First Draft Episode: Grief and Trauma in YA (A Mighty Blaze Panel) A conversation between Joseph Moldover , author of Every Last Breath ; Alex Richards , author of Accidental ; Liz Lawson , author of The Lucky Ones ; Rocky Callen , author of A Breath Too Late ; and Nina de Pass , author of The Year After You . This conversation was held as part of A Mighty Blaze ’s YA Weekend , and many thanks to Joseph Moldover (author of Every Last Breath ) and Jennifer de Leon (author of Don’t Ask Me Where I’...
Sep 25, 2020•45 min
First Draft Episode #272: Anne Helen Peterson Anne Helen Petersen , freelance journalist and cultural critic with her biweekly newsletter , and author of nonfiction books Scandals of Classic Hollywood: Sex, Deviance, and Drama from the Golden Age of American Cinema and Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman , talks about her newest book, Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation . Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Anne’s Facebook group, Cel...
Sep 22, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 272
First Draft Episode #281: Opening the Mailbag with Lilliam Rivera This week is a new mailbag episode, where I--along with a very special guest--will answer listener questions! Joining me today is Lilliam Rivera , author of The Education of Margot Sanchez , Dealing in Dreams , Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit , and her newest YA novel, Never Look Back , a retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice set in the Bronx (out now)! Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Meg Medina is the New Y...
Sep 17, 2020•35 min•Ep. 281
First Draft Episode #270: Tiffany D. Jackson Tiffany D. Jackson , author of Allegedly , Monday’s Not Coming , and Let Me Hear A Rhyme , talks about her new book, Grown . Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Don’t miss Tiffany’s first episode of First Draft here 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 , t...
Sep 15, 2020•55 min•Ep. 270
A conversation between Jennifer de Leon, author of Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From ; Sarah Watson, author if Most Likely ; Kim Johnson, author of This is My America ; Christina Hammonds-Reed, author of The Black Kids ; and Natalia Sylvester, author of Running . This conversation was held as part of A Mighty Blaze ’s YA Weekend , and many thanks to Joseph Moldover (author of Every Last Breath ) and Jennifer de Leon (author of Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From ) for all the help putting that entire celebrat...
Sep 11, 2020•54 min
First Draft Episode #269: Martha Brockenbrough Martha Brockenbrough , faculty at the Vermont College of Fine Arts and author of nonfiction for young adults, including Unpresidented , Alexander Hamilton: Revolutionary , and novels like The Game of Love and Death and her newest picture book, This Old Dog . Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Laurel Snyder , author of Orphan Island , My Jasper June , and more Jonah Lehrer‘s partially discredited book was Imagine: How Creativity Works (and a ...
Sep 08, 2020•58 min•Ep. 269
📚📈❤️ How authors can create a marketing strategy to promote their work, and when it might be right to bring in an independent marketing or publicity firms. Jenn shares the highs and lows from launching Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From , and we discuss expanded definitions of success. This episode features: Jennifer de Leon , debut author of YA novel, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From (out August 18). Bekah Sine Decker and Nikki Pierce created Method Agency , an independent marketing firm, in part to help...
Sep 03, 2020•45 min
First Draft Episode #268: Katharine McGee Katharine McGee is the New York Times bestselling author of The Thousandth Floor series, as well as American Royals and its sequel, Majesty . Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode In her fanfiction, Katharine would correct existing books to have happier endings, like the His Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman (she got so attached to her new ending that she hasn’t yet gotten the courage to read The Secret Commonwealth , sequel to The Book of Du...
Sep 01, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 268
Track Changes Bonus Episode: Panel Conversation With Abigail Hing Wen, author of Loveboat Taipei; Literary Agent Joanna Volpe of New Leaf Literary & Media; and Alvina Ling, VP and Editor in Chief at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 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...
Aug 27, 2020•56 min
First Draft Episode #267: Jill Twiss 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 . Today’s episode is brought to you by Caveda, which leads group focus sessions for a worldwide community everyday on Zoom. First Draft listeners can try a free, three hour cave with promo code "FIRSTDRAFT" at caveday.org/firstdraft Thi...
