First Draft Episode #336: Varian Johnson

Varian Johnson, award-winning author of The Parker Inheritance, Twins, The Great Greene Heist, joins us to talk about his most recent middle-grade, Playing the Cards You’re Dealt.

The presenting sponsor for this episode is Sips By, a multi-brand, personalized monthly tea subscription box. Use offer code "draftsips” for 50% off your first Sips By box!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

• Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Then Again Maybe I Won’t, and Iggie’s House by Judy Blume

• Motown and Didi by Walter Dean Myers

• Virginia Hamilton, author of The People Could Fly: Black American Folktales, Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush, and more

• Sara Crowe, Varian’s literary agent at Pippin Properties

• Andrew Karre, Executive editor at Dutton Books for Young Readers

• Cheryl Klein, editorial director at Lee & Low and formerly at Scholastic, and author of The Magic Words: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults

• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

• Holes by Louis Sachar

• Ally Carter, New York Times bestselling author of the Gallagher Girls series, the Heist Society series, the Embassy Row series, Not If I Save You First, Dear Ally: How Do You Write a Book?, and a new middle grade series that kicks off with Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor. (Hear her First Draft interview here)

• Kate Messner, author of Over and Under the Snow, All the Answers, Capture the Flag, and many (MANY) more

• The Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program

• Sharon Darrow, author of Trash, The Painters of Lexieville and more

• Rita Williams-Garcia, author of One Crazy Summer, Clayton Byrd Goes Underground, Like Sisters on the Homefront, and more

• Tim Wynne-Jones, author of Blink & Caution, The Uninvited, and more

• Nick Thomas, Varian’s editor at Scholastic, currently senior editor at Levine Querido

• Shannon Wright, illustrator of Twins

• Jenne Abramowitz, executive editor at Scholastic

• What Were the Negro Leagues? by Varian Johnson

• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

• One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Kate DiCamillo, one of six people to win two Newbery Medals, for her novels The Tale of Despereaux and Flora & Ulysses, and author of Newbery Honor book Because of Winn-Dixie, National Book Award finalist The Tiger Rising, as well as New York Times bestselling novels The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Magician’s Elephant, the Mercy Watson series, and more. DiCamillo was the U.S. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature for 2014 and 2015. Her most recent novel, Beverly, Right Here completes the trilogy of Raymie Nightingale and Louisiana’s Way Home. Listen to her First Draft episode here.

• Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give and On the Come Up talks about her latest book, Concrete Rose, as well as the upcoming Blackout. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author of the Lemoncello series, the Wonderland series, the Haunted Mystery series, and The Island of Dr. Libris. He is also the co-author, with James Patterson, of the #1 Bestsellers I Funny, House of Robots, Max Einstein and many others. He joins to talk about his newest middle grade series, Dog Squad. Listen to his episode of First Draft here.

Thanks for Listening!

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First Draft Episode #335: Kekla Magoon

Kekla Magoon is the award-winning author of many novels and nonfiction books for kids and teens, including How It Went Down, The Season of Styx Malone, and her newest, Revolution In Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People.

The presenting sponsor for this episode is Sips By, a multi-brand, personalized monthly tea subscription box. Use offer code "draftsips” for 50% off your first Sips By box!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Norma Fox Mazer, author of The Missing Girl, Good Night Maman, Missing Pieces, and many more

• Vermont College for Fine Arts’ MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults

• Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi (listen to this excellent interview with him on The Stacks podcast)

• Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

• Blackbirds in the Sky by Brandy Colbert, author of Pointe, Little & Lion, The Only Black Girls in Town, and The Voting Booth. Hear Brandy’s First Draft interviews here, here, and here!

• African Icons: Ten People Who Shaped History by Tracey Baptiste

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Jason Reynolds, three-time National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and author of All American Boys (co-written with Brendan Kiely [listen to his First Draft interview here]), As Brave as You, For Every One, the Track series, Look Both Ways, Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You and Long Way Down, which received a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Coretta Scott King Honor. Hear his First Draft interview here, and his appearance with Christina Hammonds-Reed, author of The Black Kids, here.

• Kim Johnson, college administrator and mentor of student activists, on her debut author of This is My America.

• Koa Beck, former editor-in-chief of Jezebel and co-host of “The #MeToo Memos” on WNYC’s The Takeaway, discusses her debut non-fiction work, White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind. Hear her First Draft interview here.

Thanks for Listening!

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First Draft Episode #334: Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-seven novels, including My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, Small Great Things, and two young adult novels with daughter Samantha van Leer, Between the Lines and Off the Page. She joins to talk about her latest, Wish You Were Here.

The presenting sponsor for this episode is Sips By, a multi-brand, personalized monthly tea subscription box. Use offer code "draftsips” for 50% off your first Sips By box!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (TV show)

• Breathe: A New Musical original cast recording on Spotify

• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (movie)

• The English Patient (movie)

• Brandon Taylor’s newsletter, Sweater Weather, and the essay in which he talks about what trend might come out of the pandemic, “Bobos in IKEA”

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author of romance novels, including Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, A Rogue By Any Other Name, and many more, talks about Bombshell, the first book in her new Hell’s Belles series. Sarah also co-hosts the Fated Mates romance podcast.

• Jennifer Niven, Emmy Award-winning #1 New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including YA novels All the Bright Places, Holding up the Universe, Breathless, and Take Me With You When You Go (with David Levithan).

• Rebecca Serle, television writer, producer, and New York Times bestselling author of six books, including When You Were Mine , The Edge of Falling, The Dinner List, and her newest, In Five Years, out now. She co-developed the hit TV adaptation of her YA series, Famous in Love.

Thanks for Listening!

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First Draft Episode #333: Karen M. McManus

Karen M. McManus is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of young adult thrillers, including the One of Us Is Lying series (now a Peacock TV show), Two Can Keep a Secret, The Cousins, joins to talk about her latest, You’ll Be the Death of Me.

The presenting sponsor for this episode is Sips By, a multi-brand, personalized monthly tea subscription box. Use offer code "draftsips” for 50% off your first Sips By box!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Stephen King, author of thrillers like It, The Shining, and Carrie (and, uh, lots more)

• Agatha Christie, author of And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, and Death on the Nile.

• Lois Duncan, author of I Know What You Did Last Summer, Killing Mr. Duncan, and Down a Dark Hall

• Mary Higgins Clark, author of Where Are the Children?, Two Little Girls in Blue, and You Belong to Me

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

• Only Murders in the Building (TV show)

• Stephanie Perkins, New York Times bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss and the horror novel There’s Someone Inside Your House (watch the Netflix film adaptation Oct. 6!) talks about her newest scary book, The Woods Are Always Watching. Hear her First Draft interview here!

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Courtney Summers, author of Cracked Up to Be, This is Not A Test, All The Rage, Sadie, and The Project. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

• Tiffany D. Jackson, author of thrillers Allegedly, Monday’s Not Coming, Let Me Hear A Rhyme, Grown, and White Smoke. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

• Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author of feminist thrillers Whisper Network and The Husbands. Hear her First Draft interview here.

Thanks for Listening!

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First Draft Episode #332: Chloe Gong

Chloe Gong is the New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and its sequel Our Violent Ends.

The presenting sponsor for this episode is Sips By, a multi-brand, personalized monthly tea subscription box. Use offer code "draftsips” for 50% off your first Sips By box!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene

• The Hardy Boys series by Franklin W. Dixon

• Fallen by Lauren Kate

• Delirium by Lauren Oliver

• Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzgerald

• Wattpad

• The Mortal Instruments series (first book: City of Bones) by Cassandra Clare, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, the forthcoming Sword Catcher duology, and co-author of the Magisterium series. Her most recent Shadowhunter novel, Chain of Gold, kicks off the Last Hours trilogy. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

• Divergent by Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series, the Carve the Mark duology, and the short story collection, The End and Other Beginnings, talks about her first adult fantasy novel, Chosen Ones. Listen to her First Draft interviews here, here, and here.

• We Need Diverse Books

• The Diviners by Libba Bray, uthor of New York Times best-selling series A Great and Terrible Beauty, Printz award-winner Going Bovine, and genuinely terrifying historical paranormal The Diviners, and more.

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Garth Nix, New York Times bestselling author of Sabriel, returns to the Old Kingdom series with his latest YA fantasy, Terciel & Elinor. Hear his First Draft interview here.

• Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times bestselling author of YA fantasy novels A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and its sequel, A Psalm of Storms and Silence. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series, Anna Dressed in Blood, and more, talks about her new historical thriller, All These Bodies, and her upcoming YA novel set in the universe of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, In Every Generation. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

Thanks for Listening!

🏆 Support the Show

Join the First Draft Patreon, or make a monthly or one-time donation via PayPal or Venmo

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✍️ Track Changes Learn how the traditional publishing industry works in the Track Changes podcast mini-series.

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First Draft Episode #331: Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers, visual artist, climate activist, and author and/or illustrator of several New York Times bestselling picture books, including The Day the Crayons Quit, How to Catch a Star, The Fate of Fausto, and Here We Are, joins us to talk about his newest picture book, There’s a Ghost In This House.

The presenting sponsor for this episode is Sips By, a multi-brand, personalized monthly tea subscription box. Use offer code "draftsips” for 50% off your first Sips By box!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hear Oliver’s first First Draft interview here

• TK

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Jon Klassen, Caldecott Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the I Want My Hat Back series, as well as the illustrator of Sam and Dave Dig a Hole and Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett; The Dark by Lemony Snicket; House Held Up by Trees by Ted Kooser; Cats' Night Out by Caroline Stutson. Hear his episodes here and here.

