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Saundra Mitchell is the author of "Shadowed Summer," a new book out from Random House about a young teen who stumbles upon a ghost story.

MOVPARENT: If you could go back in time and tell your high school self one thing, what would it be?

MITCHELL: That everyone has a love story you know nothing about. It's so easy to be casual, and callous and careless with other people's hearts. The realization that everyone has their own life story is probably one of the biggest discoveries we make growing up. I think we would all be a little kinder if that epiphany came earlier!

MOVPARENT: What advice would you give teens wanting to become published authors?

MITCHELL: Write fan fiction! I know a lot of people don't consider fan fiction "real" writing - but those people are wrong. You can discover your own voice in fandom - and at the same time, meet amazing people who share your interests, and make lifelong friends. Write fan fiction - it teaches you everything you need to know, from craft to networking!

MOVPARENT: Which of your characters do you most relate to and why?

MITCHELL: I probably relate to Jack Rhame - Daddy - the most. I certainly recognize parts of all the other characters, but Jack is the heart of this story, and the character where I feel most vulnerable, if that makes any sense.

MOVPARENT: Why do you think people are so interested in ghosts?

MITCHELL: It's one of the big questions, isn't it? Who are we, what are we made of, what happens when our bodies stop? Everybody's looking for an answer to the unanswerable, and believing in ghosts is a kind of comfort. Only a kind of, because most ghost stories aren't very happy- but still. The reassurance that we're not completely lost when our lives are over- I think that's why we look to the supernatural.

MOVPARENT: Do you believe in the supernatural? Why or why not?

MITCHELL: I do, because if I didn't, I'd have to face what's left of me entirely alone. Plus, I think it would be cool to have ESP, don't you?

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