2021 Queer YA Debut Interviews Pt. 2

by Kaitlin Mitchell

Hello readers! We hope you’ve been enjoying our 2021 queer YA debut interviews. If you haven’t read part 1 yet, make sure you check them out after reading part 2 below! Happy reading!

2021 Queer YA Debut Interviews Part 2

ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

June 1, 2021 (US) & June 10, 2021 (UK)

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

 Seeing reactions from young Black readers!

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice? 

Loads, particularly advice from both my agent and seasoned authors which is to try not to take on too much as debut year is already extremely stressful!

Question 3: Tell us about your book! 

Ace of Spades can be pitched as Get Out meets Gossip Girl (but gay). The story follows Chiamaka and Devon, two Black students at an overwhelmingly white private school where an anonymous texter starts leaking their secrets. There’s a murder cover up, a sex tape and a bunch of other scandalous things that get leaked. I wanted to take my favourite shows, such as Gossip Girl, and centre Black teens as the protagonists!

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?

I really struggle to come up with fancasts 1. Because Hollywood is very very white and so many young Black actors haven’t been given the opportunity to break out yet 2. I am really bad at picturing things

I’d really love if they cast young new Black talent! And regarding the songs on the adaptation’s soundtrack… that’s also hard. I love music so much, so many brilliant songs and artists out there. I think three songs that should definitely feature on the hypothetical soundtrack are:

–       Ready for It? by Taylor Swift

–       Gimmie More by Britney Spears

–       Listen before I go by Billie Eilish

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book?

I hope teens take away the message that if a friend doesn’t accept you for who you are, they don’t deserve your friendship. Loneliness is a major theme in Ace of Spades, and it is something I think many teens fear. But honestly, being around people who don’t make you feel good is worse than being without them, I promise.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

I think my favorite non-spoilery part is the ball at the end. I loved writing it because I loved imagining all the pretty dresses and the sophisticated décor

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better?

Honestly, it’s such a hard time for everyone right now. I appreciate everyone that has been able to show up and show support in the online community. I have faith that we will return back to a place where we are all okay again, and in the meantime, take care of yourselves!

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is a writer from South London who has dreamt of writing books about black kids saving (or destroying) the world all her life. She is an avid tea drinker, and a collector of strange mugs. Faridah currently studies English Literature at a university in the Scottish Highlands.

Her debut novel ACE OF SPADES will be published by Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan in the US (1st June 2021) and by Usborne in the UK (10th June 2021).

THE PASSING PLAYBOOK by Isaac Fitzsimons 

June 1, 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

Writing is such a solitary experience so I’m most excited about sharing the book with readers. I’d love to know who their favorite characters are, what their favorite scenes are, and the like!

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice?

More than one person has recommended getting a therapist, and I agree that it’s really important to prioritize your mental health in what could be a stressful year. For me this means establishing an exercise routine, practicing healthy eating, and setting limits on screen time.

Question 3: Tell us about your book!

THE PASSING PLAYBOOK is about Spencer, a fifteen-year-old boy who is transgender. After transitioning at his old school goes badly, he transfers to a new school where he intends to stay stealth. He joins the soccer team and gets especially close to one of his teammates. But when his coach is forced to bench him because his birth certificate still says ‘Female’ he has to decide whether to cheer his team on from the sidelines or fight for his right to play, which means coming out to everyone, including the guy he’s falling for. It comes out on June 1 in the US and June 3 in the UK.

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?

I don’t have a specific actor in mind, but I’d love for whoever plays Spencer to share the same identities: Black, biracial, and trans. As for music, the song playing during the closing credits would be “I Know a Place” by MUNA.

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book?

I wanted to portray transgender teens in all their complexity: as friends, siblings, athletes, and musicians, who fall in love, and are loved. I hope transgender teens see themselves in PLAYBOOK, and I hope that it inspires all readers to be courageous, and more importantly, to be kind.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

Okay! My favorite chapter is Chapter 19 which takes place on Halloween. Obviously, no spoilers, but a lot goes down in that chapter, including a touching scene between Spencer and his little brother.

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better?

I think continuing to talk about the book and sharing opportunities for engagement. Also, screen fatigue is real, so just allowing grace in that regard.

Isaac Fitzsimons is a lifetime dabbler in the arts. His background includes performing sketch comedy in college, learning how to play three songs on the banjo, and, of course, writing. He currently lives outside Washington, DC, and does research for an arts advocacy nonprofit in the city.

JAY’S GAY AGENDA by Jason June

June 1, 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

Ohmigawd, I am hands down most excited to interact with avid YA readers! This is my debut novel, but I have published a couple picture books (a queer-inclusive Valentine’s Day story, Porcupine Cupid, and a pun-filled who-who-dunnit, Whobert Whover, Owl Detective), and as you can imagine, the amazing 4 to 7 year-olds those books are geared toward don’t reach out a whole bunch on social media. But ever since the announcement of JAY’S GAY AGENDA, I’ve been hearing from so many excited readers and all that love and support means the world to me!

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice?

I think the best advice I’ve received so far is, “It’s out of your hands.” Like, once the book gets to a reader, they get to make their own opinions about it, have their own interpretations of interactions and relationships and characters, and all of them are right, which is the most amazing thing but also the most terrifying. What if they hate every word? That’s a valid response from a reader and me hoping they love the book doesn’t change it if they don’t. But also, someone could connect with the book, could really relate to Jay being the only gay kid in their community or relive those moments when they had all their firsts. I’m hopeful there’s way more connections than dislike, but, as the advice goes, it’s out of my hands.

Question 3: Tell us about your book!

JAY’S GAY AGENDA follows the titular (one of my favorite words of all time!) character, Jay, as he’s about to enter his senior year. He lives in a small rural community, and is the only out gay person at his school. So his entire teenage life he’s had to see all his heterosexual classmates experience these huge relationship milestones while he’s left on the sidelines. During that sideline time, Jay (who’s a very Type-A Virgo list maker) creates his Gay Agenda, a whole list of the things he hopes to get to do when he finally meets other queer people. The list ranges from sweet things like going on a date and holding someone’s hand, to the more *intimate* things you can imagine a nearly 18-year-old can come up with who is tired of a lifelong dry spell and is ready to have some same-sex sex. But then that list gets to become reality at the start of senior year when his family moves to Seattle, and Jay enters a new school with a very thriving LGBTQIA+ community. Jay learns that there’s a whole lot more layers to life when suddenly you’re seen as a romantic and/or sexual being, and we experience the highs and lows, the successes and the mistakes that come with new schools, new crushes, and new hookups.

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?

Ohmigawd YES! I would just topple off my heels if JAY’S GAY AGENDA ever became a movie! And wow wow wow casting is so hard. This may sound cheesy, but JAY is a story all about a kid who feels like he’s unknown or unseeable who finally is able to live the life he’s dreamed of and be seen by other guys who may want to actually date him. So I think it would be just so cosmically perfect if this got cast with actors who weren’t known yet, and this was the movie that introduced them to the world as the talented actors they are. Gawd, that sounds seriously sappy reading that back, but it would be unreal in the best way.

As for the soundtrack, the first time Jay has a meaningful kiss, one that’s not just lust be the whole trifecta combo of lust and heart and soul-shaking goosebumps, Kacey Musgraves’ “Oh, What A World” has got to be played. All the hairs on my arm are standing on end just thinking about it! And then the moment leading up to Jay having his first sexual experience needs to have “Ice Cream” by Blackpink featuring Selena Gomez blaring. It’s so playful yet the words are all sexy, and I think that vibe totally goes with that moment for Jay who is about to have a really fun, awakening experience.

