This month’s debut authors share what it has been like to get their first YA book published in the midst of a pandemic. Crystal Maldonado, Louisa Onomé, Marti Leimbach, and Bethany Mangle also discuss some of the research and self-reflection that went into writing their stories, and the importance of staying true to yourself.

Crystal Maldonado, Fat Chance, Charlie Vega (Feb. 2)

What was it like to go through the process of getting your first YA book published during the pandemic?
Getting published during the pandemic has been exciting, rewarding, and a little exhausting! Being able to have this book published is truly a dream come true, so it’s been interesting to have those positive feelings juxtaposed with the stresses of the pandemic, which I know has been difficult on us all. That said, there have been some silver linings to debuting during this time, like being able to attend events from anywhere and meeting so many incredible authors on Twitter and over Zoom. I’m appreciating everything as it comes and enjoying all of the big and small moments. I’m also very much looking forward to being able to celebrate the book—and meet readers!—in person when it’s safe.

This book is very personal for you and tackles a lot of tough topics. Are any characters or plot points drawn from real life?
Much of the book is inspired by my real life, but nothing more obvious than Brian, who is fully inspired by my husband! Like Charlie and Brian, my husband and I met in high school, we had art together, and my husband even gave me a valentine, similar to the one Brian gives to Charlie, that I cherished and still have, nearly 15 years later! Beyond that, I really wanted to tell a story of what it’s like being a fat teen, and especially a fat Puerto Rican teen, and what that means. Charlie often feels like she is straddling the lines between two worlds: She wants to love herself as she is, but she feels the world telling her she needs to be different—thinner, quieter, simultaneously whiter and “more” Latinx (whatever that may mean). But she feels so stuck in the middle, as if she doesn’t quite fit anywhere. So, then what? How do you make peace with who you are and really celebrate that? In that way, I wanted to try to show that there is no right way to be anything; there's only you, and you matter.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I really hope that readers see themselves in Charlie and in her journey and that it helps them feel seen and validated. It can be pretty lonely to consume media but never quite see yourself reflected back at you. To me, if this book helps even one person feel worthy and understood, then I’ll have done exactly what I set out to do.

Louisa Onomé, Like Home (Feb. 23)

What was it like to go through the process of getting your first YA book published during the pandemic?
It’s been such a surreal experience! On one hand, life has gone on semi-regularly with work and hobbies, but on the other hand, we’re in a global health crisis. So, surreal, and also weird. I think the one part of getting my first YA book published that I was looking forward to the most was being able to go to conferences and festivals to meet readers and my fellow authors. The pandemic has definitely changed that aspect for me, so I’m really looking forward to the point when it’s safe to connect in person again! Until then, I’m thankful we still have the opportunity to meet via virtual events and social media.

The main character in your book experiences significant changes in different areas of her life. Are any characters or plot points drawn from your real life?
There are no plot points that were directly drawn from my real life, though I did relocate out of my childhood neighborhood when I was around 11 (about the same age a lot of my protagonist’s friends left, too). Similarly, I didn’t write Nelo as a direct reflection of myself at her age, but I think a lot of her tenacity and vibrancy is the way I would’ve liked to be at her age! It’s the way I was in my head. Definitely not out loud, though.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
A lot of my book is written with a particular tone or slang that’s commonly used by a lot of Black and brown kids in the Greater Toronto area. Oftentimes, we don’t always see this type of communication in a good light, even though language is dynamic and helps shape a culture. My biggest hope is that readers will be able to see and understand that a different way of speaking, or a different way of being, doesn’t automatically mean that someone is less deserving or unworthy of respect. Also, I hope readers will recognize that communities like Ginger East may have their own way of doing things, but that doesn't inherently mean they're wrong either.

[Read: January’s YA Debut Authors Share Their Hopes for 2021]

Marti Leimbach, Dragonfly Girl (Feb. 23)

What was it like to go through the process of getting your first YA book published during the pandemic?
It’s been interesting! It was actually quite good to have Dragonfly Girl to work on throughout the chaos of 2020 and I surprised myself by even writing the sequel! I’m disappointed that I won’t get to chat in person about the book with teenagers in school settings, but the online visits are still going. And I love that I can visit virtually with kids all over the world just by logging into Zoom!

Your book focuses on science and some of it takes place in a lab. Why did you want to include a science focus, and what kind of research did you do to help you tell this story?
Laboratories are full of possibilities. Running experiments means that you may end up with an unexpected discovery…or a disappointment. Anything can happen. Then there are the hours, endless and sometimes in the middle of the night. People could get awfully close—or awfully cross—at one other in such an intense setting. Once I understood a little more about Kira and the laboratory she’d be working in, it was fun to play around with the science side…mostly because I love science. I was lucky to have a consultant renal transplant surgeon as well as a biologist read an early manuscript. As for the rats, that part was easy! I’m active in the National Fancy Rat Society here in the UK. My rattery, Blue Apple Rattery, has its own Facebook page and you can see videos of my rats there as well as on TikTok.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I want young people to know that they don’t have to be good at everything. You can be good at one thing and make it your life’s work. And you don’t need a million friends to be happy, either. One or two close friends is enough. If you stay true to yourself, you’ll find your people. Oh, and it’s from this place that true romantic love might take hold, too!

Bethany Mangle, Prepped (Feb. 23)

What was it like to go through the process of getting your first YA book published during the pandemic?
Getting published in general was confusing because this is my debut and I went into it without any kind of previous experience about what the process would be like. The pandemic made that even more complicated because no one could really predict what would change or give me advice. It was also a bit surreal to have a book about doomsday prepping coming out during a global pandemic that I never foresaw when first conceiving of the idea.

Why did you want to write about survivalists and what kind of research did you do?
I went to school for emergency management and occupational safety, so I’ve spent a significant amount of my professional life thinking about worst-case scenarios. I was watching a drill at work one day when I started to consider what it would be like to grow up in a community that emphasized readiness over anything else. I ended up doing a lot of research into things like sustainable farming, off-grid living, and bunker design.

What do you hope young people will take away from your book?
I hope readers of all ages will be able to connect with Becca’s commitment to her dreams, even though others around her are pushing her towards a different future. Becca struggles with feeling selfish for prioritizing her own needs given her responsibility to others like Roy and her sister. I just wanted to show that being selfless doesn’t have to mean ignoring your own heart.

Melanie Kletter, a freelance writer and editor in New York City, was previously a senior editor of TIME for Kids.