Thank you for subscribing to the B&amp;N YA Podcast! This is a special message to let you know, soon we'll be merging our YA podcast with our main B&amp;N Podcast. We've got so many YA writers joining us in the studio and we cant wait to share these conversations with all of our listeners! Here's more good news: If you've already subscribed to the B&amp;N YA Podcast, you won't have to change a thing. You'll start seeing B&amp;N Podcast episodes in your feed and those will include our episodes featuring YA and Adult writers. ☺️ We hope you'll enjoy hearing the full range of wonderful authors joining us on the B&amp;N Podcast.  From all of us at Barnes &amp; Noble, thanks for listening!

Thank you for subscribing to the B&amp;N YA Podcast! This is a special message to let you know, soon we'll be merging our YA podcast with our main B&amp;N Podcast. We've got so many YA writers joining us in the studio and we cant wait to share these conversations with all of our listeners! Here's more good news: If you've already subscribed to the B&amp;N YA Podcast, you won't have to change a thing. You'll start seeing B&amp;N Podcast episodes in your feed and those will include our episodes featuring YA and Adult writers. ☺️ We hope you'll enjoy hearing the full range of wonderful authors joining us on the B&amp;N Podcast.  From all of us at Barnes &amp; Noble, thanks for listening!

A Special Message from the B&N YA Podcast

Abigail Hing Wen

Our guest today is the novelist Abigail Hing Wen, who joins us to talk about her new YA novel  Loveboat, Taipei, a coming-of-age story about taking risks, finding your voice, and discovering yourself in places you never would have predicted. Ever's Chinese-American parents have planned every aspect of her future: but one summer in Taiwan -- a trip they've sprung on their daughter as a not-very-welcome surprise might change everything. The result is an absolutely sparkling story that's based in part on the author's own young experience and a program that's still going on today, and it's B&amp;N's latest YA Book Club selection. Abigail Hing Wen sat down with Bill Tipper in the B&amp;N studio to talk about the real summer-in-Taiwan experience that was the genesis for the story of Loveboat, Taipei. A note to listeners:  After this episode we're integrating our YA guests into our main B&amp;N Podcast.  Go to this page to get links to subscribe to the B&amp;N Podcast on your favorite podcast platform, or search for "B&amp;N Podcast" wherever you listen!

Our guest today is the novelist Abigail Hing Wen, who joins us to talk about her new YA novel <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loveboat-taipei-abigail-hing-wen/1132291813?ean=9780063007970#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Loveboat, Taipei</a>, a coming-of-age story about taking risks, finding your voice, and discovering yourself in places you never would have predicted. Ever's Chinese-American parents have planned every aspect of her future: but one summer in Taiwan -- a trip they've sprung on their daughter as a not-very-welcome surprise might change everything. The result is an absolutely sparkling story that's based in part on the author's own young experience and a program that's still going on today, and it's B&amp;N's latest YA Book Club selection. Abigail Hing Wen sat down with Bill Tipper in the B&amp;N studio to talk about the real summer-in-Taiwan experience that was the genesis for the story of Loveboat, Taipei. A note to listeners:  After this episode we're integrating our YA guests into our main <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/review/category/bnpodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">B&amp;N Podcast</a>.  Go to <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/review/abigail-hing-wen-podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this page</a> to get links to subscribe to the B&amp;N Podcast on your favorite podcast platform, or search for "B&amp;N Podcast" wherever you listen!

Ryan LaSala

On today's episode we're joined by Ryan LaSala, for a conversation about his bewitching debut novel  Reverie. It's a story that begins as a mystery -- a high school student named Kane Montgomery is recovering from a terrible auto accident that left him nearly dead, and has robbed him of a large part of his memory. When Kane tries to solve the puzzle of what happened that night -- and why people he barely knows seem to treat him as an old friend -- what he discovers will turn his world upside down and inside out. Ryan LaSala has written a gripping YA fantasy in which dreams and reality trade places, and discovering the truth about yourself can have world-shattering consequences. Reverie is our B&amp;N YA Book Club pick for January 2020, and we were thrilled to have him join Bill Tipper in the podcast studio to talk about the unusual path to this uniquely spellbinding read.

On today's episode we're joined by Ryan LaSala, for a conversation about his bewitching debut novel <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reverie-ryan-la-sala/1131044092?ean=9781728221014#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Reverie</a>. It's a story that begins as a mystery -- a high school student named Kane Montgomery is recovering from a terrible auto accident that left him nearly dead, and has robbed him of a large part of his memory. When Kane tries to solve the puzzle of what happened that night -- and why people he barely knows seem to treat him as an old friend -- what he discovers will turn his world upside down and inside out. Ryan LaSala has written a gripping YA fantasy in which dreams and reality trade places, and discovering the truth about yourself can have world-shattering consequences. Reverie is our B&amp;N YA Book Club pick for January 2020, and we were thrilled to have him join Bill Tipper in the podcast studio to talk about the unusual path to this uniquely spellbinding read.

