First Draft with Sarah Enni

Sara Goodman, editorial director for Wednesday Books, a new imprint from St. Martin’s Press featuring crossover, coming-of-age stories. She talks about finding a career in publishing in spite of herself, getting up at 5 a.m. to read, and the never-ending hunt for voice.

 

Sara Goodman Show Notes

Peter Halley (artist)

Stephen King

George R. R. Martin

Judy Blume

Beverly Cleary

Anne Rice

Joan Didion

Christopher Schelling (agent with Selectric Artists)

Augusten Burroughs

Jennifer Enderlin

Courtney Summers (listen to her First Draft interview here)

Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Rainbow Rowell 

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Jandy Nelson

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Vicki Lame

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko by Scott Stambach

Olga Grlic (book designer)

I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin

Everything Must Go by Jenny Fran Davis

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Jim Tierney, designer of the new cover for I Capture the Castle

Summer Days and Summer Nights anthology edited by Stephanie Perkins

My True Love Gave to Me anthology edited by Stephanie Perkins

Jenny Han (listen to her First Draft interview here)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Robert Cormier

House of Night series by P.C. Cast

Sun Warrior and Moon Chosen by P.C. Cast

Hidden Kingdom by Amanda Hocking

Not Now Not Ever by Lily Anderson

Julie Buxbuam’s launch party for WHAT TO SAY NEXT at the Barnes & Noble at The Grove!

Because You Love To Hate Me release event at The Grove

Pre-order Because You Love to Hate Me: Amazon | IndieBound |Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Direct download: Sara_Goodman_FINALEDIT.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 10:57am PDT

A lovely conversation with Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, The Geography of You and Me, and Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between, and her most recent novel, Windfall. She talks about the teacher who made all the difference, and some key questions, like: are we all always writing the same story? And can you be an optimist and believe in fate?

 

Jennifer E Smith Show Notes

Lauren Graham

Mary Higgins Clark

John Grisham

The Babysitters’ Club by Ann M. Martin

Saddle Club by Bonnie Bryant

Black Stallion by Walter Farley

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Frederick Busch 

Elizabeth Strout

Justin Cronin

Ha Jin

Amanda "Blinky" Urban at ICM (agent)

Toni Morrison

Haruki Murakami

Donna Tartt

E. L. Doctorow

Cormac McCarthy

Jennifer Egan

Kazuo Ishiguro

Richard Ford 

Anna Quindlen

The Keep by Jennifer Eagan

The Lay of the Land by Richard Ford

Jennifer Joel (Jenn’s agent)

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Sarah Dessen

Emily Meehan (editor)

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

The Privileges by Jonathan Dee

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Maurene Goo (listen to her First Draft interviews here and here)

Sliding Doors (movie)

Julie Buxbaum (listen to her First Draft interview here)

Direct download: Jennifer_E._Smith_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:12am PDT

More lightning-round interviews with authors at the Los Angeles Festival of Books, BookExpo America, and BookCon festivals, including: Brandy Colbert; David Connis; Dhonielle Clayton; E. Katherine Kottaras; Holly Black; Jennifer E. Smith; Jessica Morgan; Kiersten White; Karuna Riazi; Laini Taylor; Maggie Stiefvater; Maurene Goo; Morgan Matson; Nic Stone; Renee Ahdieh; Robin Benway; Samantha Mabry; Soman Chainani; Susan Dennard; Victoria Aveyard; and Zan Romanoff.

LATFoB/BEA/BookCon Minisode Show Notes

Brandy Colbert (listen to her First Draft interview here), author of Pointe and the forthcoming Little and Lion)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

David Connis, author of the forthcoming The Temptation of Adam

 

Dhonielle Clayton, co-author of the Tiny, Pretty Things series and author of the forthcoming The Belles (listen to her First Draft interview here, or read the transcript)

E. Katherine Kottaras, author of How to Be Brave and The Best Possible Answer

The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera (listen to her First Draft interview here, or read the transcript here)

Holly Black, author of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown and the forthcoming The Cruel Prince

Jane Yolen, SFF writer

Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, among many others!, and her newest book, Windfall, out now! (Her First Draft interview coming soon!)

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Jessica Morgan, co-author of Spoiled, Messy, and The Royal We (Listen to her First Draft interview [with co-writer Heather Cocks] here)

Kiersten White, author of the And I Darken series and the forthcoming middle grade Beanstalker and Other Hilarious Scarytales (and so much more) (listen to her First Draft podcast here)

Karuna Riazi, author of The Gauntlet

Ellen Oh, author of The Dragon King chronicles and the forthcoming Spirit Hunters (listen to her First Draft podcast here)

Laini Taylor, author of Strange the Dreamer and the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series (among other things!)