Aug 25, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 277
First Draft Episode #267: The Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From Team: Author Jennifer de Leon, Agent Faye Bender, and Editor Caitlyn Dlouhy A conversation between the entire team behind debut young adult novel Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From : author Jennifer de Leon , Literary agent Faye Bender , partner and founder of The Book Group , and Caitlyn Dlouhy, Vice President & Editorial Director– Caitlyn Dlouhy Books at Simon & Schuster. This conversation was held as part of A Mighty Blaze ’s YA Weeke...
Aug 21, 2020•52 min
First Draft Episode #266: Adele Griffin Adele Griffin , two-time National Book Award honoree and author of almost thirty books for Young Adult and middle grade readers, including The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone , The Becket List , and Sons of Liberty and Where I want to Be . Today’s episode is brought to you by Caveda, which leads group focus sessions for a worldwide community everyday on Zoom. First Draft listeners can try a free, three hour cave with promo code "FIRSTDRAFT" at caveday.org...
Aug 18, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 266
📚🗣️💰 How do readers learn about your book? We get into how publishing companies decide on the marketing budgets for each book, and what marketing tools are at their disposal. The difference between publicity and marketing; how authors can maximize what their publisher has planned; and the one thing that matters most when it comes to promoting books. This episode features: Jennifer de Leon , debut author of YA novel, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From (out August 18). Margot Wood , director of sales ...
Aug 13, 2020•36 min
Arthur Levine is the legendary children’s book editor, including of series such as Harry Potter and The Golden Compass . He is founder of publishing house Levine Querido , and formerly President and Publisher at Arthur A. Levine Books at Scholastic, as well as author of picture books, most recently The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol . I used portions of Arthur’s interview in the Track Changes: Inequality in Publishing episode, and I encourage you all to listen. This episode is brought to you by St...
Aug 11, 2020•56 min•Ep. 265
First Draft Episode #265: Christina Hammonds-Reed and Jason Reynolds Christina Hammonds-Reed , debut author of The Black Kids , is 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 Newber...
Aug 06, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 265
First Draft Episode #264: Morgan Jenkins Morgan Jerkins , author of essay collection T his 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 . Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Lolita by Vladimir Nobokov Madame Bovary by Gustav Flaubert East of Eden by John Steinbeck City of God (movie) Morgan worked as an e...
Aug 04, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 264
First Draft Episode #263: Opening the Mailbag with Brandy Colbert This week is a new mailbag episode, where I--along with a very special guest--will answer listener questions! Joining me today is Brandy Colbert, author of Pointe , Little & Lion , The Only Black Girls in Town , and more! Her latest book, The Voting Booth , is out now. Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Brandy just announced her latest project , a nonfiction young adult book about the Tulsa race massacre of 1921, with ...
Jul 31, 2020•46 min•Ep. 263
🔍📚 How bad is structural inequality within the U.S. publishing industry, how did it get that way, and what can we do to make it better? Industry experts and activists contextualize, illuminate, and identify some of the key inflection points that perpetuate inequality and get into what every book lover can do to enact change. This episode features: Industry expert Mike Shatzkin , Founder and CEO of The Idea Logical Company and co-author with Robert Paris Riger, of The Book Business . Jalissa Ma...
Jul 30, 2020•32 min
First Draft Episode #262: Kim Johnson Kim Johnson, college administrator and mentor of student activists, on her debut author of This is My America , out now! This episode is sponsored by Revision Season , a seven-week, virtual master class in revising your novel, led by Elana K. Arnold, author of Printz honor winner Damsel and National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of , and more. Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol Nancy Drew by Carolyn Kee...
Jul 28, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 262
First Draft Episode #261: Alaya Dawn Johnson Alaya Dawn Johnson , Nebula-winning author of YA novels The Summer Prince , Love is the Drug , and more. Her new adult speculative fiction novel, Trouble the Saints , is out now! Be sure to check out A Mighty Blaze’s YA Weekend July 25-26, 2020! All events streamed live at Facebook.com/AMightyBlaze ! Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury Charles Sheffield , science f...
