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Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference Faculty 2019
"Q&A with Butter Author Erin Jade Lange." Cracking the Cover.
Q: Why write for young people?
A: I feel like I write about young people more than for young people. I believe YA books are not just for teens but also for anyone who remembers what it was like to be a teen. It’s such a short but critical time in our lives that shapes who we are forever. To me, there is no more interesting age to write about.
"Teens' Top Ten: Five Questions for Erin Jade Lange." The Hub, November 4, 2013.
Q: You nailed the cruelty of high school experience. How did you research this type of behavior for the book, Butter?
A: To be honest, I didn’t have to research so much as just try to write reality – the reality I remember from my own experience in school and the reality I still see around me today. I don’t think cruelty begins and ends with high school. Some bullies start young, and some never grow out of it. But I do think the hormonal roller coaster of our teenage years amplifies both the cruelty and the emotional response to it.
"Butter." Publishers Weekly.
At 423 pounds, 16-year-old "Butter" is sinking, both mentally and physically. Despite his sense of humor and musical talent, his classmates and parents can't see beyond his weight, and he's feeling the same way. Bullying incidents and being voted "most likely to have a heart attack" spark Butter's plan to commit suicide live online on New Year's Eve.