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Writing the book
At just 13, Dani Cox takes on the world through writing, acting

by Emily Atwood

R

ed, the book, features the next generation of American writers: teen girls.

Dani Cox, a 13-year-old Pleasanton resident, is one of them. Her name is one to remember, as the already published author is pursuing acting and hoping to pen a book of her own in the next year or two.

Her piece of the book, "Red: The Next Generation of American Writers--Teenage Girls--On What Fires Up Their Lives Today," talks about empowerment.

"It's about giving girls the hope to keep going and that things are going to get better," she said. "Girls today are really going through a lot. They're scared, terrified by bombs, and horrible things in school and with the family. All over the world girls are going through different things."

It was her mother's friend who found out about a contest for submissions to the book, so she sent in her work and hoped for the best. Last January she received an email confirming her future as a published author. More than 800 girls entered the contest and Dani was one of the 58 to be chosen.

"I was extremely excited," she said upon reading the email. "Me and my mom, we screamed like little girls."

The book launched in November, and Dani attended a launch party in New York City and a book signing party in Los Angeles. She enjoyed the star treatment at the New York party, held at a Chinese restaurant, lavishly decorated in red--the Chinese color symbolizing good luck.

Dani was one of eight girls asked to read her portion from the book at the launch party.

"First I was really scared," she said, "but then I was happy to be there. The New York party was so cool."

She's read several of the other entries and heard some of them aloud, which "bring a whole other side to the story."

The book has received rave reviews, with most critics highlighting the book's biggest success as the younger perspective and insight on today's world.

Cookie magazine called the book "an energizing glimpse of adolescence today...one of the closest looks we have at this rising generation. These young women are not only amazingly un-self-conscious and honest but also startlingly aware--of themselves, of their impact, of the world."

Vanity Fair magazine hailed it as "unsparingly frank and perceptive. The essays in 'Red' take on politics, pop culture, and body image-and, oh yeah, they're written by teenage girls. Long underestimated and undervalued by society, they emerge as literature and society's great hope."

Dani hopes to continue writing and even has a couple ideas she'd like to cultivate into more published work.

"Nothing is set in stone," she said about upcoming book ideas. "I'll probably write them between a year or two. I like to write realistic fiction. It's always a favorite because you can be creative and it doesn't have to be all fact."

When she is not writing or doing homeschool studies, she likes to spend time with friends, read books and act. She has been in San Francisco and Los Angeles productions, a few commercials and short films.

She loves acting so much, that it's hard for her to choose a favorite between that and writing.

"They're both kinda tied at the moment," she said. "I can't decide which one I want to do more, so why can't I just do both?"

While this girl is busy going places, she is enjoying doing things that help express who she is.

"I wanted to at least get my message out to other girls," she said. "I think it's important to be a writer because not only are you expressing yourself, you're helping other people identify with you."