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REVIEW — Brent Spiner’s FAN FICTION is a Dark Comedy Thriller Straddling the Lines Between Fame and the Dark Side of Fandom

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Brent Spiner’s new book, Fan Fiction: A Mem-oir Inspired by True Events, isn’t a Star Trek story, nor is it really even a book about Star Trek .

But Fan Fiction isn’t a book that could exist without Star Trek either, and explores the actor’s complicated relationship between stardom and fandom through a self-deprecating and oftentimes hilarious fictionalized telling of some of Spiner’s android days working on  Star Trek: The Next Generation .

For a number of years, Spiner has clearly been fascinated with the impact of stardom on his life in his own creative works. His web series  Fresh Hell covered themes of fame, loss of fame, and how uncomfortably awkward it can be to be loved by many.

Fan Fiction explores the same themes through a different medium, approaching the topic not by looking at a version of Brent Spiner at a decade past the height of his fame, but by way of a fictionalized version of the actor right in the middle of the most important chapter of his career.

Set around the 1991, right in the middle of his run on The Next Generation, the book is a first-person-perspective noir dark comedy thriller in which Brent Spiner discovers he has a stalker — one who sends the actor death threats signed by Data’s android daughter Lal. Hijinks ensue as Spiner tries to navigate his life, meet the acting demands of his Trek career, and work with law enforcement to uncover Spiner’s stalker before they can make good on their threats.

Fan Fiction  stresses that it is exactly that — fiction. And while the specific details of the story are very much fictional, part of what makes the book work so well is that Spiner clearly does not have to reach too far to describe some of his written alter ego’s  emotions about the the uncomfortable relationship any star has with their fans.

Has Brent Spiner ever actually been stalked by a person masquerading as his character’s fictional dead daughter? One would hope not — but it’s not hard to imagine that after encountering so many devoted fans over the last thirty-plus years, Spiner has likely had more than a few unpleasant experiences along the way.

The emotional reaction to the situation Spiner crafts in the book feels very real, even if the specific events don’t necessarily line up with reality — and while told with lots of humor, there is a serious point that underlines this narrative: actors are people. We may demand time and attention from them that we are not entitled to, and it is important that those boundaries be maintained.

(It’s also important to note that that despite the book’s serious situation, none of the tale’s humorous moments denigrate Star Trek fans as a whole; the author writes positively and with appreciation for the those who genuinely love the show — and who maintain appropriate boundaries — while savaging those who do not.)

Fictional Spiner is also definitely not the hero of the story. Drawing from a form of comedy that Spiner clearly relishes in — making the audience as uncomfortable in their laughter as possible, Larry David-style — the fictional Spiner is a deeply wounded, anxious, and awkward man, who never seems to have it quite figured out.

He bumbles through the story as a guy who is at the mercy of the whims of those around him rather than in control of his own destiny, and it works very well – author Spiner makes fictional Spiner the butt of most of the jokes in the book, and they are very funny.

Are you going to learn anything about the production of Star Trek ? Not really. This is a fictional narrative, where real life events are incorporated only insofar as they serve the tale. A visit to the set by Ronald Reagan and the death of Gene Roddenberry make it into the story, but though these events happened six months apart in reality, they are presented here as happening in a very short period of time.

But you shouldn’t be approaching Fan Fiction wanting that. This is a funny book, but it’s made up — it’s not a memoir, as much as the title might wink at being so.

While the book isn’t about  Trek , there is still a lot that franchise fans are going to enjoy, as Spiner brings in his own fictionalized take on his Next Generation  castmastes, too, with humorous versions of Jonathan Frakes and LeVar Burton as the standout characters.

And if you’re an audiobook fan, Spiner enlisted the participation of his TNG pals to voice their character’s dialogue from the book, and even a chapter in which Spiner visits a Star Trek convention that feels very familiar to anyone with a similar experience!

Overall, I found Fan Fiction: A Mem-oir Inspired by True Events to be a funny read that will make you wonder if celebrity life is all its cracked up to be, in a darkly humorous style that’s reflective of a lot of Brent Spiner’s work — and his convention appearances — since The Next Generation .

You’ll laugh, you’ll feel awkward, and you might even feel a little disturbed… which, I think, is exactly what Brent Spiner wants you to feel.

Fan Fiction: A Mem-oir Inspired by True Events is in stores now.

• Brent Spiner
• Fan Fiction (Brent Spiner)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation

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Interested in fan fiction? Here’s what you need to know to start.

Chances are you’ve heard of fan fiction . It’s pretty common knowledge that the successful “ Fifty Shades ” series started as “ Twilight” fan fiction, and the “ After ” young adult franchise started as One Direction fan fiction. There’s no doubt that fanfic—as it’s often called—has a place in our culture. But what exactly is this medium? If you’re new to fan fiction and curious for more, here’s what you need to know.

What is fan fiction?

Fan fiction is essentially original writing about existing fictional characters or, sometimes, real people like celebrities. The original medium fan fiction is based on can vary from books, movies, television shows, commercials, performances, or real people, to name a few.

“It’s basically taking those things as a jumping off point for more because you want to see it continue, because you like the characters or the personalities… and you want to see them in different contexts,” says Lori Morimoto , an assistant professor at the University of Virginia who researches transnational and transcultural fandoms. “It’s very much about imaginative play in that sense.”

Fan fiction is typically associated with amateur writing, although some professional writers engage in fan fiction as a hobby. The stories can be any length – some pieces are even longer than the original works they’re based on – and are often published on an online platform.

Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist

Is real person fan fiction legal?

