New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty brings her popular, funny, and brutally honest Jessica Darling series to an end with the release of Perfect Fifths on April 14th - but don't panic, Jessica fans. You can join McCafferty for a goodbye celebration in the Bookmans Youth Tent at the Tucson Festival of Books on Saturday, March 14th, 3-4 p.m. She will be reading from Perfect Fifths, taking song requests (read the interview for details), and signing copies of Sloppy Firsts and Fourth Comings.

BOOKMANS: What can readers expect for Jessica in Perfect Fifths? (Without giving too much away,  of course!)

MEGAN McCAFFERTY: Perfect Fifths begins with Jessica Darling crashing into Marcus Flutie at an airport. The rest of the novel is told from their alternating points of view over the next eighteen hours. Because the time frame is so compressed, every gesture and sigh is significant. In that sense it's the most intimate of all the books in the series. It's the only book that gives Marcus a chance to tell his side of the story, and there's one section written only in dialogue and another comprised entirely of poems. It's totally different than the previous novels, but early readers have written to tell me that it's the most fitting conclusion I could have possibly come up with.

BOOKMANS: You've said Perfect Fifths will be the final Jessica Darling novel. Do you think her story is complete with this book, or do you feel there's an opportunity to return to her world some day?

McCAFFERTY: There's always a possibility that I might want to revisit her, but I can't imagine doing that for a very long time, if ever. I've already got another idea for a new series in the works that I'm very excited about. I'm calling it my dystopian high school sex comedy.

BOOKMANS: As you were writing the series, did the story ever take an unexpected turn? Were there moments where the characters determined where the story was going and did that surprise you?

McCAFFERTY: All the time! I always have to know how the book starts and ends. But as for everything that happens in between, I let inspiration take over. That spontaneity keeps me engaged in the story. If I'm bored, the reader will be too.

BOOKMANS: As a writer with mature themes, who straddles adult and YA fiction, what are your personal views/experiences regarding free speech? And do you feel that being an author who is widely classified as Young Adult places fair/unfair expectations on your work when it comes to those themes, particularly since you write about and for young women?

McCAFFERTY: I think everyone has a right to speak freely...and responsibly. I write the way teens really talk, about things they actually do. There's nothing in any of my books that isn't inspired by real life. I hope that by writing honestly about tricky subjects, it helps young readers think about how these issues affect their own lives. Jessica Darling makes common coming-of-age mistakes and learns from them. Her flaws are what make her relatable. She is, as Marcus Flutie puts it, “perfect in her imperfection.”

BOOKMANS: Do you think there is less of a stigma being classified as YA than there was when Sloppy Firsts was first published - if there was ever a stigma in the first place?

McCAFFERTY: Well, I'm not technically a YA writer. My books are all published by Crown which isn't a teen publisher. At the time I was pitching Sloppy Firsts, I saw this an opportunity to bridge the teen and adult markets - and it worked! A newspaper once described my books as attracting teens, their mothers and the occasional grandmother! I personally think that the most imaginative and inspiring writing is happening in the teen lit world. It really couldn't be a better time to write for that audience.

BOOKMANS: You have a strong and active online presence with your official website, Facebook, etc. Is this an important part of being an author today, particularly one who has a youth audience? You seem to genuinely enjoy and encourage the interaction with your fans.

McCAFFERTY: My job can be very isolating - just me and my laptop. It's so rewarding to get feedback from my readers and the website and Facebook are the ideal means for doing that. Yet at the same time I'm a very private person, so I go out of my way to keep my “real” life for myself.

BOOKMANS: You've stated in interviews that The Catcher in the Rye inspired you to become a writer, but was there a particular book or author that sparked your initial love of reading?

McCAFFERTY: When I was ten I wrote in my journal that I wanted to be just like Judy Blume. When I finally got to meet her a few years ago, I acted like a total spaz.

BOOKMANS: You've referred to the book you're working on now as a "dystopian high school sex comedy," which brings to mind the John Hughes films, such as Sixteen Candles, that you have a well-known affection for. Can you tell us a bit more about it?

McCAFFERTY: Well, I hope it's a funny book about a very dark subject. I wish I could say more right now, but I can't. You'll have to interview me again!

BOOKMANS: You'll be taking song requests at your Bookmans signing - would you like to explain what that's about?

McCAFFERTY: People always ask me what I would be doing if I weren't a novelist. The only other job I've really wanted was to be a professional singer. To satisfy my performance jones, I started taking song requests at my events about two years ago. Since then, I've sung everything from Pat Benatar to Cole Porter to *NSYNC. Perfect Fifths has an important scene involving Barry Manilow-themed karaoke, which I have dubbed “Barry-oke.” (It will make sense when you read the book. Promise.) The first person who requests a Barry Manilow song at my Bookmans singing will get a prize. The rest of the audience will enjoy my vocal stylings. Everyone wins!

Visit Megan McCafferty's official website.