Creating Ivy Westin

Over a year ago, author Katie Leimkuehler sat down with Melissa Wilson and Jennifer Yih to create the four women who became the Shy Town Girls. They sketched out personalities, backstories, fears, dreams, and future storylines. Katie felt herself drawn to Ivy Westin and claimed her as her own.

“Ivy is an inspiration of my own life and the lives of my friends,” Katie explains. “She is daring and pushes people out of their comfort zones to live life more.”

Ivy certainly stays true to that summati...