TOMI ADEYEMI

Melissa Albert

Hi YA Podcast listeners. If you're a regular listener you know that one of our most exciting episodes ever was Melissa Albert's interview last December with the groundbreaking fantasy author Tomi Adeyemi, when the writer joined us for a deep dive into her critically acclaimed and hugely bestselling Children of Blood and Bone, the first volume in her West African–inspired series about an oppressed magical class and the girl who fights to reclaim their power. Huge world- building, electric storytelling and indelible characters combined to make that book an instant classic, and now Adeyemi has returned with the second volume in the series, Children of Virtue and Vengeance. To celebrate we're bring back Tomi Adeyemi's visit to our studio, and her conversation with Melissa Albert about the origin of the series, writing love letters to Harry Potter, and overcoming the reluctance to love your own work. 

Hi YA Podcast listeners. If you're a regular listener you know that one of our most exciting episodes ever was Melissa Albert's interview last December with the groundbreaking fantasy author Tomi Adeyemi, when the writer joined us for a deep dive into her critically acclaimed and hugely bestselling Children of Blood and Bone, the first volume in her West African–inspired series about an oppressed magical class and the girl who fights to reclaim their power. Huge world- building, electric storytelling and indelible characters combined to make that book an instant classic, and now Adeyemi has returned with the second volume in the series, Children of Virtue and Vengeance. To celebrate we're bring back Tomi Adeyemi's visit to our studio, and her conversation with Melissa Albert about the origin of the series, writing love letters to Harry Potter, and overcoming the reluctance to love your own work.

Tomi Adeyemi with Melissa Albert

Brandon Sanderson

On today's episode science fiction and fantasy titan Brandon Sanderson joins us to talk about his brand new YA novel  Starsight, the sequel to 2018's New York Times bestseller Skyward. Sanderson has made his name with fans all over the world through epic fantasy like the Mistborn series and the Stormlight Archive, as well as the bestselling Reckoners trilogy for young adults. With Skyward, Sanderson says he set out to take a classic fantasy pairing -- think a girl and her dragon -- but gave it a sci-fi twist, matching the hotshot young pilot Sensa -- a girl with a mysterious past and some unique talents -- with an ancient spacecraft powered by a wisecracking artificial intelligence called M-Bot. Skyward was, simply put, a blast, and with its sequel Starsight, the author takes Sensa, M-Bot and her friends into a universe vastly larger -- and more dangerous --than the one she's known. Brandon Sanderson joined B&amp;N's Bill Tipper just before Starsight hit bookshelves for a spoiler-free chat about his new novel, how a boy who didn't like books became such a prolific writer, and what he's learned from his students.

On today's episode science fiction and fantasy titan Brandon Sanderson joins us to talk about his brand new YA novel <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/starsight-brandon-sanderson/1130496129?ean=9780399555817#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Starsight</a>, the sequel to 2018's New York Times bestseller Skyward. Sanderson has made his name with fans all over the world through epic fantasy like the Mistborn series and the Stormlight Archive, as well as the bestselling Reckoners trilogy for young adults. With Skyward, Sanderson says he set out to take a classic fantasy pairing -- think a girl and her dragon -- but gave it a sci-fi twist, matching the hotshot young pilot Sensa -- a girl with a mysterious past and some unique talents -- with an ancient spacecraft powered by a wisecracking artificial intelligence called M-Bot. Skyward was, simply put, a blast, and with its sequel Starsight, the author takes Sensa, M-Bot and her friends into a universe vastly larger -- and more dangerous --than the one she's known. Brandon Sanderson joined B&amp;N's Bill Tipper just before Starsight hit bookshelves for a spoiler-free chat about his new novel, how a boy who didn't like books became such a prolific writer, and what he's learned from his students.

Marie Lu

On today's episode we're thrilled to have bestselling author Marie Lu joining us to talk about creating one of the most powerful and popular YA series of the decade, the page-turning dystopian saga that began with 2011's Legend. Her latest novel,  Rebel, returns readers to the world of the authoritarian future state known as the Republic, with her focus moving to Eden Wing -- the younger brother who the heroic Daniel Wing has tried so hard to protect. Our frequent YA Podcast host Melissa Albert -- author of The Hazel Wood -- chatted with Marie Lu by phone about writing complex characters, incorporating disturbing social trends into her imagined world, and her forthcoming work of fantasy The Kingdom of Back. Plus, the author reveals the the plucky video game character who was her first inspiration as a writer.

On today's episode we're thrilled to have bestselling author Marie Lu joining us to talk about creating one of the most powerful and popular YA series of the decade, the page-turning dystopian saga that began with 2011's Legend. Her latest novel, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rebel-marie-lu/1130501817?ean=9781250221704#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Rebel</a>, returns readers to the world of the authoritarian future state known as the Republic, with her focus moving to Eden Wing -- the younger brother who the heroic Daniel Wing has tried so hard to protect. Our frequent YA Podcast host Melissa Albert -- author of The Hazel Wood -- chatted with Marie Lu by phone about writing complex characters, incorporating disturbing social trends into her imagined world, and her forthcoming work of fantasy The Kingdom of Back. Plus, the author reveals the the plucky video game character who was her first inspiration as a writer.

