|
Muharrar
tackles topics all teens care about. "I started
the book at 15 and wanted to show that labels aren't
that simple as they may seem. It is important to
consider teen-related issues such as cliques, peer
pressure, popularity, racism, self-esteem, sexism
and homophobia."
"I
called Free Spirit and asked them how I would go
about writing a book," she said. "Somehow,
I was connected to an editor who listened to my
ideas about labeling. They asked for a proposal.
Later they accepted the book idea."
While
a freshman in 1999, Aisha hung out with different
classes of kids at her school. "Some were
labeled 'freaks' because they were against the norm
... others were called 'preps' because they wore
button-down shirts, chinos and had that old-moneyed
look. Despite the fact (that) they hated each other
and avoided any kind of socialization, they had a
lot in common." She surveyed more than 1,000
teens ages 13 to 17 about labels and labeling.
Ned,
now 20, a junior at Hunter College, studies
computers and writes a social column for New York
Press. "There are a million 20-somethings
writing confessional essays, and I don't want to
join that club," he said. "That means
working on journalistic-type stuff and a novel. I go
back and forth on that one."
Recently,
Miramax optioned "Teen Angst" as a
possible movie/and or TV series. Miramax has
produced a wide range of kid projects, including
"The Mighty" and the forthcoming
"Tuck Everlasting."
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