Bright Young ThingsTag

"Reality is Messier...It’s Vital that Books Reflect That" Kate Blair on Crafting Honest Young Adult Literature

It's often been said that every good story opens in the same way: when something changes. And one of the most enduring and universal story structures is that of "a stranger arrived".Kate Blair puts her ...

"Conflict is the Engine that Drives Fiction" Leanne Lieberman on the Magic of Writing for Teens

When her dad hits rock bottom—again—Jess finds herself determined to change her stars and avoid going down the same dark path. She takes a job cleaning a beautiful country house, where part of her ...

Sharon Frayne on Exploring the Power of Disconnecting in Her Marathon-Competition Winning YA Debut

The story of how Sharon Frayne's debut young adult novel The Sound of a Rainbow (Latitude 46 Publishing) came to be is almost as remarkable as the story within the pages. Frayne captured first place in ...

Laurence Beaudoin-Masse's YA Debut Thoughtfully Explores the Toxic Pressures of the Influencer Lifestyle

Instagram influencers and thoughtful conversations don't necessarily sound like they'd go hand in hand. But debut young adult writer Laurence Beaudoin-Masse uses the strange, surreal backdrop of the ...

"This Incredible Period of Chaos and Change" Alexandra Mae Jones on Why She Loves Writing Young Adult Literature

In Alexandra Mae Jones' debut young adult novel, The Queen of Junk Island (Annick Press), 16-year old Dell is dealing with adult-sized challenges, both internal and external.In shock from the trauma ...

Liana Cusmano on Welcoming Readers to See Themselves in Catch and Release, Their Debut Novel

There is a quote attributed to Aristotle which says that "knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom". This idea—that self-knowledge opens us up to discover and understand more—is elegantly illustrated ...