Appearances

Upcoming Events:

2023

YA AUTHORS IN CONVERSATION ABOUT CRAFT
Chloe Gong, Candice Iloh, and Anica Mrose Rissi, with Nova Ren Suma
Lucy F. DeMarco Program
Wednesday, March 29, 6:00 PM
Kelly Writers House | 3805 Locust Walk
Ever consider writing a YA novel? Join three celebrated special guest YA authors for a panel event and conversation on writing craft specific to a young adult audience. Featuring #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and its sequel Our Violent Ends and Penn alumna Chloe Gong; National Book Award finalist Candice Iloh, author of Every Body Looking and Break This House; award-winning author of more than a dozen books for kids and teens, including Always Forever Maybe and Nobody Knows But You, Anica Mrose Rissi; and event host Nova Ren Suma, author of several books including A Room Away from the Wolves and The Walls Around Us, both finalists for an Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel, and Penn Creative Writing faculty. Open to the Penn community and to the public. Book signing to follow.
Please register here to attend in person.Masks are welcome. Please stay home if you feel ill. Books available for purchase in cash, check, or PayPal.
CHLOE GONG
Chloe Gong is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and its sequel Our Violent Ends. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she double-majored in English and International Relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe is now located in New York pretending to be a real adult.CANDICE ILOH
Candice Iloh is a first generation Nigerian-American writer, dancer, and author of the 2020 National Book Award finalist and 2021 Printz Honoree, Every Body Looking. They have performed their work around the country, most notably at Nuyorican Poets Café in New York City; the Women in Poetry & Hip Hop celebration at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore; and as part of the Africa In Motion performing arts series at the National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. Competitively, Iloh has advanced to the final rounds of the Graffiti DC Slam, Beltway Poetry Slam, and 11th Hour Poetry Slam. Candice is currently writing their third novel, Salt the Water, while touring their second, Break This House (Out May 24, 2022). They live and work in Philadelphia with their cats Maxinne and Charlie.ANICA MROSE RISSI
Anica Mrose Rissi is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for kids and teens, including the Anna, Banana chapter book series; the middle grade collection Hide and Don’t Seek: And Other Very Scary Stories; the picture book Love, Sophia on the Moon; and the young adult novel Nobody Knows But You. Her next book, Wishing Season, a middle grade novel set on the Maine island where she grew up, comes out in June 2023 and is available for preorder now. Anica’s essays have been published by The Writer and the New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. She currently lives near Princeton, New Jersey, with her very good dog, Sweet Potato.NOVA REN SUMA
Nova Ren Suma is the author of A Room Away from the Wolves and the #1 New York Times bestselling The Walls Around Us, both finalists for an Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel. She also wrote the novels Imaginary Girls, 17 & Gone, and Dani Noir and is co-editor of the story & writing craft anthology FORESHADOW: Stories to Celebrate the Magic of Reading & Writing YA. She has an MFA in fiction from Columbia University and has taught creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania and Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Philadelphia.LUCY F. DEMARCO ENDOWED FUND FOR YOUTH LITERATURE 
Established by Kathy DeMarco Van Cleve (C’88, W’88)  in memory of Lucy F. DeMarco, a preschool educator and voracious reader, this fund supports programs that engage with children’s literature.

Past Appearances:

2021

  • Tin House 2021 YA Fiction Workshop (Virtual): Feb. 11–15, 2021. Second annual YA fiction workshop directed by Tin House. Faculty: Jennifer De Leon, Mason Deaver, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Yamile Saied Méndez, Mark Oshiro, Ben Philippe, Nova Ren Suma, Ashley Woodfolk.
  • TLA Annual Conference (Virtual): April 22, 2021. Panel event with with Charlie Jane Anders, Dhonielle Clayton, Marissa Meyer, and Foreshadow co-editor Emily X.R. Pan.
  • The Big Five-Oh SCBWI Summer Conference: Career Launchpad (Virtual): July 29, 2021. Craft talk on Creating the Novel with editor Tiffany Liao.
  • Northshire Live: Emma Kress presents Dangerous Play with Nova Ren Suma (Virtual): August 3, 2021. Book launch event interviewing Emma Kress about her debut novel.
  • Paranormal Fiction Workshop with the Manhattanville College MFA in Creative Writing Program (Virtual): October 23, 2021.
  • VCFA Friendsgiving: Foreshadow (Virtual): November 18, 2021. Panel conversation with Tanya Aydelott and Emily X.R. Pan.