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book?

I hope teens see that there is no right way to be queer. Some of us come out young, some of us come out later in life, some of us (like myself) are still constantly trying to find the exact words to describe who we are that feels authentic and true. But no matter where you are in that journey, you are valid and loved, and I hope this book shows that you don’t have to rush to catch up to what can feel like the “right” way to do things, the “right” amount of experience, the “right” age to fully discover yourself. Most of all, I hope teens see that their lives, no matter their sexuality or gender, are full of stories worth telling and worthy of rom-coms.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

I already knew going into JAY that this was going to be one of the most personal stories I’d written yet. Like Jay, I grew up in rural Eastern Washington and didn’t have anybody around me to experience the firsts I wanted, and when I finally did it was a magical time of self-discovery. But what I didn’t see coming was exploring my gender through this book. Max—Jay’s new BFF once he moves to Seattle—helps Jay navigate the queer community and happens to be genderqueer. I came out as genderqueer in the summer of 2019, and I’d say writing Max was the most meaningful experience to me because he was a way for me to explore myself and see the person I wish I had felt free to be back when I was in high school. Although Jay’s experiences are very loosely based on mine, I’m really much more like Max, and hope one day to get to write a book where he’s the main character and—even though he already comes across as extremely confident—we see him truly come into himself and his feminine power. I already have the title (because I’m ROBSESSED with titles): TAKE IT TO THE MAX.

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better?

This is such a generous question and thank you so much for having our author backs in such a weird time! I’d say, if you read my book and you liked it, I’d love to hear from you, whether it’s on social media or through an email, or a good ol’ fashioned hand-written letter, you name it. Jay’s life is very loosely based off my growing up as the only out queer person in my rural high school, and part of me is afraid that I’ll still be out on a lonely island once JAY’S GAY AGENDA publishes with people being like, “Yeah, no, I don’t get it.” But if there’s even one person out there who thinks “I get this!” or “This is me!” it would warm my little gay heart to know 🙂

Jason June (it’s a two name first name, like Mary-Kate!) is a genderqueer writer mermaid who loves to create picture books that mix the flamboyantly whacky with the slightly dark, and young adult contemporary rom-coms full of queer love and lust and hijinks. When not writing, JJ zips about Austin, Texas, with his Pomeranian, Pom Brokaw. He is a tried and true Laura Dern stan, and he is actively looking for an Andalite friend.

JJ’s queer-inclusive Valentine’s Day picture book, PORCUPINE CUPID, illustrated by Lori Richmond, is out now from Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster! Up next is the whimsical Scholastic chapter book series, MERMICORN ISLAND, full of mermaid-unicorn hybrids and a ship ton of sea-utiful puns. And get ready for JAY’S GAY AGENDA, Jason June’s debut gay YA rom-com, coming June 1, 2021 from HarperTeen!

THE WITCH KING by H.E. Edgmon

June 1, 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

Well, I have anxiety, so just about everything that’s really exciting about being a debut is equally terrifying. Especially in the timeline we’re living in right now. But probably the most exciting and most terrifying thing for me is something that’s already started to happen—hearing directly from the teens who are seeing themselves represented in THE WITCH KING. I’ve recieved a few messages from queer kids telling me how excited they are about this story. I wanna do right by them.

Now, if I could also earn out and make lots of money to comfortably pay all my bills, that would be great. Please buy my book, y’all.

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice?

While no advice is ever gonna be one size fits all, especially in publishing, my personal motto the last year has been “Have something that means more to you than your writing.” It seems counterintuitive in an industry that demands we pour so much of ourselves into our work. But for me, it’s been absolutely necessary. I love my book, and I am incredibly honored I was given the chance to share it with readers and start cultivating my dream career. I know what a privilege it is. And still, at the same time, I can’t let it be the cornerstone of my identity. I have to surround myself with things and people that I care just as much or more about. Otherwise, things like rejections, bad reviews, low numbers, or any of the other unpredictable and scary parts of this job would have the ability to destroy me.

Question 3: Tell us about your book!

THE WITCH KING is about Wyatt Croft, a witch and trans boy who’s betrothed to Emyr, the prince of the fae. Wyatt grew up feeling unwanted and alone in Asalin, the fae kingdom where witches are treated like second-class citizens, with Emyr his only real friend. After he barely survived a harrowing encounter one night, he fled to the human world alone. He’s been hiding there ever since, taken in by his best friend, Briar, and her family. At the start of the story, Emyr is finally able to hunt him down and drag him (with Briar in tow) back to Asalin, warning that they’re on the verge of a war, with tensions steadily rising between pro-witch and anti-witch factions. Emyr believes their marriage can be the thing to save their people. But Wyatt has no interest in saving a kingdom that’s never wanted him in the first place, and he strikes a deal with a questionable ally in order to break free from his betrothal. But as he and Emyr begin getting closer again, and Wyatt realizes just how much good he might be able to do for the other witches, he must make a decision. Finally come to terms with his traumatic childhood and the things he did in order to survive the night he left? Or keep running from Asalin, and his past, forever?

It comes out June 1st, 2021, and is available for preorder right now!

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?

You know, I’ve tried fancasting a few times, but it’s a little difficult. There aren’t very many young trans actors out there to choose from, and I would definitely love to see Wyatt accurately portrayed by a transmasc teen. I think my dream scenario would be landing on the small screen and having this leading role be the thing that propels someone brand new into their career. Same goes for actors playing Briar and Emyr.

As for the soundtrack, though? So. Much. Halsey. I listen to a ton of Halsey to get into a Wyatt headspace, but “Castle” and “Nightmare” are definitely two of the biggest THE WITCH KING vibes songs.

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book?

I wrote this book for teens like Wyatt—trans kids who’ve lived through some brutal circumstances, who maybe feel like no one could see them for who they really are and love them entirely, who struggle to look into their future and see a happy ending. I want them to know they are not the worst thing they’ve ever done. They are not the worst thing other people think about them. They deserve gentleness, and forgiveness, and joy. And there is an entire world out there filled with people who will see them for exactly who they are, their most authentic self, and love them so much.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

I’m a sucker for the romance between Wyatt and Emyr—I love a good friends to enemies to lovers dynamic, and the banter and obliviousness between these two is just *chef’s kiss*—but one of my most favorite relationships in the book is the one between Wyatt and Briar. Queer friendships are so powerful, and so incredibly profound. There is a sense of family and belonging and deep, deep love in these kinds of relationships that is unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. Wyatt and Briar are soulmates in a completely non-romantic way, and I think that’s something that will strike a chord for a lot of readers who feel that way about their friends and maybe don’t get to see that reflected in books all that often.

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better?

Please, please, please, LEAVE REVIEWS! Whether it’s on Goodreads, Amazon, or somewhere else, reviews are so helpful in boosting sales. The more reviews a book has, the more likely it is to be seen by more people. Other than that, I’d love for y’all to follow me on Twitter and Instagram (heedgmon for both) and engage in some of the giveaways and other book promo I’ve got planned for the next few months.

H.E. Edgmon was born in the deep south but has had many homes, dropped out of school to do gay stuff, and is at least a little feral.

