A DREAM has come true for star-struck young readers.

Seven Widnes youngsters interviewed author Leila Sales by Skype after Halton Council bid for the chance for them to meet their heroine.

They are all fans of her latest book, This Song Will Save Your Life which tackles issues of being an outsider, an attempted suicide and the culture of club nightlife.

Publishers were so impressed by their enthusiasm, Halton was chosen for her a virtual interview.

The young people asked Leila a range of questions from what inspired her to write this book, what are the best and worst things about being an author, why did she decide to tackle suicide in this novel, what are her future writing plans, does music influence her writing, and are her characters based on people she knows.

They said they were impressed with her answers and her advice about writing and publishing.

Leila lives in Brooklyn, New York, and works as an editor for Penguin Children’s Books.

She has published three novels, Mostly Good Girls and Past Perfect, which are not yet published in the UK.

If you aged between 11 and 19 and interested in volunteering for the library e-mail Allyson.watt@halton.gov.uk