2020

  • 2020 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia: January 26, 2020, Philadelphia Convention Center. Book Signing at the Algonquin/Workman booth.
  • Franklin & Marshall College visit: February 11, 2020, Open class & conversation with Nova Ren Suma, Writing House Reading Room.
  • (Canceled due to COVID-19) PEN World Voices Festival | Next Generation Now: May 9, 2020, BookCulture, Long Island City, NY. In conversation with Emily X.R. Pan.
  • School Library Journal: Day of Dialog (Virtual): May 27, 2020. In conversation with Nina LaCour and Emily X.R. Pan.
  • (Canceled due to COVID-19) 2020 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago: June 25–28, 2020.
  • Foreshadow Virtual Tour: THE PLACE WE CALL HOME Author Panel: Oct. 20, 2020, McNally Jackson, New York, NY (via Zoom). With Emily X.R. Pan, featuring Desiree S. Evans, Adriana Marachlian, and Joanna Truman.
  • Foreshadow Virtual Tour: STAKES AND TIPPING POINTS Author Panel: Oct. 22, 2020, Doylestown Bookshop, Doylestown, PA (via Crowdcast). With Emily X.R. Pan, featuring Mayra Cuevas and Flor Salcedo.
  • Foreshadow Virtual Tour: WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU Author Panel: Oct. 29, 2020, Oblong Books, Rhinebeck, NY (via Zoom). With Emily X.R. Pan, featuring Tanya Aydelott, Tanvi Berwah, and Gina Chen.
  • Foreshadow Virtual Tour: WHERE THE MAGIC CARRIES US Author Panel: Nov. 5, 2020, Porter Square Books, Boston, MA (via Crowdcast). With Emily X.R. Pan, featuring Linda Cheng, Nora Elghazzawi, and Maya Prasad.
  • Foreshadow Virtual Tour: RISKY BEHAVIOR Author Panel: Nov. 12, 2020, Malaprop’s Bookstore, Asheville, NC (via Zoom). With Emily X.R. Pan, featuring Rachel Hylton and Sophie Meridien.
  • The ALAN Workshop at NCTE: Nov. 23, 2020, Virtual Conference. Panel in conversation with Emily X.R. Pan.

2019

  • Kelly Writers House: Lunch with Nova Ren Suma: March 12, 2019, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Hosted by Beth Kephart.
  • Young Adult Novel Weekend Intensive: April 6–7, 2019. Sponsored by Blue Stoop. Indy Hall, Philadelphia, PA. Workshop instructor.
  • Texas Library Association (TLA) Annual Conference: April 16–17, 2019, Austin, TX.
  • 2019 MWA Edgars Week Symposium: April 24, 2019, Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York, NY.
  • 2019 Djerassi YA Novel Workshop-Retreat: May 4–10, 2019. The Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA. Workshop leader.
  • Ghosts, Haunts, and Haints: A Paranormal Writing Weekend: June 28–30, 2019. Charleston, SC. Retreat co-leader with Holly Raychelle Hughes.
  • It’s a Whole Spiel and His Hideous Heart Anthology Event: Thursday, Sept. 19, 7pm, Children’s Book World, Haverford, PA. With Dahlia Adler, Katherine Locke, Alex London.

