In the days following the Inauguration, I read The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet and instantly knew that I had to have Carmen Agra Deedy as a guest on the podcast. Born in Havana, Cuba, she came to the US as a refugee in 1964. Carmen grew up in Decatur, Georgia, where she still lives today. She has been writing books for children for over two decades and shows no signs of slowing down. Over the course of her writing career, she has been nominated and won a variety of awards.  She is beloved by parents, teachers and children alike. During our conversation, we discussed a variety of topics. I loved how open, honest, and direct she was. Her passion for story and writing shines through from the very first moments and lasted throughout our conversation. After you listen to this episode of Why I Write, I encourage you to take another few minutes to watch Carmen’s TEDxCharlottesville talk Imagine a World Without Stories. You can find out about her upcoming appearances, new books, and happenings on her website.