First Draft with Sarah Enni

Adrienne Young, New York Times bestselling author of SKY IN THE DEEP, talks about having a no-boundaries critique partner relationship, unhealthy (but effective) drafting processes, and how Saturn’s return led to her debut novel.

Caroline Kepnes—author of YOU and its sequel HIDDEN BODIES, soon to be a Lifetime drama series starring Penn Badgley—talks about her most recent novel, PROVIDENCE, talks about her Cape Cod sensibility, writing while literally regaining her voice, and having her writing debut in Sassy magazine.

Aminah Mae Safi, debut author of NOT THE GIRLS YOU’RE LOOKING FOR, talks about writing hangry characters, trying to make fetch happen in a book, how fantasy stories hold an inherent appeal to children of immigrants, and how artists have to have batshit belief in themselves.

Maurene Goo, author of SINCE YOU ASKED, I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE and the recently-released THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL, joins me to talk about planning book launches. Then, hear the live audio from when I helped Maurene launch THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL at The Ripped Bodice in Culver City, California.

Morgan Matson, New York Times bestselling author of THE UNEXPECTED EVERYTHING, SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE, and her latest YA, SAVE THE DATE, talks about having the eleventh book be the hardest yet, “flashpoint” stories, the Morganverse, her unusual editing process, and writing a book in movies’ clothing.

Francesca Lia Block, author of more than 25 books, including seminal YA novel Weetzie Bat, talks about her most recent book, THE THORN NECKLACE, a memoir-driven guide to healing through the craft of writing. Francesca talks about meshing her life with that of her most favorite character, shares some incredibly useful writing exercises, and talks about *when* to do research.

Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, soon-to-be-married couple and co-authors of debut, ALWAYS NEVER YOURS (out now!), talk about the joke that brought them together, having co-writing modeled for them by Emily’s parents, and the fact that “whom” will never be in a YA contemporary.

Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of LEAH ON THE OFF BEAT, SIMON VERSUS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA, and co-author of WHAT IF IT’S US, with Adam Silvera, due out in October. Becky talks about how seeing Simon become a movie made her want to write more cinematically, how good AND bad news can be paralyzing while you are revising on deadline, her number one OTP, and retconning her own series and characters.

Victoria Aveyard, whose latest novel, WAR STORM, is the final volume in the New York Times best-selling RED QUEEN series, talks about how Harry Potter led her to value fat books, balancing fan expectations with the demands of story, promo vs. creative mode, and staying hydrated on planes.

Britta Lundin, whose debut novel SHIP IT, is out now, talks about being a TV writer (Riverdale), choosing to tell queer stories, and being shaped by her fandoms. 

Shane Pangburn and Tori Hill, producers of the YALLWEST book festival, on starting operations off a wedding budget, sending S.O.S. emails, and operating in good faith with festival organizers.

Kirsten Hubbard, author of YA novels Like Mandarin and Wanderlove, as well as middle grade novels Watch the Sky, Race the Night, and most recently, Secrets of Topsea: A Friendly Town That’s Almost Always By the Ocean (as Kir Fox, co-written with Michelle Schusterman, as M. Shelley Coats), talks about the time both of our lives simultaneously blew up, and how we helped each other rebuild. Also: how having a twin means she’s always written for an audience, the pleasures of re-reading, and writing with ADH

Maret Orliss, Associate Director of Events Programming for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, talks about how authors can stand out to festival programmers, what the L.A. Times is doing in response to sexual harassment accusations in the book world, and the best Margaret Atwood festival story.

Sara Saedi, author of NEVER EVER and its sequel, THE LOST KIDS (out today!), as well as YA memoir AMERICANIZED: REBEL WITHOUT A GREEN CARD, talks about her earliest boy-meets-girl story, how being the child of immigrants made her write her first screenplay, soap operas as writing boot camp,the blessing of living in the time of email, and putting a narrative onto your own life.

Ava Dellaira--whose most recent novel, In Search of Us, is out now!--talks about adapting her first novel into a screenplay, the mixed blessing of selling on proposal, and how she never could have written this book after becoming a mother.