Bowling, whose books include titles such as “Dust,” “24 Hours in Nowhere,” “Across the Desert,” and “Cactus,” talked to seventh- and eighth-graders about her journey becoming an author. She stressed the importance of reading, writing about what you know, and never giving up.

“Writing a story is really hard,” she said. “But if you’re writing about the things you care about and the things you love, it makes it easier and you will keep going. It takes several years to spark a first draft, so don’t give up.”

Bowling also talked to the students about the challenges of becoming a published author, noting that her work was rejected from more than 100 publishers before finally getting accepted.

“Be open to criticism,” she said. “Rather than give up, take the criticism as a tool to rewrite and become a better author.”