Our guest for today's episode is Akwaeke Emezi, the author of the new YA novel  Pet, which is a finalist for this year's National Book Award for Young People's Literature.  Emezi burst onto the literary scene with their novel Freshwater, a powerful story of a young woman inhabited by multiple spirits, and her journey to understanding her many-sided self.  Now, writing for Christopher Myers's Make Me a World YA imprint, Akwaeke brings us the story of Jam, a teenager living in the city of Lucille, a community that prides itself on having been through a revolutionary change — one that eliminated what are known as monsters — those who abused, imprisoned, or did violence to others; where a black trans girl like Jam lives in a happy community with her loving parents Bitter and Aloe.  But when Jam accidentally invokes the magic that lies dormant in her mother's powerful artwork, a strange being emerges, one that calls itself Pet.  Pet is a hunter and it has come, it tells Jam, because there are still monsters in Lucille.  I talked with Akwaeke Emezi about this ingenious and spellbinding tale, and their lifetime of making worlds out of story.

Our guest for today's episode is Akwaeke Emezi, the author of the new YA novel <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pet-akwaeke-emezi/1130068940?ean=9780525647072#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Pet</a>, which is a finalist for this year's National Book Award for Young People's Literature.  Emezi burst onto the literary scene with their novel Freshwater, a powerful story of a young woman inhabited by multiple spirits, and her journey to understanding her many-sided self.  Now, writing for Christopher Myers's Make Me a World YA imprint, Akwaeke brings us the story of Jam, a teenager living in the city of Lucille, a community that prides itself on having been through a revolutionary change — one that eliminated what are known as monsters — those who abused, imprisoned, or did violence to others; where a black trans girl like Jam lives in a happy community with her loving parents Bitter and Aloe.  But when Jam accidentally invokes the magic that lies dormant in her mother's powerful artwork, a strange being emerges, one that calls itself Pet.  Pet is a hunter and it has come, it tells Jam, because there are still monsters in Lucille.  I talked with Akwaeke Emezi about this ingenious and spellbinding tale, and their lifetime of making worlds out of story.

Akwaeke Emezi

Neal Shusterman

What would happen if the future were made perfect?  That was the question National Book Award-winning author Neal Shusterman posed in  2016's YA blockbuster  Scythe, a story set in a world without hunger, poverty, disease or war, in which human life is only ended by specially trained figures known as Scythes.  But perfection turns out to have its own problems, and the Arc of the Scythe trilogy follows young characters caught up in the question of the price we might pay for having everything we want.  The stakes got higher in 2018's  Thunderhead --and now the saga concludes with the breathtaking and ambitious final volume  The Toll.  Scythe is B&amp;N's YA Book Club selection for December, Neal Shusterman joined Melissa Albert to talk about this provocative epic, and the challenges of concluding the trilogy.

What would happen if the future were made perfect?  That was the question National Book Award-winning author Neal Shusterman posed in  2016's YA blockbuster <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scythe-neal-shusterman/1113794690?ean=9781534467491#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Scythe</a>, a story set in a world without hunger, poverty, disease or war, in which human life is only ended by specially trained figures known as Scythes.  But perfection turns out to have its own problems, and the Arc of the Scythe trilogy follows young characters caught up in the question of the price we might pay for having everything we want.  The stakes got higher in 2018's <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-toll-neal-shusterman/1130507661?ean=9781534463684#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Thunderhead</a> --and now the saga concludes with the breathtaking and ambitious final volume <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-toll-neal-shusterman/1130507661?ean=9781534463684#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Toll</a>.  Scythe is B&amp;N's YA Book Club selection for December, Neal Shusterman joined Melissa Albert to talk about this provocative epic, and the challenges of concluding the trilogy.

Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie Stiefvater is the keeper of a host of odd obsessions, threading her bestselling fantasy novels with vicious water horses, sleeping Welsh royalty, ley lines, and liminal spaces. She’s the author of books including the Raven Cycle, which continues this fall with the first installment of the Dreamer trilogy,  Call Down the Hawk. In it she’ll further explore the Lynch brothers and the dark gift of dreaming, taking objects from your unconscious life into your waking one. I talked to Stiefvater about her early ambitions, books that feel like a fever dream, and why Call Down the Hawk is THE book for her.

Maggie Stiefvater is the keeper of a host of odd obsessions, threading her bestselling fantasy novels with vicious water horses, sleeping Welsh royalty, ley lines, and liminal spaces. She’s the author of books including the Raven Cycle, which continues this fall with the first installment of the Dreamer trilogy, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/call-down-the-hawk-maggie-stiefvater/1130707211?ean=9781338188325#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Call Down the Hawk</a>. In it she’ll further explore the Lynch brothers and the dark gift of dreaming, taking objects from your unconscious life into your waking one. I talked to Stiefvater about her early ambitions, books that feel like a fever dream, and why Call Down the Hawk is THE book for her.

