So, I have a secret to admit. Don’t tell anyone...but I just recently finished Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Really, I have no excuses. I adore Neil Gaiman. American Gods? Legendary. The Graveyard Book? Magical. Neverwhere? More like right here on my shelf. I’ve even watched the Coraline movie at least three times. And yet, somehow, someway, I just never got around to actually reading Coraline until now. Was the wait my own fault? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. 

I’ve never been great at coming up with prank ideas. Back in high school, it thrilled me to watch the creativity other students displayed during Senior Week (from blasting that “Peanut Butter Jelly” song on the speakers to having a professional band follow around the principal), so it’s not that I ever disapproved of a good prank, it’s more that I just never knew where to start. For those in a similar boat, Kim Baker’s middle-grade book, Pickle, will definitely get the inspiration churning.

Now that the weather in New York has finally reached that perfectly crisp temperature, I’ve been craving snug evenings spent buried under a massive pile of blankets, with a good book in my hands, and a cup of tea to the side. And what goes better with a cozy night like that then a little romance? With that in mind, I picked up David Yoon’s debut novel, Frankly in Love. I’ve been hearing tons of buzz about this book lately, and what with the Korean representation and rave reviews, I had a feeling that I, too, would be . . . well . . . frankly in love with it. However, while I was expecting a fluffy love story, this book delved into deeper issues, balancing family matters with struggles of navigating identity. If you’re anything like me, Frankly in Love will bounce you back and forth between laughter and tears.

Why did you become a writer?

There wasn’t a particular reason; it’s just something I’ve always done and always loved. I’ve been writing for longer than I can remember—first, in old notebooks with such terrible handwriting that no one, not even myself, would ever be able to decipher it, and then later, on the family computer whenever I could fight off my siblings for computer time.