Her first picture book, Peas and Quiet (illustrated by Sue deGennaro), was published in 2017, as was her young adult short story ‘The Feeling From Over Here’ (featured in Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology). Gabrielle’s debut children’s novel, Melody Trumpet, hit shelves in 2019.

Can’t Say It Went To Plan is her latest young adult novel, and she is currently working on her next project. Gabrielle loves sharing her passion for storytelling and creativity with readers and aspiring writers, and has appeared at numerous events including the Sydney Writers’ Festival, the Somerset Festival of Literature and the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s national conference.

We chat with Gabrielle all about her latest release, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!

Hi, Gabrielle! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I’m an Australian author of YA novels and children’s books, I’ve recently returned to my country hometown of Wagga Wagga (pronounced “Wogga Wogga”) with my husband, a three-year-old and a new baby after 13 years living in Sydney, and I love all things pop culture, film, TV, music, podcasts and books.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

My love of writing began with a love of reading, and that started from when I was extremely young. My parents are both retired teachers so I’d receive books for every Christmas and birthday, but it was never a chore to read them – I adored escaping into various fictitious worlds. Still do.

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!

I loved the Australian children’s book series Grug; wanted to become an author after binge-reading books like The Baby-Sitters Club, Goosebumps, Sweet Valley High, Unreal! and Looking For Alibrandi; and still can’t stop thinking about the 2019 non-fiction book Three Women, even though I read it years ago.

Your new novel, Can’t Say It Went To Plan, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

A holiday they’ll never forget.

What can readers expect?

A coming-of-age contemporary YA novel that follows three girls – Samira, Zoë and Dahlia – at Schoolies Week (a party-packed holiday in Australia after high school students finish their final exams). They were all hoping for a dream holiday, but their plans get upended in multiple ways which forces them out of their comfort zones and into all sorts of life-affirming, challenging and hilarious situations.

Where did the inspiration for Can’t Say It Went To Plan come from?

I went to Schoolies when I was 17-nearly-18 years old with my friends for a whopping 17 days! I still don’t know how I was allowed to attend because my parents were fairly strict. But it was such a fun, vivid, memorable time – and the first time I’d ever been away from home with friends for such a long period. I still look at photos of me and my friends and laugh at how wild, silly and free we all were. When I was older, it became clearer that Schoolies could be a strong setting for an Australian YA novel. The possibilities for fun, drama and shenanigans are endless! It was one of the main reasons I wrote it as a multi-perspective story with three strangers – I wanted to show a range of different Schoolies experiences to paint a fuller picture.

Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?

The hardest part was writing and editing the novel while juggling a move to another town, inconsistent childcare, the ongoing stress of the pandemic and falling pregnant with our second child. The creative process itself was really enjoyable – a glorious distraction from all the hard things happening in my life! Looking back, I’m not even sure how I got through it, other than blocking out time on weekends to work at the library and in cafes (before the pandemic, obviously!), asking my parents for babysitting help when my daughter was stuck on the daycare waiting list, and focusing on the “Why?” for my novel – that is, “Why do I want to write this story?” Knowing those “Why?” reasons helped me to stay focused and committed. Plus, after years working in the magazine and book industries, I’m a sucker and nerd for a deadline… I never want to let my editor and publisher down so that helps me to stay on track!

Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I had so much fun writing the scene in the haunted house – it was actually inspired by a holiday my husband and I had in the US at Universal Studios. And, without giving away too many spoilers, I adored writing some of the more slow-burn romantic moments involving Dahlia. As for characters, I fell in love with some of my secondary girls too, especially Tilly and Florence. They’re so free-spirited, big-hearted and willing to live life to the fullest – I wish I was more like them!

Your first novel, The Intern, published in 2014 (which I still have on my bookshelf might I add). Can you tell us about how you have changed as an author over the last seven years?

Oh, The Intern! Writing that book feels like another lifetime, as I actually wrote the first draft in 2011-2012. It was before kids, before marriage, before moving back to the country, before quitting my fulltime job and going freelance as a writer and editor… my lifestyle was different in every way! I’ve also had six more books published with HarperCollins since then so I’ve learnt so much about myself as a person and an author in that time. The biggest shifts in my writing practice include becoming much more of a planner, learning to write in the cracks around kids as opposed to having set times and a strict schedule, and – this may sound strange – but enjoying the creative process more.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently on maternity leave so writing time is non-existent but I’ll be throwing myself into the first draft of a new contemporary YA novel later in the year and can’t wait. Watch this space!

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

I encourage everyone to explore some more Australian stories. There are so many fabulous YA authors from Down Under so check out the #loveozya hashtag on Twitter and see what aligns with your interests. Our YA community is so passionate, vibrant and hardworking – come say hi!

You can find Gabrielle on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, along with at her website.

Will you be picking up Can’t Say It Went To Plan? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Gabrielle Tozer, Author of ‘Can’t Say It Went To Plan’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Check out our June YA picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be reading one of them!