While fan fiction is popular, there is some controversy surrounding the hobby. Critics take issue with people publishing fictional stories about real people online. Often these stories are romantic in nature and can “ship” real people who are not otherwise together in real life. Critics argue that this behavior operates as an invasion of privacy, Morimoto says. One might also be concerned about issues of defamation like libel .

However, these stories are primarily protected. According to legal scholar Rebecca Tushnet , who is one of the legal committee members of the Organization for Transformative Works – a nonprofit dedicated to fanworks, “As long as fiction about real people doesn't claim to be the truth, it is … protected creative expression.”

Morimoto echoes this statement, emphasizing that people don’t expect fan fiction to be true. When people create fan fiction, they are essentially asking what if this happened to a certain character or celebrity, says Morimoto.

Examples of fan fiction

If you are interested in reading fan fiction, there are many great places to start. Here is a list of published books that started as fan fiction, according to Business Insider :

• “City of Bones” by Cassandra Clare is inspired by “Harry Potter.”
• “The Love Hypothesis” by Ali Hazelwood is inspired by “Star Wars.”
• “Beautiful Bastard” by Christina Lauren is inspired by “Twilight.”
• “We’d Know by Then” by Kirsten Bohling is inspired by “Star Wars.”
• "Sempre" by J.M. Darhower is inspired by "Twilight."
• "Gabriel's Inferno" by Sylvain Reynard is inspired by "Twilight."
• "Point Pleasant" by Jen Archer Wood is inspired by "Supernatural."
• "For Love and Bylines" by Merrin Taylor is inspired by “Star Wars.”
• You can also read original works of fan fiction or publish your own stories on various online platforms. Some popular ones include Archive of Our Own , Fan fiction.net and Wattpad . Another option is to check out recommendation lists, like The Rec Center weekly newsletter .

'Harry Potter' is having a moment again. Here's why.

50 Must-Read Harry Potter Fan Fictions

Namera Tanjeem

Namera is currently an English student at the University of Cambridge who loves romance novels, Harry Potter, true crime stories, and cats. You can find her over at her blog, The Literary Invertebrate . She can be contacted by email at [email protected].

View All posts by Namera Tanjeem

The world of Harry Potter fan fiction can be highly overwhelming, especially if you’re a beginner. There are so many acronyms! And portmanteaus! And fan fiction tropes which have become so pervasive, even diehard fans might be fooled into thinking they’re genuine JKR products! (A good example would be Draco Malfoy’s middle name: contrary to almost every fan fiction ever, it’s Lucius. Not Abraxas).

While I’m by no means an expert on the fandom, I love everything about the Harry Potter universe. Here’s a collection of all the stories that have stayed with me over the last decade of my fan fiction explorations. Some are one-shots, i.e. one chapter long; others are multi-chaptered. Some are finished; others are still works in progress. I’ve tried to ensure I have a good selection of types and pairings. What they all have in common is that they’re well-written, something that can be hard to come across in the fan fiction world. The blurbs are generally taken from the authors, but I’ve added extra notes for detail.

Before I begin, however, here’s a quick guide on fan fiction terminology.

Key Vocabulary

AU:  Alternate Universe. A story which diverges from  canon  (see below) in key respects. Example: a world where Tom Riddle died at birth and was never a threat.

Canon:  Concepts which are established parts of the books, or have been directly decreed by Rowling as being part of the Harry Potter world. Example: it is canon that Hermione slaps Draco.

Fanon: Concepts which are so popular, and used in so many fan fictions, that many fans confuse them with canon. Example: Draco’s middle name being Abraxas instead of Lucius.

EWE:  This stands for ‘Epilogue, What Epilogue?’, and refers to any fan fiction in which the ‘Nineteen Years Later’ chapter has been ignored. Example: A story where Ron marries Lavender instead of Hermione. Sometimes this has happened accidentally, because the fan fiction was published before Deathly Hallows.

PWP:  Alternatively meaning ‘Plot, What Plot?’, or the slightly seedier ‘Porn Without Plot.’ Exactly what it says on the tin. If that’s what you’re looking for, you may wish to skip immediately to this list of Harry Potter erotica recommendations .

OOC:  Out of character, i.e. the characters do not behave as we have to come to expect that they would. Example: Hermione acting unusually stupid.

Editor’s Note, 6/22/2020: Following are the works of independent creators. Book Riot no longer promotes J.K. Rowling in light of statements she has made against the trans community.

Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Less Wrong (#1)

Odd ideas by rorschach’s blot (#2).

Odd little one shots that may or may not be turned into their own stories.  [Ignore the unprepossessing summary. What we have here is a one-shot collection that will absolutely KILL you with laughter. Rated M. Warning: typos.]

The Pureblood Pretense   by murkybluematter (#3)

Harriett Potter dreams of going to Hogwarts, but in an AU where the school only accepts purebloods, the only way to reach her goal is to switch places with her pureblood cousin—the only problem? Her cousin is a boy. [Although there are some egregious Americanisms –   no, British people do not have ‘underclassmen’ and ‘upperclassmen’  – the fic is hardly unique in having them, and it’s a very well-thought-out story. Rated T.]

Pairing: Drarry (Draco Malfoy x Harry Potter)

The incredible race   by cheryl dyson (#4).

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, Aurors, are forced to join a televised global race in order to provide some free positive publicity for the Ministry, despite the fact that Aurors Potter and Malfoy don’t exactly get along. [A very funny Drarry fic from one of the ship’s most popular captains (aka authors). Rated M.]

Hello Goodbye (‘Twas Nice To Know You)   BY tmerofdarkstars (#5)

Draco Malfoy thinks he might know whose thoughts are scrawling themselves on his skin, but that’s crazy. Impossible, even. It has to be a mistake.  [A fluffy one-shot in an AU where your soulmate’s thoughts tattoo themselves on your skin. Rated T.] 