In both their writing and daily life, they aim to center the voices of Indigenous people, trans people, and survivors of trauma. It is always their goal to make fascists uncomfortable.

They have an eccentric little family of their own design, several very sensitive pets, and a lot of opinions. They can most often be found on Twitter @heedgmon.

THE SEA IS SALT AND SO AM I by Cassandra Hartt

June 8, 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

I’ve dreamt of having a book published—and very specifically, this book—for literally ten years, so I’m excited for every single part. But! Right now, after many rounds of manuscript revisions and polishing touches, I’m most excited to get this dang thing in my hands! Seeing finished, physical copies make their way to readers and bookstores will be so surreal.

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice? 

This is my first experience having people I don’t know read my work, so I’m taking the advice I’ve seen many veteran authors share to not read reviews. No book is for everybody—and that’s okay! But reviews are most helpful when you’re a reader trying to figure out which book to read next; less so when you’re an author trying to write the next thing.

Question 3: Tell us about your book! 

THE SEA IS SALT AND SO AM I is about three young people in a fictional coastal Maine town that, thanks to coastal erosion, is one storm away from falling into the ocean. Harlow wants to save the town. Her best friend Ellis wants to help—but only when there’s nothing more interesting for him to do. And Ellis’s twin brother, Tommy, is facing the reality that his depression has hit a new low, and he’s not so sure he wants to stick around. When Tommy goes for a swim that he doesn’t plan to return from—and survives—everything between this trio changes.

This book is basically just me writing what I like to read: flawed characters with traumatic pasts and complex relationship dynamics, all just Trying Their Best in whatever misguided ways they know how. It has enemies-to-lovers! Friends-to-lovers! A trio of main characters with queer rep, mental health rep, and Unlikeable Female Character™ rep! Emphasis on “unlikeable”!

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?   

My writing playlist for this book was almost exclusively moody indie bands, as I affectionately call them. Lots of The National, Frightened Rabbit, Cold War Kids, and Bon Iver. I think they fit the cold-sea-breeze, overcast-sky world of the book well!

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book? 

I’m not a big themes/lessons writer—I often don’t know what my stories are “about” until someone else tells me! But when I read, I want to sink into another world for a few hours. I want to follow a cast of characters who surprise me, or charm me, or make me cringe, or make me want to give them a hug and put a warm blanket around their shoulders. I hope I deliver that kind of experience for readers of THE SEA IS SALT AND SO AM I.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

I don’t know how to talk about my book without spoilers! But all of my characters are absurdly stubborn, so I love putting them in situations where they have to confront the gap between what they think they want and what they actually want. And if we the readers know what the character is feeling, even as the character refuses to admit it? Delightful. This is up there with writing moments when my characters do the things they’ve been telling us for pages and pages that they would never do.

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better? 

I’ve been so impressed with the way the YA community has supported books during this weird time in our shared history. I hope we’ll all continue supporting books from new voices as well as from the authors we already love.

Cassandra Hartt grew up in upstate New York and Maine, where she spent most of her childhood among the seaside suburbs and rocky beaches that inspired the fictional town of West Finch. She went on to earn an English degree from Dartmouth College and currently works as a program manager for Google. She lives in the Bay Area and wishes she had a dog. Visit her online: https://cassandrahartt.com / Social: @CassandraHartt

FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN by Jonny Garza Villa

June 8, 2021

QUEEN OF ALL by Anya Leigh Josephs 

June 8, 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about? 

The most exciting part of being a debut is finally getting this story out into the world! I’ve worked on Queen of All in some form of another for about fifteen years, and I’m so ready to be able to share it with readers, especially those of us who love YA fantasy but often don’t get to see ourselves represented in the kinds of stories we love most.

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice? 

I think the best advice I’ve gotten was from my brother. After I signed my contract, I was pretty much in shock. I was telling him about it, and he mentioned that I didn’t seem excited. I replied that it still didn’t feel real, and he told me to put on my coat, grab my wallet and keys, and walk down to the corner store to buy a bottle of champagne and celebrate! It was really good advice, and I’m trying to make sure that, as stressful as the publishing process has been and continues to be, I’m taking the time to celebrate that this dream I’ve had for so many years is coming true.

Question 3: Tell us about your book! 

The hardest question in the world! Let’s see. I started writing the book that would become this series when I was eleven or twelve, I think. It was inspired by a game of make-believe I played with friends, which in turn was inspired by the fantasy books that I adored and was frustrated by in equal measure. I wanted to fix those things that didn’t seem quite right in the books I was reading: on a technical level, to create a system of magic and world-building that was internally consistent and made sense to me, and on a thematic level, to create a heroine who I could actually relate to. It wasn’t until years later that I realized what I was really looking for was a queer heroine, and only in the last few drafts that I rewrote the book to make my protagonist plus-sized, like me! Queen of All isn’t a high-concept book, and it isn’t trying to rewrite the rules of the genre. It’s a very familiar kind of story: the coming-of-age tale of a heroine in a magical world where magic is under threat. It’s just a chance to return to this kind of book, the kind of book I devoured over and over as a kid, but with new kinds of heroes at the center.

But what’s it about, you ask? Here’s the blurb: The only interesting thing about fourteen-year-old Jena is other people. Her mother disappeared when she was a baby, and her best (and only) friend, Sisi, is not just the lost heir to a noble Numbered house, but also the Kingdom’s most famous beauty. Jena herself is just awkward, anxious, and often alone: not exactly heroic material. But when a letter summons Sisi to the royal court, both girls find their own futures, and the Kingdom’s, in Jena’s hands. Sisi, caught between the king and the crown prince, searches for a magical secret the Prince is willing to kill to keep. Jena can save her: but only if she is willing to let her go, maybe forever. It’s hard to do that when she’s in love with Sisi herself.

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing?

I don’t fancast, and I tend to like to write in silence! I know this makes for a very boring answer to this question. The only thing I would hope for in an adaptation is that casting be accurate to the characters’ identities as they’re described in the books, including age, ethnicity, and body size. Writing a story with two plus-sized heroines was really important to me, and I would want any adaptation to keep those identities! For a song, and a minor hint for what to expect in the sequels, “Soldier, Poet, King.”

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book?

My book is especially for queer teens or anyone who might be questioning their sexuality. I hope that these readers will see that they can be the heroes of their own stories! I know I didn’t find stories with queer or fat heroines, even though the themes of fantasy were super relevant to my experience as a teen. Those feelings of exclusion, of being different from everyone else around you in a way you can’t describe, they’re central to the classic YA fantasy narrative, but I don’t think it ever even occurred to me as a teen that characters in books could actually look or be like me. I want to make sure the next generation of readers gets something better than that. They deserve it.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

I have so many! I think my favorite part is the very beginning, though, because it hints at where this story is going in the next two books, and it’s a pretty wild ride. Another favorite chapter (and this I wrote recently) is the only one where Jena comes out explicitly to another character. It was really meaningful to me to restructure this book so that being queer isn’t something she has to deal with completely in isolation, and we get those first hints of a queer community and queer history represented in this world.

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better?

Please, please, please help get the word out! As a debut author with a small press, I was already worried that this book might not find its audience, and the pandemic is definitely making that even more of a possibility. But I really believe in this book, and I think it’s something the queer community wants too. If you want to help queer fantasy succeed, consider pre-ordering the book, asking your local indie bookstore to order it, or requesting it from your local library! And if you do read it, reviews online and recommendations to friends can make all the difference. Thank you!