• Matt de la Peña, author of seven critically acclaimed young adult novels including Mexican Whiteboy and Newbery Medal–winning author of Last Stop on Market Street talks about his newest collaboration with illustrator Christian Robinson, Milo Imagines the World. Hear his episodes here.

• Carson Ellis, author and illustrator of bestselling picture books Home, Caldecott Honor book Du Iz Tak?, and In the Half Room. Hear her First Draft interview here.

Thanks for Listening!

🏆 Support the Show

Join the First Draft Patreon, or make a monthly or one-time donation via PayPal or Venmo

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✍️ Track Changes Learn how the traditional publishing industry works in the Track Changes podcast mini-series.

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First Draft Episode #330: Roseanne A. Brown

Roseanne A. Brown is the New York Times bestselling author of YA fantasy novels A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and its sequel, A Psalm of Storms and Silence.

The presenting sponsor for this episode is Sips By, a multi-brand, personalized monthly tea subscription box. Use offer code "firstdraft” for 50% off your first Sips By box!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Animorphs by K. A. Applegate

• The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter, New York Times bestselling author of the Gallagher Girls series, the Heist Society series, the Embassy Row series, Not If I Save You First, Dear Ally: How Do You Write a Book?, and a new middle grade series that kicks off with Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor. (listen to her FIrst Draft interview here)

• All American Girl, The Princess Diaries and Avalon High by Meg Cabot

• The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielson

• A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

• Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes series. (Hear her First Draft interviews here and here)

• Entangled Publishing

• Pitch Wars

• The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl

• Quressa Robnson, literary agent at Nelson Literary Agency

• Kristin Daly Rens at Balzer + Bray

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Ayana Gray, author of Beasts of Prey, which is being adapted into a Netflix film.

• Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series, Anna Dressed in Blood, and more, talks about her new historical thriller, All These Bodies, and her upcoming YA novel set in the universe of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, In Every Generation.

• Garth Nix, New York Times bestselling author of Sabriel, returns to the Old Kingdom series with his latest YA fantasy, Terciel & Elinor.

Thanks for Listening!

🏆 Support the Show

Join the First Draft Patreon, or make a monthly or one-time donation via PayPal or Venmo

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✍️ Track Changes Learn how the traditional publishing industry works in the Track Changes podcast mini-series.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #329: Garth Nix

Garth Nix, New York Times bestselling author of Sabriel, returns to the Old Kingdom series with his latest YA fantasy, Terciel & Elinor.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Ragwitch by Garth Nix, his first book

• Jill Grinberg, President and founder of Jill Grinberg Literary Management, Garth’s agent

• Newt’s Emerald, Garth’s regency romance with a fantasy twist

• Shade’s Children, Garth’s dystopian series

• The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

• The Tombs of Atuan, the second in Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea series, which began with A Wizard of Earthsea

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Kristen Cashore, New York Times bestselling author of the Graceling series, including Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue, as well as Jane, Unlimited. She has returned to her fantasy world for her newest novel, Winterkeep.

• Victoria Aveyard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Queen series, talks about the first book in her new YA fantasy series, Realm Breaker.

• Ayana Gray, debut author of Beasts of Prey, which is being adapted into a Netflix film.

Thanks for Listening!

🏆 Support the Show

Join the First Draft Patreon, or make a monthly or one-time donation via PayPal or Venmo

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👕💯 Get First Draft merchandise

✍️ Track Changes Learn how the traditional publishing industry works in the Track Changes podcast mini-series.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #328: Helen O’Hara

Helen O’Hara, film critic, editor-at-large for Empire magazine and co-host of the Empire film podcast, talks about her newest non-fiction, Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and RIse of Women in Film and host of its accompanying podcast, Women vs Hollywood With Helen O’Hara.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Care Bears Movie (movie)

• My Little Pony: The Movie (movie)

• Black Panther (movie)

• Captain Marvel (movie)

• Terri White, former editor of Empire and author of Coming Undone: A Memoir

• Twilight (movie)

• Chris Hewitt, co-host of the Empire podcast

• Notting Hill (movie)

• Helen’s other books about movies: Best Movies of the 80s and The Superhero Movie Book

• Liberating Hollywood: Women Directors and the Feminist Reform of 1970s American Cinema by Maya Montañez Smukler, (Ph.D., Cinema & Media Studies, UCLA) heads the research and study center at the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

• Shelley Stamp, film historian, professor at UCSC, and author of Lois Weber in Early Hollywood and Movie-Struck Girls: Women and Motion Picture Culture After the Nickelodeon

• Karen Ward Mahar, professor of history and the co-director of the American Studies Program at Siena College, and author of Women Filmmakers in Early Hollywood

• The Best Pick podcast

• The Golden Compass (movie)

• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (movie)

• Reservoir Dogs (movie)

• Home Alone (movie)

• Ava DuVerney directed Selma, A Wrinkle in Time, and many more films

• Squid Game (Netflix TV show)

• Parasite (movie)

• Becoming by Michelle Obama

• Wonder Woman (2017 movie)

• Jurassic World (movie)

• Petit Maman (movie)

• On the Basis of Sex (movie)

• Shut Up and Sing (documentary)

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Janet Varney, Emmy-Nominated actor, comedian, writer, producer, and podcaster. She has appeared in dozens of TV shows, including You’re the Worst, Take My Wife, Burning Love, Stan Against Evil, and Fortune Rookie, and the voice of Korra in The Legend of Korra. She is also the co-founder, creative director, and producer of SF Sketchfest: the San Francisco Comedy Festival (now in its 19th year!), and hosts The JV Club podcast.

• Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair, the comedians, actors, and screenwriters behind TV shows Best Friends Forever and Playing House. Jessica can be seen on the Netflix comedy Space Force, and Lennon starred in and directed episodes of Bless This Mess.

• Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, media mavens, co-hosts of the phenomenal Call Your Girlfriend podcast, and debut co-authors of friendship memoir Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close.

Thanks for Listening!

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✍️ Track Changes Learn how the traditional publishing industry works in the Track Changes podcast mini-series.

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First Draft Episode #327: Benjamin Dreyer

Benjamin Dreyer, vice president, executive managing editor and copy chief of Random House, and New York Times bestselling author of Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style and Dreyer’s English (Adapted for Young Readers): Good Advice for Good Writing.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• “Meet the Guardian of Grammar Who Wants to Help You Be a Better Writer,” by Sarah Lyall in The New York Times

• Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum (hear Courtney weigh in on the traditional publishing process in Track Changes: Publishing 101)

• #1 New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout, author of Olive Kitteridge, Olive Again, and the recent release Oh William!

• Shirley Jackson, author of The Haunting of Hill House, The Lottery, and more

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Track Changes Bonus: Publishing From Every Angle A conversation between an author, agent, and editor to cover the ins and outs of the publishing process. The panel features Abigail Hing Wen, debut author of Loveboat Taipei; agent Joanna Volpe, president and literary agent at New Leaf Literary & Media; and Alvina Ling, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief at Little Brown Books for Young Readers (and co-host of the Book Friends Forever podcast). Listen here!

• Arthur Levine, legendary children’s book editor, including of series such as Harry Potter and The Golden Compass. Formerly President and Publisher at Arthur A. Levine Books at Scholastic, Arthur founded independent publishing house Levine Querido.

• Amanda Maciel, executive editor at Scholastic as well as author of YA novels Tease and Lucky Girl, talks about how writing books made her an author-friendly editor, staying emotionally available during revisions, and the trouble with accepting that you have an impact on other people. Listen to the episode here!

Thanks for Listening!

🏆 Support the Show

Join the First Draft Patreon, or make a monthly or one-time donation via PayPal or Venmo

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✍️ Track Changes Learn how the traditional publishing industry works in the Track Changes podcast mini-series.

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First Draft Episode #326: Elissa Sussman and Arielle Jovellanos

Elissa Sussman and Arielle Jovellanos, author and illustrator, respectively, of YA contemporary novel Drawn That Way. Elissa is also the author of Burn, Stray, and the upcoming adult novel, Funny You Should Ask. Arielle illustrated Evil Thing, a Cruelle de Ville backstory novel written by Serena Valentino, as well as graphic novel Black Star, written by Eric A. Glover.

This episode is brought to you by Revision Season, a seven-week virtual master class in novel revision led by award-winning author Elana K. Arnold. The Fall 2021 Session of Revision Season will run Oct 10 – Nov 28, and enrollment is now open!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hear Elissa’s First Draft interview here

• Glen Keane, 38-year veteran of Walt Disney Feature Animation and creator of Disney characters such as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Beast, Tarzan, and Rapunzel.

• Howard Ashman, Oscar-winning lyricist, playwright, and stage director who wrote the lyrics for The Little Mermaid

• Frederator, an independent animation and media studio who produced Adventure Time, Bee and PuppyCat, and Bravest Warriors

• Pendleton Ward, creator of Adventure Time

• LAIKA studios, an animation production studio that created Coraline (movie)

• The Avengers (movie)

• Chris Evans, actor who portrays Captain America

• Babs Tarr, American illustrator and comic book artist who drew a run for Batgirl for DC

• Annie Wu, American illustrator and comic book artist who drew a run of Hawkeye for Marvel

• Janelle Asselin, former editor of DC comics

• Kevin Wada, illustrator

• Fresh Romance, the anthology which includes Arielle’s comic, “School Spirit”

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

• The Heroes of Olympus by RIck Riordan

• Elizabeth Bewley, literary agent at Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc.