Deconversion   by lomonaaeren (#6)

They were right, those old wizards who thought Parseltongue was a Dark gift. As Harry begins his slide down, fighting desperately all the way, Draco is more than happy to take advantage of the Hero’s fall from the Light.  [A dark fic, with dark Draco and dark Harry. Rated M.]

Eclipse   BY Mijan (#7)

Draco swore revenge on Harry for Lucius’s imprisonment, and for once, he keeps his promise. The old rivalry turns deadly when Draco abducts Harry for Voldemort. But when Draco’s world turns upside down, the fight to save himself and Harry begins.  [Twisty and angsty. Rated T.]

Draco’s Boy   BY Empathetic Siren (#8)

A mysterious little boy named Harry moves in next door to Draco Malfoy, and he’s determined to make him his friend and learn all of his secrets. Years later, he’s determined to make Harry more than a friend.  [A non-magical AU. Rated M.]

Okay, so this isn’t the film actor for James Potter. This is Aaron Taylor-Johnson from Nowhere Boy. But come on, isn’t he the perfect James? Millions of fanvid-makers on YouTube think so, and one can’t blame them.

Pairing: Jily (James Potter x Lily Evans)

Crossroads  by emmyjean (#9), commentarius   by b.c. daily (#10).

Lily has always considered herself ordinary. But as she enters her 7th year, things start changing and Lily starts going a bit mad. Suddenly, she’s Head Girl, her mates are acting strangely, and there’s a new James Potter she can’t seem to get rid of.  [At over 700,000 words, this is certainly a behemoth – but utterly hilarious and so worth it! Rated T. Modelled on Bridget Jones’s Diary. Not complete, but author is active on Tumblr and has been promising to update for the last six years…]

Symphony of the Fallen by ravensoulsister (#11)

The Head Girl makes a mistake. Now the Head Boy is in the Hospital Wing with no recollection of who he is or who she is – but he certainly doesn’t care enough to keep his perverse thoughts to himself. [A cute, funny, and romantic one-shot. Rated M.]

The Life and Times by jewels5 (#12)

She was dramatic. He was dynamic. She was precise. He was impulsive. He was James, and she was Lily, and one day they shared a kiss, but before that they shared many arguments, for he was cocky, and she was sweet, and matters of the heart require time.  [Over 600,000 words… sorry! Also still in progress, and last updated in 2013, but beautifully written. Rated M.]

Just Stay Here Tonight   by monroeslittle (#13)

Lily Evans isn’t a witch.  [AU. Long, angsty one-shot. Rated M.]

Boyfriend   by molly Raesly (#14)

Potter was going to say that he wasn’t my boyfriend. I couldn’t let him do that. For the love of Merlin, I could not let him do that. I had to stop him. He couldn’t tell her the truth. So I did the only conceivable thing I could think of. I kissed him.  [The funny first installment in a series of Jily-centric fics. Rated T.]

Pairing: Dramione (Draco Malfoy x Hermione Granger)

Anniversary arrangements   by scarlettcat (#15).

Draco and Hermione have a yearly arrangement. Ron finds out about it in a shocking way. [A side-splittingly funny one-shot. Brilliantly lampoons all the clichéd Dramione tropes. The author has plenty more Dramione stories which are also must-reads! Rated M.]

Bite Marks by Provocative Envy (#16)

“So—you’re upset,” he says with a nonchalant nod and discreet adjustment of his slightly too-tight khaki corduroys. She blinks at him, her expression alternating between indignation and incredulity and flat-out fury. He had been right about her being pretty beneath the intimidation tactics.  [Non-magical AU set at university. Rated M. Two-shot.]

The Green Girl  by Colubrina (#17)

Hermione is sorted into Slytherin; how will things play out differently when the brains of the Golden Trio has different friends? [Rated T. Dramatic, a bit dark. AU.]

Midnight  by Spankinghalo (#18)

It has been three years since Voldemort won. Hermione is one of the few wizards left free, concealed in the ruins of Hogwarts. And only midnight reveals its secrets. But she has been discovered by the last person she wants to see…  [AU. A dark, well-written, complex tale. Updated fairly regularly by fan fiction standards. Rated M.]

Crimson with a Silver Lining   by Lady Cailan (#19)

It is six years since the fall of the Ministry to Voldemort. Those other than purebloods are deemed less than human. When Ginny’s daughter ends up in grave danger, Hermione sells herself to the Death Eaters to save her life. ( Dark AU. Angsty. But at least it’s finished! Rated M.]

Problem   by katatonic25 (#20)

“I’ll kick your arse regardless, Malfoy,” I murmured. He chuckled again and I arched into him. “Then get on the bed,” he said and watched my hips sway as I walked to his large bed. “This is going to be a long night, Granger.”  [Smutty, but not PWP. Obviously rated M. Well written!]

Pairing: Hinny (Harry Potter x Ginny Weasley)

A better man  by valandar (#21).

Vernon changed in the beginning to be a better man, thanks to a wish. How will this affect Harry, and the entire Wizarding World?  [Slow-burn and well-written. Rated T.]

Diary of a Redhead   by Snowy Winter Tales (#22)

Fifteen-year-old Ginny Weasley’s diary, filled with embarrassing situations, sarcasm, and a lot of Harry Potters. She’s not in love with him or anything. Honestly.  [An early fic, short and humorous. Rated T.]

Living with Danger  by whydoyouneedtoknow (#23)

Lone wolf. Dream-seer. Bright child. Scarred child. Singer. Prisoner. Dancer child. Dragon child. Eight semi-ordinary people. One extraordinary family, and how they became one. [AU. Eventual Hinny. Rated T.]

Pairing: Tomione (Tom Riddle x Hermione Granger)

School days   by meowmers (#24).

