Meeting with Natalie Standiford was like stepping into a world where all my teen fantasies about what life as a writer would look like (amazing NY apartment, effortlessly chic clothes, a separate office with built-in shelves and a bass amp in the corner). It was only made better by the fact that Natalie’s books - HOW TO SAY GOODBYE IN ROBOT, THE BOY ON THE BRIDGE, CONFESSIONS OF THE SULLIVAN SISTERS and so many more - are beautiful, thoughtful, and filled with quirky nuance, just like the books I dreamed (dream!) of writing. Natalie is so sweet and welcoming, and had wise, wise words about building up an immunity to writer’s block, writing about real-world fairylands, and finding creative release outside the written word.
Natalie Standiford Show Notes
FEAR STREET (THE CHEATER; LIGHTS OUT; THE SECRET; THE BURNING; THE FEAR STREET SAGA)
Sarah Burnes, agent at The Gernet Co., who represents Natalie (and me!)
Annie Hall, film
Jane O’Connor, FANCY NANCY
Hilary Knight (illustrator of Eloise)
GOSSIP GIRL by Cecily von Ziegesar
THE CLIQUE by Lisi Harrison
THE DATING GAME by Natalie Standiford
Disney ELLE WOODS books
Harold and Maude (movie)
BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore and her blog post about starting over
Darcey Steinke, adult novelist
David Levithan, author and editor at Scholastic, the “camp counselor of the YA writers.”
Dan Ehrenhaft (Editorial Director, Soho Teen, guitarist of Tiger Beat)
Libba Bray (novelist, lead singer of Tiger Beat)
Barnabas (Barney) Miller (author, drummer of Tiger Beat)