Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg, which releases on March 1st!

The Winslow family lives by five principles:

1. No one can know your real name.
2. Don’t stay in one place too long.
3. If you sense anything is wrong, go immediately to the meeting spot.
4. Keeping our family together is everything.
5. We wish we could tell you who we are, but we can’t. Please—do not ask.

Poppy doesn’t know why her family has been running her whole life, but she does know that there are dire consequences if they’re ever caught. Still, her curiosity grows each year, as does her desire for real friends and the chance to build on something, instead of leaving behind school projects, teams, and crushes at a moment’s notice.

When a move to California exposes a crack in her parents’ airtight planning, Poppy realizes how fragile her world is. Determined to find out the truth, she mails in a home DNA test. Just as she starts to settle into her new life and even begins opening up to a boy in her math class, the forgotten test results bring her crashing back to reality.

Unraveling the shocking truth of her parents’ real identities, Poppy realizes that the DNA test has undone decades of careful work to keep her family anonymous—and the past is dangerously close to catching up to them. Determined to protect her family but desperate for more, Poppy must ask: How much of herself does she owe her family? And is it a betrayal to find her own place in the world?

EXCERPT

If I could pinpoint the moment things changed, it would be as simple as this: a high school library in Illinois, cozy, me working at a table with my science fair group.

Then it was time to go.

The library was closing, so we cleaned up our scraps of paper and left behind the pods of tables and chairs, collected our coats, and exited the warmth of the orange-and-brown-hued room.

“Katie! You forgot this.”

The second I set foot outside the library, my science-fair partner, Alina, followed with the registration form in her hand. I let myself be mesmerized by the color of her nail polish. Just for a moment. A sparkling, electric blue. Once I met her eyes, I’d have to lie.

“Take it!” she urged. “Me and Ruthie are all set. You’re about to miss the deadline, and we’re not doing this without you.” The last comment was nice and took the edge off her bullying tone. I gently took the paper from her hand. Alina was no longer trusting that I would register online. It seemed I was the last person at Lincoln West High School who didn’t own a smartphone.

Full of intensity and promise—the competition and the future hers for the taking—Alina placed both of her hands firmly on my shoulders. “Repeat after me: We will advance to state. We will advance to state.”

Ruthie, our other partner, sidled up to Alina in the doorway. “We will advance to state!” she chimed in and affectionately nudged Alina with her shoulder. I took in their happy faces and wanted in. “Come on, Katie! You’re too sweet. It’s okay to want to crush everyone.”

Maybe there was a way this time.

“Thanks,” I said and looked over my shoulder, as if there were somewhere I needed to be. I had to think this through. Maybe I could form an argument to convince my parents. No one knew who I was. They didn’t have to come. This couldn’t be traced back to them.

I knew we’d advance. That was the problem.

“See you at seven forty-five tomorrow? We need to work on the presentation boards.”

“See you then,” I agreed.

As I walked softly through the nearly empty hallway, trying to lighten the thud of my thrift-store clogs, I glanced at the questions on the registration form.

I should be satisfied that I’d helped Alina and Ruthie come this far. That should be enough. For sure, the project wouldn’t have been as good without my help. I knew that was an arrogant thought, but it was true. When I’d arrived in January, I’d lurked in the back of the science-fair meetup, where twelve kids worked on their entries after school. Then I couldn’t stop myself when I overheard Alina’s spark of an idea on desalination using UV light. If I hadn’t jumped in, Alina and Ruthie would still be fixated on their rechargeable battery.

I exited through double doors at the end of the main hallway, where glass trophy cases lined both sides, chock-full of strictly sports accolades, so similar to the other six high schools I’d attended over the past three years. In Nebraska for 76 days, 108 in Missouri, 91 in Iowa . . .

In the horseshoe driveway outside the school, my PE teacher was juggling a Tupperware container under one arm while fishing her car keys from her purse. “Bye, Katie!”

“Bye!” I said, impressed she remembered my name. It made me feel a little bit at home and like maybe I could be Katie. A French bulldog tied up to the bike rack growled low in its throat, indignant. I bent down to scratch under his smooth, warm armpits.

It was May, and though the temperature was brisk, the sun was still high at 5 p.m., lifting my spirits. I stood next to a newly planted tree, its light pink blossoms cheerily defying its scrawny stature, and watched for my dad, who was usually waiting for me. He’d pull into the half circle, I’d leap into the passenger seat, and then we’d begin the long drive home on country roads, letting loose for once and loudly singing along with pop songs on the radio. It was odd my dad wasn’t here yet.