Holly Black

A  Halloween treat for readers -- we return to our wide ranging interview with the queen of shadowy fantasy, Holly Black! Black's books  straddle the real world and the realm of the fey, or reimagine reality to include magical mobsters, walled vampire cities, and haunted toys. In The Wicked King, sequel to last year’s The Cruel Prince, human girl Jude, raised in Faerie by her parents’ murderer, has seized control of the fey courts through puppet king Cardan. But, says Black, while book one was about what Jude would do to seize power, book two is about what she’ll do to keep it. We talked to the author about pleasure reads, how she writes, and why we’re more likely to forgive villainy if it’s on an epic scale.

A  Halloween treat for readers -- we return to our wide ranging interview with the queen of shadowy fantasy, Holly Black! Black's books  straddle the real world and the realm of the fey, or reimagine reality to include magical mobsters, walled vampire cities, and haunted toys. In <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wicked-king-holly-black/1128113143?ean=9780316310352#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Wicked King</a>, sequel to last year’s <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cruel-prince-holly-black/1126185761?ean=9780316310314#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Cruel Prince</a>, human girl Jude, raised in Faerie by her parents’ murderer, has seized control of the fey courts through puppet king Cardan. But, says Black, while book one was about what Jude would do to seize power, book two is about what she’ll do to keep it. We talked to the author about pleasure reads, how she writes, and why we’re more likely to forgive villainy if it’s on an epic scale.

Explore the stories behind the young adult books you love with the B&amp;N YA Podcast. Join host Melissa Albert, editor of the B&amp;N Teen Blog and bestselling author of The Hazel Wood, as she sits down with fellow YA authors to talk about books, life, their teen years, their pop cultural obsessions, and how they came up with the stories that keep us up at night. Subscribe to listen in on fascinating new conversations every other week.

Believe it or not I’m not a huge fan of audiobooks. I listen to them occasionally but I don’t have the concentration span for it. Personal thing. 

However! I love listening to book related podcasts. I guess it’s because it feels more familiar and more like a conversation as well. 

I’ve been a BN member since forever. Even if I don’t get the membership every year. That store is my safe haven. So when I found out they have multiple podcasts and they have one that was dedicated to YA (they’ve since merged with their regular podcast) I was stoked. 

When I lived in NY I met a lot of YA authors so this is just a fun walk down memory lane.

Love it!

I love Melissa&#39;s interview style, and she gets some of the best writers in the game to chat in depth about their work. A joy to listen to and very inspiring!

Wonderful reviews with great writers!

The B&N YA Podcast

Leigh Bardugo

Leigh Bardugo is the keeper of the Grishaverse, a sprawling fantasy landscape that includes the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, gorgeous fairy tale collection The Language of Thorns, and now King of Scars, the opening title of a duology about Nikolai, the charming, haunted Ravkan king. On the eve of its publication we talked to Bardugo about her path to publication, finding solace in books, what it means to write a zero draft, and the upcoming Netflix adaptation. 

Leigh Bardugo is the keeper of the Grishaverse, a sprawling fantasy landscape that includes the <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadow-and-bone-leigh-bardugo/1105622727?ean=9781250027436#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shadow and Bone</a> trilogy, the <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/six-of-crows-leigh-bardugo/1120964159?ean=9781250076960#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Six of Crows</a> duology, gorgeous fairy tale collection <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-language-of-thorns-leigh-bardugo/1125581882?ean=9781250122520#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Language of Thorns</a>, and now <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/king-of-scars-leigh-bardugo/1128477695?ean=9781250142283#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">King of Scars</a>, the opening title of a duology about Nikolai, the charming, haunted Ravkan king. On the eve of its publication we talked to Bardugo about her path to publication, finding solace in books, what it means to write a zero draft, and the upcoming Netflix adaptation.

Rainbow Rowell

Rainbow Rowell is a literary chameleon. From a devastating teen love story to a magical realistic marital romance to her latest project, reviving Brian K. Vaughan's Runaways comics, she moves among genres, setting, and style, never writing the same book twice.  But what books from Eleanor &amp; Park to Carry On share is imperfect, deeply real characters who leap off the page, whether they're high school students, dissatisfied office employees, or wizards in training; dialogue that crackles with humor and life; and funny, true moments that give you the feeling that Rowell is right on the other side of the pages, your funniest, most brilliant friend telling you a story.  In this episode of the podcast, Rainbow Rowell joins us from her hometown of Omaha for a wide-ranging conversation about comics, fan fiction, growing up in the pre-Internet world and the path from reader to creator.

