beckyalbertalli

[beckyalbertalli]

Interview with William C. Morris Award finalist Adib Khorram: the Bitmoji edition.

It’s that time of year again! I love my William C. Morris Award family, and I’m so overjoyed to welcome finalist Adib Khorram into the fold. I am head over heels for Adib’s debut, DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY. It’s about the most endearing tea-drinking, soccer-playing, half-white, half-Persian, fictional nerd you’ve ever met. I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s one of my favorite books of all time - and outlets like TIME, Buzzfeed, Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, the New York Times (and more) totally agree with me.  

But the number one DARIUS fan? My Bitmoji. She’s actually kind of embarrassing about it. When I told her she’d be interviewing Adib’s bitmoji, she screamed. It was loud. I tried to talk her out of wearing her Adib fandom t-shirt to the interview, but. 

Yeah. 

So without further ado, let’s turn it over to the bitmojis! 

Beckmoji: Huge congrats on being a finalist for the Morris Award! I’m ridiculously happy for you, and I can’t emphasize enough how well-deserved this is. Can you tell me about the moment you found out you were a finalist?

Adibmoji: I was actually doing the dishes when I got the phone call. I could tell it was [editor] Dana from my watch, so I dried off my hands and answered. And I’m kind of embarrassed to admit it but I kept washing dishes as we talked because I’m one of those people that doesn’t like to leave the dishes half-done; plus I had a school visit that afternoon so I wanted to finish them before I left. But we had a great chat and screamed together and it was awesome and wonderful and totally surprising.

Beckmoji: Darius has touched so many people’s hearts – I legit get DMs from people gushing about it, just because they know I’m a fan. I imagine it’s been the kind of year that can only truly be described in gifs. If you had to pick three that best capture your debut experience, what would they be?

Adibmoji: Debut year has been a whirlwind and amazing and I’ve been incredibly humbled by the response to Darius. 

Adibmoji: Honestly a lot of the time it’s felt kind of surreal.

Adibmoji: But also it’s been an incredible amount of fun. I could not have predicted or asked for a better debut experience.

Beckmoji: Darius’s experience with depression hit so close to home for me, and I know I speak for many readers when I say that. What advice would you give to readers, especially teens like Darius, who may be living with depression?

Adibmoji: I always feel like advice is great when it works and terrible when it doesn’t. So instead I’d rather let readers know that even though it feels like depression can be this big, life-defining thing, it’s not. Depression is just one small part of their life, and not even the most interesting part.

Beckmoji: Darius’s friendship with Sohrab cuts so deep – their love for each other is palpable, and the rough moments between them are painfully real. I loved the exploration of all the ruptures and repairs that come with true friendship. What were your favorite moments to write about that friendship? What moments challenged you the most?

Adibmoji: I loved whenever I got the two of them on that rooftop and it felt like they were in their own little world. Those scenes were incredibly fulfilling to write. Probably the most challenging moment was the fight they have toward the end. I’ve never been great at writing fights, because I like it best when all my characters get along. So I had to dig really deep.

I feel like it’s human nature to lash out at the people we love most because we know (or at least hope) that they’re going to forgive us, and that’s what I was trying to get across. I hope I succeeded.

Beckmoji: I loved seeing Iran through the eyes of a biracial American kid with Persian/white roots. Were there any particular details that felt particularly important to include, either about Iran or about Darius's experience of being Persian?

Adibmoji: I really wanted to show that life is just life in Iran. So often other cultures get exoticized in media, and I wanted to push back against that. And, rather selfishly, I wanted to show Yazd, which is my dad’s hometown.

Beckmoji: I am a notorious exaggerator about crying during books - I actually rarely do – but I legit sobbed my eyes out near the end of Darius (it was during a conversation with his dad). Were there any parts of the book that made you emotional as you wrote them?

Adibmoji: The main ones were the scene where Darius says goodbye to his grandparents at the end, and the one with Darius and his dad on the rooftop. I came to the sobering realization during the writing process that I was closer in age to Darius’s parents than I was to Darius, and that really informed a lot of the scenes with his parents in general: I was thinking about what they were feeling, and what Darius was feeling, and what Darius thought they were feeling.

I once read that one of the characteristics of the teenage psyche is a tendency to react to the perceived motivations of the behavior, rather than the behavior itself, and that really stuck with me and informed Darius’s relationship with his dad.

Beckmoji: Are there any books that you would recommend for fans of Darius?

Adibmoji: The entire Simon-verse for starters! For readers seeking more Iranian-American stories, Arvin Ahmadi’s DOWN AND ACROSS, Abdi Nazemian’s THE AUTHENTICS, and literally anything by Sara Farizan (her latest is the stellar HERE TO STAY). Julian Winters’ RUNNING WITH LIONS for readers wanting a story about sports and inclusion and friends and love. For readers like Darius who love sci-fi and fantasy, Natalie C. Parker’s SEAFIRE, L. L. McKinney’s A BLADE SO BLACK, and Alex London’s BLACK WINGS BEATING. For cinnamon rolls dealing with family issues, it’s hard to beat Jandy Nelson’s I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN or Benjamin Aliré Saenz’s ARISTOTLE & DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE. And for all the nerds out there, keep your eyes peeled for Lana Wood Johnson’s 2019 debut, TECHNICALLY, YOU STARTED IT, a mistaken-identity romcom starring a pair of nerds who slowly fall in love over text messages.

And, because I can’t go five minutes without mentioning it, I am absolutely obsessed with Martha Wells’s THE MURDERBOT DIARIES, a series of adult sci-fi novellas that I’ve recommended to everyone in my life. They’re about a misanthropic cyborg who would rather watch soap operas but keeps getting forced into being a hero.

Beckmoji: What are three of your favorite moments from your whirlwind debut year?

Adibmoji: I’m kind of a weirdo and I love conventions, so going to BEA and being surrounded by ALL THE BOOKS was a real highlight. I also got to meet my agent and editor in real life for the first time; and you and I got to say hi again before we both got pulled in different directions; and I got to see New York City for the first time, which filled my theater-kid heart so full.

One time when we were in Austin for Texas Teen Book Festival, Heidi Heilig (author of FOR A MUSE OF FIRE, THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE, and THE SHIP BEYOND TIME, and an all-around amazing human being) led a group of us to the bat bridge to try and see the bats. But apparently we were too late in the season so we didn’t get to see the bat swarm. But we had a great adventure nonetheless.

After ALA, I had a late flight out, and Natalie C. Parker’s flight out got cancelled, so we ended up at the hotel bar after ALA, just talking about writing and family and our love of Star Trek.

One of the most amazing things about this whole journey has been all the friends I’ve made, especially with authors I admire. It’s kind of weird to go from being a fan to being a colleague, but it’s wonderful, too.

Beckmoji: And finally, please summarize Darius using only emojis.

Adibmoji:

In conclusion: should you buy this beautiful book and read it while drinking tea? Answer: 

Huge thanks to Adib AND Adibmoji for giving such beautiful answers to these (fangirl ravings disguised as) questions.  

[beckyalbertalli]

Your Official Guide to Becky and Adam’s Ultimate Preorder Grand Prize Giveaway

What If It’s Us hits shelves on October 9th, and we’ve been blown away by your support and enthusiasm. To say thanks, we’re thrilled to announce that four winners will each receive a cardboard box full of treasures related to What If It’s Us and our previous books. On October 8th, we’ll pick two winners from the US *and* two winners from outside the US. All you have to do is preorder ANY format of What If It’s Us and follow the instructions below. 

How it works:

1. Preorder any format of What If It’s Us (this includes hardcover, audio, ebook, any translated edition, etc.). 

2. Take a photograph or screenshot your receipt/proof of purchase. 

3. Email Arthur at arthurseuss@gmail.com. Your email must include the following components:

- Subject line must be either “INTERNATIONAL” or  “USA” (depending on whether you are entering the USA or international giveaway).

- Proof of purchase must be attached to your email. 

- If you have purchased more than one book, you’ll be entered more than once, but you must indicate this in your subject line. For example, if you live outside the US, and you preordered two books, your subject line should read, “INTERNATIONAL x 2″. If you live in the US and preordered three books, your subject line should read “USA x 3″. This will help us stay organized and ensure that you are entered multiple times for this giveaway. Your proof of purchase must reflect that you preordered the name number of copies as indicated in your subject line. 

- All emails must be received by Monday, October 8th at 11:59 pm EST. Even if the book releases later in your country, your entry for this giveaway must be received on or before the October 8th deadline.

4. Once you’ve entered, you should receive an auto-reply from Arthur. Please don’t expect an additional reply (we want to make this giveaway as inclusive as possible, which means we’re unfortunately unable to provide personalized responses to each entry). If (and only if) you do not receive the autoreply from Arthur’s email address, email Matthew at albertalli.requests@gmail.com. He’ll be able to confirm receipt and make sure we have your entry. 

5. We will choose winners via a random number generator, and respond to the winners directly via email during the week of October 9th. Once we’ve made contact with all four winners, we will announce on Instagram that the contest is closed. 

6. Again, two winners will be from the United States, and two will be from outside the United States. 

7. Please note: this giveaway is completely separate from the preorder button giveaway being run by Epic Reads. US residents can (and should) enter both giveaways, and it’s fine to use the same proof of purchase. Follow the instructions in this link. 

Okay, so what’s in the box? 

We’re so glad you asked! Here’s a full list of items, followed by pictures:

- Signed, personalized first edition US hardcover of What If It’s Us (We know you preordered, because you’re amazing, but maybe your unsigned copy could go to a friend for a buddy read?)

- Love, Simon Blu-Ray + DVD + Digital (our research showed that this was the most likely format to work on international players, but we can’t guarantee that this DVD will play in every region. Fingers crossed!)

