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ALLISON VAN DIEPENAllison van Diepen 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. FEATURED TITLE In a school run by gangs, staying out was harder than joining. We knew who our friends were, and were careful what we said. If people thought we were haters, it would only be a matter of time.... Lines are clearly marked at South Bay High School. It's mixed territory for the Crips and the Bloods, which means the drama never stops. Julia DiVino wants none of it. No colors, no C-Walks -- it's just not her thing. But when Eric Valienté jumps into her life, everything changes. Lines are redrawn. And then they're crossed. MORE TITLES BY THIS AUTHOR
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