Maggie Stiefvater, author of the forthcoming All The Crooked Saints, the Raven Boys series, Scorpio Races, and more

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Morrell by Susanna Clarke

Michael Chabon

Maurene Goo, author of Since You Asked and the recently-released I Believe in a Thing Called Love (listen to her First Draft interviews here and here!)

Morgan Matson, author of Amy & Roger's Epic Detour, Since You've Been Gone, and The Unexpected Everything (listen to her First Draft interview here)

Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin

Renee Ahdieh, author of The Wrath and the Dawn and her newest book, Flame in the Mist (listen to her First Draft interview here)

Flyleaf Books 

Quail Ridge Books

Books of Wonder

McNally Jackson

Parnassus Books

Red Balloon Bookshop

Robin Benway, author of Audrey, Wait!, Emmy and Oliver, and the forthcoming Far From the Tree (listen to her First Draft podcast here)

Emery Lord and her first book, Open Road Summer

Samantha Mabry, author of A Fierce and Subtle Poison and the forthcoming All the Wind in the World (listen to her First Draft podcast here)

Soman Chainani, author of The School for Good or Evil series

Susan Dennard, author of the Something Strange and Deadly series, the Witchland series, and contributor to the forthcoming Because You Love to Hate Me anthology

Jurassic Park (movie) (and book by Michael Crichton)

Victoria Aveyard, author of the Red Queen series (listen to her First Draft interview here)

Kaz and Inej from Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom series

Zan Romanoff, author of A Song to Take the World Apart and Grace and the Fever (listen to her First Draft interview here, or read the transcript here)

Battlestar Galactica (TV show)

Julie Buxbaum, author of Tell Me Three Things, and the forthcoming What to Say Next (listen to her First Draft interview here)

Direct download: Special_Minisode-LATFoB_BEA_and_BookCon_2.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 5:38pm PDT

Maurene Goo, author of I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE (out today!) on putting being an author on hold, writing the food tour of Los Angeles, and the 30-minute sprints that saved her deadline.

 

Maurene Goo 2.0 Show Notes

Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation (TV show)

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar by Roald Dahl

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder

Since You Asked by Maurene Goo

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV show)

Renee Ahdieh (listen to her First Draft interview here)

Stephanie Kuehn (listen to her First Draft podcast here)

Shonda Rhimes

Amy Spalding (listen to her First Draft interview here)

Sparky by Jenny Ofill and Chris Appelhans

A Greyhound, a Groundhog by Emily Jenkins and Chris Appelhans

Tahereh Mafi (listen to her First Draft interview here, or read the transcript)

David Sedaris

Zadie Smith

The Underground Railroad by Colston Whitehead

Jon Krakauer

Elizabeth Clark (cover designer for IBIATCL)

Jenny Han (listen to her First Draft interview here, or read the transcript)

Morgan Matson (listen to her First Draft interview here)

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Direct download: Maurene_Goo_2.0_FINAL.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 7:41am PDT

Kayla Olson, debut author of THE SANDCASTLE EMPIRE, out June 6, on writing secret songs in middle school, hearing the rhythm of books, words as a puzzle, writing to the same thunderstorm for years and years, and the closest she ever came to quitting.

 

Kayla Olson Show Notes

Sara Zarr’s episode of First Draft 

The Babysitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin

Full House (TV show)

Fuller House (TV show)

Patty Griffin (musician)

Sandra McCraken (musician)

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)

MyWriteClub.com

LOST (TV show)

Libba Bray

Story Engineering and Tips for Writing Your Novel with Larry Brooks (video)

Story Engineering by Larry Brooks

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield 

Direct download: Kayla_Olson_REALLYFINAL.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 10:40pm PDT

Sandhya Menon, debut author of WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI (out May 30 and available for pre-order now!) talks up libraries that run on guilt, candy bar scenes, and what to do when you hit a major slump.

 

Sandhya Menon Show Notes

Lilliam Rivera (listen to her First Draft interview here, and get the transcript here)

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books

Ruebén Martinez, winner of the LA Times Festival of Books' 2017 Innovator Award

 "Candy Bar Scenes" idea by Holly Lisle

Jenny Han (listen to her First Draft interview here, and get the transcript here)

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sofie Kinsella

Morgan Matson (listen to her First Draft interview here, and get the transcript here)

Stephanie Perkins

Direct download: Sandhya_Menon_FINAL_EDIT.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 8:24pm PDT

Renée Ahdieh, New York Times best-selling author of The Wrath and the Dawn series, and whose new series kicks off with the release of Flame in the Mist, out May 16, joins me to talk about straddling two worlds poorly, finding the music in language, fearless internet personas, id books, and publishing as a ‘pride-swallowing siege.’ (Plus, a cameo from Sarah Nicole Lemon, author of Done Dirt Cheap!)