The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber | Goodreads
When the Delonese ice-planet arrived eleven years ago, Sofi’s dreams have been vivid. As an online gamer, Sofi helps with Earth’s Fantasy Fighting arena where her brother Shilo is forced to compete in a mix of real and virtual blood sport. When a bomb goes off, Sofi believes Shilo survived because she dreams of him and she’s convinced he’s been taken to Delonese. For Miguel, a charming young playboy and Ambassador to the Delonese, the tables have turned. Help the blackmailers, or lose more than anyone can fathom, or Earth can afford.

Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab | Goodreads
Nearly six months after Kate and August were first thrown together, the war between the monsters and the humans is a terrifying reality. In Verity, August has become the leader he never wished to be, and in Prosperity, Kate has become the ruthless hunter she knew she could be. When a new monster emerges from the shadows and lures Kate home, she finds more than she bargained for. She’ll face a monster she thought she killed, a boy she thought she knew, and a demon all her own.

Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali | Goodreads
Janna Yusuf knows a lot of people can’t figure out what to make of her…an Arab Indian-American hijabi teenager who is a Flannery O’Connor obsessed book nerd, aspiring photographer, and sometime graphic novelist is not exactly easy to put into a box. She suddenly finds herself caring what people think, or at least what a certain boy named Jeremy thinks. Janna is trying to decide what kind of person she wants to be, and what it means to be a saint, a misfit, or a monster.

Welcome To The Slipstream by Natalka Burian | Goodreads
With her mother, a brilliant businesswoman with fragile mental health, Van arrives in Las Vegas, where Alex, a college student, is assigned to “babysit” her. Van is used to having to land on her feet, because her mother and her surrogate grandmother move from city to city like corporate gypsies, but Alex introduces Van, a talented musician, to a group where her guitar skills may shine. Just as she’s about to play her first gig, her mother is lured in by a con man promising a “vision quest” in Arizona, and Van must go on the road to find and save her mom.

Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh | Goodreads
After surviving the chaotic battle, Mya looks ahead to her future with Kol. Announcing their betrothal, Mya’s brother reveals his plan to marry his youngest sister to his friend Morsk but to avoid this terrible turn of events, Morsk informs Mya she should marry him in place of her sister. Refusing to marry anyone other than her beloved, Mya runs away with her sister and soon realizes she’s been followed. Rivals from Mya’s past thirst for revenge so Mya must make a move before the enemies of her past become the undoing of her future.

The Hundredth Queen by Emily R. King | Goodreads
Eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. When the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life, within hours she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik. Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death, Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her.

Haunted by Alexandra Adornetto | Goodreads
Alexander Reade turns up at Sycamore High not remembering how he got there. But worse, he doesn’t remember Chloe Kennedy and believes he has come back to search for his lost love Isobel. Chloe soon realizes that Alex needs her help surviving in the modern world since Alex has been dead for 157 years and when she begins to experiences dreams that take her to a past life, she realizes they are linked to Isobel. When Isobel appears to hunt Chloe, who is just as vengeful as ever, she is out to destroy any bond between Alex and Chloe.

Remind Me of How This Ends by Gabrielle Tozer | Goodreads
It’s the summer after high school ends and everyone is moving on, except Milo Dark. He feels like he’s stuck on pause until Layla Montgomery barrels back into his world after five years. As kids, Milo and Layla shared everything, but they haven’t spoken since her mum’s funeral and pushed away her dad, dropped out of school and recently followed her on-again-off-again boyfriend back to town. What begins as innocent banter soon draws them into a tangled mess with a guarantee that someone will get hurt.

Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau | Goodreads
Twins Carys and Andreus were never destined to rule Eden. With their older brother next in line to inherit the throne, the future of the kingdom was secure until the king and crown prince are killed by assassins. Now with the line of succession no longer clear, Carys and Andreus are faced with only one option: to take part in a Trial of Succession that will determine which one of them is worthy of ruling the kingdom. With their country and their hearts divided, Carys and Andreus will discover exactly what each will do to win the crown. 

The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee | Goodreads
Henry “Monty” Montague was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions, but as Monty embarks on his yearlong tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of ending. Nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and travelling companion, one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt and calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Once and For All by Sarah Dessen | Goodreads
Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that’s why she’s cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm’s length. But Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged, now that he’s met the one girl he really wants.

Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios | Goodreads
Grace wants out. Out of her house, where her stepfather wields fear like a weapon and her mother makes her scrub imaginary dirt off the floors. Out of her life, and into the role of Parisian artist, New York director—anything but scared and alone. Enter Gavin: charming, talented, adored. Controlling. Dangerous. When Grace and Gavin fall in love, Grace is sure it’s too good to be true. She has no idea their relationship will become a prison she’s unable to escape.

The post June Book Releases: Young Adult appeared first on The Nerd Daily.