He had a military sense of time.

I froze. I had that familiar, spreading sense that I wasn’t alone and I was being watched.

Then I saw them.

They were in a different car—a silver truck—parked across the street where no one would notice them observing the front doors of the school.

I knew what it meant.

The school behind me moved underwater.

Usually I saw it coming. A month, a week, definitely a couple of days in advance. This one I hadn’t sensed at all. I thought for sure I’d get to finish the school year. Three more weeks with Alina and Ruthie and our project.

The wind whirled copper-colored hair in front of my eyes. I tucked it behind an ear, looked both ways, and made my way toward them, darting across the four-lane road. All around us was flat expanse, grasses waving in the wind. Half of the truck was on the road, the other half sagging into a ditch. All four windows were rolled down. I inhaled the fresh Illinois air and took a final glance at Lincoln West High. The bulldog was the only one watching.

At the car, I met three pairs of eyes, my baby sister’s wide like saucers. Mine came to rest on my mom’s beautiful gray ones. They were haunted.

“Poppy,” she said. “It’s time.”

That my mom was driving should have been warning number one that things had shifted. In all my seventeen years on the run—and I could remember maybe thirteen of them—this was a first. After years of our well-oiled machine working flawlessly, a cog had broken loose.

I hesitated at my mom’s open window. “What happened?” I asked. “Did someone recognize you?” I was shaking my head, a subtle no.

My mom remained quiet. She waited patiently for me to come to my senses, her eyes calmly holding mine until I remembered: there wasn’t another choice except to leave. Right now.

There was no point arguing that it was impossible to be discovered in this tiny rural town. My parents constantly preached that privacy was a thing of the past; it was almost nonexistent now. We lived in its rapidly eroding margins. Times had changed over the past eighteen years since my dad and pregnant mom first went on the run. Now it was the hardest thing in the world to hide.

I had one last moment to myself as I walked around to the empty seat on the other side of the truck. I felt so embarrassed that I was close to tears. To distract myself, I noted the red wildflowers, some flattened by tires, others leaning toward the sun. Suddenly I had the sensation that I’d been here before—outside of a car, separated from my family inside. Deja vu.

It felt real enough that I quickened my movements. I yanked open the heavy door and slipped into the back seat of the strange truck. The air in the car was warm and smelled like honey. I relaxed once I shut the door, closing me in with my family. It was okay—we were still together. We hadn’t been split up.

My sister held a box of graham crackers, and one cheek looked sticky. I waited for my strong dad, always our leader, to greet me.

“Dad?”

“Hi, Poppy,” he said, but he didn’t turn around. He stared out his window. He seemed preoccupied, deep in thought as he looked out into the fields.

My mom twisted around so she could see me. She looked chic in her vintage clothing: an ankle-length skirt, cowboy-style ankle boots, and a thin gray T-shirt under a mauve cardigan that fell past her hips. Her long hair hung in a sheet down her back. Seeing her outdoors always startled me, like she was an apparition from one of my dreams. She wasn’t often out in the open. Even now, while we were parked, she positioned her back to the school. She faced front again, but wordlessly she reached behind her for my hand, then squeezed.

“Did you leave anything inside?” My mom tipped her head to the building.

Maybe she meant a jacket or a water bottle or a photograph of me pinned on a wall. But I thought of the science fair and Ruthie and Alina and how much I’d loved working with them. My joy when Alina said they couldn’t do it without me.

“No,” I said quietly. “Not a thing.”

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘This Golden State’ by Marit Weisenberg appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The YA genre is not holding back when it comes to 2022’s upcoming book releases! Between the months of January and June, readers are going to be delighted as to what they can get their hands on with books from favourite authors, to those making their debut!

From stories of love, magic, and mystery, to retellings, anthologies, and sequels, you will surely find several new reads to add to your TBR and we apologies in advance for adding to it!

Looking for more releases? Check out our Most Anticipated 2022 Releases and our Must-Have 2022 Queer Releases.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below which ones you’re looking forward to!

JANUARY

When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A bighearted novel about falling in love, making a mess, and learning to let go, When You Get the Chance is the next effervescent novel from Emma Lord, New York Times bestselling author of the Reese Witherspoon YA Book Club pick You Have a Match.