-They Both Die At The End 4 x 6″ studio pouch by Allarica.

-They Both Die At The End 3.0 x 3.4″ sticker by X .

-Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda 3.0 x 3.1″ sticker by grayskyluna.

-Leah on the Offbeat 1.7″ x 3.7″ sticker by pamleonie.

-More Happy Than Not Leteo Institute brochure

- Leah on the Offbeat small square magnet by mavilez.

- Love, Simon magnet by emlalaly.

-The Upside of Unrequited postcard by Dee.

-What If It’s Us mini cover sticker.

- Two What If It’s Us signed bookplates (one Arthur and one Ben)

-Levain Bakery reusable shopping bag and postcard. 

-Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda square button by Hannara.

-Double-sided More Happy Than Not/ History Is All You Left Me prints (INTERNATIONAL only) 

-History Is All You Left Me brochure (US only)

-What If It��s Us Arthur and Ben rubber bracelet.

-”What Would Becky Do” rubber bracelet.

-”Thanks, Silvera” sticker.

-Because You Love To Hate Me postcard 

Crossing all our fingers for you. Thank you for being so unbelievably awesome. 

Love,

Adam and Becky

[beckyalbertalli]

LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT: It’s a preorder giveaway!

Leah On the Offbeat comes out April 24th in the US, and I’m so excited to celebrate with a postcard giveaway! I drew/painted a scene from Leah On the Offbeat (it will totally make sense once you read the book). Then I turned that scene into a postcard, which I’ll sign and mail to anyone who preorders the book and submits proof of purchase. Here’s how you can get one! 

Step 1: Preorder or purchase LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT from any retailer (any language, any edition) by April 28th, 2018. 

Step 2: Photograph/screenshot your proof of purchase and email it to albertalli.requests at gmail. If you no longer have this, send a photo of your book when it arrives.

Additional Info:

-This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.

-Feel free to send proof of purchase anytime between now and 4/28. 

-Every person who submits proof of purchase gets a postcard. 

-If you’re unable to preorder or purchase, stay tuned - there will be a way to win the electronic version of this image. 

-If you want your Leah hardcover to be signed and personalized when it arrives, I recommend ordering it from FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock, GA. They ship internationally for an extra fee, and instructions are on their site. 

[beckyalbertalli]

Morris Finalist Interview: THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas!

Every year, I’m reminded of how lucky I am to be a part of the William C. Morris Award family. Former winners get to interview the new Morris finalists each year. This year, I had the incredible honor of interviewing one of my best friends, Angie Thomas, whose stunning debut The Hate U Give has already taken the world by a storm. So far, The Hate U Give has been at the top of the NYT bestseller list for almost an entire year. It received a record-setting 8 starred reviews, won the Boston Globe Horn Book Award, was longlisted for the National Book Award, and is soon to be a major motion picture starring Amandla Stenberg. This book is a straight-up masterpiece. 

And here’s what Angie had to say!

BA: The Hate U Give is honestly a modern classic, and I don’t think anyone is surprised to see it on the Morris finalists list. Huge congratulations on this incredibly well-deserved nomination. What was it like hearing the news that you were a finalist? 

AT: You are the absolute sweetest (but I’ve told you that a million times haha). I’m absolutely honored that my book is a Morris finalist. It’s amazing to share this honor with some incredible books and authors, both past and present. (like you!) I’m completely blown away any time THUG receives any sort of recognition, and this was definitely one of the highlights.

BA: THUG has had quite a ride since its debut in February 2017. Think back to the moment you finished your first draft. Off the top of your head, what are five moments from your debut year that – if you’d have known – would have blown your mind?

AT: 1. Seeing so many people from all walks of life read and connect with the book. 2. Meeting President Obama(!) 3.  Visiting the movie set 4. Going around the world to promote the book. 5. Having so many black girls particularly thank me for this book because Starr is them.

One of Angie’s many fans, at her launch party.

BA: The Hate U Give features a huge, vibrant ensemble cast, and every single character feels like a living, breathing person with their own life happening beyond the scope of the book. Are there any details you can share about one of the supporting characters that didn’t make it on the page? 

AT: These questions are so flattering haha. One of my favorite supporting characters is Maverick, by far. People would be surprised by some of the things they learn about young Maverick. But I can’t reveal those…yet. Possibly for a good reason.

BA:  What was your favorite memory from visiting the set of THE HATE U GIVE movie? Is there anything about the book-to-film process that surprised you?

AT: The best part about visiting the set was being a part of the family atmosphere amongst the cast and crew. They pulled me right into the fold. The only thing that really surprised me was how cold it can get in Atlanta at night lol.

On the set of THUG with Angie and her amazing mom!

BA: Having toured with you, I’ve had the opportunity to see some of your young black readers share what THUG means to them. What has it been like hearing from the kids who connect with Starr – and who might never have seen themselves in a book before? 

AT: That is by far the best part of this journey. Every single time a black girl or even a black woman tells me that they are Starr, I feel like I’ve done my job. It’s an honor to show my fellow black girls our beautiful selves and it is an honor to write for them.

BA: Your next book, On the Come Up, releases this year, and it follows a brilliant, badass teen girl rapper named Bri. What has it been like for you getting to know Bri? What are you most excited about when you anticipate sharing this new story with your readers? 

AT: It has been so much fun getting to know Bri. She’s different from Starr despite the fact they live in the same neighborhood. Her voice has been so fun to write – she’s somehow funny despite the awful situation she is in. I can’t wait for readers to witness her black girl magic.

Lightning Round:

BA: If Starr could have a BFF from another YA book, who would it be (can’t be her cousin!)?

AT: Haha! If it can’t be her cousin Bram, I’d say Abby then from Simon Vs and Leah on the Offbeat. :-) 

Amandla Stenberg as Unamused Starr and Alex Shipp as Amused Abby - photo and screenshot footage by 20th Century Fox!

BA: One gif to represent THUG.

AT: 

BA: One gif to represent On The Come Up.

AT: 

BA: One gif to represent your debut year.

AT: 

Seriously, if you haven’t read THE HATE U GIVE, you should fix that right now. Order it here.  Preorder ON THE COME UP here. And check out Angie’s website here, but feel free to ignore all the shade she throws at classic Oreos. 

Angie, congrats on being a Morris finalist. I love you a lot. <3

[beckyalbertalli]

Your 2018 Spoiler-Free Mega Guide to Albertalli Stuff

Deep breath. Big year. I’ve got lots of cool things coming up, so I’m creating this info-packed timeline to help walk you through it!

Ready?

January 30th

SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA: Special Edition Hardcover

Includes:

- 2 pages of black and white movie set photos from my personal collection

-11 pages of conversation transcript with Angie Thomas, Adam Silvera, and me, including the infamous boner story.

-15-page excerpt from THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED

-11-page sneak peek of LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT

- and, of course, 19 pages of Simon and Blue’s very first emails.

FAQ:

Where can I preorder/purchase this in the US? Links here. 

Where can I preorder/purchase this outside the US? Book Depository

Can I order a signed/personalized copy? Yes! Call FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock, GA or email gary@foxtalebookshoppe.com, and be sure to request that they hold the book for personalization. They can ship internationally for an additional fee. 

Will the special edition bonus content be translated into any other languages? I don’t think so - this content was acquired specifically by my US publisher. I’m so sorry for any frustration!

Will the bonus content be available electronically? As far as I know, no.

Did you write the bonus emails? Yes. 

Did you really tell Nick Robinson to enjoy his boner? Yes. 

Also January 30th

SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA: Movie Tie-in Paperback

Includes:

-9 pages of me in conversation with Greg Berlanti and Nick Robinson

-4 pages of black and white official stills from the film

-7 page excerpt from the LOVE, SIMON script

-6 page excerpt from THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED

-8-page sneak peek of LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT 

FAQ:

Where can I preorder/purchase this in the US? Links here.

Where can I preorder/purchase this in the UK/AUS/NZ? Links here. (PLEASE NOTE: At this time, I cannot verify what bonus content may or may not be included in the UK edition.) 

Where can I preorder/purchase the US edition in other countries? Book Depository 

Can I order a signed/personalized copy? Yes! Call FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock, GA or email gary@foxtalebookshoppe.com, and be sure to request that they hold the book for personalization. They can ship internationally for an additional fee.

Will the MTI bonus content be translated into any other languages? I don’t think so - this content was acquired specifically by my US publisher. I’m so sorry for any frustration!

Is the text of the book the same as other editions of SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA? Yup, same book!

Will this edition include the Simon/Blue bonus emails as well? No - that’s only in the Special Edition Hardcover. 

Will the bonus content be available electronically? As far as I know, no.

Why is the LEAH sneak peek shorter in this edition than in the Special Edition Hardcover and UPSIDE paperback? It’s the same chapter, but it cuts off sooner. This is a different edition with different content.

Can Nick actually sing? Yes.

Also January 30th 

THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED: paperback edition! 

Includes:

-11 page sneak peek of LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT

FAQ:

Where can I preorder/purchase this in the US? Links here. 

Where can I preorder/purchase this outside the US? Book Depository 

I’m confused - my copy of UPSIDE has always been a paperback. You probably have the UK/AUS/NZ edition, which has been paperback from the beginning. 

Can I order a signed/personalized copy? Yes! Call FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock, GA or email gary@foxtalebookshoppe.com, and be sure to request that they hold the book for personalization. They can ship internationally for an additional fee.

Will I still be able to purchase THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED in hardcover if I want. Yes!