They meet on the playground. Ron told her that if she doesn’t fight for herself no one will ever leave her alone so she’s just trying to follow his advice. “Are you crying?” He asks. She musters all the fury in her 7-year-old body and channels it into her voice when she speaks through the tears. “So what? I’ll still kick your arse.”  [Non-magical AU. Rated M. The author has a lot of other, very well-written Tomione stories – do check them out!]

Exitus Acta Probat   by jellybellys (#25)

After a series of catastrophic events, Hermione decides to go to the past to stop Tom Riddle.  [Author description: Story includes time-travel, Slytherins that aren’t evil, romance, betrayal, death, angst, and some comedy thrown in. Rated M. Still in progress. This story is extremely underappreciated, and honestly, please just go and read it!]

Blood and Gold   by obsidianpen (#26)

The true time-turner was slammed savagely into Hermione’s throat. It shattered against her neck, bits of glass and gold piercing into her skin. The last thing she saw before blackness consumed her was a plume of metallic dust and vitreous fragments, tiny prisms dancing behind her eyelids. (In which Hermione accidentally ends up in 1950, pitted against an ascending Dark Lord in his prime, caught in the entanglement of pureblood politics, dark magic, and Tom Riddle’s interest).  [An extraordinarily well-written fic. Still in progress. Rated M.]

Nightingale by everambling (#27)

Brilliant student and prospective MI5 recruit Hermione Granger is inadvertently thrown back in time by a top-secret government experiment- Right into the lap of aspiring bio-engineer Tom Riddle, who she knows in her time as the man whose dangerous ambition will herald a nation’s ruin…  [Non-magical AU with a wonderfully original premise. Deserves a lot more recognition. Rated M.]

Please, Save Me  by winterblume (#28)

‘Are you not scared of him? Tom Riddle has got a rather peculiar reputation. But I’m sure it’s all stupid talk. He’s Head Boy after all.’ – ‘What kind of a reputation’ – ‘Er… he’s… well, he seems kinda dark.’  [Dark, lush, and beautiful story. AU. Exactly what I think of when I picture Tomione. Rated M.]

Avada Kedavra Anonymous  by speechwriter (#29)

No one missed Riddle’s pale fist tightening around the useless wand in his lap. “I am Tom,” he ground out. “I am here for the sole reason that the alternative was community service.” / Hermione moderates a post-Avada Kedavra support group. Chaos ensues.  [Funny one-shot bordering on crack-fic. Certainly unique.]

Pairing: Drinny (Draco Malfoy x Ginny Weasley)

Allegiance   by mugglehugger (#30).

When 11-year-old Ginny Weasley is sorted into Slytherin, she is thrust into a world where the line between good and evil is blurred and where the boy she was supposed to hate becomes the man she was never supposed to love.  [A complex and well-written AU fic. Still in progress. Angsty and dramatic. Rated M.]

After All These Years   by Sarea_Okelani (#31)

Every couple has secrets. [A funny one-shot with the perfect twist. Rated M.]

Smoking in the Head Boy’s Room  by sugarbear_1269 (#32)

When Ginny decides Draco is the only boy in the castle who can teach her how to effectively woo her crush, she learns more than just technique. [Angsty and very smutty, with a dash of humour thrown in. The author has other great Drinny fanfictions too. Rated M.]

Pairing: Harmony (Harry Potter x Hermione Granger)

A marauder’s plan by catsarecool (#33).

Sirius decides to stay in England after escaping Hogwarts and makes protecting Harry his priority. [An extremely long and extremely popular fic, based on the peerage system of the wizarding world. Rated T.]

Harry Crow   by Robst (#34)

What will happen when a goblin-raised Harry arrives at Hogwarts? A Harry who has received training, already knows the prophecy and has no scar. With the backing of the goblin nation and Hogwarts herself. [A classic AU. Rated T.]

Blindness by Angelastarcat (#35)

Harry Potter is not standing up in his crib when the Killing Curse strikes him, and the cursed scar has far more terrible consequences. But some souls will not be broken by horrible circumstance. Some people won’t let the world drag them down. Strong men rise from such beginnings, and powerful gifts can be gained in terrible curses.  [Slightly more unusual premise – Harry is blind. Rated M.]

Miscellaneous Pairings

Prime cut   by provocative envy (#36).

“Well, aren’t you precious,” he remarks, tongue darting out to flick at his bottom lip. “Do I need to put a towel down on the front seat before you’ll get in the car?” She lifts her chin. “That depends. Do I need to Febreze you before we share an enclosed space?”  [Non-magical AU. One-shot. Hermione x Scabior.] 

Detained  by SE1GE (#37)

Marcus is becoming obsessed with Katie. The last thing he ever plans to do is let her know. Katie is becoming obsessed with Marcus. Her life would be far easier if she weren’t.  [Marcus Flint x Katie Bell. Rated M. In the interests of full disclosure, this fic hasn’t been updated since 2009… but it’s so flawless I’m still glad I read it! The dialogue is whip-sharp and the characterisation is perfect.]

Amortentia   by olivieblake (#38)

Will they or won’t they? Oh, they will. [Author description: Fluff for when you need it. Romantic short stories, multiple pairings, mostly Dramione but some by request. Rated M.]

Mudbloods of the Death Eaters   by jellybellys (#39)

Theodore Nott has always been the overlooked Slytherin until he is forced into joining the Death Eaters by his elderly father. Now, with the new rewards Voldemort has given his followers, captured Mudbloods, he is in over his head with Hermione Granger. [Hermione x Theodore. Angsty, but also kind of funny. Absolutely fabulous. Rated M.]

