Mindy McGinnis: They Banned HEROINE for Glorifying Drugs — But It’s a Lifeline

As the opioid crisis continues to impact teens across the country, award-winning author and former librarian Mindy McGinnis talks about why she wrote Heroine, a brutally honest novel about a student athlete's descent into addiction and why it’s been banned in schools. In this interview, she opens up about her own childhood reading habits, the power of dark stories, and what it means to write books that some adults try to take off shelves. Heroine isn’t about glorifying drug use - it’s about survival, empathy, and what happens when we tell the truth. 🔍 About Mindy McGinnis: Mindy is the Edgar Award-winning author of numerous young adult novels, including: • The Female of the Species • A Madness So Discreet • Be Not Far from Me • Not a Drop to Drink A former school librarian, Mindy is known for her unflinching exploration of topics like trauma, survival, violence, and justice. Her books are critically acclaimed for their emotional depth and real-world relevance — especially for teens navigating difficult truths. visit Mindy: https://www.mindymcginnis.com/