Rainbow Rowell is a literary chameleon. From a devastating teen love story to a magical realistic marital romance to her latest project, reviving Brian K. Vaughan's <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/runaways-by-rainbow-rowell-vol-1-rainbow-rowell/1127548088?ean=9781302913878#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Runaways</a> comics, she moves among genres, setting, and style, never writing the same book twice.  But what books from Eleanor &amp; Park to Carry On share is imperfect, deeply real characters who leap off the page, whether they're high school students, dissatisfied office employees, or wizards in training; dialogue that crackles with humor and life; and funny, true moments that give you the feeling that Rowell is right on the other side of the pages, your funniest, most brilliant friend telling you a story.  In this episode of the podcast, Rainbow Rowell joins us from her hometown of Omaha for a wide-ranging conversation about comics, fan fiction, growing up in the pre-Internet world and the path from reader to creator.

Christine Riccio

Every week, Christine Riccio tells hundreds of thousands of people what to read next on her booktube channel PolandBananasBooks—and now, she's promoting her own bestselling debut novel. Again, But Better tells a story of study abroad, second chances, and decisions that change your life with a magical twist, and it's Barnes &amp; Noble's very first pick for the newly launched YA Book Club. We talked to Riccio about her fandoms, debut noveling, and being a book crusader.

Every week, Christine Riccio tells hundreds of thousands of people what to read next on her booktube channel PolandBananasBooks—and now, she's promoting her own bestselling debut novel. <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/again-but-better-christine-riccio/1129285376?ean=9781250299253" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Again, But Better</a> tells a story of study abroad, second chances, and decisions that change your life with a magical twist, and it's Barnes &amp; Noble's very first pick for the newly launched YA Book Club. We talked to Riccio about her fandoms, debut noveling, and being a book crusader.

We are resharing one of our favorite conversations that we originally posted earlier this year, in case you missed it! Leigh Bardugo is the keeper of the Grishaverse, a sprawling fantasy landscape that includes the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, gorgeous fairy tale collection The Language of Thorns, and now King of Scars, the opening title of a duology about Nikolai, the charming, haunted Ravkan king. On the eve of its publication we talked to Bardugo about her path to publication, finding solace in books, what it means to write a zero draft, and the upcoming Netflix adaptation. 

We are resharing one of our favorite conversations that we originally posted earlier this year, in case you missed it! Leigh Bardugo is the keeper of the Grishaverse, a sprawling fantasy landscape that includes the <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadow-and-bone-leigh-bardugo/1105622727?ean=9781250027436#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shadow and Bone</a> trilogy, the <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/six-of-crows-leigh-bardugo/1120964159?ean=9781250076960#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Six of Crows</a> duology, gorgeous fairy tale collection <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-language-of-thorns-leigh-bardugo/1125581882?ean=9781250122520#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Language of Thorns</a>, and now <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/king-of-scars-leigh-bardugo/1128477695?ean=9781250142283#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">King of Scars</a>, the opening title of a duology about Nikolai, the charming, haunted Ravkan king. On the eve of its publication we talked to Bardugo about her path to publication, finding solace in books, what it means to write a zero draft, and the upcoming Netflix adaptation.

Leigh Bardugo — Revisited

Renée Ahdieh

Sabaa Tahir

Renée Ahdieh and Sabaa Tahir have been shaping the landscape of YA fantasy since the release of their debut novels in 2015. Ahdieh’s  The Wrath and the Dawn folded elements of the Thousand and One Nights and Beauty and the Beast into a lush, sensuous love story, about a girl who’s more than she seems telling stories to her husband, a murderous caliph, to stay alive. Tahir’s  An Ember in the Ashes kicked off a bloody, addictive fantasy epic set against the brutal backdrop of the Martial Empire, built on the backs of the oppressed Scholar people. Their work explores, among other things, magic dark and light, fascinating villains, oppression and colonialism, and moral rot. Recently Tahir released A Reaper at the Gates, the third book in the Ember quartet, and Ahdieh released Smoke in the Sun, her fourth book and the second in her Flame in the Mist duology, set in a magic-infused version of Feudal Japan. We spoke to them about their books, their teen years, and the fast friendship that started with a two-hour phone call and has been going strong ever since.

Renée Ahdieh and Sabaa Tahir have been shaping the landscape of YA fantasy since the release of their debut novels in 2015. Ahdieh’s <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wrath-and-the-dawn-renee-ahdieh/1120422062?ean=9780147513854" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Wrath and the Dawn</a> folded elements of the Thousand and One Nights and Beauty and the Beast into a lush, sensuous love story, about a girl who’s more than she seems telling stories to her husband, a murderous caliph, to stay alive. Tahir’s <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-ember-in-the-ashes-sabaa-tahir/1119671406?ean=9781595148049" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> An Ember in the Ashes</a> kicked off a bloody, addictive fantasy epic set against the brutal backdrop of the Martial Empire, built on the backs of the oppressed Scholar people. Their work explores, among other things, magic dark and light, fascinating villains, oppression and colonialism, and moral rot. Recently Tahir released <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-reaper-at-the-gates-sabaa-tahir/1126974272?ean=9780448494500#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Reaper at the Gates</a>, the third book in the Ember quartet, and Ahdieh released <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/smoke-in-the-sun-ren-e-ahdieh/1126941624?ean=9781524738143#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Smoke in the Sun</a>, her fourth book and the second in her Flame in the Mist duology, set in a magic-infused version of Feudal Japan. We spoke to them about their books, their teen years, and the fast friendship that started with a two-hour phone call and has been going strong ever since.