2018

  • Book Launch for Emily X.R. Pan’s The Astonishing Color of After: March 20, 2018. McNally Jackson Bookstore, New York, NY. In conversation with Emily X.R. Pan.
  • Texas Library Association (TLA_ Annual Conference: April 3–6, 2018. Dallas, Texas.
  • 2018 Djerassi YA Novel Reunion Retreat: April 16–21, 2018. The Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA. Workshop leader.
  • School Library Journal Day of Dialog 2018: May 30, 2018. NYU Kimmel Center, New York, NY.
  • Book Expo: June 1, 2018. Javits Center, New York, NY.
  • BookCon: June 2, 2018. Javits Center, New York, NY.
  • ALA Annual Conference: June 23–25, 2018. New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA.
  • Heart of Thorns Book Event: August 2, 2018. Big Blue Marble Bookshop, Mt. Airy, PA. In conversation with Bree Barton.
  • A Room Away from the Wolves NYC Book Launch: Sept. 4, 2018. McNally Jackson, New York, NY. In conversation with Melissa Albert.
  • A Room Away from the Wolves Philly Book Launch: Sept. 6, 2018. Head House Books, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Barnes & Noble Oxford Valley Launch Party Panel: Sept. 7, 2018. Barnes & Noble, The Court @ Oxford Valley, Fairless Hills, PA. With Courtney Summers and Tiffany Schmidt.
  • Boston Teen Author Festival: September 22, 2018. Cambridge Public Library and the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, Cambridge, MA.
  • Hudson Valley YA Society Panel: September 23, 2018. Oblong Books, Rhinebeck, NY. With Sara Farizan and Monica Hesse.
  • Hometown Reading & Signing: September 24, 2018. The Golden Notebook, Woodstock, NY.
  • Point Street Reading Series: September 25, 2018. Alchemy, Providence, RI. With Blair Hurley, Delia Owens, Corey Brettschneider, and Suzanne Matson.
  • Texas Teen Book Festival: October 6, 2018. St. Edward’s University, Austin, TX.
  • Interabang Books A Room Away from the Wolves & All the Wind in the World Event: October 8, 2018. Interabang Books, Dallas, TX. With Samantha Mabry. 
  • Boston Book Festival: October 13, 2018. Boston, MA.
  • Writers on Writing: Craft, Character, and Revisions Author Panel: October 23, 2018. Labyrinth Books, Princeton, NJ. With Tiffany D. Jackson, Claire Legrand, and Anica Mrose Rissi.
  • Confessionals: Nova Ren Suma and Emily X.R. Pan in Conversation (Spilling Their Secrets): October 28, 2018. Doylestown Bookshop, Doylestown, PA.
  • Portland Book Festival: November 10, 2018. Portland, OR.
  • NCTE Annual Convention: November 15–18, 2018. Houston, TX.
  • ALAN Workshop: November 19–20, 2018. Houston, TX. In conversation with Emily X.R. Pan about FORESHADOW: A Serial YA Anthology.
  • All But True Reading Series: December 11, 2018. Penn Book Center, Philadelphia, PA. With Katherine Locke.

2017

  • 2017 AWP Conference: February 9–12, 2017. Washington, DC. Moderated “The Book of Your Heart: Ignoring Market Trends and Writing the Novel Most Connected to You” and panelist on “Mystery in the Writing Process: Discovery, Revelation, and Withholding for Writers and Their Readers.”
  • Fantastic Fiction Reading Series at KGB: March 15, 2017. KGB Bar, New York, NY.
  • NYC Teen Author Festival: Feminism in the Real World and in YA Panel: March 20, 2017. New York Public Library, New York, NY.
  • 2017 New England SCBWI Conference #NESCBWI: April 21–23, 2017. Sheraton Monarch Springfield, Springfield, MA. Conference faculty.
  • 2017 Djerassi YA Novel Workshop-Retreat: June 18–24, 2017. The Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA. Workshop leader.
  • 2017 SCBWI 46th Annual Summer Conference: July 7–10, 2017. Los Angeles, CA. Conference faculty.
  • NCTE 2017: November 17, 2017. St. Louis, MO. Panelist.

2016

  • 2016 Djerassi YA Novel Writing Workshop: March 6–12, 2016. Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA. Workshop leader.
  • 2016 Djerassi YA Novel Alumni Reunion Workshop: March 17–23, 2016. Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA. Workshop leader.
  • 2016 AWP Conference: March 30–April 2, 2016. Los Angeles, CA. Panelist on “Making Monsters: Exploring Otherness in YA/MG Literature” and “Sex, Drugs, Violence (and Rock ‘n’ Roll): Exploring the Boundaries of Young Adult Lit.”
  • Meet the Edgar Award Nominees: April 27, 2016. Books of Wonder, New York, NY.
  • The Edgar Banquet: April 28, 2016. Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York, NY.
  • Read Up, Greenville: August 6, 2016. Peace Center, Greenville, SC.
  • Brooklyn Book Festival: September 18, 2016. Brooklyn, NY.
  • Highlights Foundation Books with Bite Workshop: October 19–23, 2016. The Highlights Foundation, Honesdale, PA. Workshop instructor.
  • Nova Ren Suma & Courtney Summers at McNally Jackson: October 25, 2016. McNally Jackson Bookstore, New York, NY.
  • YALLfest: November 11–12, 2016. Charleston, SC.
  • YASD Annual Librarian Luncheon: December 1, 2016. Riverhead, NY. Featured author/speaker.

