We e-mailed Laurie Halse Anderson, author of The Impossible Knife of Memory, to inform her that her novel is among the Top 10 in this year’s CCRSB Teen Reader’s Choice Award. We were thrilled to receive the following response:

“Thank you so much for the exciting news about the nomination of The Impossible Knife of Memory! Thank you so much for the opportunity to share a few things with your readers!

“As I watched soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq – many of them struggling with PTSD – I couldn’t stop thinking about their children. My father developed PTSD as a result of his experience in World War II. His depression and alcoholism nearly destroyed our family.

“I wrote The Impossible Knife of Memory to show the incredible challenges faced by teens whose parents are dealing with substance abuse and mental illness. I borrowed a lot from my own life; the terror I felt when my dad was suicidal, my confusion about his mood swings, my anger when he passed out drunk, and my constant prayer that he would get better. There is a lot of sadness in this book, but there’s also friendship, humor, and the kind of love that gives you the strength and hope you need when times are tough. I hope your readers like it.”

Very truly yours,
Laurie Halse Anderson