Hopepunk by Preston Norton
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A heartfelt and funny new novel about forgiveness and redemption, and about how hope is the ultimate act of rebellion, perfect for fans of John Green and Becky Albertalli.

The Red Palace by June Hur
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June Hur, critically acclaimed author of The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls, returns with The Red Palace—a third evocative, atmospheric historical mystery perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Kerri Maniscalco.

Into The Midnight Void by Mara Fitzgerald
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Fans of Holly Black and Kendare Blake will obsess over the conclusion to this deliciously dark YA fantasy duology!

Serendipity, edited by Marissa Meyer
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From stories of first love, unrequited love, love that surprises, love that’s been there all along, 10 of the brightest and award-winning authors writing YA have taken on some of your favourite romantic tropes, embracing them and turning them on their heads. Readers will fall for this collection of stories that celebrate love at its most humorous, inclusive, heart-expanding, and serendipitous. Contributors include Elise Bryant, Elizabeth Eulberg, Leah Johnson, Anna-Marie McLemore, Marissa Meyer, Sandhya Menon, Julie Murphy, Caleb Roehrig, Sarah Winifred Searle, and Abigail Hing Wen.

Waking Romeo by Kathryn Barker
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Kathryn Barker’s Waking Romeo is a spectacularly genre-bending retelling of Romeo & Juliet asking the big questions about true love, fate, and time travel

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves by Meg Long
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Meg Long’s Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is a captivating debut about survival, found family, and the bond between a girl and a wolf that delivers a fresh twist on classic survival stories and frontier myths.

Salaam, with Love by Sara Sharaf Beg
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This heartfelt and humorous YA contemporary follows Dua, who spends the month of Ramadan making unexpected discoveries about family, faith, and first love.

Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds
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Prepare yourself for something unlike anything: A smash-up of art and text for teens that viscerally captures what it is to be Black. In America. Right Now. Written by #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds.

The Kindred by Alechia Dow
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To save a galactic kingdom from revolution, Kindred mind-pairings were created to ensure each and every person would be seen and heard, no matter how rich or poor…

Medusa by Jessie Burton
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A dazzling, feminist retelling of Greek myth from the internationally bestselling author of The Miniaturist, stunningly illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill.

Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
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A gothic tale full of mystery and romance about a willful female surgeon, a resurrection man who sells bodies for a living, and the buried secrets they must uncover together.

FEBRUARY

And We Rise by Erica Martin
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A powerful, impactful, eye-opening journey that explores through the Civil Rights Movement in 1950s-1960s America in spare and evocative verse, with historical photos interspersed throughout.

Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity by Angela Velez
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Booksmart meets Never Have I Ever in this Latinx road trip adventure—a big-hearted, voice-driven YA about two sisters who couldn’t be more different, but become begrudging partners on their school’s cross-country college trip—from debut author Angela Velez.

Bright Ruined Things by Samantha Cohoe
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Extasia by Claire Legrand
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From New York Times bestselling author Claire LeGrand comes a new, bone-chilling YA horror novel about a girl who joins a coven to root out a vicious evil that’s stalking her village. Perfect for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Grace Year.

All the Right Reasons by Bethany Mangle
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The Bachelor meets Gilmore Girls in this laugh-out-loud young adult romance about a girl who joins her mother on a reality dating show for single parents—only to fall for a contestant’s son.

League of Liars by Astrid Scholte
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In this fantasy thriller, four teens charged with murder and the illegal use of magic band together to devise the ultimate jailbreak. Perfect for fans of Six of Crows and How to Get Away with Murder.

You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen
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In this compelling and thought-provoking debut novel, after a terrorist attack rocks the country and anti-Islamic sentiment stirs, three Black Muslim girls create a space where they can shatter assumptions and share truths.

Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian
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A spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.

Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher
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A heartbreaking novel about finding your first love and what happens when it’s over too soon. Ashley Schumacher’s Full Flight is about how first love shapes us—even after it’s gone. 

Sunny G’s Series of Rash Decisions by Navdeep Singh Dhillon
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For fans of Sandhya Menon and Adam Silvera, a prom-night romantic-comedy romp about a Sikh teen’s search for love and identity

Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
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The sweeping romance of Passenger meets the dark fantasy edge of This Savage Song in this stunning contemporary fantasy debut from Vanessa Len, where the line between monster and hero is razor thin.

