“Me? Beautiful? I'm plain as cardboard. That may be how you see yourself, but the rest of the world would be hard to agree. You shine brighter than the Milky Way.Now there are those who might try to take that from you, but you don't have to give it away. Keep on shining Pattyn.And when the right young man comes along, he'll love you all the more for giftin' this sad planet with your light.”

American novelist

Ellen Hopkins is an American novelist known for several New York Times bestselling books that have found a wide audience among teenagers and young adults. Her novels are especially associated with young adult fiction, and her work has reached readers drawn to stories written for that age group. She is best known for the success of those bestselling titles and for writing for a teenage and young adult readership.