The author of the young adult novel “Of Better Blood” told AACC students in October that labeling the disabled and others is a “dangerous” practice.

Novelist Susan Moger, who spoke on campus as part of the Writers Reading @ AACC program, said the story of a young relative with polio inspired her to write the book.

“Of Better Blood” follows a polio-stricken teenage girl in the 1920s fighting to stop a horrific eugenics movement in New England. Eugenics is the science of improving the human population through controlled breeding in an effort to make it more likely that newborns will have certain desirable characteristics.

As Moger researched eugenics while writing the book, she discovered that Hitler used it as the basis of his treatment of the Jews during World War II. The 73-year-old, fist-time novelist said eugenics started in the U.S. as a philosophy for promoting reproduction of desirable birth traits.

“I wanted people to be aware of using labels, and the danger of it,” Moger said. “I wanted people to see a connection between what happened in the 20s and their own lives right now.”

“Of Better Blood” garnered high reviews and is available in 220 university and public libraries around the world. The book is available on Amazon Kindle.

Moger plans to write two more novels similar to “Of Better Blood.”

Since July, Moger has toured the East Coast, reading excerpts from her book and explaining the process behind writing it. The Edgewater resident has taught creative writing courses at AACC in the past.

“It was great to be on campus, talking about my book,” Moger said after her presentation. “I really loved the opportunity to be here.”