• Waking Sleeping Beauty (documentary)

• Janet Sung, illustrator, designer, colorist

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Chris Appelhans, writer and director of Netflix animated movie Wish Dragon, and illustrator of picture books Sparky! (written by Jenny Offill) and A Greyhound, a Groundhog (written by Emily Jenkins).

• Sarah Kuhn, author of the Heroine Complex series, Shadow of the Batgirl with Nicole Gaux for DC Comics, the Star Wars audiobook original Doctor Aphra, talks about her new young adult novel, From Little Tokyo, With Love.

• Jon Klassen, Caldecott Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the I Want My Hat Back series, who is back with a book he wrote and illustrated: The Rock From the Sky.

Thanks for Listening!

🏆 Support the Show

Join the First Draft Patreon, or make a monthly or one-time donation via PayPal or Venmo

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✍️ Track Changes Learn how the traditional publishing industry works in the Track Changes podcast mini-series.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #325: Ayana Gray

Ayana Gray, debut author of Beasts of Prey, which is being adapted into a Netflix film.

Today's episode of First Draft is brought to you by Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley, out from Page Street Publishing on October 5th.

And by Revision Season, a seven-week virtual master class in novel revision led by award-winning author Elana K. Arnold. The Fall 2021 Session of Revision Season will run Oct 10 – Nov 28, and enrollment is now open!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• As Told By Ginger (movie)

• Pete Knapp, literary agent with Park & Fine Literary and Media

• Stacey Barney, associate publisher of Nancy Paulsen Books

• Scrivener, writing software

• Beth Phelan, literary agent with Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency and founder of DiverseVoices Inc., (which is #DVpit / #DVart, DVcon, DVdebut and DVmentor)

• #MSWL is a twitter hashtag agents and editors use to let writers know what they are looking for.

• Pitch Wars

• Circe by Madeline Miller

• The Inklings interviews on Ayana’s website

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series, Anna Dressed in Blood, and more, talks about her new historical thriller, All These Bodies, and her upcoming YA novel set in the universe of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, In Every Generation. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

• Alaya Dawn Johnson, Nebula-winning author of YA novels The Summer Prince, Love is the Drug, and Trouble the Saints. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Kristin Cashore, New York Times bestselling author of the Graceling series, including Graceling, Fire, Bitterblue, and Winterkeep, as well as Jane, Unlimited. Hear her First Draft interview here.

Thanks for Listening!

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✍️ Track Changes Learn how the traditional publishing industry works in the Track Changes podcast mini-series.

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First Draft Episode #324: Kendare Blake

Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series, Anna Dressed in Blood, and more, talks about her new historical thriller, All These Bodies, and her upcoming YA novel set in the universe of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, In Every Generation.

This episode is brought to you by The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino, out from Page Street Press now!

And by Revision Season, a seven-week virtual master class in novel revision led by award-winning author Elana K. Arnold. The Fall 2021 Session of Revision Season will run Oct 10 – Nov 28, and enrollment is now open!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hear Kendare’s previous episode of First Draft here, and watch the Tell Me Everything University Bookstore (Seattle, WA) event featuring Sarah Enni, Kendare, and Somaiya Daud, author of YA sci-fi book Mirage and Court of Lions.

• Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

• Stephanie Perkins, New York Times bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss and the horror novel There’s Someone Inside Your House (watch the Netflix film adaptation Oct. 6!) talks about her newest scary book, The Woods Are Always Watching.

• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

• Murder in the Heartland (movie)

• Natural Born Killers (movie)

• Capote (movie)

• Infamous (movie)

• Interview With a Vampire by Anne Rice

• Jocelyn Davies, editor at Disney

• Kieran Viola, director of editorial for Disney Hyperion

• Roswell (TV show)

• LOST (TV show)

• Cobra Kai (TV show)

• Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning, and critically acclaimed author of many books, including the And I Darken trilogy, the Slayer series, the Camelot Rising trilogy, and her upcoming adult debut, Hide. Listen to her First Draft interview here.

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Cassandra Clare, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, the forthcoming Sword Catcher duology, and co-author of the Magisterium series. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

• Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes series, and the fothcoming All My Rage. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

• Victoria Aveyard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Queen series, talks about the first book in her new YA fantasy series, Realm Breaker. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

Thanks for Listening!

🏆 Support the Show

Join the First Draft Patreon, or make a monthly or one-time donation via PayPal or Venmo

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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✍️ Track Changes Learn how the traditional publishing industry works in the Track Changes podcast mini-series.

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First Draft Mini-Episode: First Draft Patreon With Sarah Enni

Creator and host of First Draft, Sarah Enni, announces the launch of the First Draft Patreon, a way listeners can help support the show by pledging $5 or $10 a month. In exchange for that monthly donation, supporters will gain access to an exclusive community forum, get monthly video chats with Sarah, get 15% off First Draft merchandise, and get a shoutout at the top of a First Draft episode and on the First Draft supporter page.

If you sign up to support First Draft before Oct. 1, 2021, you will receive a Super Special Supporter Pack, which includes a personal note from Sarah Enni, First Draft swag (bookmark, pin, and sticker), and a surprise book! Sign up to get yours today!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• The First Draft Patreon page

• The publishing infographics I create and try to share each week

• Callie Wright, freelance audio producer and editor

• Track Changes

• Donate to First Draft on PayPal

• Donate to First Draft on Venmo

• Follow First Draft on Instagram and Twitter

Thanks for Listening!

🏆 Support the Show

Join the First Draft Patreon, or make a monthly or one-time donation via PayPal or Venmo

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletter

👕💯 Get First Draft merchandise

✍️ Track Changes Learn how the traditional publishing industry works in the Track Changes podcast mini-series.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #323: Christine Riccio

Christine Riccio, New York Times bestselling author of Again, But Better and Better Together and creative force behind PolandBananasBooks, her BookTube channel with more than 400,000 subscribers, and co-host of Booksplosion, the largest book club on YouTube.

This episode is brought to you by Laura Sibson’s Edie in Between, a modern-day Practical Magic about love, loss, and embracing the mystical, available now.

And by The Lost Girls: A Vampire Revenge Story by Sonia Hartl, out from Page Street Publishing now.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Christine shared her perspective on promoting books on BookTube in the Track Changes Marketing and Publicity (Part 1) episode

• Booksplosion is the book club Christine cohosts with Katytastic and Jesse The Reader

• Sasha Alsberg, New York Times bestselling co-author with Lindsay Cummings of Zenith: The Androma Saga series (listen to their First Draft interview here) and creator of YouTube channel abookutopia

• The Parent Trap (movie - 1961) (movie - 1998)

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Margot Wood, founder of Epic Reads, talks about her debut young adult novel, Fresh. Hear her interview here.

• Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of queer rom-coms Red, White, and Royal Blue and One Last Stop. Hear their First Draft interview here.

• Morgan Matson, New York Times bestselling author of Save the Date, The Unexpected Everything, and more answers listener questions about life, writing, and her new YA, Take Me Home Tonight. Hear her First Draft interviews here, here, and here!

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #322: Jennifer Niven

Jennifer Niven is the Emmy Award-winning #1 New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including YA novels All the Bright Places, Holding up the Universe, Breathless, and Take Me With You When You Go (with David Levithan).

This episode is brought to you by Laura Sibson’s Edie in Between, a modern-day Practical Magic about love, loss, and embracing the mystical, available now.

And by The Splendor by Breeana Shields, out from Page Street Publishing now.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Penelope Niven, biographer and author of Carl Sandburg: A Biography and Carl Sandburg: Adventures of a Poet, Thornton Wilder: A Life, Steichen: A Biography, memoirist (Swimming Lessons: Life Lessons From the Pool, From Diving In to Treading Water) and co-author of James Earl Jones’s autobiography, Voices and Silences.

• The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea by Sebastian Junger

• Jon Krakauer, author of Into the Wild, Into Thin Air, Under the Banner of Heaven, Missoula, and more

• Carl Sandburg, three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning poet (for Cornhuskers and Complete Poems) and biographer (for his four-book series, Abraham Lincoln: The War Years).

• Will Schwalbe, author of The End of Your Life Book Club and Books For Living: Some Thoughts on Reading, Reflecting, and Embracing Life, and co-author of Send: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better with Dave Shipley

• Jennifer’s original agent, John A. Ware, who passed away in 2013. Read his obituary in Publisher’s Weekly.

• Jennifer’s current agent, Kerry Sparks at the Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency

• David Levithan, editorial director at Scholastic and the author of many young adult novels, including Boy Meets Boy, Every Day, and co-author with Rachel Cohn of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares.

• Ava Dellaira, author of Love Letters to the Dead and In Search of Us. Listen to her First Draft interviews here and here.

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star talks about her new YA, Instructions For Dancing and her brand new publishing venture: co-publisher of Joy Revolution, a Random House young adult imprint dedicated to love stories starring people of color. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

• Morgan Matson, New York Times bestselling author of YA contemporary novels, including Save the Date, The Unexpected Everything, and Take Me Home Tonight. Hear her First Draft interviews here, here, and here.

