From an early age, Madeleine Gasperi knew she was destined to write.

“I’ve always written,” said the 16-year-old Auburn High School junior. “It’s funny, I started off writing for the Good Ol’ Days contest in the second grade. And I won that and thought, ‘I must be good at this.’ So I decided to keep writing.”

For Gasperi, a self-published author of two juvenile fiction books, “I Have Two Dads: Different Types of Families” and “Knock It Off! Anti-bullying: The Young Adult Picture Book”, just writing stories wasn’t enough.

“This started out as a Spanish project,” Gasperi said of her first novel, “I Have Two Dads”. “I don’t see very many books that include many different types of families. Like there will be a book that includes same-sex parents, but my book is inclusive off all kinds of families, single parents, step-parents, all kinds in between.

“At a young age it’s not something we discuss, but it is something we’re moving toward,” Gasperi said. “And, in order for us to progress as a society, we need to talk about it, and it’s best to start now.”

The initial response to her first book was favorable, Gasperi said.

“The reviews have been all positive. I have a five-star ranking on Good Reads and Amazon,” Gasperi said. “I was in the top 10 on Amazon last Saturday. I was No. 7 (in juvenile fiction).”

Just a few weeks after publishing “I Have Two Dads”, Gasperi said, she was inspired to write her second book, “Knock It Off”, which takes on bullying.

“It was spur of the moment. I got down to my computer and just wrote it,” she said. “I wasn’t even thinking about another book, but when you hear all these derogatory terms being said, that inspired ‘Knock It Off.'”

Even if the experience of being bullied is universal, Gasperi said, she hopes that someday it won’t be.

“I think we all have (been bullied),” Gasperi said. “People say it’s human nature, but that’s not what should be taught. Human decency is what’s important.”

Gasperi said one of the aspects of bullying she takes on in her book is the use of terms such as “retard” and the “N-word” to belittle others.

“I can’t even say those words,” she said.

Gasperi’s sentiments are about more than just words, she said, with $1 from every book sold going to the “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign, which seeks to eradicate the use of the word retard.

As a Running Start student, Gasperi attends classes at Green River Community College part time so she can graduate with an associate’s degree at the same time she graduates from Auburn High School. She hopes to write and publish more in the future.

“I love to write. I didn’t think it would be a future. I was so focused on medical school, but this is nice. It lets me donate money to these causes,” she said.

Gasperi said the highlight of her writing career to date has been her selection by mega-bookseller Barnes & Noble’s website.

“I’m a 16-year-old girl, so sometimes I Google myself. I did, and found Madeleine Gasperi and Barnes & Noble. That was pretty exciting for me.”

After graduation, Gasperi said she hopes to attend medical school, either at the University of Washington or at the University of Michigan and continue to make a difference.

“I think success is having strong character and being kind,” she said. “I’m looking forward to making a difference and reaching a goal of understanding.”

Gasperi’s books are available online at Amazon.