Words Have Power

Two weeks ago an incredibly important book came out, DON'T BREATHE A WORD by Holly Cupala.

In case you haven't heard of it, here is the official description:

Joy Delamere is suffocating...

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take his words—tender words, cruel words—until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe…if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

DBAW is one of the most powerful books I've ever read. I was lucky enough to read it well in advance of its release and this is what I had to say about it:

“Nothing has hit me so hard since Laurie Halse Anderson’s SPEAK. Holly Cupala’s beautifully drawn characters are strong and fragile, vulnerable and raw, and best of all, they are real.”

I went in to greater detail about it and why it hit me personally so hard last month when I reviewed it for ROOKIE, which you can read here. (It's in the middle of that page.) Seriously, if you are a fan of my books, especially BALLADS, you must read this book.

I'm totally in awe of Holly's talents as a writer, so I was honored when she asked me to contribute something to her "Words Have Power" video project. There are some incredibly cool authors talking about the power of words in their lives and/or books, so check it out!