I write widely in a variety of genres. My fiction can be found in Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, Mythaxis, The Green Briar Review, the Necronomicon Anthology, and forthcoming in the Broadkill Review. My non-fiction appears in SPARK, SoLaced, Prouud2BeMe, The Huffington Post, and Anti-Heroin Chic. I am also a published poet, in Poets Reading the News, and my plays have been performed by One Song Productions, NOMADS, and Powerhouse Theatre’s Apprentice Company. My debut novel, Queen of All, a fantasy for young adults, is forthcoming from Zenith Press.

GIRLS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD by Laura Brooke Robson

June 8, 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

Meeting people. I love getting to know other readers and writers, especially folks who love YA and fantasy as much as I do. I’m hoping to make my way to as many conferences and writing retreats as I can manage once it’s safe.

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice?

More experienced authors tell debuts to just keep writing. There’s promo and anxiety and strange new writing frontiers to tackle, and that can take up a lot of bandwidth, but the thing that grounds me is to write more stuff. Other stuff. New stuff. I recently listened to Victoria Schwab’s No Write Way conversation with Natalie C. Parker about growing as a writer and loved what they said. The gist was, you might look at a book in copyedits and think, “I’ll never write something this good again.” You might look at it and think, “I could do this so much better now if I started from scratch.” But ultimately, the best thing you can do is to keep learning, keep trying new things, keep writing. I’ve found it incredibly reassuring to have new projects in the pipeline.

Question 3: Tell us about your book!

My book is set on the cusp of a global flood in a palace perched between the sea and the grimy canals of Kostrov. Natasha is the seventeen-year-old principal of the Kostrovian Royal Flyers. When she finds out the royals don’t plan to bring the flyers on their fleet when the waters rise, she realizes the only way she can survive is to win the heart of the young king. But the newest Royal Flyer, Ella, has a plot of her own. Ella fell in love with Kostrov’s princess, and after the king had her assassinated, Ella wants revenge. One girl needs to marry the king; the other needs to kill him. Only one girl can get what she wants. And if they give in to the fierce something they’re starting to feel for each other, neither will survive.

Because my world has recurring floods that destroy books and written histories, any writing that does survive gets outsized influence. So we have a religious text written by a crafty Odysseus figure. We also have fables and fairytales, and some of them seem just as plausible as the sacred religious text. In some ways, I wrote a Cinderella subversion–a commoner girl wants to marry a king–and the influence of stories, fairytales, and history (and the hazy lines that divide them) on culture is the book’s thematic spine.

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?

I have not fancast GATEOTW, but I definitely have a soundtrack. I struggle to listen to music while I’m writing, but when I need to brainstorm, I turn my playlist on and go for a run until I untangle all my knots. My Spotify playlist is here (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0MSsvj9PjmGL171j20cWZu?si=FnD5IdvcQw2nDdkUh4CDxw), but the songs I listened to most were “Would That I” and “Foreigner’s God” (Hozier), “Promises” (from the Hadestown soundtrack), and “Play With Fire” (Sam Tinnesz).

I also hope it makes someone go take an aerial silks class.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

One of the recurring themes in this book is the siren. Homer’s sirens are half-woman, half-bird creatures who captivate passing sailors so the men crash their ships against rocks and die. I remember being so struck by the idea of these enchanting, tempting sirens in Greek mythology. The way they were described felt similar to the way we describe girls who dare to wear short skirts or flirt or laugh too loud or exist. Women–even young girls–are responsible for tempting; men aren’t responsible for being tempted.

In this world, a siren is half-woman, half-fish, and is similarly used as an allegory for woman-as-temptress. Here, siren becomes a slur for a queer woman. A woman who would dare be beautiful, be tempting, but not necessarily want or appreciate the affections of the tempted man. This was the first kernel of inspiration I had for this story way back in 2017, and even though I wrote about seven drafts of this book, the sirens were one of only a few constants. Inventing and exploring this mythology was my absolute favorite part of this book.

One of the only scenes I wrote that didn’t actually change very much was this moment, where a man confronts Ella, who has been branded as a siren, after seeing her tattoo:

“Excuse me,” I say, but he doesn’t move.

I clench my hands into fists and go around him. I’ve only made it three steps when he says, “You’re too pretty, you know.”

I turn slowly. Back toward him. His eyes are on my sleeve.

“To be that way,” he says.

I grit my teeth until I think they will break. But I say nothing. I walk away. My vision threatens to blur with the memory of Cassia.

Too pretty, he says.

The sea is pretty too.

By now that man should know what the sea is capable of.

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better?

So far, everything about the publishing and debuting process is a big game of “you don’t know what you don’t know.” There are so many lessons I’m still learning, and most of the time, I have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing. Am I supposed to admit that?

But I’d love it if people added my book on Goodreads or recommended it to a friend who might like it. I know the pandemic has forced us to operate on reduced bandwidth, so I am incredibly grateful as people find the energy to read and support authors and booksellers.

Laura Brooke Robson writes books about snarky girls and climate peril. She’s from Bend, Oregon, which means she’s contractually obligated to talk about the fact she’s from Bend, Oregon. As a college student, she did English shenanigans at Stanford, which some were known to describe as “a feat of daring” and “probably not going to make you as much money as CS.”

GEARBREAKERS by Zoe Hana Mikuta

June 29, 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

I’m so excited for my friends to read my story! I’m the president of University of Washington-Seattle’s club for queer women and nonbinary students; I love them all so much and GEARBREAKERS is definitely for them the most—I just think they’ll really get a kick out of it, and there’s not a lot of queer sci-fi out there comparatively so I am happy to provide. That, and getting my first-ever cover for the first time hit me like a punch to the gut (in the best way possible).

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice? 

No! Please provide any and all ;-;

Question 3: Tell us about your book! 

In an age of 200-ft mecha-deities puppeteered by the power-hungry nation of Godolia, a group of renegades—the Gearbreakers—are tasked with infiltrating the rampaging metal gods and taking them apart from the inside out. When Eris Shindanai, an infamous Gearbreaker known as “the Frostbringer,” is captured while out on a mission, she winds up in a Godolia prison and meets Sona Steelcrest, a cyborg mecha-pilot—and therefore her mortal enemy. But Sona’s loyalties do not lie in Godolia’s grasp, and now, she finally has an ally in taking the nation down. The two girls stumble onto a plan that could end Godolia’s reign once and for all, but the stakes rise in a way neither of them had expected —now, they have one another to lose, too.

GEARBREAKERS is a YA sci-fi with tons of found family, tattoos, and big-hearted renegade kids. It has Korean main characters and an enemies-to-lovers cyberpunk sapphic romance (I really think it’s a love story more than anything else). It comes out June 29th, 2021!

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?   

I can totally imagine Park So-Dam (Parasite) as Eris Shindanai and Seo Ye-Ji (It’s Okay to Not Be Okay) as Jenny Shindanai (Eris’s older sister, scientist and weapon creator, leader of the Gearbreakers). Sona’s half-Korean and half-white and I’m not quite sure who would play her. As for a soundtrack, the story has a big coming-of-age feel to it, despite all the mechas and whatnot, so definitely a lot of Surf Curse (Disco, Labyrinth, Freaks) and Lorde (400 Lux, Buzzcut Season, Ribs). Though concerning the mechas and whatnot, Nova, one of Eris’s crewmembers and their driver, does have a playlist specifically for takedowns called “Nova’s Botkilling Mix”—that definitely has a lot of The Frights (Kids, All I Need, You Are Going to Hate This), Noah Nolastname, Beach Goons, and The Orwells on it. And then just fit Blackpink and Rei Ami in whenever Jenny comes in.

