Author Q&As

Ever since An Ember in the Ashes was published in 2015, we've been hanging on every word written by Sabaa Tahir. (Look, any time an author is compared to JK Rowling, the first thing you do is run to the closest bookstore.) You can believe the hype. Tahir is a master storyteller at the height of her powers, and her propulsive Ember series is almost impossible to put down. Filled with compelling characters moving through a fantasy world that can bear an uncomfortable resemblance to our own, the Ember quartet is well on its way to "classic" status—and the third book doesn't even come out until June. Tahir is also a tireless advocate for representation in young adult literature, wearing her support for diverse stories on her sleeve—and on the beautiful covers of her bestsellers.

We can't wait to welcome Tahir to TeenBookCon on March 24, where she'll deliver the morning keynote address before appearing on panels with other fantastic authors and greeting fans at the end of the day. Go ahead and pre-register (it's free!) now, then come back and read our Q&A with the author below. 

Joelle Charbonneau knows a thing or two about a good thriller—we're still reeling after the ending of the Testing trilogy, and that was years ago. True to form, her new YA release, Time Bomb, offers thrills aplenty. But Charbonneau also weaves in provocative narrative themes around the destructive power of assumption and how there can be much more to a person than what meets the eye. The author is visiting us for a special in-store event on March 20. Before she comes, check out our exclusive Q&A below—and don't forget to preorder Time Bomb from our website. Once you get your hands on it, you won't be able to put it down.

Have you read The Authentics, the debut YA novel from Abdi Nazemian? Stick it on your to-be-read list if it's not already there. It's a deeply resonant story about love, self-discovery, and famiy—both the one that we're given and the one that we choose. Its protagonist, Daria Esfandyar, is a proud Iranian-American teenager with a fresh voice, and she'll stick with you long after the book is over. We gobbled this book up when it came out last summer, and we're eagerly awaiting Nazemian's next.

As a matter of fact, we plan on asking him what he's been working on when he visits us for TeenBookCon on March 24—along with 25 more of the best teen and YA authors out there. (You're coming, right?) We caught up with Abdi for a short Q&A before the festival—read it below.

Ever since Stephanie Garber's Caraval came out at the start of last year, we've been eager to hear more from this exciting voice in young adult fantasy. Caraval is an immersive and sweeping novel that's perfect for members of the Night Circus crowd or those who always wanted to attend Beauxbatons. The sequel, Legendary, lives up to its name. It picks up where the first book left off, upping the stakes along the way—but you'll have to wait until the end of May to read it.

In the meantime, we're very excited to welcome Stephanie to this year's TeenBookCon on March 24, where she'll be joined by 25 more of the best authors of teen and young adult fiction. Read our Q&A with Stephanie below.

It's hardly a secret that there's something special about Texas — our great state has long attracted the dreamers, the strong-willed, and the independent. The Mealer family, for example. In 1892, John Lewis Mealer moved his family of seven children from the hills of Georgia to the high desert of west Texas. In so doing, he set off a rollercoaster of happiness and sorrow that would shape his family's fortunes for years to come. Bestselling author Bryan Mealer, John Lewis' great-grandson, has charted that journey across four generations in a riveting new family memoir The Kings of Big Spring: God, Oil, and One Family's Search for the American Dream. The book comes highly recommended by our own Valerie Koehler (and by bestselling authors like Bryan Burrough, who describes it as "a Texas version of Hillbilly Elegy"). We think it's going to be a 20th-century classic.

Bryan Mealer is joining us in the store for a discussion and signing on Tuesday, February 13.

Oliver Loving, the new novel from Texas-born author Stefan Merrill Block, follows the aftermath of a school shooting in a small West Texas town. It's a book that will break your heart in a thousand small ways—it's one of our favorites of the winter, as well as one of the most timely. For Block, who grew up in Plano during the heroin epidemic of the 1990s, it is also a deeply personal examination of the lingering effects that tragedy can cast over a community. Rather than focus on the immediate reaction—the flurry of news coverage, the investigations, the politics—Oliver Loving spools out over the long (and often unbearable) aftermath of unspeakable sadness. Through it all, Block deftly mixes love, family, humor, and grief to create a book that is at once tragic and hopeful—and altogether mesmerizing. 

We were thrilled to catch up with Mr. Block before his event with us on February 1 for an insightful Q&A. (We also encourage you to read his engrossing interviews in both Texas Monthly and the LA Times after you're through with ours.) Get used to hearing about this book—it's a perfect selection for any book club.

It's tough to escape stereotypes. You get handed a romance novel, and you probably expect steamy scenes with a lot of tartan torn to shreds. At the very least, you think you can count on a pirate or two, or the hero getting called a "rake." That was before Jasmine Guillory, a Stanford-Law-grad-romance-novelist who's responsible for The Wedding Date, one of the most highly-anticipated books of the year. 

There's always a little magic in books by Obert Skye. Whether he's revealing the mysteries of the world of Foo or introducing us to another marvelous mashup in his hilarious Creature in a Closet series, we can count on Skye to reveal the power of imagination.

Skye's latest middle grade book, Geeked Out, starts a new post-apocalyptic spoof series that touches on tough topics like bullying while maintaining Skye's trademark cheek and humor. The book's out February 6, and Mr. Skye himself will visit the store on Saturday, February 10 to celebrate its release. Go ahead and pre-order your copy now—then read our Q&A with the author below!

To read a book by Marie Lu is to enter a world that is rich, thrilling, and full of memorable characters. Now, Lu is tackling one of the most memorable characters in popular culture: Bruce Wayne. Maybe you've heard of Batman, his alter-ego?

How can you not love Greg Pizzoli? The prolific author/illustrator is responsible for a handful of our favorite picture books from recent years, including Templeton Gets His Wish, The Watermelon Seed, and The Quest for Z. On top of that, he's an all-around sweetheart who knows how to put on an excellent school visit. Our kind of guy, in other words.

Greg's joining us here in Houston for a couple of school visits this month, and we're working hard to book an in-store appearance sometime next year. In the meantime, tide yourself over by reading his insightful Q&A below. We asked about what he has on the horizon, all those little goodies hidden in his books, what it was like to illustrate a manuscript by Margaret Wise Brown, and more.