• Mary H. K. Choi, New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact, Permanent Record and Yolk. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #321: Stephanie Perkins

Stephanie Perkins, New York Times bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss and the horror novel There’s Someone Inside Your House (watch the Netflix film adaptation Oct. 6!) talks about her newest scary book, The Woods Are Always Watching.

This episode is brought to you by Laura Sibson’s Edie in Between, a modern-day Practical Magic about love, loss, and embracing the mystical, available now!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hear the live episode where Stephanie and Sarah Enni talk about Sarah’s debut, Tell Me Everything, at Malaprops Bookstore in Asheville, N. C.

• Hear Sara Zarr and Sarah Enni discuss the job of podcasting

• Acuity Scheduling is the software that I am using to schedule interviews

• Kerry Winfrey, author of romantic comedies Waiting For Tom Hanks, Not Like the Movies, and her newest, Very Sincerely Yours. She is also the author of YA novels Love and Other Alien Experiences and Things Jolie Needs to Do Before She Bites It. Hear our conversation here.

• Jane Friedman, publishing expert and author educator, wrote The Business of Being a Writer and the Hot Sheet newsletter (a must for all writers IMHO!)

• Charles Dickens, author of A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, and more

• Jane Austen, author of Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma and more

• NaNoWriMo, a.k.a. National Novel Writing Month (read Steph’s 2015 Pep Talk for NaNoWriMo here!)

• Kate Testerman, agent and founder of kt literary

• Julia Straus-Gabel, President and Publisher, Dutton Children's Books, Penguin Random Houes, profiled in “Her Stinging Critiques Propel Young Adult Bestsellers,” in The New York Times and “Meet the Editor: Julie Strauss-Gabel,” in Publisher’s Weekly

• John Green, #1 New York Times bestselling author of many young adult novels, including The Fault in Our Stars and Printz-winning Looking For Alaska, joins to discuss his new essay collection, The Anthropocene Reviewed. He is also one half of the vlogbrothers on YouTube and co-creator of educational series Crash Course. Hear his First Draft interview here.

• Gayle Forman, author of If I Stay, Where She Went, and many more

• Booklist online magazine

• Around the Writer’s Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer’s Resistance by Roseanne Bane

• Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning, and critically acclaimed author of many books, including the And I Darken trilogy, the Slayer series, the Camelot Rising trilogy, and her upcoming adult debut, Hide.

• Fear Street, a series by R. L. Stine

• Scream (movie)

• I Know What You Did Last Summer (movie)

• My Favorite Murder (podcast)

• Henry Gayden, screenwriter who wrote Shazam and the adaptation of There’s Someone Inside Your House

• Creep (movies)

• The Overnight (movie)

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White, and Royal Blue, talks about their latest queer rom-com, One Last Stop. Hear their First Draft interview here.

• Rebecca Serle, television writer, producer, and New York Times bestselling author of six books, including When You Were Mine , The Edge of Falling, The Dinner List, and her newest, In Five Years, out now. She co-developed the hit TV adaptation of her YA series, Famous in Love. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shadow and Bone series, the Six of Crows duology, and the King of Scars duology, discusses her first adult novel, Ninth House. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

   

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #320: Sarah MacLean

Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author of romance novels, including Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, A Rogue By Any Other Name, and many more, talks about Bombshell, the first book in her new Hell’s Bells series. Sarah also co-hosts the Fated Mates romance podcast.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

• Anne Rice, author of Interview With the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat

• Sarah Rees Brennan, author of Unspoken, The Demon’s Lexicon, and In Other Lands and more

• Carrie Ryan, author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Daughters of Deep Silence, and more

• Aprilynne Pike, author of Wings, Glitter, and more

• Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, co-authors of Beautiful Creatures

• Dr. Jennifer Lynn Barnes, professor studying fiction and the brain, and also author of The Inheritance Games, The Naturals, Little White Lies and more

• Nora Roberts, author of Visions in White, The Next Always, and Year One also publishes as J.D. Robb, author of the In Death series

• Bella Andre, author of The Look of Love, Game For Seduction, and more

• Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger by Rebecca Traister

• Sadie Doyle, author of Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear . . . and Why

• Mona Altahawy, author of Seven Necessary Sins of Women and Girls

• Gangs of London by Ryan McDonald

• Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants by Brian McDonald

• Peaky Blinders (TV show)

• Sophie Jordan, author of Firelight, Foreplay, and more

• Tessa Dare, author of The Duchess Deal, Romancing the Duke, and more

• Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape

• A Hunger Like No Other, first in the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole

• Christina Lauren, author of The Unhoneymooners, The Soulmate Equation, and Beautiful Bastards

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White, and Royal Blue, talks about their latest queer rom-com, One Last Stop on this episode of First Draft.

• Rebecca Serle, TV writer, producer, and New York Times bestselling author of six books, including When You Were Mine , The Edge of Falling, The Dinner List, and In Five Years. Listen to her First Draft interview here.

• Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author of domestic feminist thrillers Whisper Network and The Husbands. Listen to her First Draft interview here.

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

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📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletter

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #319: S. K. Ali

S. K. Ali is the New York Times bestselling author of Morris Award Finalist Saints and Misfits and its sequel Misfit in Love, Love From A to Z and its forthcoming sequel, Love From Mecca to Medina, and picture book The Proudest Blue. She also co-edited, with Aisha Saeed, the middle grade anthology Once Upon an Eid.

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Aisha Saeed, New York Times bestselling author of Written in the Stars and Amal Unbound, co-author with Becky Ablertalli of Yes No Maybe So (hear their First Draft interview here).

• Elise Bryant, author of Happily Ever Afters. Listen to her First Draft interview here.

• Loan Le, editor at Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books and debut author of A Phở Love Story. Listen to her First Draft interview here.

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

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📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletter

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #318: Chandler Baker

Chandler Baker, the New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Network talks about her latest feminist thriller, The Husbands. She is also the co-author with Wesley King of YA novel Hello (From Here), out September 7!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

• Lauren Oliver, New York Times bestselling author of Panic, the Delirium series, and Before I Fall

• John Green, #1 New York Times bestselling author of many young adult novels, including The Fault in Our Stars and Printz-winning Looking For Alaska, joins to discuss his new essay collection, The Anthropocene Reviewed. He is also one half of the vlogbrothers on YouTube and co-creator of educational series Crash Course. Listen to his First Draft interview here.

• Gayle Forman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and Where She Went, as well as We Are Inevitable, Frankie & Bug, and many more.

• Miss Snark

• Absolute Write (whose forum is back up now!)

• The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrator’s Blue Boards forum

• Full Fathom Five, the book packaging company run by James Frey

• Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live) by Eve Rodsky

• I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time by Lisa VanderKamp

• Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star talks about her new YA, Instructions For Dancing and her brand new publishing venture: co-publisher of Joy Revolution, a Random House young adult imprint dedicated to love stories starring people of color. Listen to her First Draft interviews here and here.

• Kristen Wiig has bought the rights to adapt The Husbands

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Rufi Thorpe, author of adult novelsThe Girls from Corona del Mar, Dear Fang: With Love, and The Knockout Queen. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Koa Beck, former editor-in-chief of Jezebel and co-host of “The #MeToo Memos” on WNYC’s The Takeaway, discusses her debut non-fiction work, White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Catie Disabato, author of The Ghost Network and the new adult contemporary novel U Up? Hear her First Draft interview here.

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #317: Margot Wood

Margot Wood, founder of Epic Reads, talks about her debut young adult novel, Fresh.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Margot Wood, founder of Epic Reads, gave incredible marketing advice on the Marketing and Publicity episode of Track Changes, the First Draft miniseries that explains the ins and outs of traditional publishing in the U.S. (listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify)

• Johnny Tremaine by Esther Hoskins Forbes

• Aminah Mae Safi, author of Not the Girls You’re Looking For, Tell Me How You Really Feel, This is All Your Fault, and Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix. Listen to her First Draft interview here.

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

• Divergent by Veronica Roth,

• Simon Versus the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertali

• Jo Volpe, literary agent and President of New Leaf Literary & Media, who represents Margot. She also appeared on the Contracts episode of Track Changes.

• Emma by Jane Austen

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Morris Award-winning Simon Versus the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Leah on the Off Beat, Kate in Waiting, and The Upside of Unrequited, and co-author with Aisha Saeed of Yes, No, Maybe So (hear Becky and Aisha’s First Draft interview here) and co-author with Adam Silvera of What if it’s Us and Here’s to Us (hear Adam’s First Draft interview here).

• Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series, the Carve the Mark duology, and the short story collection, The End and Other Beginnings, talks about her first adult fantasy novel, Chosen Ones. Hear Veronica’s First Draft episodes here, here, and here.

• And if you liked what Margot had to say about marketing, be sure to check out the entire Track Changes mini-series!

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📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletter

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #316: Kerry Winfrey

Kerry Winfrey, author of romantic comedies Waiting For Tom Hanks, Not Like the Movies, and her newest, Very Sincerely Yours. She is also the author of YA novels Love and Other Alien Experiences and Things Jolie Needs to Do Before She Bites It.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Superfudge by Judy Blume

• The Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop

• George Saunders, author of Tenth of December: Stories, Lincoln in the Bardo, and A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life, and many more short stories and collections.

• Lorrie Moore, author of Birds of America, Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?, and many more short stories and collections.