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book? 

Life’s short—get a ton of tattoos and love people a lot.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

Hands-down my favorite scene is when Sona and Eris come home after their first mecha kill together. For every takedown, the Gearbreakers get a gear tattoo, and while their crew celebrates and dances around their common room, Eris kneels in front of Sona to give Sona her first gear. There’s music playing and a fire going in the hearth and Sona kind of has this ‘Oh sh*t I’m really happy’ moment, which is big because she thought she wouldn’t ever feel cared about again. I love writing those tenderhearted scenes as much as the fight scenes.

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better? 

Preorder, add on goodreads.com, and/or tell your friends about GEARBREAKERS! Don’t be scared to say hi to me on social media! I’m 20 years old and I just moved into my first apartment and I don’t know how to be an adult At All—I pinkie promise I am not intimidating.

Zoe Hana Mikuta is a junior at the University of Washington in Seattle, studying English with a creative writing focus. She grew up in Boulder, Colorado, where she developed a deep love of Muay Thai kickboxing and nurtured a slow and steady infatuation for fictional worlds. When she is not writing, Zoe can be found embroidering runes onto her jean pockets, studying tarot or herbology, or curled up with a cup of caramel coffee and a good, bloody but heartwarming book. Gearbreakers is her debut novel.

Electric Blue by Cameron James 

June 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

So many things but especially getting a nonbinary voice like Sky’s out into the world. Sky is such a rounded character who is 100% sure of themselves, but there are also characters like Frankie and Oakley who are both still trying to figure themselves out. The book itself explores so many different ways to be nonbinary and all of them are valid. 

Question 3: Tell us about your book! 

Electric Blue is the story of 15 year old Skylar. Sky was raised a theybie and is out and proud as nonbinary but they’ve never met anyone else like them that is until they get join a band and they meet the pink haired boy who just won’t stop talking. Suddenly Sky is met with people from every colour of the rainbow and soon these bright and colourful people become the family Sky has always wanted.

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?   

I have big Netflix dreams for Electric Blue. My only requirement would be that those who play Sky or any other trans/nonbinary character be trans/nonbinary themselves. 

Regarding a soundtrack well;

Hold Up – Beyoncé  Glitter in the Air – P!NK  Run Through Walls – The Script Cough Syrup – Darren Criss  I Feel Love – Sam Smith  Stupid Love – Lady Gaga  I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book? 

That they are not alone. I know it might feel like it and sometimes it feels like there’s no one else out there but you’re never alone and you will find your people. 

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

Below is a very early meaningful scene between Sky and their Uncle Patrick (who is trans). 

“You’ll meet someone like you, I’m sure of it. The moment I left school I was suddenly surrounded by trans people all with completely different walks of life. For some people it takes them awhile, I know men who couldn’t come out as trans until they were in their twenties. 

Schools difficult for everyone. There’s little room for individuality. All you need to do is not lose that individuality, be yourself, with your wit and your knowledge, and your electric blue hair.” 

“And I’ll find someone like me?” I said quietly, he nodded. 

“You’ll meet other nonbinary people who just get it. You’ll love and be loved and have such strong connections that you’ll forget what life was like before them.” 

“I hope you’re right.” I said, he leant his forehead against mine.  

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better?

If Sky finds their way onto their timeline a cheeky share maybe, you can also follow me on Instagram @cameronjamesauthor or on Twitter on @C_ameronJ_ames  for my latest updates and the occasional giveaway 😀 

Oh and of course if it sounds like your bag, Sky is available to pre-order now for their release on June 1st.

Cameron James (they/them) is a contemporary New Adult LGBTQ+ and Supernatural author. Cameron writes stories from a wide variety of narratives but favours trans and nonbinary narrators. Cameron James is making their Young Adult debut in June 2021.

THE MYTHIC KODA ROSE by Jennifer Nissley

July 13, 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

Honestly? Allowing my friends and family to finally read the book! I’m an extremely private writer, so I never (never!) share my work with anybody outside my trusty writing group, agent, and editor. My loved ones are so loving and supportive, and they have been extraordinarily patient — especially my wife. I can’t wait to share this thing that I worked on so hard with all of them.

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice? 

A mentor told me that once a book is published, it’s no longer yours. I think she meant that as a warning, but as a control freak I found it tremendously freeing!

Question 3: Tell us about your book!

THE MYTHIC KODA ROSE is about a 17-year-old kid desperately exploring her dead rockstar father’s legacy, hoping she’ll find the courage to tell her best friend that she’s in love with her. In the process, Koda meets her dad’s ex-girlfriend, and becomes pretty obsessed with her. As their complicated bond deepens, they’re both forced to grapple with the black hole Koda’s dad left behind.

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack? 

Wait, is that a thing writers are supposed to think about? Because I don’t believe I’ve ever… just kidding. I fantasize about this all the time. Casting the ex-girlfriend, Sadie, is easy: Natasha Lyonne. But Koda Rose is much trickier. I have a very specific image of her in my head. Hunter Schafer would be perfect, though. She blew me away in Euphoria. As for the soundtrack, I’d be fine with pretty much any song that involved moody guitar riffs.

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book?

Most of all, I hope teen readers might see why they shouldn’t be afraid of big, messy feelings.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

In retrospect, I feel like everybody in my tiny high school realized I was gay before I did. I’d get these intense feelings for girls in my classes that were so confusing, I simply learned to ignore them. So to me, the most meaningful scenes are the ones where Koda gets to fantasize about kissing her female best friend, or watching her dad’s ex tune guitar strings, without wondering why she’s feeling that way. I’m genuinely in awe of her, and all young people able to embrace their queerness. At her age, I had so little sense of myself. There was nobody around to tell me that what I felt was okay, or even possible.

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better?

Oh jeez, yes. Please spread the word! I’m low key terrified of social media, but if I saw even one person saying that they enjoyed the book and encouraging others to check it out, that would make my whole year. You could also find me on Insta @jennifer.nissley. I’d love to hear from readers.

Jennifer Nissley (she/her) is the author of THE MYTHIC KODA ROSE, which will be published by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers in Summer 2021. Although Jenn’s first love is writing, she is powerfully attracted to video games, horses, and pretty much any piece of clothing with an animal on it. She received her MFA in Fiction from Stony Brook Southampton and lives in Queens with her wife and doggo, but sadly no horses.

THE DEAD AND THE DARK by Courtney Gould

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

Honestly, my favorite thing has been seeing people look at my joke tweets about my characters and actually get excited. I’m so used to my thoughts on my own world mattering to no one but me. Now, my memes are considered “promo.” It’s incredible.

On a more serious note, it’s been so wonderful to connect with other debuts. I’ve made some incredible friendships in my debut class that I know will last long after our books come out.

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice? 

I think the best thing I’ve learned is that being genuine really is the best way to draw people to your work. I wrote a book that I genuinely love and that I think has me all over it, and when I talk about it, I talk about the things I personally love. That’s the thing readers tend to respond to most!

Question 3: Tell us about your book! 