2015

  • ABA Winter Institute: Feb. 10, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC.
  • Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference: Feb. 19–21, The Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. Conference faculty.
  • The North Texas Teen Book Festival: March 7, Irving Convention Center, Irving, TX.
  • NYC Teen Author Festival Saturday Symposium: March 21, New York Public Library, New York, NY.
  • The Walls Around Us Book Launch: Nova Ren Suma in Conversation with Libba Bray: March 23, McNally Jackson Books, New York, NY.
  • Teen Author Reading Night: April 1, Jefferson Market Library, New York, NY.
  • AWP Conference: April 8–12, Minneapolis, MN. Panelist on ASU Piper Center’s “Plot is Character, Character is Plot” and “Growing Up in a Magical Space: Magical Realism in Contemporary YA and Children’s Literature.”
  • Odyssey Bookshop April YA Panel: April 25, South Hadley, MA. With authors Lance Rubin and Tommy Wallach.
  • Hudson Valley YA Society Event: April 25, Oblong Books, Rhinebeck, NY. With authors Lance Rubin and Tommy Wallach.
  • The All-Ages Show: A Kid-Lit Conference Presented by Rutgers Writers House: Rutgers Barnes & Noble, New Brunswick, NJ. With authors Kate Milford, J.A. White, Michelle Knudsen, Daniel José Older, Michael Barakiva, and editorial director Joy Peskin.
  • Cannibals, Skyships, and Killer Ballerinas: The YA Stylings of Camille DeAngelis, Maria Dahvana Headley, and Nova Ren Suma: May 6, McNally Jackson Bookstore, New York, NY.
  • The Walls Around Us Book Event & Reading: May 18, Bethesda Library in conjunction with Politics and Prose, Bethesda, MD.
  • SCBWI NY Metro Tuesday Professional Series talk on “Finding Your Own Unique Voice: Taking Risks and Being True to Yourself as a Writer”: June 9, Anthropological Society, New York, NY.
  • Djerassi YA Novel Workshop-Retreat: June 21–26, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA. Workshop instructor.
  • 2015 ALA Conference: June 29, San Francisco, CA.
  • Not Your Mother’s Book Club Presents YA Thrills & Chills: June 30, Books Inc., Palo Alto, CA. With authors Katie Coyle and Lauren Saft.
  • Salem College First-Year Read Visit: Lecture and Book Signing: September 8, Shirley Recital Hall, Elberson Fine Arts Center, Winston-Salem, NC.
  • Books with Bite Workshop and Retreat with Nova Ren Suma and Micol Ostow: September 16–20, Highlights Foundation, Honesdale, PA. Workshop instructor.
  • Texas Book Festival: October 17–18, Austin, TX. Lit Crawl “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” reading and book festival “Paranormal Activity” panel with Daniel José Older and Paige McKenzie.
  • A Week in Residency with Nova Ren Suma: November 8–14, the Writing Barn, Austin, TX. Workshop instructor.
  • BookPeople Event & Signing: Nova Ren Suma and Suzanne Young: November 11, BookPeople, Austin, TX.
  • NCTE/ALAN: November 21–24, Minneapolis, MN.

2014

  • Djerassi Writes: YA Novel Workshop: Feb. 9–14, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA. Workshop leader. 
  • AWP Conference: Feb. 26–March 1, Seattle, WA. Panelist on “Commercial Literary Fiction (Not an Oxymoron): The Place of Craft in Writing and Teaching Children’s and Young Adult Literature.”
  • New England SCBWI Conference: Create Bravely: May 2–4, Springfield, MA. Conference faculty.
  • Djerassi Writes: YA Novel Workshop (second session): June 22–27, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA. Workshop leader. 
  • The Craft of Creativity: The Inaugural Showcase Featuring the Master Class Room Instructors: Sept. 8, The Writers Room, New York, NY.
  • Highlights Whole Novel Workshop with Sarah Aronson and Nancy Werlin: Sept. 10–11, Highlights Foundation, Honesdale, PA. Special guest author.
  • Changing Hands Signing & Reading: Sept. 17. Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe, AZ. With author Elizabeth Fama.
  • Yaddo: December 2014, Saratoga Springs, NY. Writing residency. 

