Is CATALYST in the same high school as SPEAK because it was easier for you?

I really liked writing in the setting of Merryweather High (where both books are set). After SPEAK, I thought I might reuse some of the teachers. But I ran into an unexpected problem. Kate Malone is a very different kid than Melinda Sordino. Her perspective on teachers like Mr. Neck is not that of Melinda’s at all. So I scrapped the scenes that had the teachers from SPEAK. And then when the character of Teri Litch showed up, the book took off on its own path.

It was, however, very nice to be able to show the readers of SPEAK that Melinda is doing well.