Yes! THE DEAD AND THE DARK is a paranormal thriller about the daughter of TV ghosthunters who moves to her fathers’ hometown to solve some mysterious disappearances. When there, she meets the town’s golden girl whose boyfriend is one of the missing kids. They end up working together to get to the bottom of the town’s secrets (and the secrets their own families have kept under wraps) and fall for each other along the way.

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?   

I don’t have good faces for the main girls, but I definitely have soundtrack. Rocks and Water by Deb Talan, Love Like Ghosts by Lord Huron, Fever to the Form by Nick Mulvey. I feel like a minor key version of I’ll Follow You Into the Dark would KILL.

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book? 

TDATD is very theme-heavy, and in the end, I hope the message rings clear. TDATD talks about who is allowed to belong in rural America, and who is allowed to feel at home. I hope small town teens feel less alone and isolated after reading TDATD. There’s a world outside these places, and TDATD tries to shine a light on that.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

I’ll include this one for a little taste of the romance.

“Logan’s smile was easy. She was only inches from Ashley now, check pressed into the mattress, eyes half lidded with sleepiness. It was the first time Ashley had seen laughter make it all the way to her eyes. They danced in the half-light, black and endless as the night outside. Ashley couldn’t remember Logan inching this close to her. Maybe Ashley was the one who’d moved. There was some thing restless in Logan, magnetic and dark and impossible to ignore. She’d laid across from Tristan like this a hundred times, but she’d never felt this pull.”

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better?

I am so grateful for everything the online community is already doing. All the hype and love and excitement has made a potentially dire situation feel so much more hopeful. I just want to thank book bloggers and readers everywhere for their support.

Courtney Gould writes books about queer girls, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night. She graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Publishing. Born and raised in Salem, OR, she now lives and writes in Tacoma, WA where she continues to write love letters to the haunted girls and rural, empty spaces. The Dead and the Dark is her debut novel.

THE RECKLESS KIND by Carly Heath

Fall 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

Is it weird that I say reviews? Cause reviews. I love getting feedback—even if it’s negative, because it helps me see how others interpret my writing and I can’t help but improve from that. The great thing about traditional publishing is that you get feedback at so many points in the process—from agents when you’re querying, to editors when you’re on submission, and then from your acquiring editor and so on. I love that. And I love that there’s readers out there who have absolutely no concern for my feelings and who will tell the world their fully honest opinion of the book. I mean, it’s scary. But also… good?

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice? 

I’m hearing again and again that authors don’t have much control over what happens with our books, so there’s no point in getting bent out of shape with comparisons or wondering why one debut is getting a ton of publicity and someone else isn’t, so just focus on putting your energy into helping the community and making the next book the best it can be.

I think that’s important to remember.

Also, I really believe true success comes from helping others achieve their dreams, so that’s mostly what I plan to do during debut year—continue focusing on mentoring not-yet-published authors and using my YouTube channel to boost those who also have books coming out.

Question 3: Tell us about your book!

THE RECKLESS KIND is set in a fictional Scandinavian country in 1904 and follows three queer teens who leave their families and go to live on their own. The main character, Asta, doesn’t conform to conventional standards of femininity—her appearance is atypical, and—like me—she’s hard-of-hearing. Instead of being grateful that a young man wants to marry her, she begins to understand that she doesn’t want to be in any romantic relationship at all.

The other POV character is Erlend who’s the handsome son of a wealthy family. He directs their village’s theater, has anxiety, and is deeply in love with Asta’s best friend, Gunnar, but also very profoundly connected to Asta and devoted to her.

Gunnar is a wonderfully complex character who copes with his trauma by hiding behind a dark, caustic sense of humor—a humor which delights Asta but horrifies Erlend. Gunnar believes his family is cursed with bad luck and though he’s happy to have broken up Asta’s betrothal, he’s guilt-ridden over stealing Erlend from his parents—a family he thinks of as exceptionally generous since they cared for him as he recovered from a near-fatal accident earlier that Summer.

These three definitely face challenges when they go up to the mountains to live on their own. And they need to train a filly to win the town’s annual horse race so they can use the prize money to save Gunnar’s ancestral farm. But a number of obstacles face them: the hostility of the townsfolk, the feral temperament of their horse, and the difficulty of making a life together when they don’t have any name to describe the nature of their relationship.

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?

The Reckless Kind has a lot of horses and other animal friends, so it would make a great anime. Since we’re in dreamland, I’d love my book to be a Hayao Miyazaki film. I could totally see him getting the sensibility. I don’t follow music at all, so I don’t have a soundtrack in mind, but if John Williams is still alive, I’d love him to do the score. As for voice actors, they’d need to sound like teenagers, but the vibe for Asta would be a teen Maisie Williams (Arya Stark from Game of Thrones) type.

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book? 

Something those of us who are not cis guys experience in life is the fact that cis guys are often very supportive of each other (especially in queer spaces) but sometimes not as supportive towards those of us who are not cis guys. Erlend and Gunnar—the cis guys in The Reckless Kind—are not perfect, but they’re very inclusive and nurturing toward Asta and that’s the energy I want to put out into the Universe—more supportive, inclusive people like Erlend and Gunnar in the world.

Also—if it’s not obvious from the synopsis—this is a love story between three people and platonic love is treated just as equally valid as romantic love. Though these kids face external challenges, I adore how completely uncomplicated their love is and how even as they’re navigating precisely how to define themselves, their care for each other is undeniable.

Finally, there’s tons of disability representation; and both sex positivity and ace/aro positivity is all over the book. I think that’s super important in teen fiction.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

It’s difficult because I don’t want to give away spoilers, but there’s a scene near the end that I adore with my whole heart. Unfortunately, I can’t talk about that because SPOILERS.

Earlier in the book, however, there’s a small moment that’s just the best. Gunnar is trying to inspire Asta to break off her betrothal and while he’s talking to her, he’s giving Erlend a foot massage. Asta thinks: “Though I had brothers and grew up surrounded by the boys in the theater, I’d never seen one touch and caress another boy’s foot. Maybe Gunnar wanted me to know something and now he was showing me—that he wasn’t like a boy, that he was a regular person.” That line just delights me. One, for how it subverts the assumption that the hetero-patriarchy isthe norm and, two, how it de-centers cis “maleness” as the default concept of a “person”.

Something else I love happens in the 2^ndact: the three kids are settling into their new life but also facing uncertainty and guilt. They each cope with this uncertainty in different ways: Asta experiments with heterosexuality, Gunnar tries vodka for the first time, and Erlend just starts spending a bunch of money he doesn’t really have on gifts everyone doesn’t really need. I think finding out who you are not is just as important as finding out who you are and sometimes the things we do when we’re coping reveal character in a way that may not come out otherwise.

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better? 

There’s so much the community can do for 2021 debuts that’s super easy and doesn’t involve even leaving your house: you can go to your library’s overdrive and recommend 2021 debuts, add titles on Goodreads, share cover reveals, pre-order, take photos of books and post them to Instagram, share fanart, share aesthetics… and never hesitate to tag the author.

Head to our website https://the21ders.comto learn about the titles that might interest you (under the Educator Resources tab, you can search by theme).

Carly Heath earned her B.A. from San Francisco State University and her M.F.A. from Chapman University. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Carly teaches design, art, theater, and writing for various colleges and universities. The Reckless Kind is her first novel and will debut November 2, 2021 from Soho Teen. Until then, hang out with Carly on Twitter @carlylheathInstagram @carlylynheathand YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCibVCIkd_5gsegJgnp-XXdA

CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT by Claire Winn

October 19, 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

So many things! I’m anticipating holding the finished, printed copy and seeing it on bookstore shelves. But mostly, I’m excited (and slightly terrified!) to hear from readers who’ve connected with the characters. Aside from the publishing pipeline, it’ll be my first time having people reading the story whom I don’t know personally, and I can’t wait to see this book making its way into the world. 