Distractions   by sableunstable (#40)

Sometimes a distraction is exactly what you need. [A hot, well-written one-shot featuring Hermione Granger x Teddy Lupin. Rated M.]

Prejudice and Pride by bballgirl32 (#41)

Arrogance and bigotry can be well-founded, but perhaps that is when it is most important to fight through prejudices. Sometimes choices have to be made, even if they go against everything that you stand for. [Ginny Weasley x Tom Riddle – or, as I prefer, Gin n’ Tonic. Rated T. A curious fic, but by far the best one with this pairing.]

Memories to Keep You Near   by darkrivertempest (#42)

Hermione has a loving husband. Too bad she can’t remember anything about him. [A romantic, well-written Lucius Malfoy x Hermione Granger. Rated M.]

Take the Tumble  by kittenshift17 (#43)

There was never a hatred so profound as that of Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy, but when a challenge is issued the pair embark on a roller-coaster ride of emotions and confusing, passionate meetings. Enemies with Benefits never tasted this good, and Rose is going to learn there is a whole lot more to Scorpius than a lifelong rivalry and a wicked smirk. [Funny, angsty, smutty Rose x Scorpius. Rated M.]

Courting Chaos (One Day at a Time)   by Ellory (#44)

Pureblood vignettes of various pairings. [Okay, so the thing is, the author has created a huge and complex world of pureblood etiquette and culture. This is a collection of one-shots with different characters, based in that world. Very different from the usual fare – do try it out! Rated M.]

Seas Between Us Have Roared   by tamlane (#45)

“We both know you were hoping and praying Potter would get called in tonight so you could come to me and get what you really need. What he won’t give you. So can we drop the charade?”  [Dark, kinky one-shot. Blaise Zabini x Ginny Weasley. Rated M. The author has over 40 other erotic one-shots!]

Rosie’s Mum Has Got It Going On   by Inell (#46)

Today is the day Scorpius plans to seduce Rosie’s mum.  [Exactly what it says on the tin – Scorpius Malfoy x Hermione Granger. Funny, very sexy one-shot. Rated M. The author has OVER 900 Harry Potter fan fictions, mostly erotic one-shots. Go go go!]

Addict   by Redcandle17 (#47)

Padma Patil is intelligent, respected, and successful. And she’s addicted to being fucked by some stupid ex-Death Eater wannabe just released from prison.  [The rarest of all rare-pairs: Padma Patil x Gregory Goyle. A short one-shot, with an abrupt ending, but an interesting premise. Rated M.]

Twelve Dark Moons   by SophiaX (#48)

As a captive of Lord Voldemort, Luna Lovegood never thought she would live beyond the first 24 hours. Saved at first by her quick wit, Luna learns the depth of human evil…and becomes the Dark Lord’s greatest weakness.  [Incredibly, a Voldemort x Luna Lovegood fic. Rated M.]

Roundabout Destiny   by maryroyale (#49)

Hermione’s destiny is altered by the Powers that Be. She is cast back to the Marauder’s Era where she is Hermione Potter, the pureblood fraternal twin sister of James Potter. She retains Hermione Granger’s memories, and is determined to change her brother’s fate for the better. [Time-travel AU. Rated M.]

Kairos   by cocoartist (#50)

He’d watched the swotty Gryffindor for years, jealously nursing his lust. [A smutty two-shot with an interesting pairing: Hermione Granger x Adrian Pucey.]

Be Mine   by RZZMG (bonus #51)

Pansy Parkinson has always loved Draco Malfoy, but Blaise Zabini has always loved her. The story of a woman coming into her own & finding out that real love sometimes stares you in the face.  [A lovely one-shot by a highly prolific author in the fandom! Do give it a try. Rated M.]

It Doesn’t Stop There…

There are currently over 608,000 Harry Potter fan fictions on Fanfiction.net. Of course, they won’t all be good, but there’ll be something to suit everyone! That’s not even considering the vast number of fics on AO3, or assorted Livejournals. If you’re a newbie, try out these stories too!

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• ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

by Rainbow Rowell ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 10, 2013

Absolutely captivating.

With an unflinching voice, Cath navigates the lonely road of her freshman year at college, untethered from her gregarious twin sister’s orbit and unsure whether her wild popularity as an author of fan fiction makes her more—or less—of a “real” writer.

The novel’s brilliance comes from Rowell’s reimagining of a coming-of-age story’s stock characters (the reclusive writer, the tough-talking friend, the sweet potential boyfriend) as dynamic and temperamental individuals—which adroitly parallels Cath’s own fan-fiction writing process. Rowell challenges readers to love characters who are loyal, vulnerable and funny—but also realistically flawed. Cath’s gruff exterior protects her easily wounded and quite self-conscious heart, but her anger is sometimes unreasonable. Roommate Reagan is a fiercely loyal friend but an unfaithful girlfriend; Cath’s crush, Levi, has a receding hairline rather than the artificial movie-star perfection bestowed upon the brows of so many romantic heroes. The nuanced characters help the novel avoid didacticism as it explores the creative process and the concept of creative “ownership.” Though Cath’s Harry Potter–esque fan fiction (excerpts of which are deftly woven into the novel) has a devoted following of more than 35,000 readers, a professor deems the stories plagiarism and stealing because, “These characters, this whole world belongs to someone else.” Cath’s struggles to assess this conclusion’s validity give readers much to consider.

Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-250-03095-5

Page Count: 416

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: June 25, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2013

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SCHOOL & FRIENDSHIP

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BOOK REVIEW

by Rainbow Rowell ; illustrated by Jim Tierney

by Rainbow Rowell

by Rainbow Rowell ; illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks ; Sarah Stern

IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER

by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.

In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me , three characters tell their sides of the story.

Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.

Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024

ISBN: 9781728276229

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE

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by Laura Nowlin

INDIVISIBLE

by Daniel Aleman ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 4, 2021

An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.

A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.

Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.

Pub Date: May 4, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FAMILY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES

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by Daniel Aleman

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The Taylor and Travis Fan Fiction That’s Tearing TikTok Apart

“Roughing the Princess,” an erotic e-book inspired by an actual relationship, veered too close to reality for many of Taylor Swift’s fans.

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By Jessica Roy

She’s a beloved blonde pop star with the initials T.S. He’s a handsome N.F.L. player with a popular podcast and the initials T.K. Together, they have fused America’s obsession with pop stars and athletes into a celebrity pairing so incandescent it’s almost celestial.

That’s the story of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, the reigning prince and princess of American pop culture. But it’s also the plot of a recent work of erotic fan fiction, which some readers — many of whom are fans of Ms. Swift — are decrying as an invasion of privacy.

In a since-deleted TikTok video, which is still available on her Facebook page , an independent romance author who publishes under the name Ivy Smoak announced the release of a short e-book. In the video, Ms. Smoak claims to have written the novel in three days after receiving requests from readers for a “spicy” romance inspired by Ms. Swift and Mr. Kelce’s relationship. According to the trailer, the book would involve a “pop star princess,” a “football superstar,” a “sassy heroine” and a “secret relationship.”

On Sept. 29, less than a week after Ms. Swift’s first appearance at a Kansas City Chiefs game, Ms. Smoak published “Roughing the Princess” to Kindle’s Direct Publishing platform, which made it available for purchase on any Kindle device and as a free download for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

The cover of the e-book features a cartoon image of a blonde pop star shown from behind. She is holding a microphone and wearing a red football jersey emblazoned with the number 69. While the book claims to be “inspired by” the real-life romance of Ms. Swift and Mr. Kelce, and starts out with a disclaimer stating that “any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is purely coincidental,” many readers felt that the attempt at “shipping” — the act of imagining or championing a relationship between celebrities — hewed too close to reality, and they flocked to Twitter, TikTok and GoodReads to denounce it as inappropriate X-rated fan fiction.

In a review on Goodreads , a user with the screen name Isabella called the book, “almost creepy” in a 1-star review. “if i could give this 0 stars, i would,” she said. “i love shipping TS/TK but this makes it weird.”

To followers of BookTok — the nickname for TikTok’s avid reader community — there is a clear distinction between books that are loosely based on real people, and those that are “real person fiction,” a subgenre of fan fiction in which amateur authors create unauthorized fictional stories involving real people.

Many on BookTok felt that “Roughing the Princess,” which borrows exact details of Mr. Kelce and Ms. Swift’s biography and romance, while using nearly direct quotes from Mr. Kelce’s interviews and podcasts, read more like “real person fiction” than an “inspired by” story. That fact, coupled with the book’s graphic sex scenes, left many readers feeling uncomfortably voyeuristic, as if by simply reading the book they’d participated in violating their favorite pop star’s privacy. Devoted fans of Ms. Swift felt duped and disgusted.

“It’s fine to write a fanfic and it’s fine to write smut, but when you combine the two and then try to pass it off as an ‘inspired story’ when it’s very obviously about two real people, that’s not OK. That’s not right. That’s gross,” said Gina Burgess, 33, a TikTok creator who lives in Florida. Ms. Burgess made a video declaring “Roughing the Princess” to be “the worst book I’ve ever read in my entire life.”

“I read a lot of other books that have smut in them and I’ve never felt gross after them, but this one I did,” Ms. Burgess said.

Other “Roughing the Princess” readers echoed this sentiment in videos posted to TikTok and Twitter.

@gina__burgess I really wanted to enjoy this but...The locker room talk was disgusting. 0 stars. 🤷🏻♀️ I hope Taylor's lawyers get this taken care of asap #roughingtheprincess #roughingtheprincessreview roughing the princess review ivy smoak #ivysmoak #ivysmoakauthor #booktok #booktokreview #taylorswift #traviskelce ♬ original sound - Gina 🤍

“This is not what the girlies wanted when we said we wanted a ‘football star meets pop star’ inspired romance book,” Kayla Compton, a social media manager for authors who has more than 54,000 followers on TikTok, said in a review. “It just felt like a gimmick to make some money.”

Ms. Compton, 26, said that as a football fan, a Swiftie and an avid reader, she felt compelled to finish the book, even though she wanted to stop reading after the first few pages. “I felt like I had to review it,” Ms. Compton said. “And I don’t ever do negative reviews, so the fact that I did it speaks to how much she shouldn’t have written it.”

Ms. Compton pointed to the book “ The Playlist ” by Morgan Elizabeth as a good example of a “spicy romance” that was inspired by Ms. Swift, but isn’t explicitly about her personal life.

Shortly after Ms. Smoak published “Roughing the Princess” online, it was yanked from Amazon, and almost all mentions of it were scrubbed from Ms. Smoak’s social platforms. It’s unclear whether Amazon unpublished the book, or if Ms. Smoak took it down herself; it’s also unclear if it was taken down as a response to reader feedback, or if there were potential legal or copyright reasons for the decision. (Ms. Smoak and representatives for Ms. Swift did not respond to requests for comment.)

Instead of wiping the book’s existence from her social media and continuing to post about unrelated subjects, some BookTok users expressed that they would have preferred for Ms. Smoak to have taken accountability for the release of “Roughing the Princess” and apologize.

“I think she could have come out and said, ‘Hey guys, I messed up,’” said Ms. Burgess. “I’m going to take time to examine what I should be writing and not take real events and make them into smut.”