Do I need to read SIMON VS before reading UPSIDE? No. You’ll miss a few Easter eggs and references, and UPSIDE occurs chronologically after SIMON in the same universe - but UPSIDE does not spoil Simon (and Simon’s love interest is not mentioned by name in UPSIDE). Many people have read UPSIDE first. 

Does this edition include the recipe for edible cookie dough? Nope. Google it! 

March 16th

LOVE, SIMON releases in the US!

Trailers: 

Full length

Teaser

FAQ:

Is LOVE, SIMON based on a book? Yes. It’s based on my book, SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA. 

(This is, in fact, a frequently asked question.)

Is the film being released in my country? I’m afraid I’m not given up-to-date information on international release dates. It is being released widely, and dates have been set for many countries. However, changes to release dates are common, and I’m unable to keep up with that info for every country. I recommend checking IMDB and/or the major film distribution outlets in your country. 

How involved were you in the creative process for LOVE, SIMON? Are you happy with the film? My team was very collaborative, and I obsessively love this film. Check out my film-specific FAQ here.

Will there be any early screenings in my city? I’m not involved in organizing screenings, and I usually don’t have up-to-date information on this.

Is Blue’s identity the same in the film? Yes. 

Something from the trailer looks different from the book. WHY??? Check out my film-specific FAQ here.

Have you seen the film yet? Yes, and it’s even better than you think it is. 

What songs are on the soundtrack? Check out this writeup in EW and preorder the soundtrack here!

Tell me about the cast and crew of the film. Check out my film-specific FAQ here.

Will there be merch?! I don’t know! Hopefully?

Do I need to read the book before I watch the film? I can’t make you, but I hope you'll check out the book either before or after the film! 

Would you consider making a film of UPSIDE, LEAH, or WHAT IF IT’S US? I have no control over whether a film gets made of any of my books. I’m sorry! 

April 24th 

LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT: hardcover

FAQ:

Where can I preorder/purchase this in the US? Links here.

Will it be available in the UK/AUS/NZ at the same time? Yup, via Penguin UK - I just don’t have a link yet. 

What about other countries? Translation rights for LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT have already been acquired by multiple countries, but I don’t have updated information yet on their publication dates, covers, and purchase links. In the meantime, you can preorder the English language version from Book Depository.

Can I order a signed/personalized copy? Yes! Call FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock, GA or email gary@foxtalebookshoppe.com, and be sure to request that they hold the book for personalization. They can ship internationally for an additional fee. There will also be copies signed without personalization at several retailers. 

Do I need to read SIMON VS before I read LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT? What about THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED? You’ll probably want to read SIMON before LEAH, since Leah’s story is a fairly direct sequel to Simon’s. LEAH definitely spoils the ending of SIMON VS. You’ll miss a few Easter eggs if you haven’t read UPSIDE yet, but it’s not necessary to read UPSIDE first. 

Can you send me an advance reader copy of LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT? No ARCs will be available for this book. It’s embargoed until its release date. 

Will you be touring for this book? I will be, but I don’t have updated information on that yet. 

Will Simon and the rest of the Creekwood High School gang make an appearance in this book? Yes - basically every character you know from SIMON VS makes at least a short appearance. Most make significant appearances. Simon in particular plays a very large role.

I heard Leah might be bi. Is that true? Yup! She’s bi (Simon doesn’t know yet, which is why it’s not mentioned in his book). That said, this book is not about her discovering or coming to terms with bisexuality. She has known she was bi since age eleven. 

Nope, you’re not.

Is Leah fat in the book? Yes. 

Will you write about <insert character> next? No, it’s very unlikely. The Creekwood gang are graduating seniors in this book, so it feels like a very natural ending point for the Simonverse. 

October 9th

WHAT IF IT’S US hardcover, co-written with Adam Silvera

FAQ: 

Where can I preorder/purchase this in the US? So far, here! 

Will it be available outside the US? Translation rights for WHAT IF IT’S US have already been acquired by multiple countries, but I don’t have updated information yet on their publication dates, covers, and purchase links. In the meantime, you can preorder the US version from Book Depository. 

What imprint of HarperCollins is publishing WHAT IF IT’S US? We have two imprints and two editors! WIIU is both a Balzer + Bray book and a HarperTeen book. 

Here’s the team! Editor Donna Bray (who has edited all of my books), agent Brooks Sherman, a tall dude, and editor Andrew Eliopulos (who edited Adam’s THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END). 

Who wrote Arthur’s sections, and who wrote Ben’s? If you don’t already know, you’ll get a clue in the first line of the book. 

Did you know your title is a lyric from a song in DEAR EVAN HANSEN? Yup, that’s intentional.

Will it have a Becky ending or an Adam ending? You’ll have to read to find out! (Seriously, though, if you need to know about possible triggering moments in the book, reach out - we can give more information if you need it to be safe!)

Can I get an Advance Reader Copy? No ARCs are available yet. When they’re available, please reach out to HarperCollins (we won’t be handling ARC requests directly). 

Will you be touring for WHAT IF IT’S US? Yes, but we don’t have the details on that yet.

Will this book contain kissing? OH YES. 

December TBA

DEAR HEARTBREAK: YA AUTHORS ON THE DARK SIDE OF LOVE (anthology edited by Heather Demetrios)

No FAQ yet, but learn more about this anthology here! 

General FAQ:

Will we get a book written from Blue’s POV? No, that’s very unlikely. However, check out this series by Bansheee on Ao3, which is what I would have written, only better. SPOILERS!! Seriously, check out Ao3 for so much incredible, original work in the Simonverse. 

Please follow me on Twitter! I’m so sorry - I don’t respond to any follow requests. It’s not personal at all, I promise. 

Do you ever intend to write a book about a character from <a particular marginalized community>? This gets complicated! I’ll never say never, but I always want to make sure I can do this character justice before I attempt to write from their POV. For many marginalized communities, mainstream YA representation is so scarce that I am mindful of how much space I’d be taking up by writing outside my lane. That said, writing diverse casts of characters is incredibly important to me, and I hope to get better and better at including thoughtful, nuanced rep of a broad range of communities. It’s also REALLY important to me to read widely and boost the amazing (often #ownvoices - hashtag cr: Corinne Duyvis) work other authors have already put out there. A few fantastic resources: LGBTQReads, Latinx In KidLit, We Need Diverse Books, American Indians In Children’s Literature, Coretta Scott King Book Awards list, Disability in Kidlit, and Rich In Color. 

You haven’t replied to my email yet! I know - I’m sorry! I’m super behind. I get lots and lots of emails, and every single one of them makes my day. I will hopefully have the chance to write back to each of the personal ones eventually.

I have a question that wasn’t addressed in this post. Where’s the best place to ask it? Email my assistant, Matthew, at albertalli.requests at gmail.com. He’s much quicker to reply than I am, AND he’s awesome, AND he knows everything. 

That is literally Matthew sitting behind Bram Greenfeld. He’s in the movie!

Okay, y’all! That’s the latest. I love you, thanks for reading this far, and don’t forget:

[beckyalbertalli]

LOVE, SIMON

Becky’s FAQ 

Q: What is LOVE, SIMON?

A: It’s a major motion picture based on the book SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA. The film is directed by Greg Berlanti, and is produced by Temple Hill Entertainment, New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc., and Fox2000. It will release in the USA on March 16th, 2018. 

Q: What is SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA?

A: It’s a young adult novel written by Becky Albertalli (me!), published in the US in 2015 by HarperCollins, and available in over 20 languages. It’s about a gay teen boy named Simon Spier, and his experiences navigating high school, coming out, and falling in love with his anonymous email penpal. 

Q: What actors star in LOVE, SIMON?

A: Nick Robinson (Simon Spier), Keiynan Lonsdale (Bram Greenfeld), Alexandra Shipp (Abby Suso), Logan Miller (Martin Addison), Katherine Langford (Leah Burke), Jorge Lendeborg Jr.  (Nick Eisner), Jennifer Garner (Emily Spier/Simon’s mom), Josh Duhamel (Jack Spier/Simon’s dad), Talitha Bateman (Nora Spier), Natasha Rothwell (Ms. Albright), Tony Hale (Mr. Worth), Miles Heizer (Cal Price), Mackenzie Lintz (Taylor Metternich), Drew Starkey (Garrett Laughlin), Bryson Pitts (10-year-old Simon), and more! 

Q: When will the film release in the USA?

A: March 16, 2018

Q: How do I know if/when the film will release in my country? 

A: I don’t have information about international releases, but it might be helpful to keep an eye on this page of IMDB. 

Q: Is LOVE, SIMON a faithful adaptation of SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA? 

A: It really is. I had the opportunity to see an early version of the film, and it blew me away. It’s not a scene-by-scene adaptation of the book (nor would we want it to be), but it’s very similar, and it perfectly captures the heart of Simon’s story. I’m completely in love with this adaptation, and I know my readers will be thrilled with it. 

Q: Will the movie include <insert specific scene or line from the book>? 

A: When watching the film, try to let go of the expectation that this will be a scene-by-scene adaptation. Movies and novels are very different forms of media, so you may find that specific details are changed in the adaptation. Angie Thomas (THE HATE U GIVE) brilliantly refers to her movie adaptation as the fraternal twin of her book, and I think that’s the perfect way to look at it. Big picture: I consider LOVE, SIMON to be a very faithful adaptation of my book. 

Q: Why did you change the title? 

A: The title, like most aspects of the film, is chosen by the studio and production team, not the author. The studio spent months researching the best possible title for this film, and they landed on LOVE, SIMON for many reasons. It captures the heart of the story, it’s easy to say and remember, it has mainstream appeal, and early test audiences responded really well to it. Basically, the studio is REALLY excited about this film, and they want to give it the best chance they can to reach a broad audience. Personally, I’m thrilled with this new title. My book title will remain the same, but this one suits the movie so well.