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice? 

My best advice is coming from The 21ders, a group of YA and MG authors whose debuts are coming out in 2021. Everyone is always willing to help, and there’s a great breadth of experience among us. With all the challenges 2020 has thrown at the industry, it’s excellent to connect with other people weathering the same storm.

Among the best advice I’ve received is the importance of maintaining boundaries for your own mental health (often this means not reading reviews). What I’ve been learning personally is that there are always people ahead of you. The further you get, the more you’ll find yourself in the company of brilliant, accomplished, and knowledgeable peers—and while it can be intimidating, you have the opportunity to learn from them and grow as a professional. 

Question 3: Tell us about your book! 

Okay, here goes! City of Shattered Light is a graffiti-smeared, neon-drenched fever dream, with the team dynamic of Six of Crows and the cyberpunk tech of Altered Carbon. It’s led by two fierce bisexual girls—a runaway heiress, Asa, who’s fled home to save her test-subject sister, and Riven, a gunslinging smuggler who needs a hell of a bounty to secure her place in one of the city’s matriarchal crime syndicates. 

The girls clash when one kidnaps the other (oops), but they end up with bigger problems when a brilliant, tech-corrupting A.I. monster locks down the city and begins pursuing them. The book is infused with all my favorite things—glowing-but-grimy settings, a ride-or-die misfit team (mostly queer characters!), heist banter, and strong character relationships. I had far too much fun writing it, and along the way it got deeper and darker than I expected.

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?   

Definitely a pipe dream for me, too! Friends keep bringing up this question, and I never have a good answer. It’s so hard to fancast my own characters—but I picture City of Shattered Light translating best to colorful, vivid animation (I love the art and CG style of “Altered Carbon: Resleeved”). 

For the soundtrack, my dream would be original synthwave by Scandroid/Celldweller, Dance with the Dead, Pendulum, or Nutronic. I admire all these artists, and their music helped inspire the drafting of this book. A specific song that fits is “Glory” by The Score, which my agent once sent to me as Riven’s theme song!

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book? 

That sometimes you’ll find unexpected strength under pressure. That you’ll meet people in surprising places who will become family. That you don’t owe anyone your affections, and that you can become so much more than what the world desperately tries to mold you into. 

…and I hope you’ll also lose yourself in a vivid new setting for a few breathless hours, with a cast of characters to fall in love with. 😉

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

I don’t have a finalized, quotable version of the manuscript just yet, so I’ll describe a few of my favorite parts that aren’t too spoilery!

Among the first scenes I dreamed up was when Asa and Riven are temporarily and reluctantly allied—and they’re accosted by organ thieves in an abandoned subway. Riven’s revolvers are loaded differently—Verdugo is her “executioner” with live rounds, and her left-hand gun, Blackjack, contains a roulette of stun-rounds and mechanical disruptor bullets. So when Riven gets the upper hand, she gives their would-be attacker the option of playing his odds and possibly surviving one of Blackjack’s bullets. The scene’s a little brutal and shows what Riven is capable of—and confirms that Asa is in far over her head.

My favorite sequence in the story is near the midpoint—the nightclub heist. I don’t want to go into too much detail here, but there are colossal mistakes, intense moments for the main characters, unexpected action sequences, and some big revelations about the main villain’s abilities and aims. I’m excited to hear reactions to this part!

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better? 

Honestly, word of mouth and algorithms are our most powerful tools! Anything helps—posting about the book, telling friends, leaving reviews on major sites, requesting the book at your local library or bookstore, or even sharing dumb memes—anything that gets the word out will help the book leave its stamp on the world! 

October 2021 is still a way off, but for now, adding it on Goodreads is a great boost, too.

Having me for interviews like this is also immensely helpful—thanks so much, YA Pride! 😊

Claire Winn spends her time immersed in other worlds—through LARP, video games, books, nerd conventions, and her own stories. Since graduating from Northwestern University, she’s worked as a legal writer and freelance editor. Aside from writing, she builds cosplay props and armor, tears up dance floors, and battles with boffer swords. City of Shattered Light, her first novel, releases October 2021 from Flux Books.

MY DEAREST DARKEST by Kayla Cottingham 

Fall 2021

STARS IN OUR EYES by Jessica Walton

October 2021

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about? 

I think I’m most excited about celebrating my book on twitter! I joined twitter back in 2016 when my picture book, Introducing Teddy, came out. A lot of the writers I connected with online were from the YA community, and many of them were working hard to make YA more diverse. I started reading their books and fell head over heels in love with YA. These books had the queer and disability representation I had needed so badly as a kid, so it was very healing to read them as an adult. I can’t wait to finally celebrate and talk about my own graphic novel with YA book twitter, as it’s got a main character like me – a fat, bisexual amputee with chronic pain and anxiety. 

 Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice? 

Reviews are for readers! I think this advice works better for me than ‘Don’t read the reviews!’ I’m going to read the reviews, so keeping in mind that the reviews are not for me is what’s important. 

Question 3: Tell us about your book! 

Stars In Our Eyes is about fourteen-year-old Maisie and her mum setting off on a road trip to get to Maisie’s first ever fan convention. Maisie has her heart set on meeting her hero, disabled actor Kara Bufano. Things don’t work out exactly as she’d planned, but Maisie still has an amazing time! This story is about first love, being yourself, and finding community. 

Also, it’s a graphic novel, which is so exciting as I LOVE reading graphic novels myself! I was so lucky to work with Aśka on this book. She’s an incredible artist and you can find more of her work here: http://www.askaillustration.com/

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing? What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?   

The two teens at the heart of my story would be played by young Australian actors who haven’t been given a breakthrough role yet. I think it would be exciting to be part of launching the acting careers of a nonbinary teen and a queer disabled teen! 

I would cast Winona Ryder as Maisie’s mum. In the book Maisie says her mum looks a bit like Winona Ryder, so I think that would be funny.

Maisie tells Ollie her favourite singer is Courtney Barnett, so I’d love to have one of her songs on the movie soundtrack. Maybe Just For You. I’d also include We’re the Cool Kids by Ryan Cassata, Thank You by Skylar Kergil, Head Above Water by Eliza Hull (for the scene where Maisie is swimming in the motel pool, which I’ll mention again in a moment), Lonely Walls by Pon Cho and Paige IV, This World Can Make You Happy by Amaya Laucirica, and Don’t You Worry by Electric Fields.

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book? 

For queer, disabled teens I hope Maisie is someone they can relate to, and for everyone else I hope they learn something about what it’s like to deal with chronic pain, anxiety, ableism and inaccessibility.

I hope readers finish the story feeling hopeful about Maisie and Ollie and imagining what might come next for them. Mostly I just hope they enjoy themselves; it’s meant to be a bit of fun!

