Why young adult fiction — and YA authors — thrive in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — Provo City Library Director Gene Nelson said publishers have sensed there is "something in the water" in Utah when it comes to young adult fiction.
"We have an unbelievable percentage of terrific teen authors, people writing for teens, coming out of Utah," Nelson said. "From Brandon Sanderson to James Dashner and Shannon Hale and Ally Condie and Matt Kirby and Carol Williams, it just goes on and on and on."
Utah seems to have a higher proportion of YA writers compared to o