• Marla Frazee is the two-time Caldecott Honor-winning author and illustrator of The Boss Baby, A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, All the World, and many more. She joins us to talk about the Farmer series: The Farmer and the Clown, The Farmer and the Monkey, and The Farmer and the Circus, out now.

• Kerry’s writing for HelloGiggles

• Year of Romantic Comedies

• Kerry’s review of You’ve Got Mail for Year of RomComs

• John Green, #1 New York Times bestselling author of many young adult novels, including The Fault in Our Stars and Printz-winning Looking For Alaska, joins to discuss his new essay collection, The Anthropocene Reviewed. He is also one half of the vlogbrothers on YouTube and co-creator of educational series Crash Course. Listen to his First Draft interview here.

• Harvey (movie)

• Playing House (TV show) features one of Kerry’s favorite romantic leading men performances from Keegan Michael-Key. She wrote about his performance here. I spoke with Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair, comedians, actors, and screenwriters behind Playing House, in this interview.

• Angela Velez, author of the forthcoming Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity.

• Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of romance novels The Wedding Date, The Wedding Party, While We Were Dating, Party of Two, and The Proposal. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Trainwreck (movie)

• Christian Robinson, illustrator of Caldecott Honor, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, and the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestseller Last Stop on Market Street, written by Matt de la Peña (listen to his First Draft interview here), and the #1 New York Times bestseller The Bench, written by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. His solo projects include Another and You Matter.

• Carson Ellis, author and illustrator of Caldecott Honor book Du Iz Tak?, as well as Home, In the Half Room, and many more. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Mac Barnett, two-time Caldecott Honor-winning author of Extra Yarn and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, both illustrated by Jon Klassen (listen to his First Draft interviews here and here) and dozens more children’s books, including the Kid Spy series (illustrated by Mike Lowery), CIrcle (also illustrated by Jon Klassen), and the Jack books (illustrated by Greg Pizzoli).

• Twister (movie)

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White, and Royal Blue and One Last Stop. Listen to their First Draft interview here.

• Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything, The Sun Is Also a Starand Instructions For Dancing, and co-publisher of Joy Revolution, a Random House young adult imprint dedicated to love stories starring people of color. Listen to her First Draft interview here.

• Rebecca Serle, television writer, producer, and New York Times bestselling author of six books, including When You Were Mine , The Edge of Falling, The Dinner List, and her newest, In Five Years. Listen to her First Draft interview here.

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📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletter

👕💯 Shop the First Draft store

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #315: Isaac Fitzsimons

Isaac Fitzsimons is the debut author of The Passing Playbook.

This episode was brought to you by Vision Season, a seven-week, virtual master class in tending your creative garden with award-winning author Elana K. Arnold (hear her First Draft interviews here and here). The Fall course of Vision Season will run from August 8th to September 25th. To learn more about Vision Season and to sign up for the Fall course, visit elanakarnold.com.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe

• Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

• The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Md.

• I am J by Cris Beam

• “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” by Elvis Presley

• Jazz Jennings, author of Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen and start of “I Am Jazz” (TV show)

• Changing the Game (documentary)

   

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• Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White, and Royal Blue, talks about her latest queer rom-com, One Last Stop. Hear their First Draft interview here.

• Leah Johnson, author of You Should See Me In a Crown, and the forthcoming Rise to the Sun. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Arvin Ahmadi, author of Down and Across, Girl Gone Viral, and his latest, How it All Blew Up. Hear his First Draft interview here.

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

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First Draft Episode #314: Ben Zhu

Ben Zhu, author, illustrator, and founder of Gallery Nucleus, talks about his debut picture book, Dessert Island.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

• Dan Krall, illustrator for Samurai Jack

• Chris Appelhans, writer and director of Netflix animated movie Wish Dragon, and illustrator of picture books Sparky! (written by Jenny Offill) and A Greyhound, a Groundhog (written by Emily Jenkins).

• Dan Santat, Caldecott Award-winning author and illustrator of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, as well as After the Fall, Are We There Yet?, and The Guild of Geniuses, among many more.

• How to Draw the Marvel Way by John Buscema and Stan Lee

• Astro Boy (movie)

• Dave Masters, who taught animation at Rowland High School before leaving to become head animation trainer at Warner Bros.

• Chuck Jones, animator, filmmaker and voice actor, best known for his work with Warner Bros. Cartoons on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Shorts.

• Kevin Chen, founder of Concept Design Academy

• Call of Duty

• Medal of Honor

• Jon Klassen, Caldecott Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the I Want My Hat Back series, who is back with a book he wrote and illustrated: The Rock From the Sky. Hear his First Draft interviews here and here.

• Wish Dragon, written and directed by Chris Appelhans (hear his First Draft interview here)

• Du Iz Tak? a Caldecott Honor book written and illustrated by Carson Ellis, who also wrote and illustrated Home and In the Half Room. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Drawing on Walls: A Keith Haring Story written by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Josh Cochran. Matthew is a poet, picture book author, and Assistant Professor at Brooklyn College who wrote The Bear and the Moon, illustrated by Cátia Chien. Hear their First Draft interview here.

• Arree Chung, award winning author and illustrator of Mixed: A Colorful Story, Ninja!, and Out!, as well as founder of Storyteller Academy.

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Matt de la Peña, author of seven critically acclaimed young adult novels including Mexican Whiteboy and Newbery Medal–winning author of Last Stop on Market Street talks about his newest collaboration with illustrator Christian Robinson, Milo Imagines the World.

• Oliver Jeffers, visual artist, illustrator of The Day the Crayons Quit, and author and illustrator of How to Catch a Star, The Fate of Fausto, and Here We Are talks about his newest picture book, What We’ll Build.

• Jill Twiss, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo and Emmy winning comedy writer on Last Week Tonight, talks about her latest picture book, Everyone Gets a Say, with illustrator EG Keller.

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First Draft Episode #313: Co-authors of Blackout: Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon 

The co-authors of Blackout: Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon talk about their New York Times bestselling collaborative novel.

Vision Season

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• “Mask Off,” by Future

• Literary agent Molly Ker Hawn of The Bent Agency

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles series, and co-author of Tiny Pretty Things and Shiny Broken Piecesw with Sona Charaipotra (now a Netflix series), and co-creator of Cake Literary. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

• Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Allegedly, Monday’s Not Coming, and Let Me Hear A Rhyme, Grown, White Smoke, and Santa in the City. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

• Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Dear Justyce, Odd One Out, Jackpot, Clean Getaway and Fast Pitch. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give, On the Come Up and Concrete Rose. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Ashley Woodfolk, author of The Beauty that Remains, When You Were Everything, and the Flyy Girl series.

• Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything, The Sun Is Also a Star, and Instructions For Dancing. She is co-publisher of Joy Revolution, a Random House young adult imprint dedicated to love stories starring people of color. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

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📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletter

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #312: Tanaz Bhathena

Tanaz Bhathena, author of A Girl Like That and The Beauty of the Moment talks about her fantasy series, Hunted by the Sky and its sequel, Rising Like a Storm.

This episode was brought to you by The Great Godden by Meg Rossof, out from Candlewick Press now. Read sample chapters here.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

• Thrity Umrigar, Parsi author of The Space Between Us

• Rohinton Mistry, Parsi author of A Fine Balance

• The School Library Journal and its starred review for A Girl Like That

• Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine

• Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea

• Goosebumps and Fear Street by R. L. Stine

• Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

• The Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings (also Shahnama), a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010 CE

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Sabaa Tahir, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes series, which comes to a much-anticipated conclusion with the release of A Sky Beyond the Storm.

• Victoria Aveyard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Queen series, talks about the first book in her new YA fantasy series, Realm Breaker.

• Sarah Kuhn, author of the Heroine Complex series, Shadow of the Batgirl with Nicole Gaux for DC Comics, the Star Wars audiobook original Doctor Aphra, talks about her new young adult novel, From Little Tokyo, With Love.

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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First Draft Episode #311: Doree Shafrir

Doree Shafrir, co-host of the Forever35 podcast and author of Startup, joins us to talk about her debut memoir, Thanks For Waiting: The Joy (& Weirdness) of Being a Late Bloomer.

This episode was brought to you by The Great Godden by Meg Rossof, out from Candlewick Press now. Read sample chapters here.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Harriett the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

• Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

• Slate

• Gawker

• Ben Smith, founding editor in chief of Buzzfeed News and now a reporter on the media for the New York Times

• Acast, podcast network

• Carrie Frye, book editor

• Doree and Kate’s column for InStyle

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Kate Spencer, comedian, author of Dead Mom’s Club: A Memoir, and the forthcoming In a New York Minute, and co-host of fabulous podcast Forever35

• Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow, media mavens, co-hosts of the phenomenal CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND podcast, and debut co-authors of friendship memoir BIG FRIENDSHIP.

• Koa Beck, former editor-in-chief of Jezebel and co-host of “The #MeToo Memos” on WNYC’s The Takeaway, discusses her debut non-fiction work, White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind.

   

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #310: Chris Appelhans

Chris Appelhans, writer and director of Netflix animated movie Wish Dragon, and illustrator of picture books Sparky! (written by Jenny Offill) and A Greyhound, a Groundhog (written by Emily Jenkins).

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Jon Klassen, Caldecott Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the I Want My Hat Back series, and The Rock From the Sky. Listen to his First Draft interviews here and here.

• A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life, by George Saunders

• The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Carson Elllis, author and illustrator of bestselling picture books Home and Caldecott Honor book Du Iz Tak?, talks about her newest picture book, In the Half Room. Listen to her First Draft interview here.