TL;DR: I didn’t pick it (the studio did), but I’m happy with it! 

Q: What are some of the differences between the book and the film that I should prepare for? 

A: Alice (Simon’s older sister) isn’t present in the film; Simon wears glasses only in the flashbacks; Bieber is a little pupper instead of a Golden Retriever; a few characters who are white in the book are played by actors of color (this is a really wonderful improvement, IMO); there are a handful of original characters (and you’ll LOVE them). 

Q: When should I expect the trailer/soundtrack/movie stills to release?

A: I don’t have that information, nor would I be allowed to leak it if I did. Sorry! 

Q: Will there be a movie tie-in edition of SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA? 

A: Yup! It releases January 30th, 2018, and you can preorder it here.

Q: How am I going to make the time pass until March, 2018?

A: Here are some ideas!

-Bookmark the official 20th Century Fox LOVE, SIMON website! You can learn more about the film, subscribe to receive email updates, and spend hours staring dreamily at Nick Robinson’s face. 

-Follow the official movie Facebook page, Twitter page, and Instagram page.

-Read my other published book, THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED. It’s set in the same universe as SIMON, and it stars Abby Suso’s cousin from Maryland. A few Simon characters make cameos!

-Preorder my next book, LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT. It’s a sequel from Leah’s point-of-view, and it follows Leah, Simon, and the gang as they grapple with senior year, messy crushes, and impending goodbyes. It releases on April 24, 2018.

-Preorder my fourth book, WHAT IF IT’S US. It’s a co-written project with Adam Silvera about two boys falling in love in New York City. It releases on October 2nd, 2018. (And if you haven’t yet read Adam’s gorgeous previous books, you can order them here.)

-Keep an eye on my social media accounts - I post updates when I can! I’m @beckyalbertalli on Twitter and Instagram. 

-Preorder the SHORES SIMON VS/UPSIDE fanzine! This zine was created by and for Simon and Upside readers, and it features 56 pages of original fanfiction and fanart. The cost of the zine goes toward production costs, and all profits will be donated to GLSEN and The Hispanic Federation. Check out their Tumblr page here for some amazing sneak previews, and follow the organizers (Dee and Mariana) on Twitter!

-Head over to Ao3 for some absolutely incredible SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA fanfiction. 

-Follow @lovesimonfilm on Twitter, @lovesimonupdates on Instagram, and Creeksecrets on Tumblr - they’re all run by readers, and they do an awesome job staying on top of updates.

-Follow the Simon and Upside characters on Twitter (bonus: several characters from THE HATE U GIVE and THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END have accounts, too)! These are unofficial, reader-created accounts, but they’re scarily spot on. An awesome reader/writer, Catherine Tinker, created this list to help you find them: https://twitter.com/catherinetinker/lists/fictional-chaos-fun

[beckyalbertalli]

LOVE, SIMON

Hitting theaters on March 16, 2018

(Based on my book, SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA)

SPOILERS BELOW!

Meet the Cast:

Nick Robinson as Simon Spier

“Okay, first of all, Oreos absolutely qualify as a food group.”

How you know him: Olly in Everything, Everything, Ben Parish in The Fifth Wave, Zach in Jurassic World, Joe in The Kings of Summer, and more.

Keiynan Lonsdale as Bram Greenfeld

“...Awkward Silence Bram.” 

How you know him: he’s Wally West/Kid Flash in The Flash, Uriah in the Divergent movies, Ollie in Dance Academy, and more.

Alexandra Shipp as Abby Suso

“Abby isn’t wearing a cowboy hat. She’s wearing a full-on stack of cowboy hats.”

How you know her: Storm from X-Men: Apocalypse, Kim from Straight Outta Compton, Aaliyah from Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B, and more.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as Nick Eisner

“Anyway, I have a policy of not falling for Nick.”

How you know him: Spider-Man: Homecoming, Cisco in The Land, and more. 

Katherine Langford as Leah Burke

“You have to understand that no one has mastered the art of deadpan delivery like Leah.”

How you know her: she’s Hannah in Thirteen Reasons Why!

Logan Miller as Martin Addison

“I’m definitely putting him in my contacts as ‘Monkey’s Asshole.’”

How you know him: Kent in Before I Fall, Sam Alexander/Nova in Ultimate Spider-man, Carter Grant in Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, and more.

Miles Heizer as Cal Price

“I have this feeling in my gut that Blue is Cal Price.”

How you know him: Alex in Thirteen Reasons Why, Drew in Parenthood, Tommy in Nerve, and more.

Jennifer Garner as Emily Spier (aka Simon’s mom!)

“The thing about my mom is she’s a child psychologist. And it shows.”

How you know her: she’s literally Jennifer Garner. 

Josh Duhamel as Jack Spier (aka Simon’s dad)

“My dad has this hilarious idea that he’s a hipster.”

How you know him: Life as We Know It, Transformers, Win a Date With Tad Hamilton and more!

Talitha Bateman as Nora Spier 

“Nora, you are no longer my sister.”

How you know her: She played Teacup in The Fifth Wave!

Tony Hale as Mr. Worth (Creekwood High School assistant principal) 

How you know him: Buster Bluth in Arrested Development, Gary Walsh in Veep, and lots more.

Natasha Rothwell as Ms. Albright

“Ms. Albright is moderately badass for a teacher.”

How you know her: Kelli from Insecure, writer for Insecure & Saturday Night Live, and lots more. 

Mackenzie Lintz as Taylor Metternich

“I guess I’m lucky I have a really fast metabolism.”

How you know her: The Hunger Games, Under the Dome, and more. 

Drew Starkey as Garrett Laughlin

“Semi-douche Garrett”

How you know him.

Clark Moore as Ethan (an openly gay Creekwood student)

How you know him: The Sing-Off, Glee, and more. 

Colton Haynes as Kevin (cute college boy - in the book, he’s named Peter)

“He has extremely white teeth.” 

How you know him: Teen Wolf, Arrow, and lots more. 

Cassady McClincy as Jackie (Simon’s ex-girlfriend)

“And then I never spoke to my girlfriend again.”

How you know her: Good Behavior, Constantine, and more. 

Terayle Hill as Spencer (in-tha-butt bully)

How you know him: The Quad, Being Mary Jane, and more.

Tyler Chase as Aaron (other in-tha-butt bully)

How you know him: Ben on The Walking Dead, Sleepy Hollow, Six, and more.

Bryson Pitts as 10-year-old Simon Spier

How you know him: check out this badass resume! 

Haroon Khan as Suraj (Martin’s best friend)

How you know him: you might not. But you will. OH, YOU WILL.

Margot Wood, Jordan Doww, Riyadh Khalaf, Doug Armstrong, Monica Church, Meghan Hughes, and Sean O’Donnell as the coolest Creekwood students ever (see if you can spot them in the courtyard and the cafeteria)!

How you know them: YouTube, Instagram, and more! 

Jordan Doww: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6911355/, https://www.youtube.com/user/JordanDoww

Riyadh Khalaf: https://www.youtube.com/user/CaptRiyadh

Doug Armstrong: https://www.youtube.com/user/Epiphanized

Monica Church: https://www.youtube.com/user/othermonica

Meghan Hughes: https://www.youtube.com/user/MissMeghanMakeup

Sean O’Donnell: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5761975/

and our very own Margot Wood from http://www.epicreads.com! 

Behind the Scenes:

Director: Greg Berlanti

How you know him: executive producer for ALL THE SHOWS, including Riverdale, Arrow, Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Everwood, and lots more.

Screenwriters: Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger 

How you know them: co-executive producers and writers for This Is Us, supervising producers and writers for Grandfathered, producers and writers for About A Boy (TV Series), and more and more. 

Producers:

Executive Producer: Timothy Bourne

Producers: Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner , Pouya Shahbazian

Associate Producer: Chris McEwen  

Cinematography by: John Guleserian

 For additional info:

SIMON’s official IMDB page!

Articles:

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/alexandra-shipp-simon-homo-sapiens-movie-1201965492/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/spider-man-homecoming-actor-jorge-lendeborg-jr-joins-ya-movie-simon-homo-sapiens-agenda-966758

http://deadline.com/2017/01/simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-katherine-langford-movie-1201884059/

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/logan-miller-nick-robinson-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-1201956459/

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/nick-robinson-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-1201935299/

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/greg-berlanti-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-1201853423/

http://deadline.com/2015/10/simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-fox-2000-1201597453/

http://deadline.com/2017/02/jennifer-garner-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-movie-becky-albertelli-fox-2000-1201900109/

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/tony-hale-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-1202005032/

http://deadline.com/2017/03/jake-busey-the-predator-natasha-rothwell-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-1202040454/

http://deadline.com/2017/04/miles-heizer-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-deron-horton-shotgun-movie-1202060359/

http://deadline.com/2017/06/anthony-ramos-summertime-keiynan-lonsdale-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda-1202111855/

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: When and where will filming take place? 

A: Filming took place in Atlanta - it wrapped on April 22nd! 

Q: Will Nick Robinson be wearing glasses in this movie? 

A: Nick won’t be wearing glasses for most of the film (it would complicate the lighting in some scenes). However, I promise you, he is pure Simon Spier - and he’ll be wearing glasses in all the flashback scenes!

Q: On the IMDB page, I see names I don’t recognize, like Ethan, Spencer, Aaron, and Claire. Are some of the main characters’ names going to be changed?

A: Nope! Ethan is a new character created by my screenwriters and film team. He’s AMAZING, and I can’t wait for you to meet him. Stay tuned for a few other awesome new characters, like Lyle and Mr. Worth. (I can’t imagine the Simon universe without them now!) Spencer, Aaron, and Claire are Creekwood students. 

