Jennifer A. Nielsen, a popular New York Times bestselling author of young adult and children’s fiction based in Utah, was the guest author March 15 at Pulaski Community Middle School.
Jennifer A. Nielsen, a popular New York Times bestselling author of young adult and children’s fiction based in Utah, was the guest author March 15 at Pulaski Community Middle School. She is the author of books such as Iceberg, A Night Divided, Uprising, Lines of Courage, Words on Fire, The False Prince, The Runaway King, The Shadow Throne, The Captive Kingdom and The Shattered Castle.
Using characters from some of her books as examples, she described secrets of success: Do what you love. Be bold. Learn. Get into the details. Do not quit. Ignore the walls.
She encouraged students to do what they love.
“If you’re doing the thing you love, even if you’re frustrated, even if you’re discouraged, even if you fall flat on your face, the reason you were able to pick yourself up again is because you are doing what you are meant to do.”
She also encouraged students to not let others define who they are or who they can become.
“Your job, when somebody puts a limit and they say that’s as much as you will ever do in this life, I want you to find a way around it, under it, over it or you build a door and walk through it. Don’t you dare ever live behind what somebody else says is possible for you to achieve in your life.” She spoke to sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students in assemblies and hosted a writer’s workshop and lunch with the author.