• Oliver Jeffers, visual artist, illustrator of The Day the Crayons Quit, and author and illustrator of How to Catch a Star, The Fate of Fausto, and Here We Are talks about his newest picture book, What We’ll Build. Listen to his First Draft interview here.

• Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien, artist and illustrator respectively, of picture book The Bear and the Moon. Matthew is a poet, picture book author, and Assistant Professor at Brooklyn College. Catia is a visual artist, illustrator, and founder of A Thousand Worlds, a picture book directory that connects readers to beautiful picture books written and illustrated by BIPOC authors and illustrators. Listen to their First Draft interview here.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #309: Casey McQuiston

Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White, and Royal Blue, talks about their latest queer rom-com, One Last Stop.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hadestown (musical)

• The Royal We and its sequel The Heir Affair, by Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks, the writing duo otherwise known as Fug Girls. Hear their First Draft interview here.

• Louise Rettison, author of Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson and many more YA novels

• Eddie Izzard, actor and comedian

• A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hilary Rodham Clinton by Carl Bernstein

• My Date with The President’s Daughter (movie)

• Chasing Liberty (movie)

• Derry Girls (TV show)

• Happy Endings (TV show)

• New Girl (TV show)

• Veep (TV show)

• Parks and Recreation (TV show)

• How I Met Your Mother (TV show)

• VIcki Lame, editor at St. Martin’s Press

• The You’re Wrong About podcast’s series about Princess Diana

• Susie Q (movie)

• Doctor Who (TV show)

• LOST (TV show)

• TVTropes.org

• Oceans 11 (movie)

• Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg

• Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett (hear her First Draft interview here)

• Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian (hear his First Draft interview here)

• “I’m Not Your Hero” by Tegan and Sara

• 10 Things I Hate About You (movie) co-written by Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith, hear her First Draft interview here

• Elana K. Arnold, author of YA books Damsel, What Girls Are Made Of, Infandous, and Middle Grade series A Boy Called Bat, and many more. Listen to her First Draft interviews here and here.

   

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• Catie Disabato, author of The Ghost Network and the new adult contemporary novel U Up? Hear her First Draft interview here.

• David Levithan, editorial director at Scholastic and the author of many young adult novels, including Boy Meets Boy, Every Day, and co-author with Rachel Cohn of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares. Hear his First Draft interview here.

• Leah Johnson, talks about her bestselling debut novel, You Should See Me In a Crown, and the forthcoming Rise to the Sun. Hear her First Draft interview here.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #308: Sarah Kuhn

Sarah Kuhn, author of the Heroine Complex series, Shadow of the Batgirl with Nicole Gaux for DC Comics, the Star Wars audiobook original Doctor Aphra, talks about her new young adult novel, From Little Tokyo, With Love.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• IGN.com

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV show)

• Alert Nerd

• Matt Springer, one of the founders of Alert Nerd

• Chris Stewart, one of the founders of Alert Nerd

• Backstage magazine

• Fresh Romance, an anthology to which Sarah contributed

• Crazy Rich Asians (movie)

• Editor Jenny Bak

   

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Maurene Goo, author of Since You Asked, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, The Way You Make Me Feel, and Somewhere Only We Know. Hear her interviews here, here, and here!

• Loan Le, editor at Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books and debut author of A Phở Love Story.

• Elise Bryant, debut author of Happily Ever Afters.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #307: John Green

John Green, #1 New York Times bestselling author of many young adult novels, including The Fault in Our Stars and Printz-winning Looking For Alaska, joins to discuss his new essay collection, The Anthropocene Reviewed. He is also one half of the vlogbrothers on YouTube and co-creator of educational series Crash Course.

Today’s episode is brought to you by JAY’S GAY AGENDA, a moving and hilarious sex-positive queer teen rom-com from debut novelist Jason June, out from HarperCollins now.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hank Green’s First Draft interview discussing A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, the sequel to his #1 New York Times bestselling debut, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. Hank is, along with his brother John Green, the CEO of Complexly, co-host of the Vlogbrothers YouTube channel and the Dear Hank and John podcast, and is also co-founder of VidCon, DFTBA Records, and Crash Course. Listen to his First Draft interview here.

• The Babysitter’s Club by Anne M. Martin

• Fallen Angels and Monster by Walter Dean Myers

• Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt

• Where the Red Fern Goes by Wilson Rawls

• Sula and Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

• Kurt Vonnegut, author of Slaughterhouse Five and Cat’s Cradle

• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

• Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes by Tony Kushner

• Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird

• J.D. Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye

• Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak, Chains, and memoir Shout

• Jacqueline Woodson, author of Brown Girl Dreaming, Locomotion, Another Brooklyn, and many many more.

• Harvey (movie)

• Booklist

• The Looking For Alaska mini-series in Hulu

• “The Anthropocene Reviewed Reviewed,” an episode of John’s podcast, The Anthropocene Reviewed

• “On Being Ill” by Virginia Woolf

• Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

• “Hank Reviews Everything” video on the Vlogbrothers channel

• Katrina Vandenberg, poet

• Claude Glass

• Superleague (official website, woof) explained so well in this New York Times review and this podcast episode of The Daily, as well as the three-episode breakdown of Men In Jackets (ep 1, ep 2, ep 3)

   

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• Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series, the Carve the Mark duology, and the short story collection, The End and Other Beginnings, talks about her first adult fantasy novel, Chosen Ones.

• Maureen Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of of several YA novels, including 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Suite Scarlett, The Name of the Star, and Truly Devious: A Mystery. She has also done collaborative works, such as Let It Snow (with John Green and Lauren Myracle), and The Bane Chronicles (with Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan).

• Jason Reynolds, New York Times bestselling author of critically acclaimed books, including National Book Award finalist Ghost, Newberry and Printz-honored Long Way Down, Coretta Scott King Honoree As Brave as You, and his latest, middle grade Look Both Ways, which was just named to the National Book Award Longlist for Young People’s Literature.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #306: Nicola Yoon

Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star talks about her new YA, Instructions For Dancing, and co-founding Joy Revolution, a Random House young adult imprint dedicated to love stories starring people of color.

This episode is brought to you by Melanin in YA, a database comprised of Black YA authors, literary agents, editors, industry professionals, and influencers. A resource for everyone involved in traditional YA publishing, Melanin in YA provides bi-monthly news round ups of book deals, cover reveals, and more. Check it out at melanininya.com, or follow Instagram: @melanininya / Twitter @melanin_ya.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Nicola’s first First Draft interview here

• Jodi Reamer, agent at Writer’s House who now represents NIcola and David

• Big (movie)

• Before Sunrise (movie)

• Barbara Marcus, head of Random House Children’s Books

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• David Yoon, author of Frankly in Love, Super Fake Love Song, and Version Zero.

• Adam Silvera, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Infinity Reaper, Infinity Son, They Both Die at the End, More Happy Than Not, History Is All You Left Me, and What If It's Us with Becky Albertalli (hear her First Draft interviews here and here).

• Tahereh Mafi, New York Times bestselling and National Book Award nominated author of the Shatter Me YA fantasy series, YA contemps An Emotion of Great Delight and A Very Large Expanse of Sea, middle grade books Furthermore and Whichwood. Hear her First Draft interviews here and here.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

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📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #305: Camryn Garrett

Camryn Garrett, author of Full Disclosure, talks about her new YA, Off the Record.

This episode is brought to you by Melanin in YA, a database comprised of Black YA authors, literary agents, editors, industry professionals, and influencers. A resource for everyone involved in traditional YA publishing, Melanin in YA provides bi-monthly news round ups of book deals, cover reveals, and more. Check it out at melanininya.com, or follow Instagram: @melanininya / Twitter @melanin_ya.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder

• Sarah Dessen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Once and for All, Just Listen, The Truth About Forever, The Rest of the Story, and many more. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor

• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

   

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• Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give and On the Come Up talks about her latest book, Concrete Rose, as well as the upcoming Blackout.

• Brittney Morris, author of Slay and Miles Morales: Wings of Fury talks about her newest speculative YA, The Cost of Knowing.

• Morgan Jerkins, author of essay collection This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America, talks about her new book, social history and memoir Wandering in Strange Lands: A Daughter of the Great Migration Reclaims Her Roots.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #304: Chris Grabenstein

Chris Grabenstein is the New York Times bestselling author of the Lemoncello series, the Wonderland series, the Haunted Mystery series, and The Island of Dr. Libris. He is also the co-author, with James Patterson, of the #1 Bestsellers I Funny, House of Robots, Max Einstein and many others. He joins to talk about his newest middle grade series, Dog Squad, out now!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Mad Magazine

• Rocky & Bullwinkle (TV show)

• The Twilight Zone (TV show)

• Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

• American Heritage magazine

• Bruce Willis (actor)

• Kathy Kinney (comedic actor)

• Jane Brucker ((comedic actor)

• James Patterson is the world’s bestselling writer, known for the Alex Cross series, the Women’s Murder Club series, the Michael Bennett series, and many more

• Cheers (TV show)

• Michael Bay (producer, director)

• Woody Harrrelson (actor)

• Orlando Jones (actor, writer)

• On Writing by Stephen King

• Kiss the Girls, Along Came a Spider, and Pop Goes the Weasel are some of the nursery-rhyme-themed James Patterson books that inspired Chris to name his first detective novels after carnival rides

• Shine by Chris and J.J. Grabenstein

• Robin Williams (actor, comedian)

• Jim Henson (creator of The Muppets)

• Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author of mysteries and urban fantasy novels, including the Sookie Stackhouse urban fantasies (which inspired the True Blood TV show), the Aurora Teagarden mysteries, the Lily Bard mysteries, the Harper Connelly urban fantasies, the Midnight, Texas novels, and the Gunnie Rose books, set in an alternate history America.

