is done with a motive to analyse the trend in the market, taste and preference of the targeted market in the business environment. ResMarket Pty can adopt these technologies for making predictions regarding the trend so as to provide support to the clients (Fariborzi Zahedifard, 2012). Use of advanced technology will be a cost effective and time effective method which can be used by ResMarket Pty for ensuring higher level satisfaction among its customers. Use of virtual reality research tool which helps in analysing and studying the targeted market in greater depth which helps in fulfilling the expectations of the clients. Use of advanced technologies will enhance the brand image of ResMarket Pty among its clients. It will provide better returns to ResMarket Pty (Bach Alghamdi, 2014). Conclusion Thus, it can be concluded from the above discussion that technology is an important aspect of market research. Various technologies are being used by the marketing research companies for enhancing their performance and competing in this competitive world. This report has discussed different benefits which ResMarket Pty is gaining by using advanced technologies. References Bach, C. Alghamdi, S., 2014, Technological Factors to Improve Performance of Marketing Strategy, ASEE 2014 Zone I Conference, April 3-5, 2014, University of Bridgeport, Bridgpeort, CT, USA. Fariborzi, E. Zahedifard, M., 2012, E-mail Marketing: Advantages, Disadvantages and Improving Techniques, International Journal of e-Education, e-Business, e-Management and e-Learning, Vol. 2, No. 3. Hollebeek, L. D. Skard, S., 2017, Virtual Reality Marketing: Conceptualization, Theoretical Framework Research Propositions, NHH. Krasilya, D., 2015, Marketing research model of competitive environment,Traektori Nauki, 1(4), pp.2(13)-2(23). Moller, K. Parvinen, P., 2015, An impact-oriented implementation approach in business marketing research,Industrial Marketing Management, 45, p.3. Omladic, R., 2012, Market Research Process in High-Tech Markets, JAMK. PR Newswire, 2014, New Technologies Transforming Consumer Marketing Research Playbook, PR Newswire, p. PR Newswire, Jul 11, 2014. Shaqiri, A. B., 2015, Impact of Information Technology and Internet in Businesses, Academic Journal of Business, Administration, Law and Social Sciences, Vol. 1, No 1.