Sabaa Tahir and Renée Ahdieh

Rick Riordan

On today's episode, we're joined by the writer Rick Riordan, known by thousands of readers around the globe for his blockbuster series including Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the Kane Chronicles and Magnus Chase. Riordan takes his fans on thrill rides through fantasy worlds that draw up on Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Norse mythos, mixing anachronistic humor and page-turning thrills to make figures from Poseidon to Loki come alive as friends or foes — and in the process he's left an enduring stamp on fantasy and adventure for young adults. In his latest series The Trials of Apollo, he's taken a fresh twist, following the travails of a god trapped in a human body. Riordan dropped by our studio to talk with Melissa Albert, bestselling author of The Hazel Wood and our regular YA podcast host. We were especially excited not only to talk about his new book  The Tyrant's Tomb, but also to hear about his groundbreaking new imprint Rick Riordan presents, which has tapped up-and-coming writers from diverse backgrounds to tell stories from myth traditions around the world. 

On today's episode, we're joined by the writer Rick Riordan, known by thousands of readers around the globe for his blockbuster series including Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the Kane Chronicles and Magnus Chase. Riordan takes his fans on thrill rides through fantasy worlds that draw up on Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Norse mythos, mixing anachronistic humor and page-turning thrills to make figures from Poseidon to Loki come alive as friends or foes — and in the process he's left an enduring stamp on fantasy and adventure for young adults. In his latest series The Trials of Apollo, he's taken a fresh twist, following the travails of a god trapped in a human body. Riordan dropped by our studio to talk with Melissa Albert, bestselling author of The Hazel Wood and our regular YA podcast host. We were especially excited not only to talk about his new book <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-tyrants-tomb-rick-riordan/1129969087?ean=9781484746448#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Tyrant's Tomb</a>, but also to hear about his groundbreaking new imprint Rick Riordan presents, which has tapped up-and-coming writers from diverse backgrounds to tell stories from myth traditions around the world.

Christopher Paolini

Christopher Paolini has been writing about the wide world of Eragon since he was a teen, drawing from classic fantasy influences including Tolkien, Pullman, McCaffrey, and LeGuin. Since 2002 he has released four novels in the bestselling Inheritance Cycle, focusing on the dragon-filled land of Alagaesia, and now he’s introducing The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm, a triad of short stories that kicks off his new Tales of Alagaesia series. We talked to Paolini about his early reading life, his writing habits, and the books all fantasy writers should read.

Christopher Paolini has been writing about the wide world of <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eragon-christopher-paolini/1100292381?ean=9780375978579#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eragon</a> since he was a teen, drawing from classic fantasy influences including Tolkien, Pullman, McCaffrey, and LeGuin. Since 2002 he has released four novels in the bestselling Inheritance Cycle, focusing on the dragon-filled land of Alagaesia, and now he’s introducing <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fork-the-witch-and-the-worm-christopher-paolini/1129716639?ean=9781984894861#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm</a>, a triad of short stories that kicks off his new Tales of Alagaesia series. We talked to Paolini about his early reading life, his writing habits, and the books all fantasy writers should read.

Stephanie Garber

Stephanie Garber’s debut novel Caraval is a jewel box of a book, filled with unearthly delights. With its magical dresses, life-or-death riddles, and glittering carnival backdrop, it became one of 2017’s best loved fantasies. Now, Garber has returned with sequel  Legendary, in which the magic is darker, the stakes higher, and the game of Caraval is played out across a far grander canvas. Garber is an author who’s funny and frank about her journey to publication and the battles she fights as a full-time author creating immersive worlds. We sat down with her to discuss worldbuilding, why she became a reader later than you’d think, and taking the wrong fictional roads so you can find the right ones.

Stephanie Garber’s debut novel Caraval is a jewel box of a book, filled with unearthly delights. With its magical dresses, life-or-death riddles, and glittering carnival backdrop, it became one of 2017’s best loved fantasies. Now, Garber has returned with sequel <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/legendary-stephanie-garber/1127173960?ean=9781250301277" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Legendary</a>, in which the magic is darker, the stakes higher, and the game of Caraval is played out across a far grander canvas. Garber is an author who’s funny and frank about her journey to publication and the battles she fights as a full-time author creating immersive worlds. We sat down with her to discuss worldbuilding, why she became a reader later than you’d think, and taking the wrong fictional roads so you can find the right ones.