These Deadly Games by Diana Urban
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Author of All Your Twisted Secrets, Diana Urban’s explosive sophomore novel, These Deadly Games, will keep you riveted until the final twist is revealed.

MARCH

The One True Me and You by Remi K. England
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A big-hearted, joyful romance and a love letter to all things geek, Remi K. England’s The One True Me and You is a *witness me* celebration of standing up for, and being, yourself.

Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This Pride & Prejudice retelling brings New York Times bestselling Sayantani DasGupta’s trademark wit and insight to her bright and funny YA debut!

A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist, Traci Chee, comes a Japanese-influenced fantasy brimming with demons, adventure, and plans gone awry.

This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg
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Marit Weisenberg’s This Golden State follows a family on the run, a restless teenage daughter hungry for the truth, and the simple DNA test that threatens their carefully crafted world

Kiss & Tell by Adib Khorram
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A smart, sexy YA novel about a boy band star, his first breakup, his first rebound, and what it means to be queer in the public eye, from award-winning author Adib Khorram.

Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi
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A ragtag band of misfits gets swept up in Holy Land politics in Travelers Along the Way by Aminah Mae Safi, a thrilling YA remix of the classic legend of Robin Hood.

Message Not Found by Dante Medema
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An emotionally complex portrayal of secrets, loss, and grief from Dante Medema, Indies Introduce author of the Indie Next Pick title The Truth Project. 

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson
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From the author of Sing Me Forgotten comes a lush new fantasy novel with an art-based magic system, romance, and murder…

Love, Decoded by Jennifer Yen
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For fans of Jenny Han and Jane Austen, a rom-com that’s equal parts hilarious and heartfelt about the unexpected consequences of one teen’s quest to help her friends find love, from the author of A Taste for Love.

Cinder & Glass by Melissa de la Cruz
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Blockbuster author Melissa de la Cruz’s YA retelling of Cinderella, set in 17th Century Versailles.

The Book of Living Secrets by Madeleine Roux
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Perfect for fans of The Hazel Wood, this genre-bending page-turner from New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux follows two girls who transport themselves into the world of their favorite book only to encounter the sinister alternate reality that awaits them. 

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
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A romantic YA fantasy perfect for fans of Erin A. Craig and Margaret Rogerson, about two people who find themselves competing for glory – and each other’s hearts – in a magical fox hunt.

APRIL

Year on Fire by Julie Buxbaum
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What secrets will people keep—or reveal—to protect those they love? This novel, set against the frightening backdrop of an encroaching fire season, sparks reflection about friendship, the allure of romantic love, and loyalty to family.

This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke
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The Fountains of Silence meets Spinning Silver in this rollicking tale set amid the 1956 Hungarian revolution in post-WWII Communist Budapest from Sydney Taylor Honor winner Katherine Locke.

Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf
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They Wish They Were Us meets The Queen’s Gambit in the world of competitive Scrabble when a teen girl is forced to investigate the mysterious death of her best friend a year after the fact when her Instagram comes back to life with cryptic posts and messages.

K-Pop Revolution by Stephan Lee
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She thought that debuting in a K-Pop band was the finish line, but it was only the beginning. Because now it’s not only her company judging her—it’s the entire world. If K-Pop Confidential was about finding your voice, K-pop Revolution is about finding the courage to stand by your beliefs, even when powerful forces are trying to shame and silence you.

My Dearest Darkest by Kayla Cottingham
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Wilder Girls meets The Craft in this Sapphic horror debut that asks: what price would you be willing to pay to achieve your deepest desires?

Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer
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Sarah Dessen meets Adam Silvera in the debut YA romance everyone is talking about!

Very Bad People by Kit Frick
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In this dark academia young adult thriller for fans of The Female of the Species and People Like Us, a teen girl’s search for answers about her mother’s mysterious death leads to a powerful secret society at her new boarding school—and a dangerous game of revenge that will leave her forever changed.

My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel
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A fresh, witty rom-com romp set against the backdrop of a high-profile music competition and a riotous Indian wedding.

Flirting With Fate by J.C. Cervantes
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Jane the Virgin meets The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in New York Times bestselling author J.C. Cervantes’s charming, romantic YA debut.

This May End Badly by Samantha Markum
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When a high stakes boarding school prank war leads to a fake dating scheme, two teens must decide if they are ready to take the ultimate risk — falling in love.