• Beth Hughes, illustrator of Dog Squad

• The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

• How to Write a Mystery edited by Lee Child

   

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• Kate DiCamillo, one of six people to win two Newbery Medals, for her novels The Tale of Despereaux and Flora & Ulysses, and author of Newbery Honor book Because of Winn-Dixie, National Book Award finalist The Tiger Rising, as well as New York Times bestselling novels The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Magician’s Elephant, the Mercy Watson series, and more. DiCamillo was the U.S. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature for 2014 and 2015. Her most recent novel, Beverly, Right Here completes the trilogy of Raymie Nightingale and Louisiana’s Way Home.

• Stuart Gibbs, New York Times bestselling author of the Spy School series, the FunJungle series, the Moon Base Alpha series, and The Last Musketeer series. His newest series kicked off in 2019 with Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation.

• Soman Chainani, New York Times bestselling author of the School for Good and Evil series, which will be a Netflix series.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #303: Victoria Aveyard

Victoria Aveyard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Queen series, talks about the first book in her new YA fantasy series, Realm Breaker.

This episode was brought to you by the six-month Picture Book Writing and Illustration Online Course offered by author Zanni Louise & illustrator Anna Pignataro. First Draft listeners get a 20% discount on the course. Learn more, and sign up with the 20% discount, by clicking this link!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hear Victoria’s other First Draft interviews here and here.

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

• The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis, beginning with The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

• Crusader Kings (video game)

• Scrivener (word processing software)

• Legend of Zelda (video game)

• Merriam-Webster's Visual Dictionary

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Sabaa Tahir, New York Times bestselling author of the An Ember in the Ashes series. Hear her episodes here and here.

• Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shadow and Bone series, the Six of Crows duology, and the King of Scars duology, as well as adult novel, Ninth House. Hear her episodes here, here, and here.

• Susan Dennard, New York Times bestselling author of the Something Strange and Deadly series and The Witchlands series.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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First Draft Episode #302: Morgan Matson

Morgan Matson, New York Times bestselling author of Save the Date, The Unexpected Everything, and more answers listener questions about life, writing, and her new YA, Take Me Home Tonight.

This episode was brought to you by the six-month Picture Book Writing and Illustration Online Course offered by author Zanni Louise & illustrator Anna Pignataro. First Draft listeners get a 20% discount on the course. Learn more, and sign up with the 20% discount, by clicking this link!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hear Morgan’s previous episodes of First Draft, here and here!

• Big (movie)

• Toy Story 3 (movie)

• Good Will Hunting (movie)

• Morgan’s Spotify, and the Take Me Home Tonight official playlist

• Stephen King’s On Writing

• The Penderwicks series, beginning with The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, by Jeanne Birdsall

• Richard Schiff, The West Wing

• Rep. Adam Schiff

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Jenny Han, New York Times bestselling author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and the The Summer I Turned Pretty series.

• 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 the upcoming picture book, The Creature of Habit.

• Maurene Goo, author of The Way You Make Me Feel, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Somewhere Only We Know, and more. Listen to her episodes here, here, and her interviewing Sarah Enni here!

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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First Draft Episode #301: Sara Zarr

Podcast chat! A conversation with Sara Zarr, National Book Award finalist author of eight novels for young adults, most recently Goodbye from Nowhere, about her creative writing podcast, This Creative Life.

Listeners can get two audiobooks for the price of one at Libro.fm when you use promo code FirstDraftPod at checkout!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hear Sara’s first First Draft interview here.

• Hear Sarah on This Creative Life here.

• I also outlined all the equipment I use for podcasting in this TechCrunch article, “How I Podcast.”

• Terry Gross, host of NPR’s Fresh Air podcast

• Marc Maron, host of the WTF podcast

• Pete Holmes, host of the You Made it Weird podcast

• Nina LaCour, author of We Are Okay, winner of the 2018 Printz Award, and other contemporary YA titles like Everything Leads to You and Hold Still, . Hear her episodes of First Draft here and here.

• LibSyn, the podcast hosting service

• Patreon

• Sara is no longer using SubStack to distribute her podcast, which she discusses in this episode of This Creative Life: “Substack and Failure.”

• Sara’s book Courageous Creativity: Advice and Encouragement for the Creative Life

• GarageBand

• Best Self Co. Six-Month Journal

• Acuity Scheduling

• Doodle

• Krista Tippett, host of the On Being podcast

• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

• Audacity

• Shure microphones

• Adobe Audition

• Zoom H2N

• Zoom H6N

• AirTable

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

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First Draft Episode #300: Emma Straub

Emma Straub, New York Times-bestselling author of The Vacationers, Modern Lovers, Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures, and the short story collection Other People We Married, talks about her most recent novel, All Adults Here, out in paperback now. She and her husband own Brooklyn bookstore Books Are Magic.

Listeners can get two audiobooks for the price of one at Libro.fm when you use promo code FirstDraftPod at checkout!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Emma Straub’s father is Peter Straub, author of Ghost Story, Julia, A Dark Matter, and more

• The Magnetic Fields (band)

• The “Apology” episode of Still Processing, a New York Times podcast featuring conversations between culture writers Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Edan Lepucki, New York Times bestselling author of California and Woman No. 17. She is also the co-host, with fellow writer Amelia Morris, of the podcast Mom Rage.

• Rufi Thorpe, author of The Girls from Corona del Mar and Dear Fang: With Love, talks about her new novel, The Knockout Queen.

• Catie Disabato, author of The Ghost Network and the new adult contemporary novel U Up?

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #299: Jon Klassen

Jon Klassen, Caldecott Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the I Want My Hat Back series, is back with a book he wrote and illustrated: The Rock From the Sky.

And by Revision Season, the seven-week virtual master class in novel revision led by award-winning author Elana K. Arnold. The Spring 2021 course will run from May 9 to June 26 and Enrollment opens April 1st! Learn more at ElanaKArnold.com.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hear Jon’s first First Draft interview here

• Marla Frazee, two-time Caldecott Honor-winning author and illustrator of The Boss Baby, A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, All the World, and many more. She joins us to talk about the Farmer series: The Farmer and the Clown, The Farmer and the Monkey, and The Farmer and the Circus. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• George Saunder’s most recent book: A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life

• Samuel Beckett, Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator, most widely known for his play, Waiting for Godot. Sarah Boxer wrote about Jon’s new book for the New York Times with the headline, “Jon Klassen Meets Samuel Beckett in a Hilariously Dark Picture Book.”

• Mac Barnett is a New York Times bestselling author of books for children, including many books illustrated by Jon, like Caldecott-Honor books Extra Yarn and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, and the Shapes trilogy: Triangle, Square, and Circle.

• Carson Ellis, author and illustrator of Caldecott Honor book Du Iz Tak?, bestselling picture books Home, and many more visited First Draft to talk about In the Half Room. Listen to her FIrst Draft interview here.

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien, artist and illustrator respectively, of picture book The Bear and the Moon.

• Oliver Jeffers, visual artist, illustrator of The Day the Crayons Quit, and author and illustrator of How to Catch a Star, The Fate of Fausto, and Here We Are visited First Draft to talk about his newest picture book, What We’ll Build. Listen to his First Draft interview here.

• Matt de la Peña, author of seven critically acclaimed young adult novels including Mexican Whiteboy and Newbery Medal–winning author of Last Stop on Market Street talks about his newest collaboration with illustrator Christian Robinson, Milo Imagines the World. Listen to his First Draft interview here.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #297: Brittney Morris

Brittney Morris, author of Slay and Miles Morales: Wings of Fury talks about her newest speculative YA, The Cost of Knowing.

And by Revision Season, the seven-week virtual master class in novel revision led by award-winning author Elana K. Arnold. The Spring 2021 course will run from May 9 to June 26 and Enrollment opens April 1st! Learn more at ElanaKArnold.com.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (listen to her First Draft interview here)

• The Piano (movie)

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

• Papo & Yo (video game)

• Dave at Night by Gail Carson Levine

• Black Panther (movie)

• #PitMad

• National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

• Brittney worked on video games The Lost Legend of Redwall and Subnautica: Below Zero

• The Redwall video game is based on Redwall by Brian Jacques

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give and On the Come Up talks about her latest book, Concrete Rose, as well as the upcoming Blackout.

• Leah Johnson, author of You Should See Me In a Crown, and the forthcoming Rise to the Sun.

• Mary H. K. Choi, New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact and Permanent Record and Yolk.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #297: Marla Frazee

Marla Frazee is the two-time Caldecott Honor-winning author and illustrator of The Boss Baby, A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, All the World, and many more. She joins us to talk about the Farmer series: The Farmer and the Clown, The Farmer and the Monkey, and The Farmer and the Circus, out now.

This episode was brought to you by We Are the Fire, the YA fantasy by debut author Sam Taylor, out from Swoon Reads now!