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

My favourite scene is the one at the motel pool. I love swimming – it’s the only kind of exercise I can really do pain free, and it’s fun and relaxing. Like Maisie, I love that the world falls away when you’re under the water. I often get stared at when I’m at the pool, though, and sometimes I’ll even get an ableist comment thrown in as a bonus. It’s often from someone who thinks they’re being kind or complimentary! In this scene I’ve explored how that feels, and how I’d really like to react. I’ve often seriously thought about the waterproof cards Maisie and her mum talk about making to hand to people like that. The cards would say, ‘You probably didn’t realise your comment was ableist. Please watch this talk by disabled activist and comedian Stella Young’ with this link underneath it: www.ted.com/talks/stella_young_i_m_not_your_inspiration_thank_you_very_much

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better? 

Absolutely! Obviously I’d love you to buy the book, but if you can’t buy it, ask your school library or local library to get it in, and then borrow it from them!

This graphic novel is adapted from a short story I wrote for a YA anthology, Meet Me At the Intersection (https://www.fremantlepress.com.au/products/meet-me-at-the-intersection). I’d love people to read that book, too. It’s full of short fiction, memoir and poetry by Australian authors who are First Nations, People of Colour, LGBTIQA+ or disabled. 

If you like either of these books, jump on social media and let people know. If you feel like it, you can also let me know on twitter (@jesshealywalton) – that’s always such a lovely surprise for an author!

Jessica Walton began her writing career in 2016 with picture book Introducing Teddy (Bloomsbury). She has since contributed to a number of MG and YA anthologies, including ‘Meet Me At the Intersection’ (Fremantle Press 2018).  Jessica’s short story about a queer, disabled teen from that anthology is now being published as a YA graphic novel called Stars In Our Eyes (Fremantle Press, 2021). Jessica is also a poet and TV writer. She co-wrote an episode of comedy show ‘Get Krack!n’ focused on disability, which aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in February 2019.  Jessica completed a Writeability Fellowship with Writers Victoria in 2017, focused on poetry about disability, cancer and pain. In 2020 Jessica continued this work with a Publishability Fellowship with Writers Victoria, which allowed her to complete a poetry manuscript. A taste of this poetry can be found in the recent Disability edition of Westerly Magazine.

EVERY BODY SHINES by Cassandra Newbould

Question 1: What part of being a debut are you most excited about?

I think the thing I’m most looking forward to as a debut is the moment when someone tells me what Every Body Shines means to them. I, and the other contributors in the anthology, wrote intersectional stories starring fat kids living their best lives. They are the stories we wished we’d been able to find on the shelves growing up. It was my sole reason for creating the anthology in the first place, to give fat kids another chance to see themselves on the page as more than just the funny fat sidekick. I longed for that my entire childhood and have only started seeing that come true now that I’m in my 40’s. I hope our book helps someone feel seen and if I get that magic moment it will be a gift I carry with me the rest of my life.

Question 2: Have you received any great debut year advice? 

Well, in the neverending year of 2020 I suppose the best advice I’ve gotten for a 2021 debut is to just go with the flow and breathe. I have no clue what the world will be like by May so I’m hoping for the best while expecting the worst, and with luck, it will at least fall somewhere in between.

Question 3: Tell us about your book! 

Every Body Shines is a YA anthology celebrating body diversity and fat acceptance that features16 fabulously fat intersectional stories written by 16 fabulously fat authors where our mcs are entirely more than just the funny fat friend. Besides myself, there will be stories from Nafiza Azad, Chris Baron, Sheena Boekweg, Linda Camacho, Kelly DeVos, Alex Gino, Claire Kann, amanda lovelace, Hillary Monahan, Francina Simone, Rebecca Sky, Monique Gray Smith, Renée Watson, Catherine Adel West, and Jennifer Yen.

My story in the anthology is called Shatter. Shatter is about a shy bi breakdancer named Bri who comes alive on the dancefloor, but it literally takes a van slamming into her to realize that she’s always been the badass she longed to be while waiting in the shadows as other people danced in the spotlight. I’m always a sucker for meet-cutes and one of my favorite scenes in Shatter is when a girl named Sienna trips over Bri in the club and then asks her to dance. It’s all electric fingertip touches and pounding hearts nestled between K-kicks and freezes and other bgirl moves. I cannot wait for the world to read Bri’s story about sisterhood, first crushes, second chances, and, oh, to remember, fat girls CAN dance!

Question 4: One huge writer dream we likely all have is to see our work adapted on the big or small screen. Have you fancast your own writing?

I would die to have Barbie Ferreira play Bri. Her portrayal of Kat in Euphoria and the evolution of her coming into and owning her self confidence and badassery in that show is exactly the kind of energy I went for with Bri’s character arc.

What songs would definitely be on your adaptation’s soundtrack?

Well, since Shatter is sort of a tribute to the 90s dance scene it would certainly be a soundtrack of Florida breaks/electro/trance/Miami bass. Rabbit In The Moon’s -Out Of Body Experience, DJ Icey: Escape, Dynamix II: Just Give The DJ A Break, DJ Baby Anne: Bass Queen In The Mix, K5: Passion, Dynamix RITM: Flori.D.A. Friction and Spice: Groove Me, Everything But The Girl (James Wolfe): Missing.

Question 5: What do you hope teens will take away from your book? 

I hope that Every Body Shines helps teens to discover the power of loving yourself exactly as you are today. No one needs to wait for tomorrow, or to strive to be a smaller size ( something that might not even happen anyway) to fall in love, or play sports, or get that job, or be a fashionista or a million other things that diet culture claims plus-size people can’t/shouldn’t be unless they lose weight. I want teens to know they can be living their best lives now.

Question 6: Can you give us a sneak peek about your favorite part of the book, or one of the most meaningful scenes you got to write?

I think the most powerful scene in Shatter is the moment Bri figures out she doesn’t need to dance in the shadows, that she deserves to shine in the light. Any time I remember the joy Bri experiences as her body glides along the dancefloor without any inhibitions while the crowd cheers for her, well, it still gives me goosebumps.

Question 7: Is there anything the online community could do to help make your unconventional debut year better? 

Celebrate with us! Spread the word about Every Body Shines and remind all the kids you know to live in the now. Love yourself unconditionally and give yourself permission to be the person you’ve always dreamed of being, today, as you are. And if you see a teen struggling with that, pass along the anthology so they can see they are so much more than a sidekick. We are all the main characters of our own stories.

Cassandra Catalano Newbould is the creator and host of Fat Like Me, a podcast and community celebrating body diversity in life, entertainment, and especially in literature. As a kid, I longed for stories that showed people of all sizes following their dreams, and  spent so much time searching for books that told fat kids they can. Sadly, I found so many that said they can’t instead. So I, along with a fabulous group of contributors, created Every Body Shines because we wanted to celebrate fat bodies loving themselves, experiencing flirtations and first loves, navigating friendships and families, pursuing goals, and following our dreams. Like my main character, Brianna, in my story “Shatter,”I was hit as a pedestrian by a van. While that accident changed my life forever, I wanted to show that we are so much more than our disabilities and that every person shines in their power, that all they need to do is have the courage to find it.

When I’m not writing or taping a show, you can find me somewhere in the woods or on the water, with the love of my life, my 3 amazing kiddos, and 3 derpy doggos.

You can find me on Twitter at @CassNwrites and @FatLikeMePod, on Instagram @cass_catalano_newbould, and hear Fat Like Me on Buzzsprout, Soundcloud, or any of your favorite listening platforms. I’m also a co-host on the Better Than Brunch videocast on YouTube.

A huge THANK YOU to all of the wonderful authors who participated in YA Pride’s queer YA debut interviews! Happy reading!