SARAH DESSEN

Sarah Dessen is a YA queen, the beloved author of over a dozen contemporary YA novels exploring themes of loss, first love, assault, family ties, and all the confusing, heartbreaking, thrilling moments when things change forever for her young protagonists. Her new book, The Rest of the Story, centers on a lakefront town divided between the working-class families who live there year round, and the wealthy families who just summer there, and the girl whose fraught family history straddles both. We talked to Dessen about her teen years, her long career, and how the YA landscape has changed since her debut.

Sarah Dessen is a YA queen, the beloved author of over a dozen contemporary YA novels exploring themes of loss, first love, assault, family ties, and all the confusing, heartbreaking, thrilling moments when things change forever for her young protagonists. Her new book, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rest-of-the-story-sarah-dessen/1129854127?ean=9780062933621#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Rest of the Story</a>, centers on a lakefront town divided between the working-class families who live there year round, and the wealthy families who just summer there, and the girl whose fraught family history straddles both. We talked to Dessen about her teen years, her long career, and how the YA landscape has changed since her debut.

Sarah Dessen

Laini Taylor

In her beloved Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, a portal fantasy spanning Earth and the angel- and chimaera-populated land of Eretz, Laini Taylor cemented her reputation as a creator of rich, expansive worlds, author of impossible love stories, and spinner of narrative spells. In her new Strange the Dreamer duology, she introduces an unlikely hero: Lazlo Strange, an orphan-turned-librarian whose obsession with the lost city of Weep leads him, finally, to its borders. The duology closed in October with  Muse of Nightmares, a book that is glitteringly magic, achingly romantic, and stuffed with gorgeous prose. We talked with Taylor about her process, her perfectionism, and her fictional obsessions.

In her beloved <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-daughter-of-smoke-bone-trilogy-paperback-gift-set-laini-taylor/1121335301?ean=9780316306423" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy</a>, a portal fantasy spanning Earth and the angel- and chimaera-populated land of Eretz, Laini Taylor cemented her reputation as a creator of rich, expansive worlds, author of impossible love stories, and spinner of narrative spells. In her new <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/strange-the-dreamer-laini-taylor/1123199429?ean=9780316341684" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Strange the Dreamer</a> duology, she introduces an unlikely hero: Lazlo Strange, an orphan-turned-librarian whose obsession with the lost city of Weep leads him, finally, to its borders. The duology closed in October with <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/muse-of-nightmares-laini-taylor/1127922441?ean=9780316341714#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Muse of Nightmares</a>, a book that is glitteringly magic, achingly romantic, and stuffed with gorgeous prose. We talked with Taylor about her process, her perfectionism, and her fictional obsessions.

Cassandra Clare

On December 4 Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices trilogy will end with  Queen of Air and Darkness, picking up just after the devastating, game-changing events that closed last year’s  Lord of Shadows. We talked to Clare about the new book, the Shadowhunters world, and why she loves morally gray heroes.

On December 4 Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices trilogy will end with <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/queen-of-air-and-darkness-cassandra-clare/1113794674?ean=9781442468436#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Queen of Air and Darkness</a>, picking up just after the devastating, game-changing events that closed last year’s <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lord-of-shadows-cassandra-clare/1123863196?ean=9781442468405#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Lord of Shadows</a>. We talked to Clare about the new book, the Shadowhunters world, and why she loves morally gray heroes.

Cassandra Clare on Queen of Air and Darkness

Chris Colfer

Chris Colfer has been a YA writer, middle grade writer, screenwriter, actor in movies including  Struck by Lighting, based on a book he wrote, and Kurt Hummel on Glee. Soon he’s adding director to the list, with the film adaptation of his bestselling Land of Stories series, set in a fairytale land and inspired by a story he started writing when he was seven years old. Colfer is busy, but he sat down with us to talk about fairy tales, his writing process, and his new book,  The Land of Stories: The Ultimate Book Hugger’s Guide.

Chris Colfer has been a YA writer, middle grade writer, screenwriter, actor in movies including <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/struck-by-lightning-chris-colfer/1112434737?ean=9780316232937#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Struck by Lighting</a>, based on a book he wrote, and Kurt Hummel on Glee. Soon he’s adding director to the list, with the film adaptation of his bestselling Land of Stories series, set in a fairytale land and inspired by a story he started writing when he was seven years old. Colfer is busy, but he sat down with us to talk about fairy tales, his writing process, and his new book, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-land-of-stories-chris-colfer/1127922376?ean=9780316523301#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Land of Stories: The Ultimate Book Hugger’s Guide</a>.

