In the following Contemporary Authors (CA) interview, Ross presents an interview with Robert Cormier that was conducted by telephone on April 13, 1987.

CA: After three novels and many short stories for adults, The Chocolate War was a resounding success and placed you solidly as a writer for young adults. It wasn't a label you'd consciously sought. How do you feel about it now, and how much does it influence the actual writing?

Cormier: Sometimes I'm of two minds about it. On the one hand, this label has gained me a terrific audience of young people, and I know the success of my career has turned on that audience. I hear from them all the time, letters and phone calls, and I do a lot of speaking at schools and libraries, which I enjoy very much doing. So it has been very good. The only qualm I do have...