Q: Is it true that Alice won’t be in the film?

A: I’m afraid Alice doesn’t appear in the film - Nora is pulling double duty! But you’ll see her again in my 2018 Leah POV sequel.

[beckyalbertalli]

*UPDATE, 1/19/17: This contest has officially ended (though please feel free to keep tweeting your adorable photos). Thank  you so much to all who entered!

Calling all current and future Adam Silvera fans: Adam’s breathtakingly gorgeous sophomore novel hits stores on January 17th (from Soho Teen). HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME follows Griffin, a kid grappling with the unexpected loss of his first love, Theo. And this book? Is pure Silvera. Gut-wrenching, romantic, funny. heartfelt, searingly honest. I’m head over heels in love with it. 

So, in honor of this beautiful book, I’m excited to announce an awesomely fun, super badass twitter giveaway! 

THE PRIZE

Remember this? This cutie is the Thai edition of SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA, recently published by The Reading Room. One winner will receive a copy of this edition, signed by both Adam and me - plus this mega cute illustrated mousepad! Contest is open internationally. 

THE RULES 

*Contest will run from noon EST on Monday, January 16th until 8:00pm EST on Wednesday, January 18th. Winner will be announced the morning of January 19th.*

To enter, you must tweet two photos:

1. a “history” photo (taken 2016 or earlier - this can literally be from December of 2016)

2. a “today” photo (taken 2017)

*Eligible photos can - but do not have to be - pictures of you. You can share:

- a baby picture and a current selfie

-”history” and “today” pictures of your pet

-a picture of a manuscript and your completed book

-any other history/today combo you can think of!! 

Some examples:

History (1985)

Today (2017)

History (2013) ATTENTION!! SPOILERS!!! DO NOT ATTEMPT TO READ MY HANDWRITING UNLESS YOU HAVE ALREADY READ SIMON VS.

Today (2017)

Entries must also include:

-the hashtag #HistoryIsAllYouLeftMe (Seriously, don’t forget the hashtag. We’re using it to pick our winner, so entries without a hashtag won’t be counted.)

-a purchase link for HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME (Note: this is a link to a retailer where others can purchase HISTORY, not a proof of your purchase. Examples include IndieBound, Barnes and Noble, Soho Teen, and Amazon)

-The words “History” and “Today” - and a year, if possible! 

So, your tweets would look something like this:

Got it? Get those photos ready, guys. :-D 

[beckyalbertalli]

Interview with Jeff Zentner, Morris Finalist!

So, Jeff Zentner’s THE SERPENT KING is up for the Morris Award, and I totally called it.

This aching, heartfelt coming-of-age story about three small-town Tennessee teens was nominated for the Carnegie Medal, was a Publisher’s Weekly Flying Start, and is currently sweeping the 2016 “Best Of” lists. Jeff is a musician in Nashville, and is also the author of the upcoming GOODBYE DAYS (spoiler: it’s breathtaking, and you will cry). I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to interview him as part of the annual William C. Morris Interview Series.

BA: Holy crap, Jeff. I’m just. This book is so beautiful and wise and gut-wrenching and honest, and I could not be happier about your Morris nomination. What was it like hearing the news that you were a finalist?

 JZ: Thank you, Becky! It was funny, I thought that if I ever was a finalist for something like this, I’d hear it first from my editor or agent, but actually, someone I don’t even know tweeted at me to congratulate me, and I was like, “wait, what?!” My first instinct was, “if this turns out to be nothing, I’m going to be really bummed out.” But then he forwarded me the YALSA announcement email. So I ended up telling my editor and agent!

BA: You’re such a pro at authoring, it’s hard to remember that TSK only came out in March. How has your life changed since publishing your debut? What was the high point? What was something that surprised you?

 JZ: I do a lot more traveling than at any other point in my life. I’ll go months where I don’t have a single weekend at home. But it’s wonderful. And the high point is closely related to that: the friends I’ve made among my fellow authors. In a very short time, I’ve made some of the best, most amazing friends I’ve ever had at any point in my life. Something that’s surprised me is how it’s never any easier to write a novel from the first one I ever wrote. In fact, it feels harder now. I’m more in my own head and I’m conscious now of my audience.

BA: THE SERPENT KING is told from three points of view, and one of my favorite things about this book is how distinct these voices are. Was that a challenge to get right, or did that happen pretty organically for you? Is there a little bit of you in each character, or are you most similar to one of them?

 JZ: Before I sit down to write a character, I’ve made sure I’ve let them reside in my head for a good three or four months, wherein I sit and listen to them and learn to hear their voice. With THE SERPENT KING, I was interested enough in each character to write a whole novel with each as the protagonist, but I was too impatient to wait and write a novel about each one. So I jammed them all into the same book. To write the characters, I pretty much divided my personality into thirds and gave each character a piece.  Dill got my general worldview and love for making music. Lydia got my curiosity and hunger. Travis got my loyalty and nerdiness for the things I love. All of them are some of me. None of them are all of me.

BA: I’m especially intrigued by Lydia, whom I find to be one of the most complex and relatable teen girls I’ve ever read. How did you pull that off?

JZ: I have been blessed to know so many amazing and brilliant women whom I so deeply admire. So Lydia has bits and pieces of all of them. Also, I’ve worked with teen girls at Southern Girls Rock Camp and Tennessee Teen Rock Camp, and I’ve seen their incredible intelligence and spirit firsthand, so it was really vital to me that I honor that to the fullest extent possible in the character of Lydia. It all comes from a place of the deepest respect and awe.    

BA: I know readers have a wide range of opinions about how and if social media and pop culture references should be integrated into books. In TSK, we see some real media and some invented media, and it’s absolutely seamless. Can you talk me through the decisions you made about that?

 JZ: When deciding whether to use real media or invent something, I ultimately tried to make a prediction as to what would best stand the test of time and not date the book too terribly. With music, for example, I know opinions vary widely on this, but I think it’s better to ask a reader to buy that teenagers love a real iconic music group that’s stood the test of time as opposed to a more of-the-moment real musical group that hasn’t stood the test or an invented musical group with whom readers can’t really relate.

The author, calling your girl.  

BA:  Lydia, Dill, and Travis come from really different religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, and I love that you show the complexities that sometimes arise from both. What sort of role does money play in the friendship among these three? What about religion?

 JZ: Money, or to be more specific, socioeconomic inequality,  is a tremendous source of story conflict. Healthy economic circumstances give Lydia the ability to leave Forrestville—and Dill—behind, a source of great consternation to him. Dill’s dire financial circumstances are the driver of his hopelessness and his being unable to leave Forrestville for a better life, like Lydia. Travis’s less dire—but still not terrific— financial circumstances contribute to the abuse he suffers at his dad’s hands.

In writing The Serpent King, I really wanted to shine a light on class and privilege in America.

 Religion plays heavily into Dill’s internal struggle and the way he comes into conflict both with Lydia and her desires for his life and with himself and his own desires. And religion is how Travis and Dill met and more indirectly, how Dill and Lydia met. Dill’s religion made him the sort of weirdo that Lydia was interested in knowing.

BA: What sort of reaction have you gotten from readers so far? As far as your fandom name is concerned, do you have a preference between “The Serpent Kingdom” and “The Zentnerds”?

 I love Zentnerds because I used to get called that mockingly, and I love the thought of reclaiming it, like “now who’s laughing?” ;)

The reaction has blown my mind. I truly did not expect very many people to identify with a young adult novel about the son of a snakehandling preacher. So every time I hear from another reader, I'm just overjoyed. I came to writing as an exceedingly obscure musician, who might get a lovely message from a listener once a month if I was lucky. Now it happens several times a day.

A tweet from a fan.

BA: Talk for a bit about GOODBYE DAYS! What was it like writing it, and how did that process compare to your process for THE SERPENT KING? What’s been the biggest difference between the two experiences so far?

JZ: The Serpent King came from characters/people/stories that had fascinated me for years. I based The Serpent King on two songs I'd written years earlier. Goodbye Days, on the other hand, came from characters I'd only lived with for months. So I had to learn very quickly to be fascinated with the lives of relative newcomers to my mind. That's one difference.

Another is that I let my writing process breathe a little more. With The Serpent King, I wrote in a frenzy. I wanted to get published before I was 70. With The Serpent King heading toward publication, I let myself do things other than write. I allowed myself to read other books and watch TV shows. Both helped make Goodbye Days stronger.

BA: Both of your books deal with some really heavy moments, but there’s also so much joy in both stories. How did you navigate these extremes? Which parts come most naturally to you as an author?

JZ: It helps that I have a very, very dark sense of humor. So I'm able to see the humor in a lot of situations that might otherwise look pretty humorless. And I'm very conscious about keeping humor a part of the story. It's easy when you write southerners, which I do, who are a naturally funny and morbid people. I also believe deeply in hope, even in the darkest of circumstances. So hope is always interwoven into my stories, which adds to any sense of joy I achieve.

Lightning Round! 

(in which Jeff was allowed to explain his answers, but was not required to)

BA: If Lydia, Dill, and Travis could each be given one BFF from another YA book, who would you choose for each of them?

JZ: This is not brown-nosing: when I read Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, I had the easiest time ever imagining Lydia and Simon as friends.

(ed. note: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) 

Travis and Hagrid from Harry Potter would be besties, no question. They're both gentle giants.

Dill and Cassie O’Malley from The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter would be besties. They're both sensitive and intelligent and they could bond over their awful mothers.

BA:  Please summarize TSK using only emojis

JZ: I will defer to the amazing and brilliant Nic Stone’s summary:

BA: Now please summarize it using a single gif.