And by Revision Season, the seven-week virtual master class in novel revision led by award-winning author Elana K. Arnold. The Spring 2021 course will run from May 9 to June 26 and Enrollment opens April 1st! Learn more at ElanaKArnold.com.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Crockett Johnson

• Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendack

• You can order signed copies of Marla’s books from Vroman’s Bookstore

• You can order signed copies of Marla’s books from Once Upon a Time bookstore in Montrose, CA

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Matt de la Peña, author of seven critically acclaimed young adult novels including Mexican Whiteboy and Newbery Medal–winning author of Last Stop on Market Street talks about his newest collaboration with illustrator Christian Robinson, Milo Imagines the World.

• Oliver Jeffers, visual artist, illustrator of The Day the Crayons Quit, and author and illustrator of How to Catch a Star, The Fate of Fausto, and Here We Are talks about his newest picture book, What We’ll Build.

• Carson Ellis, author and illustrator of bestselling picture books Home and Caldecott Honor book Du Iz Tak?, talks about her newest picture book, In the Half Room.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #295: Laurie Devore

Laurie Devore, author of How To Break a Boy and Winner Takes All, talks about her latest contemporary YA, A Better Bad Idea.

This episode is brought to you by Freedom, the easy-to-use app that blocks distracting apps and websites, letting you get into deep work flow. Use offer code FIRSTDRAFT for 40% off a yearly or forever plan.

And by The Stacks, a podcast about books and the people who read them. The Stacks is your literary best friend; your virtual book club; your one-stop shop for everything books. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and follow the show on Instagram at @thestackspod and on Twitter at @thestackspod_ !

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Lurlene McDaniel, author of Don’t Die, My Love, Six Months to Live, and Breathless

• The Gemma Doyle series, made up of: A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing, by Libba Bray, author of Printz award-winner Going Bovine, and genuinely terrifying historical paranormal The Diviners, and more. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, the forthcoming Sword Catcher duology, and co-author of the Magisterium series. Hear her first interview on First Draft in support of Chain of Gold, and hear her talk about its follow up, Chain of Iron, and answer listener questions here!

• Absolute Write

• Diana Fox, literary agent and founder of Fox Literary, who is Laurie’s literary agent

• “Gunpowder and Lead” and “Kerosene” by Miranda Lambert

• Mind the Gap documentary, directed by Bing Liu

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Arvin Ahmadi, author of Down and Across, Girl Gone Viral, and his latest, How it All Blew Up.

• Tiffany D. Jackson, author of Allegedly, Monday’s Not Coming, and Let Me Hear A Rhyme, talks about her new book, Grown.

• Robyn Schneider, author of The Beginning of Everything, Extraordinary Means, Invisible Ghosts, and You Don’t Live Here.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #296: David Arnold

David Arnold is the New York Times bestselling author of Mosquitoland, Kids of Appetite, and The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik, talks about his latest genre-bending YA sci-fi, The Electric Kingdom, out now!

This episode is brought to you by Freedom, the easy-to-use app that blocks distracting apps and websites, letting you get into deep work flow. Use offer code FIRSTDRAFT for 40% off a yearly or forever plan.

And by We Are the Fire, the YA fantasy by debut author Sam Taylor, out from Swoon Reads now!

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon

• Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

• The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkein

• LOST (TV show)

• X-Files (TV show)

• Sphere by Michael Crichton

• Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

• Courtney C. Stevens, author of Faking Normal, Dress Codes for Small Towns, and more. Listen to her First Draft interview here.

• Ruta Sepetys, #1 New York Times bestselling and Carnegie-winning author of Between Shades of Gray, Out of the Easy, and Salt to the Sea. She talked about her newest novel, Fountains of Silence, in a recent First Draft interview.

• Hootie and the Blowfish (band)

• Alanis Morissette (musician)

• Elliott Smith (musician)

• Switched on Pop, a podcast about the making and meaning of popular music hosted by musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding and produced by Vulture

• “The Culture Warped Pop, For Good,” by Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding in The New York Times

• Director and screenwriter Michel Gondry

• Arrival (movie)

• Eric Heisserer (screenwriter of Arrival)

• Ted Chiang, author of short story collections including Exhalation and Stories of Your Life and Others, which includes Story of Your Life, the basis for the film Arrival

• Jóhann Jóhannsson (score for Arrival)

• Hildur Guonadóttir (musician)

• Slow Meadow (band)

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Anna Carey, author of the speculative/genre-bending This is Not The Jess Show and of The Eve Trilogy (Eve, Once, Rise) and the Blackbird series (Blackbird, Deadfall).

• David Levithan, editorial director at Scholastic and the author of many young adult novels, including Boy Meets Boy, and speculative fiction juggernaut Every Day, and co-author with Rachel Cohn of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares.

• Justin Reynolds, author of character-driven stories with speculative twists, The Opposite of Always and Early Departures.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #294: Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare is #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, the forthcoming Sword Catcher duology, and co-author of the Magisterium series. She joins First Draft to discuss her most recent Shadowhunter novel, Chain of Iron, the latest installation of the Last Hours trilogy, and to answer listener questions.

This episode is brought to you by It’s Kind of a Cheesy Love Story by Lauren Morril, out now!

And by Freedom, the easy-to-use app that blocks distracting apps and websites, letting you get into deep work flow. Use offer code FIRSTDRAFT for 40% off a yearly or forever plan.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hear my first conversation with Cassandra Clare on First Draft here

• Pacemaker is the word count software Cassandra uses to stay on top of her deadlines

• Sixth Sense (movie)

• Holly Black, Newberry Honoree and New York Times bestselling author of the Spiderwick Chronicles, The Curse Workers, Magesterium, and her most recent series, Folk of Air. Hear her First Draft interview here.

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Maureen Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of of several YA novels, including 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Suite Scarlett, The Name of the Star, and Truly Devious: A Mystery.

• Victoria Schwab, New York Times bestselling author of A Darker Shade of Magic, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Vicious, and more.

• Sabaa Tahir, NY Times bestselling author of the An Ember in the Ashes series. Hear her first interview here, and hear her answer listener questions here.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #293: Ransom Riggs

Ransom Riggs, New York Times best-selling author of the Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children series, which is wrapping up with the sixth book, The Desolations of Devil’s Acre, out now!

This episode is brought to you by Freedom, the easy-to-use app that blocks distracting apps and websites, letting you get into deep work flow. Use offer code FIRSTDRAFT for 40% off a yearly or forever plan.

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Hear Ransom’s first First Draft interview here

• The Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children movie

• Cassandra Clare, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, the forthcoming Sword Catcher duology, and co-author of the Magisterium series. Her most recent Shadowhunter novel, Chain of Gold, kicks off the Last Hours trilogy. Hear her First Draft interview here.

•  

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Tahereh Mafi, New York Times best-selling author of the Shatter Me series, and author of National Book Award long-listed A Very Large Expanse of Sea and more. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series, the Carve the Mark duology, and the short story collection, The End and Other Beginnings, talks about her first adult fantasy novel, Chosen Ones.

• Maureen Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of of several YA novels, including 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Suite Scarlett, The Name of the Star, and Truly Devious: A Mystery. She has also done collaborative works, such as Let It Snow (with John Green and Lauren Myracle), and The Bane Chronicles (with Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan).

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

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👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

First Draft Episode #291: Mary H.K. Choi

Mary H. K. Choi, New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact and Permanent Record and her newest YA, Yolk, answers listener questions.

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Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Listen to Mary H K Choi’s first appearance on First Draft here

• Amy Sherman-Palladino, creator of Gilmore Girls

• Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, the filmmaker brothers behind Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou? and many more

• Alexander Chee, author of The Queen of the Night, Edinburgh, and How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays

• Famous diarist Anaïs Nin, Mirages: The Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin, 1939-1947

• The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend

• Elana K. Arnold’s Revision Season

• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

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• Christina Hammonds-Reed, debut author of The Black Kids, who appeared on First Draft in conversation with 2020–2021 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Jason Reynolds, whose many books include All American Boys (cowritten with Brendan Kiely [listen to his First Draft interview here]), As Brave as You, For Every One, the Track series, Look Both Ways, Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You and Long Way Down, which received a Newberry Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Coretta Scott King Honor.

• Elizabeth Acevedo, New York Times bestselling author of National Book Award and Printz Award-winning The Poet X, With the Fire on High and Clap When You Land.

• Zan Romanoff, journalist and author of A Song to Take the World Apart, and Grace and the Fever, and Look.

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Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

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First Draft Episode #291: Anna Carey

Anna Carey is the author of This is Not The Jess Show. She’s also the author of The Eve Trilogy (Eve, Once, Rise) and the Blackbird series (Blackbird, Deadfall).

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• Listen to Anna’s first First Draft interview here!

• Catie Disabato, author of The Ghost Network and the new adult contemporary novel U Up? Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, and her TED Talk, “Your Elusive Creative Genius”

• John Cusick at Folio Literary Management is Anna’s current literary agent

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• Jenny Han, New York Times best-selling author of the To All the Boys I Loved Before series and the Summer I Turned Pretty series.

• Morgan Matson, New York Times bestselling author of Since You’ve Been Gone, The Unexpected Everything, Save the Date and more. (Hear her very first FIrst Draft interview here)

• Maggie Stiefvater, author of The Raven Boys cycle, The Scorpio Races, the Shiver series, and All the Crooked Saints.

🗣️ I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag@firstdraftpod.com !

🤳 Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

In Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletters

✍️ Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series.

🏆 Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

👍 Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!