This isn’t the first time Ms. Swift’s love life has been the topic of fan fiction. Her close friendship with the model Karlie Kloss has long been a source of “celesbian” fan fiction for so-called #Kaylor devotees who believe the two secretly fostered a romantic relationship. But many fans felt that Ms. Smoak’s book crossed a line by including graphic conversations and sex scenes involving two characters so clearly modeled in the image of Ms. Swift and Mr. Kelce, especially when Ms. Swift has been consistently vocal about how much she dislikes speculation about her love life.

“If you’re writing a Kaylor book, that’s not real life, you’re imagining things,” said Ms. Compton. She also pointed out that fan fiction is typically free, whereas copies of “Roughing the Princess” were on sale for $6.99. “Fan fiction either is written about fictional characters or, if it’s about real people, it still has a large element of fiction and it’s free,” Ms. Compton said. “When you write a spicy fanfic story and you’re paywalling it, that’s when it gets weird.”

Inside the World of Taylor Swift

A Triumph at the Grammys: Taylor Swift made history  by winning her fourth album of the year at the 2024 edition of the awards, an event that saw women take many of the top awards .

‘The T ortured Poets Department’: Poets reacted to Swift’s new album name , weighing in on the pertinent question: What do the tortured poets think ?  

In the Public Eye: The budding romance between Swift and the football player Travis Kelce created a monocultural vortex that reached its apex  at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Ahead of kickoff, we revisited some key moments in their relationship .

Politics (Taylor’s Version): After months of anticipation, Swift made her first foray into the 2024 election for Super Tuesday with a bipartisan message on Instagram . The singer, who some believe has enough influence  to affect the result of the election , has yet to endorse a presidential candidate.

Conspiracy Theories: In recent months, conspiracy theories about Swift and her relationship with Kelce have proliferated , largely driven by supporters of former President Donald Trump . The pop star's fans are shaking them off .

11 movies and TV shows you didn't know had roots in fan fiction

• Increasingly, fan fiction is being used as a source of content for movies and TV shows.
• "After" started out as Harry Styles fan-fiction and now has spawned a five-movie franchise.
• An adaptation of "The Love Hypothesis," which has roots in "Star Wars" fanfic, is forthcoming.

"After" originally started out as fan fiction based on Harry Styles and his One Direction bandmates.

Inserting famous people into alternate situations — commonly called "AU" or alternate universe in the fan fiction community — is a huge part of fan fiction writing. The "After" movie series is an adaptation of novels written by Anna Todd, which were originally imagined as Styles and the rest of the members of One Direction attending college.

The story was posted on Wattpad, one of the most popular fan fiction and webnovel websites where creators can self-publish their work.

Infamously, the characters' names had to be changed before the novels were published, but the changes aren't exactly subtle. Harry Styles became Hardin Scott, Zayn became Zed, Liam became Landon, Niall became Nate, and Louis became Logan.

In the movies — there have been four, with a fifth on the way — Hardin is played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Zed is played by Samuel Larsen, and Shane Paul McGhie plays Landon.

"Fifty Shades of Grey" and its sequels are based on a set of novels, which in turn were based on "Twilight" fanfic.

Especially in the first "Fifty Shades" novel, written by E. L. James, and its adaptation, it's not hard to see the resemblance between its plot and the first "Twilight" book — Edward Cullen is. a mysterious, brooding, rich, and handsome vampire, and Christian Grey is a mysterious, brooding, rich, and handsome business magnate ... who's into BDSM. Bella and Ana are both shy, secretly pretty, innocent young women who are inexplicably drawn to these loners.

James began posting her story , originally titled "Masters of the Universe," to fanfiction.net, but they were taken down for being too explicit. She then started her own website, which eventually led to her getting a book deal, and then the movies.

"I was inspired by ['Twilight' author] Stephenie Meyer ... she just kind of flipped this switch in my head," James told ABC in 2012.

"Gabriel's Inferno" is also based on "Twilight" fan fiction.

"Gabriel's Inferno," which was released on Passionflix in 2020, is based on the fanfic " The University of Edward Masen ," with Edward Masen being the "human" name of vampire Edward Cullen. It was written by an anonymous author under the name Sylvain Reynard.

In this reimagining of the story, Edward (or Gabriel, in the novel and movie) is brooding — shocker — professor at a university, while Bella (or Julianne) is his shy student. Like in "Twilight," the two feel inexplicably connected to each other.

In the film adaptation, Gabriel is played by Giulio Berruti and Julianne is played by Melanie Zanetti.

"The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" has its roots in author Cassandra Clare's "Harry Potter" fan fiction.

Overall, the plot of the "Mortal Instruments" series —which we can't really delve into because it's long and complicated (essentially it's about monster hunters) — isn't that similar to Clare's "Harry Potter" fan fiction series called "The Draco Trilogy. "

But, there's no denying that Clare was inspired by her previous work, which was  huge  in the "Potter" fandom. There are certain passages or lines in the first "Mortal Instruments" novel, "City of Bones," that come directly from Clare's fan fiction, according to the Daily Dot.

Clare, for her part, wrote on her Tumblr that "'The Mortal Instruments' was not a 'Harry Potter' fanfiction."

"Shadowhunters" is also an adaptation of Clare's series.

"Shadowhunters" aired on Freeform for three seasons from 2016 to 2019.

"The Kissing Booth" isn't based on any pre-existing intellectual property, but it was originally posted on Wattpad.

The Kissing Booth" was written by Beth Reekles when she was just 17 years old. She began by posting the story of Elle, her best friend Lee, and Lee's hot (yet moody) older brother Noah, weekly, chapter by chapter, on Wattpad in 2012 — the site also hosts original fiction, in addition to stories based on existing characters.

