Only in retrospect did I realize that I was writing about myself—that Liesl’s journey was my own. Liesl & Po is the most personal book I’ve ever written, and even though it takes place at an unspecified time in an unspecified place and features magic and alchemists and ghosts, it is a confessional.
Additionally, Liesl & Po is the embodiment of what writing has always been for me at its purest and most basic—not a paycheck, certainly; not an idea, even; and not an escape. Actually, it is the opposite of an escape; it is a way back in, a way to enter and make sense of a world that occasionally seems harsh and terrible and mystifying.
And, of course, it is a way of finding a happy ending—even, or especially, when the happy ending is denied me in real life. Let it be an escape for its readers. For me, it is a way of not letting go.
This book means a tremendous amount to me. And I hope it has meant something to you, too.
About the Author and Artist
Lauren Oliver’s first novel was the New York Times bestseller Before I Fall, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. She followed that up with her thrilling Delirium, which debuted on the New York Times bestseller list and is the first book in a trilogy. Liesl & Po is Lauren’s first novel for younger readers. A graduate of the University of Chicago and New York University’s MFA program, she lives in Brooklyn, New York. Lauren is also the co-owner of Paper Lantern Lit, a book development company. You can visit her online at www.laurenoliverbooks.com and on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace.
Kei Acedera is the art director and co-owner of Imaginism Studios. She is known for her imaginative character designs for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and for her illustrations for bestselling children’s books, including Alec Greven’s How to Talk to Girls. Kei’s designs will be featured in upcoming films with Sony, Warner Bros., and Universal Studios. You can visit her online at www.imaginismstudios.com.
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