On January 20, 2018 all across the country Women marched together. They marched in solidarity, to say we will no longer sit quietly. We will be heard. We matter.Girls need to learn early on they are important, that their voices and stories matter. This is why we need strong female characters in YA. And not just YA, but also in adult, middle grade, chapter books, early readers, and picture books. Nowhere in the definition of female does it say that we are somehow inferior to men. Young girls (and even not so young girls) need role models, figures they can look up to and strive to be. But they also need characters they can see themselves in. That’s why when I started writing Road to Eugenica, and thinking about Drea’s story, I knew I wanted her to have a coming of age character arc. It was important to me that teen girls could see themselves in Drea. All forms of media need more representation of girls seeing themselves doing things for themselves. Not just being the damsel in distress, waiting for the prince to ride in and save her. And if she does decide to choose a prince, may that…