First Draft with Sarah Enni

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.

 

Francesca Lia Block Show Notes

Joni Mitchell

Harry Houdini

Linda Venis, former head of the UCLA extension Writers Program

H.D., “Sea Rose

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Jill Alexander Essbaum

Fairies in the Kitchen: The Weetzie Bat Cookbook by Carmen Staton and Francesca Lia Block

The Midnight Disease by Alice W. Flaherty

Hypergraphia

Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives by Louise DeSalvo

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott


Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Direct download: Francesca_Lia_Block_FINAL.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

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.

Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley Show Notes

Cormac and Marianne Wibberley, screenwriting couple who wrote films such as National Treasure

Why Won’t You Date Me (podcast) with Nicole Byer

21 Jump Street (movie)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Direct download: Austin_and_Emily_FINAL.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

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.

 

Becky Albertalli Show Notes

Margot Wood from Epic Reads

Greg Berlanti

Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger who wrote This is Us (TV show) and the script for Love, Simon

Isaac Klausner

Aminah Mae Safi

Adam Silvera (listen to his First Draft interview here)

Brooks Sherman

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

John Green

Direct download: Becky_Albertalli_FINAL.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 10:29pm PDT

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.

 

Victoria Aveyard 2.0 Show Notes

Victoria Aveyard’s first First Draft podcast

Suzie Townsend (literary agent)

New Leaf Literary

Scrivener

Avengers: Infinity War (movie)

Empire podcast about Infinity War

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Mark Duplass interview on Pete Holmes’ You Made it Weird Podcast

Direct download: Victoria_Aveyard_FINAL.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 9:06am PDT

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. 

Direct download: Britta_Lundin_FINAL.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 8:41am PDT

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.

Tori Hill and Shane Pangburn, producers of YALLWEST, Show Notes

Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia

Pseudonymous Bosch

Lewis Peterson, co-author of Cats vs. Robots with Margaret Stohl

YALLFest

Blue Bicycle Books

Santa Monica Public Library

Teen ambassadors

Maret Orliss, Associate Director of Programming at the LA Times (listen to her First Draft interview here)

Writeopia Labs

Direct download: Shane__Tori_FINAL.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 8:41am PDT

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