 

Renee Ahdieh Show Notes

Explosions in the Sky

Sheherazade Op. 35, a symphonic suite composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Nas

The Story of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting

Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene

Sarah Nicole Lemon

J.K. Rowling

Star Wars score by John Williams

Gustav Holst’s The Planets

The Imperial March by John Williams

Mars, Bringer of War by Gustav Holst

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better,featured in Annie, Get Your Gun

Tool

Metallica

Human Bell

Mogwai

Godspeed You Black Emperor

Done Dirt Cheap by Sarah Nicole Lemon

The 30-second bit of "Blue Moon" by Beck, which I wanted to write a book about

"S&M" by Metallica

"The Black Album" by Metallica

FictionPress

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

The Babysitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin

The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice

Crime and Punishment by Fydor Dostoyevsky

Zorro by Isabel Allende

Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez

Get Out (movie)

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher (and the Netflix Show)

Chekhov’s Gun

Bluebeard

Sir Richard Burton

The Arabian Nights translated by Husain Haddawy

The Song of the Lioness series by Tamara Pierce

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Mulan (movie)

A Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi

Sengoku and Muromachi periods of Japanese history

Sign up for the First Draft Newsletter!

Direct download: Rene_Ahdieh_FINAL_EDIT.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 10:52am PDT

Courtney Summers - author of SOME GIRLS ARE, CRACKED UP TO BE, ALL THE RAGE, and more - breaks down getting published with her spite novel, consistently wanting it all, writing a book that fits around a feeling, and never really moving on from her books.

 

Courtney Summers Show Notes

YALLFEST

Archie comics

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch

YALLWEST

The Babysitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

She’s All That (movie)

Right About Now” by Fatboy Slim

Competency Quadrant (Four Stages of Competency)

The Chocolate War by Robert Cromier

Flannery O’Connor

Left 4 Dead (video game)

Night of the Living Dead (movie)

The Passage by Justin Cronin

World War Z (movie)

Shaun of the Dead (movie)

The Walking Dead (TV show)

Wednesday Books

St. Martin’s Press

The OA (Netflix series)

Alan Wake (video game)

Twin Peaks

Stephen King

Star Trek Beyond (movie)

How Did This Get Made (podcast)

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Harvard Business Journal, “Who’s Got the Monkey?

Direct download: Courtney_Summers_FINAL_EDIT.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 9:10pm PDT

Join me for a second go-round with Margaret Stohl, New York Times best-selling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures series and the YA adaptations of Marvel's Black Widow, whose most recent novel, Royce Rolls, is out now! We discuss writing this book as a joke, the Kardashians as a delivery system, the reverse-outlining method, and overcoming inherited ways of thinking. 

 

Margaret Stohl 2.0 Show Notes

Los Angeles I’m Yours” by The Decemberists

The Kardashians

new Zelda, Breath of the Wild

Nintendo Switch

Arden Rose (listen to her First Draft interview here)

Richelle Mead

Raymond Chandler

 

Richard Pryor

Little House on the Prairie (TV show)

Starline Tours

Jennifer Garner

Alyson Hannigan, Willow from Buffy

Captain Marvel

Tony Stark

Kami Garcia

Emily Meehan, associate editor Marvel

Libba Bray (listen to her First Draft interviews here: Part 1, and Part 2)

 

Cats vs. Robots: This Is War

Katherine Tegan at Harper Collins

Veronica Roth (listen to her First Draft interviews here and here!)

 

VEEP (TV show)

House of Cards (TV show)

My LATFoB panel

YALLWEST

Because You Love to Hate Me, edited by Ameriie

BookCon

Direct download: Margaret_Stohl_2.0.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 7:25pm PDT

Listen to YA superstar Sara Zarr (whose newest novel, GEM & DIXIE, is out now!) talk about the first time she encountered “smart” as an epithet, getting career advice from Chris Crutcher, and very nearly giving up on writing altogether.

 

Sara Zarr Show Notes

This Creative Life, Sara’s podcast series

Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

Beverly Cleary

Marilyn Sachs

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill

Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Judy Blume

 

We Need Diverse Books internship program

 

 

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Chris Crutcher

National Book Award

The Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson

Imposter Syndrome

This Creative Life with Scott Derrickson

 

This Creative Life with Gayle Forman

This Creative Life with Sarah Dessen

Kevin Bacon (actor)

A Simple Plan (movie)

Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

 

My LATFoB panel

YALLWEST

BookCon!

Direct download: EDIT2_SZ.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 10:38am PDT