#LoveOzYA July Update with Randa Abdel-Fattah

To support the #LoveOzYA initiative, each month Kids' Book Review will ask an Australian YA author to share their favourite Australian young adult titles - what they are reading, what they've read and what books are on their TBR pile. We'll also include a list of Australian author YA new releases for the month. Our guest author for July is Randa Abdel-Fattah, author of novels for children and teens including Does My Head Look Big in This, Where the Streets Had a Name, and the newly released When Michael Met Mina, published by Pan Macmillan.

What are you currently reading?
The Lake House, Kate Morton

What are your recent OzYA favourites?
My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier, Summer Skin by Kirsty Eagar and Laurinda by Alice Pung. They were delicious diversions from some heavy PhD reading. YA fiction at its best!

What 5 OzYA titles are currently in your TBR pile?
Freedom Ride by Sue Lawson
One Thousand Hills by James Roy and Noel Zihabamwe
The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub
The Guy, the Girl, the Artist and his Ex by Gabrielle Williams
In the Skin of a Monster by Kathryn Barker

What advice would you give to aspiring YA authors?

1. Write about what matters to you, not what you think is the latest trend or fad topic. 
2. If it’s tough and hurts your head and heart writing it, don’t despair and give up. That’s often when you know you’re delivering the best you can. I’d venture to say it’s hard for all of us. 
3. Treat writer’s block with a good book or movie.  
4. Writing is a lonely business. It's just you and your characters. If you don’t love them– even the ‘villains’– your readers won’t. So write characters you won’t mind setting up camp in your head for hours a day.   

Can you tell us a little bit about your current writing project?
I’ve just finished my latest YA novel, When Michael Met Mina, so my mind is fried (but in a good way) and recharging now!

Visit Randa Abdel-Fattah's website for more information about her books and author events.

July YA New Releases

Black by Fleur Ferris (Random House)

The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon (Hachette)

Breathing Under Water by Sophie Hardcastle (Hachette)

Forgetting Foster by Dianne Touchell (Allen & Unwin)

One Step by Andrew Daddo (Penguin)

The Road to Winter by Mark Smith (Text Publishing)

When Michael Met Mina by Randa Abdel-Fattah (Pan Macmillan)

Read more of our LoveOzYA updates here.