Each week, an accomplished published author takes over the YEM Twitter account. Each week, the YA author will answer questions, tell stories, and give advice on our social media. This week young adult author Michelle Barker will be taking over our Twitter account.

Michelle Barker was born and raised in Vancouver, but has also lived in Jerusalem, France, Quebec, and the Okanagan. As a child, she loved reading. Her favourite subject in school was English, and she did a degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in English literature (and an MFA in creative writing).

After many years of writing short fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and fantasy, Michelle decided to write about Germany. Her mother grew up there during World War Two, and then lived in East Germany until she escaped in the early fifties. Michelle realized her mother was getting older, and if she didn’t start talking to her mother about her life, the chance might slip away. Michelle’s first book with Annick Press is The House of One Thousand Eyes (Fall 2018). While this novel is 100% fiction, Michelle’s mother’s life inspired the book. In researching the book, Michelle traveled to Germany and visited the Stasi Headquarters in Berlin.

To follow along with this week’s Twitter takeover, follow our Twitter account @YoungEntmag and follow the hashtag #YAAUTHORTAKEOVER.