Why did you start writing Young Adult fiction?

I was teaching high school in Brooklyn at the time. I noticed a lot of my students were reading novels dealing with hard issues like gangs, drug dealing/addiction and more. But these books were aimed at an older audience, not teens. So I thought I'd give writing for teens a shot.

How did you come up with a character like Ty Johnson?

I've known a number of male students who had it all - smarts, looks, personality - but who made life decisions that led them to drop out of school or end up in jail or worse. So I decided to create a character who would help me get inside the head of this type of guy. The character of Ty Johnson spoke to me right from the beginning. He is a suave drug dealer who is somehow likeable despite his flaws.

Do you have any other books coming out?

I hope so! I've written another teen book called Snitch, which is about a girl who joins a gang.

What are you working on now?

Another book about a teen breaker who is clairaudient - she hears ghosts!

What do you do in your spare time?

When I'm not writing, you mean? ;) Truthfully, since I teach at an alternative school during the day, I spend a lot of my evenings and weekends writing. But I love it, so I have no complaints. I also like to get out and see girlfriends, hang out with my boyfriend, and have Sunday dinner with my family. You know, same type of stuff you do.

How do I get a shout-out on your website?

Drop me an email or post a comment on myspace or hi5! I love to hear from readers and fellow writers!

I've written a book. How do I get it published?

First, you need to ask yourself if your work is publishable. I recommend finding friends, relatives, or teachers who are willing to help, and seeing what they have to say about your work. Ask for as much criticism as possible! Don't take it personally - see it as a wonderful opportunity to improve your work. (Writers have to get used to it, trust me!) My first editor was (and still is) my mom. She will always tell me the truth about what I've written, good or bad, and that has made me a much better writer over the years. (THANKS, MOM!)

Once you feel that your work is as good as it can get, that's when you can start approaching publishers or agents. You should find out what they are looking for by checking their submission guidelines (often on their websites) or looking them up in books like Writer's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents, both published by Writer's Digest Books.

For me, as for most writers, getting a book published didn't happen overnight. Most of us have trained for, and still juggle, others careers (for me, it turns out my teaching has really fed into my writing.) So be patient, work hard, and have faith!

Good luck!

Born in 1977, Allison grew up in Canada's capital city, Ottawa. It's a beautiful city with lots of historic landmarks, parks, and cute guys in baseball caps. In her pre-teen years, Allison was a voracious reader, and it wasn't long before she started writing stories of her own. At fourteen, she wrote her first full-length novel.

In high school, she began writing mini-romances featuring her friends and their favorite celebrities. The stories became popular and classmates started paying her to write them. After several months, Allison decided to stop taking orders in order to focus on her own fiction.

Allison attended Carleton University in the English program, but quickly switched to History, because she found most of the books she was supposed to read boring, and the task of analyzing them even more boring. She excelled in History, and spent the last year of her undergraduate degree at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, though she admits that a good deal of that time was spent in pubs and coffeehouses and cheesy dance clubs.

Allison is an optimistic person despite the fact that trouble seems to follow her wherever she goes. In Scotland, she was an extra on the set of the film House of Mirth when her dress caught fire and she had to STOP, DROP and ROLL. (At least it earned her special treatment on the set along with the nickname FIREBALL.) Always charitable, Allison volunteered at a distress center taking phone calls from troubled youth, only to be kicked out for refusing to lie to callers about their conversations being recorded.

Her pursuit of trouble didn't end there. After finishing teacher's college she decided to find the most pleasant, serene place to begin her teaching career: Brooklyn, New York. She taught at Sheepshead Bay High School for 3.5 years and managed to survive riots, death threats and assaults (if being pelted with coffee constitutes an assault), while still being a well-liked teacher called V Dep.

While teaching in Brooklyn, she began writing teen fiction. She wanted to write the sort of gritty story that would appeal to her students. Three years later, Street Pharm was sold to Simon and Schuster.

Since then, Allison has returned to Canada. She teaches at an alternative high school, and continues to write novels for teens.