The Genesis Wars by Akemi Dawn Bowman
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Black Mirror meets Marie Lu’s Warcross in Nami’s continuing adventures as she fights to free her friends in this high-stakes sequel to The Infinity Courts by award-winning author Akemi Dawn Bowman.

All the Best Liars by Amelia Kahaney
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Amelia Kahaney’s All the Best Liars is a dark, modern psychological thriller and coming-of-age story about obsession, manipulation, and the intensity of those first friendships that take hold of you and never let go

MAY

See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon
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From the author of Today Tonight Tomorrow comes a magical romance in the vein of Groundhog Day about a girl forced to relive her disastrous first day of college—only to discover that her nemesis is stuck in the time loop with her.

Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez
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An ancient city plagued by dragons. A flamenco dancer determined to save her ancestral home. A dragon hunter refusing to teach her his ways. They don’t want each other, but they need each other, and without him her world will burn.

Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino
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Salem’s Lot meets The Darkest Part of the Forest in this horror-fantasy retelling of Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market.”

A Show for Two by Tashie Bhuiyan
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New from the author of Counting Down with You comes a sparkling YA romance about an aspiring screenwriter who falls for the indie film star who goes undercover at her school.

The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson
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Who killed Brooke Donovan? It’s the biggest mystery of the summer, and everyone in Castle Cove thinks it’s the wrong guy. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and Riverdale can’t miss this page-turning who-done-it that’s sure to be the next must read Young Adult thriller!

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson
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In this complex and emotionally resonant novel about a Métis girl living on the Canadian prairies, debut author Jen Ferguson serves up a powerful story about rage, secrets, and all the spectrums that make up a person—and the sweetness that can still live alongside the bitterest truth.

Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg
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From Stonewall Award winner Bill Konigsberg, a remarkable, funny, sexy, heartbreaking story of two teen boys finding each other in New York City at the height of the AIDS epidemic.

Murder for the Modern Girl by Kendall Kulper
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Gatsby-era glamour, a swoon-worthy love story, and an indomitable heroine dazzle in this romp that captures the extravagance of the Roaring Twenties and the dangers of vigilante justice.

Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle
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Hitch meets The Sun Is Also a Star in this witty and romantic teen novel about a self-professed teen love doctor with a popular radio segment who believes he can get a girl who hates all things romance to fall in love with him in only three dates.

Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho
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What would you do if the world’s biggest K-pop star asked you to prom? Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon, this hilarious and heartfelt novel brings the glamour and drama of the K-pop world straight to high school.

All Signs Point to Yes, edited by G. Haron Davis, Cam Montgomery, and Adrianne White
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A YA anthology of love stories for each of the star signs that will showcase multicultural characters and celebrate the myriad facets of love, from meet-cutes to the lesser-explored love expressed by aromantic people, featuring 13 bestselling and award-winning multicultural authors.

A Cruel and Fated Light by Ashley Shuttleworth
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Half-fae Arlo becomes entangled in the courtly intrigue at the Seelie Summer palace as danger for ironborns mounts in this gripping sequel to A Dark and Hollow Star that’s The Cruel Prince meets City of Bones.

JUNE

Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert
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Secrets. Lies. Super-bad choices. Witchcraft. This is Our Crooked Hearts, a darkly gripping contemporary fantasy from Melissa Albert, the New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood

The Song That Moves the Sun by Anna Bright
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This sweeping YA fantasy romance full of star-crossed love, complex female friendship, and astrological magic is perfect for fans of Laini Taylor, Alexandra Bracken, and V.E. Schwab. From the acclaimed author of The Beholder.

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
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Emily Thiede’s exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!

Blade Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
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In the sequel to Victoria Aveyard’s instant #1 New York Times bestselling Realm Breaker, a divided world must rally, an unstoppable enemy must be defeated, and the fate of the world rests on a blade’s edge.

This Place Is Still Beautiful by XiXi Tian
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A sweeping debut novel about first love, complicated family dynamics, and the pernicious legacy of racism. Perfect for fans of Tahereh Mafi, Jandy Nelson, and Emily X.R. Pan, with crossover appeal for readers of Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half and Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You.

Valiant Ladies by Melissa Grey
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Two teen vigilantes set off on an action-packed investigation to expose corruption and deliver justice in Valiant Ladies, Melissa Grey’s YA historical fiction novel inspired by real seventeenth century Latinx teenagers known as the Valiant Ladies of Potosí.

