Author Panel: Adib Khorram

Adib Khorram is the author the critically acclaimed and award-winning DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY.

Adib set out to write a book that would have mattered to him growing up, and then let the chips fall where they may.

Because Adib had done a lot of work with his agent it was in pretty good shape by the time it reached his editor. With those revisions they went deep, but every time they'd fix something, another thing would shift out of place. It would create ripples.

Adib says it was a joyful experience, but a lot like an editorial game of whack-a-mole. He felt that his editor also brought the best out of him.

Each of the authors is sharing a personal story of an experience they've had with a reader. The interactions are real and emotional, and very specifics. But Adib reminds the room of the bridge writers create with their readers and even to the adult in their lives.

Books-that-matter recommendations from the panel: Adib recommends TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY by Kwame Mbalia.

Lightning round (I'll let you guess the question):
dogs
chocolate
unicorns
pants-er
revision
Schitt's Creek
Iran
Thai

What are you working on now?
Another YA contemporary

A final thought:

Adib shares that there's so much to being a writer that's out of your control. But the two things that that are: first, the words or art you put on a page; and second, your personal behavior.