On today's episode we've got a conversation we've been waiting for since... well, since we heard that author Rainbow Rowell was going to give readers a sequel to her captivating contemporary fantasy Carry On. In Carry On, we meet Simon Snow, the most unlikely Chosen One ever, in his last year at the Watford School of Magicks and having a distinctly un-magical time. But Rowell steers her creation through it via adventure, laugh out loud humor, a wonderfully inventive magical system, and an extremely appealing vampire named Baz. Her fans did everything short of their own magical rituals in the hope that Simon and Baz's story would continue, and now the award winning author of Eleanor and Park and Fangirl has brought this couple back in  Wayward Son — and this time she's brought them to America. B&amp;N YA Podcast host Melissa Albert called up Rainbow Rowell on the phone just before Wayward Son hit bookshelves, for a talk about fantasy and fandom, Baz's unique charms, and the special magic of a road trip.

On today's episode we've got a conversation we've been waiting for since... well, since we heard that author Rainbow Rowell was going to give readers a sequel to her captivating contemporary fantasy Carry On. In Carry On, we meet Simon Snow, the most unlikely Chosen One ever, in his last year at the Watford School of Magicks and having a distinctly un-magical time. But Rowell steers her creation through it via adventure, laugh out loud humor, a wonderfully inventive magical system, and an extremely appealing vampire named Baz. Her fans did everything short of their own magical rituals in the hope that Simon and Baz's story would continue, and now the award winning author of Eleanor and Park and Fangirl has brought this couple back in <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wayward-son-rainbow-rowell/1130565639?ean=9781250146076#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Wayward Son</a> — and this time she's brought them to America. B&amp;N YA Podcast host Melissa Albert called up Rainbow Rowell on the phone just before Wayward Son hit bookshelves, for a talk about fantasy and fandom, Baz's unique charms, and the special magic of a road trip.

Rainbow Rowell — Wayward Son

Rory Power’s debut novel,  Wilder Girls, is a dark, razor-sharp thriller set in an island boarding school beset by a gruesome plague. With elements of body horror, slow-burn love story, and dystopian, it’s the August pick for the B&amp;N YA Book Club. Melissa Albert talked to Power about messy emotions, inventing a plague, and what led up to writing her first book.

Rory Power’s debut novel, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wilder-girls-rory-power/1129747528?ean=9780525645580" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Wilder Girls</a>, is a dark, razor-sharp thriller set in an island boarding school beset by a gruesome plague. With elements of body horror, slow-burn love story, and dystopian, it’s the August pick for the B&amp;N YA Book Club. Melissa Albert talked to Power about messy emotions, inventing a plague, and what led up to writing her first book.

Rory Power

Margaret Rogerson

Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone is the biggest YA fantasy of the year, a politically relevant West African – inspired series starter about an oppressed magical class and the maji girl who fights to reclaim their power. It spent most of the year atop the bestseller list, is currently in development for film, and will be getting a hotly awaited sequel, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, next year. I talked to Tomi about the spark that became her debut, writing love letters to Harry Potter, and overcoming the reluctance to love your own work.

Tomi Adeyemi’s <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/children-of-blood-and-bone-tomi-adeyemi/1126559534?ean=9781250170972#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Children of Blood and Bone</a> is the biggest YA fantasy of the year, a politically relevant West African – inspired series starter about an oppressed magical class and the maji girl who fights to reclaim their power. It spent most of the year atop the bestseller list, is currently in development for film, and will be getting a hotly awaited sequel, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/children-of-virtue-and-vengeance-tomi-adeyemi/1128329756?ean=9781250170996#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Children of Virtue and Vengeance</a>, next year. I talked to Tomi about the spark that became her debut, writing love letters to Harry Potter, and overcoming the reluctance to love your own work.

Tomi Adeyemi

Dhonielle Clayton

On today's podcast, Dhonielle Clayton drops into the studio to talk about her new novel  The Everlasting Rose, the exciting sequel to her New York Times bestseller The Belles.  Joining her to talk about everything to do with the exciting world of Orleans is YA writer, editor, and B&amp;N Teen regular contributor Sona Charipotra.

On today's podcast, Dhonielle Clayton drops into the studio to talk about her new novel <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-everlasting-rose-dhonielle-clayton/1128998268?ean=9781484728482#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Everlasting Rose</a>, the exciting sequel to her New York Times bestseller The Belles.  Joining her to talk about everything to do with the exciting world of Orleans is YA writer, editor, and B&amp;N Teen regular contributor Sona Charipotra.

Sarah Enni

For the last four years, Sarah Enni has traveled the country interviewing YA authors about their histories, their craft, and their new releases, as the creator and host of the wonderful First Draft Podcast. Today, I get to talk to Enni about her own first novel, Tell Me Everything, a tale of art and anonymity, and good intentions and bad mistakes. We talked internet spaces, outsider art, the appeal of Jeff Goldblum, and why she writes.

For the last four years, Sarah Enni has traveled the country interviewing YA authors about their histories, their craft, and their new releases, as the creator and host of the wonderful First Draft Podcast. Today, I get to talk to Enni about her own first novel, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tell-me-everything-sarah-enni/1128245901?ean=9781338139150#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tell Me Everything</a>, a tale of art and anonymity, and good intentions and bad mistakes. We talked internet spaces, outsider art, the appeal of Jeff Goldblum, and why she writes.

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