JZ:  Several people recommended this one:

BA: What is your all-time favorite comment you’ve received on your book? 

JZ: It was from my very first reader, Jarrod Perkins, who read it in manuscript form. I didn't even know he was reading it yet when I get a text from him that just said “you [expletive].” I was like “?????????” And he told me that he’d reached a certain pivotal scene. Jarrod is a very sophisticated reader and that's when I knew I might have a book I could publish.

BA: Golden Oreos or Classic? (If Golden, I actually will need you to explain this.)

JZ: I’ve always been a Classic man, but even more so in the age of Trump, when I’m not messing with anything golden.

(ed. note: hell. yes.)

Thank you, Jeff, for this beautiful interview and your beautiful books! 

Order The Serpent King!

Pre-order Goodbye Days!

[beckyalbertalli]

The Prizewinning SIMON Secondary Ships!

For those who have been following my SIMON trivia contest, you’ll recall that the winners were ultimately chosen based on responses to a tiebreaker bonus question. That question was this: 

Your secondary ship: which two SIMON VS secondary characters (anyone except Simon and Blue) belong together– and why?

I am thrilled to say that our winners have given me permission to share their hilarious, charming, bizarrely perfect entries. These ships are based on their reactions to SIMON only (they have not yet read UPSIDE, nor do they know details about my upcoming Leah POV book). I will neither confirm nor deny the validity of these ships in the Creekwood canon. That being said, I love EVERYTHING about them. 

CAUTION: SPOILERS FOR SIMON VS 

Ship: Naylor

Author: Eline

I thought about this long and hard. The first thing that came to mind was Abby and Leah, but the more I thought about that, the more I felt like it was a given. As if it’s not as much a ship as it is a legit relationship.

You see, I have been thinking about the Leah book a lot lately. I feel like Abby and Leah will get together in that, and Simon and Bram will stay together. That made me realize someone is left out. Nick.

His best friend has a boyfriend and his best female friend has a girlfriend. There is no doubt that they will spend less time with Nick, not on purpose but still, and Nick will get lonely. Extremely so.

I feel like Nick is the kind of person who has to be paid attention to once in a while. I’ve always felt like he was somewhat insecure, and that he is genuinely funny, but maybe overplays it a bit to keep that side of him from showing. Now that Simon and Leah are busy with their relationships, and Abby has basically turned him down, I can imagine things aren’t looking good for Nick. At all.

Towards his friends he will say he is fine, and they will believe him as they themselves do not see their separation from Nick. This in turn will make Nick feel unimportant. The beginning of senior year, and probably summer too, are very hard on him.

Nick has been ghosting through my mind for a while now. It made me so sad that he would probably feel like that. When this question came around, I didn’t just see it as a bonus question. I saw it as a way of making Nick happy again. Which sounds really weird, but I feel passionate about fictional characters, okay.

So I sat down to think, and suddenly this scene came into my head. This scene of Nick waiting in his car outside of the house of a girl, working up the courage to go ring the bell so that he can take her to senior prom. He looks up, and sees her walk past her window. She looks stunning, and it leaves him speechless. Was she really going to go to prom with him? Was she looking her best, for him?

This girl is nobody but Taylor Metternich.

I feel like in many ways, Taylor and Nick are the same. They both need people to notice and appreciate them.

People have always had a lot of expectations from Taylor. When I googled her surname, I found Klemens von Metternich, an Austrian count and later even prince. Metternich is not a common surname, so it is not completely impossible that Taylor stems from a noble bloodline. So, let’s say Taylor is noble, even slightly. That would make her parents rich, and her family expecting a lot from her. I always felt like there was a reason why Taylor is the way she is, and this would be it.

She says things so people know she did it. So that there is not a single doubt in anybody’s mind that she is the perfect student, the perfect performer, the perfect everything. Taylor was born to be perfect.

Having to be perfect makes you lonely, though.

All Taylor wants is for someone to care about her, for a change. Not just the image they have of her, not just the perfect girl. She wants someone to care about Taylor Metternich, with all her flaws. Admitting to those flaws is a tad bit tough, though.

All Nick wants is to be noticed, to be appreciated.

So when ms. Dillinger makes them work together on a history project, a friendship comes into existence.

Lots of time is spend together, and at some point, Taylor and Nick are running on the school grounds together. Taylor tries to keep up, until her asthma catches up with her. The first time Taylor makes a mistake around Nick, when she can’t continue running, she freaks. Has a full-blown panic attack, repeating over and over again that she’s sorry, that she’ll be better.  Nick semi-freaks too. He has never seen anything like this before, has no idea what is happening or why. He does know, however, that he hates to see Taylor like this. So he comforts her. They end up missing the last period of the day, which causes Taylor to feel even worse, but Nick refuses to let her go. He stays with her until she’s completely calm.

Then, he squads and says, ‘Hop on.’ She stares at him blankly, so he repeats his request. When he still doesn’t get an answer, he says ‘I learned my lesson. No more running for the pretty lady. Now let me be chivalrous and hop on.’ With Taylor on his back, he walked the full way back to the parking lot.

Time passes, and senior prom is coming up. Nick knows he wants to ask Taylor, but working up the nerve to do so is wholly another matter. He ends up seeing her at her locker and approaches her. She sees him, and she beats him to the punch. ‘I know there are a lot of girls out there, and it is probably very vain to hope for someone like you to ask someone like me, but...’ ‘Will you go to prom with me, Taylor?’

She bites her lip, for the first time that Nick knows of truly looking insecure. And, in a way, for the first time looking truly happy.

She accepts.

Fast forward to prom, because ohmy, this is where it gets good.

They dance, they have fun, they have a great night. All up until prom king and queen are chosen. Nobody, including Abby herself, is surprised when the cheerleader is called to the stage. Prom king, to add a dramatic twist to the evening, is Nick.

He walks up to the stage and is crowned alongside Abby. As he looks at her in her prom dress, he realizes something. A year back, the mere sight of Abby wearing this dress would have made his knees weak. Now, all he sees is a girl. A pretty girl, who is his friend of course, but just a girl all the same.

He bends over to her and whispers in her ear. ‘My queen, my sincerest apologies, but my mistress is waiting for me, and I have a feeling so is yours. We cannot let such noble ladies wait, can we?’

Abby chuckles, Nick winks, and goes back to Taylor. Without warning, he sweeps her up into the next dance.

They dance all night, and it is every bit as magical and cliché as all the high school movies say. Nick looks at Taylor as if she is the sun, and Taylor holds on to Nick like he is all that is keeping her standing.

At some point, she steps on Nicks toes. Not slightly, no, full on step on the toe. She had stopped freaking out when making a mistake around him, but she had always apologized straight after. Just like all those other times, her mouth opens to say sorry. Yet when she looks at Nick, she closes it again, instead saying nothing.

For Nick, this gesture says more than any words ever could, and he kisses her, right in the middle of the dance floor.

Do you now get why I ship these two? Like, do you understand why I am squealing and semi-screaming as I am writing this down because it is just too damn cute?

I know the odds of them getting together in the Leah book are slim. Hell, you would know, as the book undoubtedly is finished already. Even without them getting together, reading that book will be a pleasure, though. Because every mention of Taylor, and every mention of Nick, will remind me of how they would make each other happy in very unhappy times, and how they are soul mates, even if neither of them realizes it.

Their shipname is Naylor, if you were wondering.

Ship: Mardie

Author: Inge

This is a difficult question, because I ship a lot of 'legit' Simon couples, most notably Alice & Theo and Simon's parents. However, you've presented me with the chance to create another happy ending, which is the absolute best, so that's what I'm going to do!

My very first thought was Taylor. It is just so clear that behind the mask, she is just so lonely and insecure and longing for friends. She could really need a good boyfriend who makes her happy and sees the real her. However, before I could come up with the perfect match, Eline bombarded me with the most perfect ship. I won't spoil it in case you haven't read it yet, but Taylor is taken excellent care of, which gives me the opportunity to create another happily ever after.

There is really only one character I could choose: Martin. Many people loathe him (like, almost everyone it seems nowadays), but he really grew on me. Every time I re-read the book, another thing about Martin will jump out at me and I am well on my way to full-on love him. I mean, there is no excuse for what he did and it is still the worst thing ever, but it's not him, you know? Everyone makes mistakes, and this is his. At least Martin was truly sorry and made sure Simon heard his apology. That takes courage. Besides, no one should be ever judged solely by their mistakes, even if they are huge.

Anyway, this really sweet goofball really needs a happily ever after, so I started thinking about everything that makes Martin Martin and all of a sudden, this entire story line just appeared inside my head and everything clicked into place. So, here we go:

It's the Homecoming weekend and Martin knows Abby will be on the float with all the other cheerleaders. He is still head over heels for Abby - even though she shot him down - so he decides he'll try to get onto the float as well. After all, there's just something about twangy pop-country music, hay and Christmas lights that might very well aid his crusade. He borrowed his neighbor's much-too-small overalls, so he would at least look like he belongs on the float. However, when he approaches the float and tries to get on it, he notices this completely stressed-out girl. She is deadly serious about the whole float and in full panic mode. Not wanting to give her a heart attack, he decides not to climb on the float after all.

Instead, he just stays close to the float so he can look at Abby. By walking close to the float, he is also close to the panicked girl, who he soon realizes is Student Council Maddie. Feeling sympathetic, he decides he might as well try and help her. He tries to make Maddie relax a little so she can enjoy the parade by trying to help regulate and organize. However, this only seems to stress her out more, so he decides to go the other way and starts performing this absurd version of "Hoedown Throwdown". A tiny smile breaks through and she seems to relax a little. Realizing goofiness is the key to her genuine smile, he becomes the driving force behind the ridiculousness of the parade: instigating a hay fight, having the rows behind him dance and chant and making country look like an awesome Homecoming theme.

