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Becca Fitzpatrick (born February 3, 1979) is an American author, best known for having written the New York Times bestseller Hush, Hush published in 2009 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. What followed was six years of writing producing another five young adult novels including Crescendo, Silence, Finale, Black Ice, and Dangerous Lies being her most recent published in November of 2015. All of which could be accredited towards her husband who encouraged Fitzpatrick to actively pursue a writing career by enrolling her in a writing course.

Writing Career
On her 24th birthday in February of 2003, Fitzpatrick was enrolled in an online writing class as a gift from her husband, which reignited her love for writing. However, success didn’t come instantaneously for Fitzpatrick. In fact, it took her four years and several rejection letters to publish her first book Hush, Hush in 2009.

Reviews for Hush, Hush were overwhelmingly positive, specifically from fans of 2005’s Twilight, due to the novel’s forbidden romance between Nora and Patch, and the scenes of tension or sexuality between the pair. Described as “paranormal romance” from fans, Nora, described as the typical girl next door, and Patch, an unapologetic bad boy  While readers were excited for the sequels, the one consistent flaw with the original was that people were not satisfied with the unrealistic characters, and the lack of depth that some of them possessed. Hush, Hush was so positively received that it was ranked number ten on the New York Times best seller list in November of 2011.

Positive reviews for Crescendo are a bit harder to find, but readers had similar criticisms to the first novel that Fitzpatrick had not addressed. For example, her “two-dimensional characters” and “self-centered heroine”, that heroine being the main character Nora, were still issues. One review was so negative it claimed that, “the plot was illogical, awkward phrasing, clinched narrative, and persistent use of passive voice” created an extremely “unsatisfying ending” and while the next book was anticipated after ending on a cliff hanger, most people would be unwilling to read it.

Unfortunately, reviews for Silence and Finale were not up to par from her previous novels either. Reviews for the pair are few and far between, but most described the plot as “implausible [with] too many twists and turns and betrayals”. Another prime example revolving Nora, is that according to a review she was, “more concerned with skipping school and staying with her boyfriend, than leading an inevitable war” The series itself was marketed towards lovers of paranormal fiction and romance, and it seems as if by the end those were the only fans of the series left.

Background
Born in Ogden, Utah in 1979, Fitzpatrick had a love of reading from a young age, specifically Nancy Drew. She knew that she wanted to be a writer as young as age eight, and found inspiration from various eighties television shows and movies. Fitzpatrick also grew up as a member of the Christ of Latter Day Saints, and says that while her writing style was not directly influenced by her religion, there are hints of it across her novel in themes like redemption.

After moving from Utah to Idaho to attend high school, Fitzpatrick graduated in 1997 as valedictorian of her class. She was a student involved in various activities including playing clarinet and running cross country, but didn’t consider herself a writer after, “never making it past fifteen pages” while attempting to write short stories.

After graduating from high school, Fitzpatrick went on to marry her husband, Justin, in 2000, and graduated from Brigham Young University in 2001 with a degree in Community Health. She went on to accept a job at an alternative high school in Provo, Utah, and was employed in a variety of roles including a teacher and secretary, but became overwhelmed with all that was expected of her.

Hush, Hush Series

 * Hush, Hush published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in 2009. New York Times bestselling novel in 2011


 * Crescendo published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in 2010
 * Silence published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in 2011
 * Finale published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in 2012

Other Books

 * Black Ice
 * Dangerous Lies
 * All Good Things Come to an End
 * Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love: A compilation of 13 short stories written by different authors: Fitzpatrick, Caitlin Kittredge, Karen Mahoney, Justine Musk, Daniel Marks, Diana Peterfreund, Sarah Rees Brennan, Michelle Rowen, Carrie Ryan, Maggie Stiefvater, Rachel Vincent, Daniel Waters and Michelle Zink.