Good writing is remembering detail. Most people want to forget. Don't forget things that were painful or embarrassing or silly. Turn them into a story that tells the truth.
I want to keep meeting new people, enlarging my circle of friends. I have great friends now... really good people. But I'm always ready for what comes next.
I try to be careful because technology changes so much over the years. But some things don't change. Kids and parents have disagreements, kids try to manipulate, parents try to sit down with rules and...
Normally, I name my characters after famous comedians.
The books are funny and sad, and that's what people respond to.
I think my books talk about kids learning to like and respect themselves and each other. You can't write a message book you just tell the best story you know how to tell.