We chat with author Amber McBride about The Leaving Room, which is a hauntingly beautiful, ultimately hopeful novel-in-verse about a girl in between life and death, and has also been named a National Book Award finalist!
Hi, Amber! Welcome back! How has the past year been since we last spoke?
Hello, thank you for having me (again)! It has been good, but busy writing!
Your latest novel, The Leaving Room, is out October 14th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Oh, this is hard!
What happens after—haunting & sparse.
What can readers expect?
Readers will enter The Leaving Room, the room all young people must phase through when they pass away. Gospel is the Keeper of this room and she makes sure that the children who enter her domain feel safe, loved and are well fed. The only problem is the room has started to glitch and form cracks at the seams! Then suddenly a door appears the Keeper named Melodee arrives.
Also, the story takes place over 4 minutes; which is a hint!
Where did the inspiration for The Leaving Room come from?
I was inspired by a near death experience that my dad had when I was in college. His description of this place that felt very safe played an enormous part in crafting The Leaving Room.
On a much more heart aching note, around the time the idea for this book was born there was a shooting at the college I taught at and 3 young men were killed. I was grappling with the idea that young souls feel too filled with life to suddenly pass.
So, writing this was also a type of therapy for me.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I adore Maple, the five-year-old who enters The Leaving Room first. She is sassy, funny and loving. It was challenging to pin down the voice of such a young child in verse, but in the end, I was really proud of it!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
This was the first deadline I was worried about missing!
I knew I wanted to write the book in verse, but I found the brevity of verse for the first time while writing The Leaving Room. I wanted to say so much, but that’s not what verse is about. In the end I really leaned into using the five senses—especially smell, instead of over describing throughout the novel.
What do you hope readers make take away from The Leaving Room?
I hope they witness that love and kindness can be medicines that can amplify all others. This includes, romantic and platonic love.
I also hope they can have more open conversations about death, grief and what it all might mean.
Your debut novel published in 2021 and The Leaving Room marks your fifth published novel! What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned as a writer over the past few years?
Keep your eyes on your own paper! Read every single day and trust your readers.
What’s next for you?
My debut picture book, Magick Hoodoo Child, comes out in January 2026! I am also working on some adult things in verse (because adults deserve novels in verse too)!
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
(S)KIN by Ibi Zoboi was one of my best reads of the year! Also coming out in October, The Witches of Honeysuckle House, by Liz Parker is brilliant!
