all the victim you can blame

When I’m not writing, the story follows me incessantly, incrementally, scenes and dialogue taking shape. I have to see it a certain way before I can commit it to the page. I move the characters here, I build the room around them, I think of the way the light moves over them. Close, frequently, on hands. Close, frequently on mouths. I open their mouths; they speak. Sometimes it’s like vinyl looping, the same phrases over and over until they can be realized or break open the path on the way. All through I’m the Girl it’s come here, it’s okay, until I realize it’s what Georgia needs to hear Nora say.

I’m the Girl. The last girl of eight. Eight stories exploring the ways we litigate the experiences of victims and survivors by how likeably they take their stage. Parker, a fever-dream ideal, Sadie a saint. If Sadie is a saint then Georgia, too real, makes every mistake. Did you know there are people who don’t want you writing about rape if it’s not her lesson to learn? Which has been my lesson to learn: the most difficult part of cultivating a career that challenges the culture is watching your books become a stage to perpetuate its violence and hate the books you hate but call a rape a rape. A critique framework that insists on she said yes to bolster itself is: A. reason to cry or B. the reason why

these stories must continue to be told.

And it was a privilege to write this one, to have it mark this era’s ending by sending an invitation to readers to reject the world it portrays on its survivor’s terms, to keep the promise the justice system so often breaks; that one girl’s life has consequence, means something, carries weight.

Georgia, who did not, could not, kill the men responsible.

Georgia, who did not die trying.

Georgia, who ‘only’ took a necklace off.

Georgia, it was a privilege to write you.

I’m the Girl is a red hill.
It releases in paperback today.

Get your copy.

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Thank you so much to readers who came out to April 11th’s virtual event—my last dedicated to YA before I close the vault a while to work on what’s next. Austin and the team at Pocket Books were incredible hosts and it meant so much to have such a wildly kind, generous, and brilliant conversation partner before such a wildly kind, generous, and brilliant audience. The chat was so vibrant and being able to recognize the names of long-time and new readers was a real moment; thank you for giving that to me—not only then, but before, and now. For all the ways that you have and continue to show up and support my work, thank you.

And thank you to all who preordered the paperback, and to Pocket Books for being such wonderful campaign partners. I hope you enjoy the extras.

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