Ibi Zoboi is the New York Times bestselling author of National Book Award Finalist American Street, Pride, My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich and co-author with prison reform activist Yusef Salaam of Punching the Air. She joins us to talk about her first work of non-fiction Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler.

Jacqueline Woodson is a 2020 MacArthur Genius fellow, National Book Award winner, Newberry, Caldecott, and Coretta Scott King winner, former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Brown Girl Dreaming, Red at the Bone, Another Brooklyn, Before the Ever After and many, many more. She joins us to talk about her picture books with Rafael López, The Day You Begin and The Year We Learned to Fly.

Lamar Giles, author of the acclaimed novels Fake ID, Endangered, Overturned, Spin, Not So Pure and Simple. He joins us to talk about his middle-grade series The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, Last Chance for Logan County, and and The Last Mirror on the Left.

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 Phantom Tollbooth by Norman

• The Bunnicula series by James Howe and Deborah Howe

• Misery and It by Stephen King

• Danielle Steele, author of The Butler, Flying Angels, Complications, and more.

• The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds

• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

• Unwind by Neal Shusterman

• Reality Check by Peter Abrahams

• Fallen Angels by Walter D

• WitSec: Inside the Federal Witness Protection Program by Pete Earley

• Dennis Lahane, author of Shutter Island, Mystic River, A Drink Before the War and many more

• Phoebe Yeh, v-p, publisher, Crown Books for Young Readers

• Ellen Oh, author of Finding Junie Kim, Spirit Hunters, and The Dragon Egg Princess (Hear her First Draft interview here)

• Kwame Alexander, Newberry-winning author of The Crossover and publisher of the Versify imprint

• We Need Diverse Books

• Jody Corbett, Senior Editor at Scholastic

• Dapo Adeola illiustrated The Last Last-Day-of-Summer and Last Chance for Logan County

• Derick Brooks illustrated Lamar's most recent middle-grade book, The Last Mirror on the Left

• Duck Tales (TV show)

• Joy Revolution, the imprint started by bestselling writers 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 - hear her First Draft interviews here and here) and David Yoon, author of Frankly in Love, Super Fake Love Song, and Version Zero (hear his First Draft interview here)

• Steven Barnes, New York Times bestselling fantasy and sci-fi writer and screenwriter

• Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• 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. Hear his First Draft interview here.

• Chris Grabenstein, ew 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. Hear his First Draft interview 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, and more. 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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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!

🏆 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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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!

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

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• 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!

🏆 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 to hear about news, recommendations, and upcoming events

👕💯 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!

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

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• 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!

🏆 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 to hear about news, recommendations, and upcoming events

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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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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!

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• 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!

🏆 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 to hear about news, recommendations, and upcoming events

👕💯 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!

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

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

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletter to hear about news, recommendations, and upcoming events

👕💯 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!

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

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

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletter to hear about news, recommendations, and upcoming events

👕💯 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!

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

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

📫 Sign up for the First Draft Newsletter to hear about news, recommendations, and upcoming events

👕💯 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!