As soon as the parade ends and everyone (including Abby) rushes off to get changed or watch the game, Martin stays behind to help Maddie with the float. He pretends he needs a relaxation exercise after all the madness and convinces her to join in. Everything he does is strange and absurd and hilarious and his goofiness still brings out a smile. After the float is safely taken away, Martin walks into the stadium and slides next to Simon to watch Abby (and the game), only a little late.

The day of the play, he sees Maddie again, trying to regulate the audience with growing panic. Already in his Fagin costume, he steps out for a bit to  make her smile. During the break, he repeats the relaxation exercise, again convincing her to join in before going to lunch. The next weeks, he notices Maddie more often, always incredibly busy and serious. He makes it his personal goal to make her smile whenever he notices the tight set of her shoulders and jaw, remembering the Homecoming night. Goofing around with Maddie makes him happy, especially with the guilt of his blackmailing weighing him down. He misses his new friends and discovers he really enjoys being around Maddie, who has a surprisingly dry sense of humor.

Things take a turn for the worse and Martin finally emails Simon to say how sorry he is. He can't handle the guilt anymore and stays home from school. However, he has been helping out Maddie with the presentation text of the talent show and feels he should be there for her. He makes it to school in time to go through her lines for the last time. He feels surprisingly happy and proud when he sees Maddie confidently presenting on stage. During the slay of Adele songs, they do imitations and he just feels more happy than he has in a long time. When Maddie speaks again, he realizes he is staring at her without listening to a word she says. When she glances at him and flashes him that genuine smile, he knows he really likes her.

After the talent show, he gathers his courage and asks Maddie to celebrate the success of the talent show with him. She agrees, but only if he takes her for ice cream. While Maddie talks to her parents, Martin gets the car and notices he parked next to Simon. He rakes his hand through his hair, at a loss how to explain how sorry he is and how much he hopes he will be able to be friends with them again one day. His mouth twitches when he sees Bram in the passenger seat, feeling so happy for the two of them together, but not daring to smile in case Simon is still angry at him and perceives his smile as being of the evil kind. Simon just stares at him. Feeling uncomfortable, he backs out and drives to the front of the school, picking up Maddie.

They drive out to this cute little restaurant he remembers, which - of course - turns out to be closed. They end up buying a huge container of ice cream instead, which each of them choosing a topping to go with it: Martin picks a bag of M&M's, Maddie chooses Golden Oreos [Editor’s note: Maddie’s topping selection does not reflect the official preferences of this blog]. While creating M&M-Oreo drawings, Martin realizes his mistake doesn't have to dictate his life. Yes, he made an awful mistake, but he is not his mistake. While laughing and eating ice cream with the sweetest, smartest girl in school, he begins anew.

Short answer: I totally ship Mardie.

I’m in love, guys. Thank you so much to Eline, Inge, and all who participated. <3 

[beckyalbertalli]

Simon Trivia:Our Journey Ends

I am so moved. 

I know that’s a strange reaction to a bunch of trivia answers, but in this moment, it’s the truest thing I could possibly say.

The amount of effort, care, and love put into every single response is unreal. You took the time to hunt down answers to the most ridiculously obscure questions I could think of. Your bonus question responses were genius. I can’t explain how it feels to read about my characters from the perspectives of so many thoughtful readers. You guys really know Creekwood High School. I’m humbled and grateful. I love you guys a ton.

First, some cool info (soft spoilers included, so stop reading here if you need to!):

* There were (to my utter shock) MANY perfect responses. How are you guys so good at this?! 

*All of Nick’s crushes start with the letter A. Nick has a type! (I totally didn’t realize this until some of you pointed it out!)

*Many of you are very passionate about your secondary SIMON ships! Responses included: Leah/Garrett, Leah/Nora, Nick/Taylor, Simon’s parents, Alice/Theo, Leah/Abby, Leah/Martin, Morgan/Anna, Abby/Nick, Martin/Student Council Maddie, Taylor/unnamed Creekwood lesbian, Leah/Nick, Taylor/Cal, Peter and Alex from the gay bar, and Leah/Abby/Bieber (note: Bieber’s involvement in this OT3 is platonic)(right?). YOU ARE ALL GENIUSES. 

*One person predicted the actual romantic arc of the Leah POV book in painstakingly perfect detail. Whoa.

And the answers!

1. Simon’s History teacher is Ms. Dillinger.

2. Leah’s hair smells like almonds.

3. Martin sings Reviewing the Situation (I also accepted answers that ID’d the song as one of Fagin’s numbers in Act 2 of Oliver!, even if the name of the song wasn’t included).

4. Alice’s roommate is from Minneapolis.

5. Simon titles include: Yo, Simon, Homo Sapiens (Spanish), Moi, Simon, 16 ans, Homo Sapiens (French), Simon vs. de verwachtingen van de rest van de wereld (Dutch), Simon vs. A agenda homo sapiens (Portuguese), Simon og homo sapiens-agendaen (Norwegian), Simon és a Homo sapiens-lobbi (Hungarian), Nur drei Worte (German), Bara tre ord (Swedish), Nhật ký bí mật của Simon (Vietnamese), and Simon oraz inni Homo Sapiens (Polish).

6. Maddie is the name of the Creekwood student council rep.

7. Alice finds it appropriate to use the word “bitch” when referring to a female dog (any variation on this theme was accepted).

8. Simon, Nick, and Abby visit Zesto, Junkman’s Daughter, Webster’s, and the feminist bookstore (some of you figured out that it was Charis Books).

9. Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger are kicking ass on the screenplay.

10. Spier rhymes with beer (anything that rhymes with this was counted as correct).

11. My author friends with terrible taste in Oreos are Angie Thomas and Adam Silvera. 

12. Anna and Taylor have asthma.

13. Simon wears Golden retriever pajama pants.

14. The Creekwood lockers are toothpaste-blue.

15. Carys has her special nites with Jaxon Wildstein.

16. Ms. Knight is the Creekwood principal.

17. The first time Alice met Simon, she said, “No baby!”

18. The book begins on October 16th. However, after consulting with my dear friends Marieke Nijkamp and Corinne Duyvis, it was brought to my attention that the structure of this question would put European (and possibly other international) readers at a particular disadvantage. Therefore, both October 16th and October 17th were counted as correct. 

19. Simon’s dad is Facebook friends with Bob Lepinski.

20. Nick had a crush on Alice (Spier), Amy (Everett), and Abby (Suso).

21. Simon comes out to Abby on December 12th. 

22. Nora is reading Macbeth on Halloween.

23. Simon pop and locks to Boom Boom Pow at Nick’s Bar Mitzvah.

24. Simon’s secret nicknames for the guys are Awkward Silence Bram and Semi-Douche Garrett.

25. SIMON was blurbed by Alex Sanchez, Jennifer Niven, Andrew Smith, Nina Lacour, and Tim Federle (my heart). 

Still with me?

So, as you may have noticed, there were multiple perfect responses. Therefore, responses to the bonus question (Your secondary ship: which two SIMON VS secondary characters -anyone except Simon and Blue - belong together, and why?) were used to determine the winner. These responses were AMAZING. AMAZING. AMAZING. I couldn’t choose. So, I brought in a trusted judge to make the final call. 

Meet our judge! 

(aka my baby sister, Caroline)(the one doing the chokehold is me)(circa 1988)

Since the relationship between sisters is so important in UPSIDE, my sister was the natural choice to step up and judge the bonus round. All eligible responses were sent to her without identifying information. 

She picked a winner.

Actually, she picked two winners. She was one hundred percent unable to choose between her two favorite entries, and I was one hundred percent unable to help her. Therefore, two people will receive ARCs of THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED. 

The winners are: 

Eline, for her deeply compelling Nick/Taylor ship (aka Naylor)(no, trust me, guys, she sold it). Ingemarie, for the strangely perfect Martin/Maddie ship (Mardie)(I didn’t even think I WANTED Marty to be happy). 

Thank you so much to ALL who participated. I’ll be reaching out to each of you over the next few days with information about a very special UPSIDE-themed gift. <3 

[beckyalbertalli]

SIMON Trivia Updates and the Tiebreaker Questions (alternate title: Holy Crap, You Guys)

Uh, WOW.

So. 

Wow.

You guys are amazing. Thank you so much to all who entered. Every single one of you blew me away. 

All finalists have now been notified by me via email and will be moving onto the tiebreaker round. However, every single participant will receive a special gift to thank you for the thought and care you put into this quiz. More info to follow via email!  

And now... 

The answers:

1. Garrett’s eyes are blue (or electric blue)

2. Abby is from Takoma Park

3. Simon’s birthday is November 17th (like me!)

4. Simon’s mom is a psychologist (or clinical psychologist or therapist or child psychologist)

5. Martin’s brother is named Carter.

6. Simon’s English teacher is named Mr. Wise.

7. Taylor’s part in the musical is Oliver or the lead.

8. Blue’s dad and stepmother live in Savannah.

9. Alice’s boyfriend is named Theo.

10. Abby is really good at claw machines.

11. Nick’s ancestors come from Russia.

12. The Spiers eat French toast for Christmas dinner (though I also counted reindeer turds or Oreo truffles as correct!).

13. Simon’s email address references Waltz #2.

14. Simon dislikes red frosting.

15. The college boy Simon meets is named Peter.

16. Leah’s OTP in Harry Potter is Harry/Draco or Drarry.

17. Blue’s go-to Halloween costume was a superhero (though I also counted the Green Lantern as correct). 

18. The Creekwood freshman class chose emo as their homecoming theme.

19. Blue’s email address is bluegreen118@gmail.com

20. Cal’s last name is Price.

21. Simon was obsessed with Passion Pit in middle school.

22. Soccer is responsible for Simon’s favorite kind of calves (also counted football as correct, you adorable Europeans).

