“New Yorkers love the bigness -- the skyscrapers, the freedom, the lights. But they also love it when they can carve out some smallness for themselves. When the guy at the corner store knows which newspaper you want. When the barista has your order ready before you open your mouth. When you start to recognize the people in your orbit, and you know that, say, if you're waiting for the subway at eight fifteen on the dot, odds are the redhead with the red umbrella is going to be there too.”

American young adult fiction author and editor

David Levithan is an American young adult fiction author and editor. He is known for writing stories that center strong male gay characters, including Boy Meets Boy and Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List. His work has been recognized by the Lambda Literary Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, with six of his books winning or reaching finalist status in that category. The recognition has made him the most celebrated author in that field.