Rise of the Vicious Princess by C.J. Redwine
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The first in a YA political fantasy duology about a fierce princess determined to bring lasting peace to her kingdom regardless of the cost to her heart —from C.J. Redwine, the author of the Defiance series and the New York Times bestselling Ravenspire series. Perfect for fans of These Violent Delights, And I Darken, and Ash Princess.

Stealing Infinity by Alyson Noel
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The Dream Runners by Shveta Thakrar
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Go Hunt Me by Kelly deVos
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

For Dracula lovers and fans of Diana Urban’s All Your Twisted Secrets, this spine-tingling thriller follows seven horror buffs as their dream trip to a remote Romanian castle turns into a nightmare when they begin to be killed one by one.

Game of Strength and Storm by Rachel Menard
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Game of Strength and Storm is a YA gender-bent Hercules retelling. Teenagers of Olympia Gen and Castor race to be the first to complete six nearly impossible challenges to obtain their greatest desire. Only one will win. The other walks away with nothing—if she walks away at all.

Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

I Killed Zoe Spanos meets The Cheerleaders in this haunting mystery about an island town with a history of unsolved deaths—and a girl desperate to uncover the mystery behind it all.

What 2022 YA book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 72 Upcoming YA Book Releases To Add To Your TBR appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

We had the pleasure of chatting to Marit about her new novel, book recommendations, writing, and more!

Hi, Marit! Tell us a bit about yourself!

Hi! I’m a native Californian living in Austin, Texas with my husband, our two daughters, and a goldendoodle named Rubeus Hagrid (he goes by Ruby). I come from the background of the film and television industry where I worked with writers developing their stories but, secretly, I always wanted to be one myself!

When did you first discover your love for writing?

One summer, when I was about ten, a group of us from the neighborhood watched the soap opera Days of Our Lives at my house every day. At some point, my parents cut us off and took TV away. We were so bored and sad about it that we started writing scenes together, guessing at what we were missing. It was like our own TV writers’ room. I LOVED it.

The Insomniacs is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Romantic, mysterious, eerie, heartbreaking, hopeful.

What inspired you to write The Insomniacs?

A friend in high school was an insomniac and, when we were 16, I suddenly realized she had a whole second life taking place at night. She had phone conversations with boys, she’d say hi to people in the halls I had no idea she knew, she’d sneak out. It was this realization that she was having two different high school lives—one by day, one by night.

Were there any challenges you faced while writing?

It was definitely a delicate balancing act to lay down clues while not giving too much away!

Without spoiling too much, is there a favourite moment that you really enjoyed writing in The Insomniacs?

I really loved when Van casually thumbs through Ingrid’s old yearbooks while they’re hanging out in Ingrid’s bedroom late at night. All of the sudden, Ingrid realizes he has the one from a few years before. She dives for it, but it’s too late. Van sees the hearts drawn around his school picture and where Ingrid practiced writing her first name with his last.  Ingrid always holds her cards close to the vest, so she is mortified. But I love how the scene is healing too because Van always thought Ingrid hated him.

What piece of advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Finish a first draft! Don’t stop to edit even though that’s really, really hard when you know something doesn’t feel right. I’m a firm believer that it’s easier to work with the story once you have a first draft, even if you delete huge sections. It feels like a part of your brain can relax because you have a book!

With the current state of the world, what are you doing to cope with the changes we’ve had to make with our day-to-day?

It’s so hard. I’m used to having the house to myself to write while the kids are at school. As an author friend said, it’s hard to write with people in the house. I’m staying sane by waking up early. If I have a few quiet hours by myself, it helps a lot.

Lastly, what are you currently reading and do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

Currently, I’m reading ALL THE THINGS WE NEVER KNEW by Liara Tamani, a fellow Texan and YA author. It’s beautiful and it just became a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. I always recommend TELL THE WOLVES I’M HOME by Carol Rifka Brunt. Set in the late 1980s when much was still unknown about AIDS, it’s a poignant and powerful coming of age story about fourteen-year-old June Elbus coping with the loss of her uncle and finding an unexpected friend in his former partner, who is shunned by the rest of her family.

Will you be picking up The Insomniacs? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Marit Weisenberg, Author of ‘The Insomniacs’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.