Jul 23, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 261
First Draft Episode #260: Hank Green Hank Green talks about 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 . Be sure to check out A Mighty Blaze’s YA Weekend July 25-26, 2020! All events streamed live at Facebo...
Jul 21, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 260
Track Changes: After the Book Deal Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Read the transcript 💻 ➞ 📚 What happens between signing the book contract and seeing a book on shelves? Industry experts walk us through edit letters, production schedules, cover designs, first pass pages, sales meetings and more. We catch up with Jennifer de Leon as she prepares for the release of her debut young adult novel, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From , on August 18. (Hear her First Draft interview here .)...
Jul 16, 2020•34 min
First Draft Episode #259: Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow are media mavens, co-hosts of the phenomenal CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND podcast, and debut co-authors of friendship memoir BIG FRIENDSHIP . Today’s episode is brought to you by KEEP MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO , by Amelia Diane Coombs , out today from Simon & Schuster. Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Voice of America and RFI (Radio France Internationale) Ann and Aminatou were set up by their mutual frien...
Jul 14, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 259
First Draft Episode #258: Ally Carter 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 . Today’s episode is brought to you by Hank Green’s A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor , out July 7, the sequel and conclusion to Green’s debut novel, the New York Times bestselling ...
Jul 07, 2020•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 258
Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair are comedians and actors, who created, wrote, and starred in Best Friends Forever and Playing House , This episode is brought to you by Highland 2, the writing software made by writers, for writers. Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Lois Duncan , author of I Know What You Did Last Summer , Stranger With My Face , and Who Killed My Daughter? The True Story of a Mother’s Search For Her Daughter’s Murderer Encyclop...
Jun 30, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 257
📑🔍 Contracts! We get into the basic structure of your contract, and all the rights, clauses, provisions, and negotiated terms you need to know to make sure your contracts is right right for this book and beyond. We catch up with Jennifer de Leon as she prepares for the release of her debut young adult novel, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From , on August 18. (Hear her First Draft interview here .) Then Sarah Burnes , literary agent with The Gernert Company, and Jo Volpe , literary agent and President...
Jun 25, 2020•37 min
First Draft Episode #256: Elizabeth Acevedo Elizabeth Acevedo , New York Times bestselling author of The Poet X , winner of the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Fiction, the CILIP Carnegie Medal, and the Boston Globe-Hornbook Award. She is also the author of With the Fire on High and Clap When You Land , out now! This episode is brought to you by Highland 2, the writing software made by writers, for writers. Links and Topics M...
Jun 23, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 256
First Draft Episode #255: Robyn Schneider Robyn Schneider is the New York Times bestselling author of The Beginning of Everything , Extraordinary Means , Invisible Ghosts , and more. Her newest book, You Don’t Live Here , is out now! This episode is brought to you by Highland 2, the writing software made by writers, for writers. Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode Amelia Atwater-Rhodes , author of Hawksong and In the Forests of Night , was first published at age 13 Jennifer Ung , now a Se...
Jun 16, 2020•1 hr 13 min
This episode featuring Julian Winters , author of Running with Lions , first aired on July 31, 2018. Since then, Julian has released How to Be Remy Cameron , and his latest book, The Summer of Everything , is coming out September 8. Julian Winters Show Notes One Direction Felicity (TV show) Scandal (TV show) Scott Foley Kirsten Hubbard (listen to her First Draft podcast here ) Sara Farizan (author of IF YOU COULD BE MINE and TELL ME AGAIN HOW A CRUSH SHOULD FEEL and the forthcoming HERE TO STAY ...
Jun 12, 2020•1 hr 11 min
Let’s talk about money: how do authors get paid, how much do authors get paid, and what do they need to keep in mind when the checks roll in? We catch up with Jennifer de Leon as she prepares for the release of her debut young adult novel, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From , on August 4. (Hear her First Draft interview here .) Courtney Maum , author of Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book lays out the basics of book advance...
Jun 11, 2020•46 min