2013

  • Barnes & Noble Reader’s Theater and Signing: March 22, Union Square Barnes & Noble, New York, NY. With authors Eireann Corrigan, Elizabeth Eulberg, Jeff Hirsch, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell. *NYC Teen Author Festival event
  • Mutual Admiration Society reading at McNally Jackson: March 23, McNally Jackson, New York, NY. With authors Sharon Cameron, A.S. King, Michael Northrop, Diana Peterfreund, Victoria Schwab. *NYC Teen Author Festival event
  • Mega-Signing at Books of Wonder: March 24, Books of Wonder, New York, NY. With more than 40 authors. *NYC Teen Author Festival event
  • Teen Author Reading Night: April 3, Jefferson Market Branch of the New York Public Library, New York, NY. With authors Caela Carter, Elizabeth Eulberg, Barry Lyga, Michael Northrop, Lindsay Ribar, Nina Shengold, and K. M. Walton.
  • Fantastic Teen Reads for Spring Reading and Signing Event: April 14, Books of Wonder, New York, NY. With authors Brittany Geragotelis, Jesse Karp, Alaya Dawn Johnson, and Suzanne Weyn.
  • Hudson Valley YA Society Panel, Reading & Signing: April 28, Oblong Books and Music, Rhinebeck, NY. With authors Lauren Morrill, Lauren Oliver, and Jess Rothenberg.
  • New England SCBWI Conference: Word-by-Word: The Art of Craft: May 3–5, Springfield, MA. Conference faculty.
  • The Hambidge Center for Creative Arts & Sciences: June 11–23, Rabun Gap, GA. Awarded NEA fellowship and stipend for writing residency.
  • YA Trio Book Event: June 24, Malaprop’s Bookstore, Asheville, NC. With authors Stephanie Perkins and Beth Revis.
  • Beneath the Surface YA Author Panel: July 11, Irving Public Library, Irving, TX. With authors Rae Carson, Tessa Gratton, Tahereh Mafi, Aimée Carter, and Ransom Riggs.
  • KGB Fantastic Fiction Reading: August 21, KGB Bar, New York, NY. With Libba Bray.
  • The MacDowell Colony: September 2013, Peterborough, NH. Writing residency.

2012

  • Djerassi Resident Artists Program: March 13–April 12, Woodside, CA. Writing residency.
  • Teen Book Club: April 25, Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library, Fair Lawn, NJ. Book club visit.
  • YA Author Panel: June 15, Inquiring Minds Bookstore, New Paltz, NY. With authors Jennifer Castle and Kim Purcell.
  • Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop: July 22–29, Laramie, WY. Writing workshop.
  • Tandem Reading Series YA Night: August 5, The Cell Theatre, New York, NY. With authors Patty Blount and Dan Krokos.
  • RJ Julia Penguin Young Readers Group YA Event: September 20, RJ Julia Bookstore, Madison, CT. With authors Tara Altebrando, Susane Colasanti, Huntley Fitzpatrick, Natasha Friend, and Kat Rosenfield.
  • Kidlitosphere Conference 2012: September 29, New York Public Library main branch, New York, NY. Presenter.
  • The Millay Colony: November 2012, Austerlitz, NY. Writing residency.

2011

  • The MacDowell Colony: January–February 2011. Writing residency.
  • This Week in NY 10th Anniversary Party: May 18, Fontana’s Bar, New York, NY. Reading, with performances by Andrew Giangola, Megan Reilly with James Mastro, Paula Carino and the Sliding Scale, Dean Haspiel, and Kyle Smith.
  • NYC Teen Author Carnival: May 23, Mulberry Street Library, New York, NY. Author panel and signing with multiple authors.
  • WKNY 1490 with Warren Lawrence: May 31, Kingston, NY. Radio interview.
  • Great Summer Reads for Teens Panel and Signing: June 16, Books of Wonder, New York, NY. With authors Tara Altebrando, Susane Colasanti, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lisa Piscou.
  • July Teen Author Reading Night: July 6, Jefferson Market Library, New York, NY. With authors Tara Altebrando, Matt Blackstone, Christopher Grant, Alissa Grosso, Sarah Darer Littman, Gae Polisner, and Melissa Walker.
  • Barnes & Noble Reading and Signing: July 11, Kingston Barnes & Noble, Kingston, NY. Solo event.
  • The 40th Anniversary SCBWI Summer Conference: August 5–7, Los Angeles, CA. Conference faculty; panel appearance and workshop faculty.
  • YA Rising Stars / Bridge to Books Event: August 7, Once Upon a Time Bookstore, Montrose, CA. With authors Cindy Pon, Holly Goldberg Sloan, and Suzanne Young.
  • WAMC Northeast Public Radio: August 12, WAMC “Roundtable” radio interview with Katie Britton.
  • Hudson Valley YA Society Event: August 14, Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck, NY. With author Micol Ostow.
  • Teen Author Event: “Picking Up the Pieces… Why We Write”: October 14, The Dolphin Bookshop, Port Washington, NY. With authors Matt Blackstone, Christopher Grant, Michael Northrop, Gae Polisner, Lena Roy, and Arlaina Tibensky.
  • Reading and Q&A: November 6, Inquiring Minds Bookstore and Cafe, Saugerties, NY. With author Susannah Appelbaum.
  • Teen Author Event: November 15, The Huntington Public Library, Huntington, NY. With authors Matt Blackstone, Gae Polisner, and more.