23. Simon’s costume for Garrett’s party was a Dementor.

24. The ingredients in a Nick Eisner cookie are a cookie and peanut butter.

25. Simon’s ex-girlfriends are Rachel, Anna, and Carys.

And some stats:

*There were 58 entries!

*25 people got perfect scores, and will be moving onto the tiebreaker round (keep scrolling!)

*The most common errors, by far, appeared in: question 11 (Israel - no worries, guys - Simon himself made the same mistake!); question 17 (many people named Simon’s childhood Halloween costumes instead of Blue’s); and question 18 (country - which was the Junior class theme).

*58 entries were the absolute cutest. 

*58 participants were the all-time best.

And finally...

It’s The All-Time Killer Hard Mega Impossible Even-I-Had-To-Look-These-Up Tiebreaker-Round!!!!

The rules:

-Anyone can play (and I will share the correct answers later)! However, I will only be calculating scores for the 25 finalists. 

-Finalists must email their responses to me at becky.albertalli at gmail no later than Monday, August 15, noon EST. 

-All answers (with the exception of the bonus question) can be found either in the text of SIMON VS or on my website. 

-Bonus question should be completed now, but will only be scored in the event of a tie on the other items.

-Winner receives the signed/personalized ARC of THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED! 

-Good luck, friends!!

Presenting...the Tiebreaker Questions! 

1.     What is the name of Simon’s history teacher?

2.     What does Leah’s hair smell like?

3.     What song does Martin sing at Waffle House?

4.     What is Alice’s roommate’s hometown?

5.     Name the full title of SIMON in three languages, NOT including English (spelling counts for this one!)

6.     What is the name of the Creekwood junior class student council rep?

7.     In what context does Alice find it appropriate to use the word “bitch”?

8.     Name three places Simon, Nick, and Abby visited in either Little 5 Points or Midtown.

9.     What are the names of the screenwriters working on the SIMON VS movie screenplay?

10. Name a word that rhymes with “Spier.”

11. Name one of Becky’s author friends who (embarrassingly) likes Golden Oreos.

12. Name two Creekwood High students who have asthma.

13. What type of pattern or image is on Simon’s pajama pants?

14. What color are the lockers at Creekwood High School?

15. Who is Carys Seward’s current boyfriend?

16. What is the name of the Creekwood High School principal?

17. What did Alice say when she met Simon for the very first time?

18. What date does the book start on?

19. Name one of Simon’s dad’s twelve Facebook friends.

20. Name three people Nick has had a crush on.

21. On what date does Simon have his Coming Out Thing with Abby?

22. What is Nora reading on Halloween?

23. What song did Simon pop and lock to at Nick’s bar mitzvah?

24. What nicknames does Simon use for Bram and Garrett in his head before he knows them well?

25. Name three of the (wonderful) authors who blurbed SIMON VS.

 Bonus question (in the event of another tie, this question will be used to determine the final winner. Again, it will ONLY be counted if there’s a tie. Creative answers are welcome!):

 Your secondary ship: which two SIMON VS secondary characters (anyone except Simon and Blue) belong together– and why?

[beckyalbertalli]

Win an ARC of THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED!

UPSIDE ARCs have officially landed, and I am blown away by the number of requests! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your interest in this book, and I really hope you love it. I wish I had enough ARCs to share with all of you beautiful, brilliant, Oreo-eating Simon readers, but I’m afraid supplies are limited. 

HOWEVER.

YOU can win a signed/personalized copy of THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED! This contest is open internationally, and it’s specifically geared toward SIMON fans. 

PRESENTING: The world’s second hardest SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA trivia quiz! 

Here’s how it works! 

*There are 25 super obscure SIMON VS questions. Each correct answer is worth 4 points. There are no penalties for incorrect answers. You can leave questions blank. If you include multiple answers, I’ll count the first one listed. 

*You can use the book as a reference. You can ask (anyone but me) for help. You can work as a team. Anything goes! 

*Email your responses to me at becky.albertalli at gmail NO LATER THAN Friday, August 12, noon, EST

(Deadline shifted back, because it is now impossible to win unless you earn the Friday submission bonus!)

*The first person to email me their responses to the quiz (regardless of percentage correct) will receive 10 bonus points. 

*Highest total score wins the ARC! If two or more participants tie, they will participate in a SUPER hard final bonus tiebreaker round. If you are participating as a team, please select ONE team member to initially receive the ARC (though I’m happy to personalize it to multiple people). 

*Answers will be based on the English language versions of the book (if details are different in my international editions, I’m afraid I'm unlikely to know)! 

*Good luck! 

SCROLL DOWN FOR QUESTIONS! 

1.     What color are Garrett’s eyes?

2.     What neighborhood in the DC area is Abby from?

3.     What is Simon’s birthday?

4.     What is Simon’s mom’s job?

5.     What is Martin’s brother’s first name?

6.     What is the name of Simon’s English teacher?

7.     What part does Taylor play in the school musical?

8.     Where do Blue’s dad and stepmother live?

9.     What is Alice’s boyfriend’s name?

10. Which character is really good at claw machines?

11.  Where do Nick’s ancestors come from?

12. What do the Spiers eat for Christmas Eve dinner?

13. What Elliott Smith song does Simon’s email address reference?

14. What flavor of frosting does Simon dislike?

15. What is the name of the college boy Simon meets at the gay bar?

16. Who is Leah’s OTP in Harry Potter?

17.  What was Blue’s go-to Halloween costume as a child?

18.  What type of music did the Creekwood freshman class choose as a homecoming theme?

19. What is Blue’s email address?

20. What is Cal’s last name?

21. What band was Simon obsessed with in middle school?

22. What sport is responsible for Simon’s favorite type of calves?

23. What was Simon’s costume for Garrett’s Halloween party?

24. What are the two ingredients of a Nick Eisner cookie?

25. Name at least two out of three of Simon’s ex-girlfriends?

[beckyalbertalli]

International! ❤️

[beckyalbertalli]

How many times can I heart this?

Okay, this might sound a little bit weird but does anyone else feel like Becky is their honorary mom? Because I feel like she is 100% Momfriend material (this sounds so WEIRD sorry)

No it doesn’t sund that weird! She is most definitely momfriend material! She’s sweeter than Oreos!

[beckyalbertalli]

Hi I dont know if you'll answer. I love Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, and was rereading it. Was wondering, you mentioned a singer called leda. Are they real. And if they are could you link one of their songs. I can't find them. Have a great day.

Thank you so much - and I’m really excited, because I’ve never gotten this question before (it’s a great one!). Leda is actually the name of my friend Kiri Oliver’s former band, but they split sometime during the pre-publication stage. But Kiri’s now in a band called Early Riser, and here’s their Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/earlyriserrr

[beckyalbertalli]

*Thank you so much to all who entered! This contest is now over, but there are more giveaways coming soon!* Simon LOVES Bloggers: a giveaway!

Bloggers, you are the creme to my Oreo. Here’s a giveaway to say thanks (and I love you)(and I want to make out with your blogs)(and your faces). 

Three prizes are up for grabs, including a SIMON hardcover and two of my other all-time favorite books!

1. A signed hardcover of SUFFER LOVE, by Ashley Herring Blake, PLUS a set of amazing bookish sticky notes designed by my amazing Dutch publisher, Blossom Books (purchased in Amsterdam!). SUFFER LOVE is so romantic, gorgeously written, and pulls no punches exploring the complexities of family dynamics. It was signed by Ashley during her launch party at Parnassus Books. This prize is open to US residents only (eek - I’m sorry! Simply a matter of managing shipping costs). 

2. A signed hardcover of MOSQUITOLAND, by David Arnold, PLUS those beautiful sticky notes! MOSQUITOLAND is so honest, hilarious, beautifully weird, and full of heart. This copy was purchased when I flipped my shit seeing it at the Rochester, NY airport - and it was signed by David on the streets of New York. This prize is also open to US residents only.   

3. A signed, personalized hardcover of SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA, by me! This copy was purchased at Little Shop of Stories, and will be signed in the author’s bed while the author wears pajama pants and a Hamilton t-shirt. The winner of this book will also receive a timeline of all the mortifying crushes and relationships in the SIMON universe from Simon’s 7th-10th grade school years. Who did Leah have a crush on in middle school? Who did Simon have a megacrush on in 9th grade? This prize is open internationally! 

Here’s some more info! 

Q: Who can enter? 

A: All bloggers, bookstagrammers, booktubers, and bookish tumblr types! Both new and seasoned bloggers are welcome. There is no requirement for number of followers - I adore and appreciate all of you! 

Q: How do I enter? 

A: Share this post on tumblr, Twitter, or Instagram with the proper hashtag (see below)!

-To win SUFFER LOVE and stickies, use the hashtag #SIMONLOVESSL (remember, US only for this one)

-To win MOSQUITOLAND and stickies. use the hashtag #SIMONLOVESML (US only for this one, too)

-To win SIMON VS and the crush timeline, use the hashtag #SIMONLOVESYOU (International!)

*Note: US bloggers can totally enter more than one contest - even all three! Just use multiple hashtags. Also, anyone is welcome to enter multiple times across the different forums. Winners will be drawn at random from the hashtag, so make sure to include it! Please note: winners may only win a single prize. If you are selected as the winner for two different books you will be given your choice of which one you prefer to receive. 

*Contest will run from Monday, May 16th to Wednesday, May 18th. Winners will be announced at 9:00pm, EST. 

Best of luck, blogger types, and thank you SO MUCH for all you do!