The series proved to be immensely popular , and almost immediately she was offered a publishing deal, and the movies were optioned by Netflix. All three "Kissing Booth" movies, while popular, were demolished by critics and viewers alike, but they attracted a cast of talented young actors like Joey King, Jacob Elordi, Joel Courtney, and Taylor Zakhar Perez.

Similarly, "Cupid's Match" isn't based on IP, but instead Roman mythology — and it was also originally posted on Wattpad. It was adapted into a potential series for CW Seed.

"Cupid's Match" puts forth a world where Roman mythology is real, and their god of love, Cupid, is a real person. In the story, Cupid, after getting banished, is matched with a mortal woman named Lila — and the "Cupids" who took over after the big guy was banished aren't happy about it.

The LE Palphreyman series was originally posted on Wattpad, and then adapted by CW Seed for a potential series, though only a pilot was produced that you can watch for free on YouTube.

The Hulu series "Light as a Feather" is also a Wattpad original — it's not based on any intellectual property, either.

"Light as a Feather," written by Zoe Aarsen, was posted on Wattpad after the author joined the website back in 2012 because she was specifically attracted to the idea of self-publishing. "Wattpad seemed like a great way to build an audience," Aarsen told Forbes in 2018. "When I posted chapters for the first time, I became really excited by receiving feedback from readers all over the world, and so quickly!"

Both the original story and the TV series are a mix of "The Craft" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer." It follows a group of friends as they play the classic sleepover game "Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board" — but when each game player starts dying mysteriously, the survivors must work together to figure out what's happening.

"Light as a Feather" aired on Hulu for two seasons from 2018 to 2019.

"The Idea of You," which is getting turned into a movie starring Anne Hathaway, is inspired by Harry Styles and One Direction.

While not technically "fan fiction" posted on a website, "The Idea of You" is a novel that's inspired by One Direction and Styles, subbing in August Moon and Hayes Campbell. In it, a 40-year-old divorced mom, Solène, takes her 15-year-old daughter Izzy to Coachella to see August Moon performs, and against all odds, falls in love with 24-year-old Hayes.

"A few years ago, my husband was away on business and I was up late surfing music videos on YouTube when I came across the face of a boy I'd never seen in a band I'd never paid attention to, and it was so aesthetically perfect it took me by surprise. It was like art," author Robinne Lee said in 2017. "I spent a good hour or so Googling and trying to figure out who this kid [Styles] was and in doing so I discovered that he often dated older women, and so the seed was planted."

In 2020, Lee told Vogue that "Inspired is a strong word," when asked if Styles inspired Hayes.

Now, the movie adaptation is shooting , and stars Hathaway as Sophie (Solène in the book), Nicholas Galitzine as Hayes, and Ella Rubin as Izzy.

The upcoming movie "Perfect Addiction" is based on a Wattpad story that's gotten 81 million reads.

"Perfect Addiction" isn't based on pre-existing characters, but like other adaptations on this list, it was originally posted on Wattpad. It was written by Claudia Tan, who was just 17 years old at the time.

The original story and the movie will focus on boxing trainer Sienna Lane, who finds out that her star client (and boyfriend!), Jax, is cheating on her with her sister. In a classic "don't get mad, get even" plot, Sienna decides to ditch Jax and train his biggest rival, Kayden, to take him down once and for all.

In the film, Sienna will be played by Kiana Madeira , Kayden will be played by Ross Butler, and Jax will be played by Matthew Noszka.

"The Love Hypothesis," which will soon be turned into a movie, has its roots in "Star Wars" fanfic.

Yes, "The Love Hypothesis" was originally an AU story about Rey and Kylo Ren from the latest "Star Wars" trilogy, played by Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver, commonly known as "Reylo." In fact, the main love interest in "Love Hypothesis" novel version is named Adam, as a nod to his roots.

The AU of "Love Hypothesis" is about Olive (Rey), a PhD student who, in typical rom-com form, begins fake-dating the most hated professor at her university, Adam (Kylo).

Author Ali Hazelwood is open about her love of fan fiction, still. When asked by Collider about her favorite tropes , she said "Enemies-to-lovers. Reylo forever."

In October 2022, Deadline reported that "The Love Hypothesis" will soon be adapted into a movie, though a cast hasn't been revealed yet.

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10 books to add to your reading list in April

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Critic Bethanne Patrick recommends 10 promising titles, fiction and nonfiction, to consider for your April reading list.

April’s book releases cover some difficult topics, including Salman Rushdie discussing his 2022 maiming, Leigh Bardugo’s fiction about the dark arts and Ada Limón’s poetry anthology about our fragile world. However, like April, there is also sunshine: Leif Enger’s wild Great Lakes love story, Helen Tworkov’s beautiful memoir of Buddhism and a collection of the inimitable Maggie Nelson’s essays. Happy reading, happy spring!

I Cheerfully Refuse: A Novel By Leif Enger Grove Press: 336 pages, $28 (April 2)

An unusual and meaningful surprise awaits readers of Enger’s latest, which takes place largely on Lake Superior, as a man named Rainy tries to reunite with his beloved wife, Lark. While the world around this couple, a dystopian near-future American where billionaires control everything, could not be bleaker, the author’s retelling of the myth of Orpheus (who went to the underworld to rescue his wife) contains the authentic hope of a born optimist.

The Familiar: A Novel By Leigh Bardugo Flatiron Books: 400 pages, $30 (April 9)

Bardugo departs from novels of dark academia in a standalone to make the hairs on your neck stand up, set in 16th century Spain. A hidden Sephardic Jew and scullery maid named Luzia Cotado matches wits with fellow servant Guillén Santángel. Luzia discovers a secret of Guillén’s, but she’s already fallen in love with him. And because he knows hers, too, they might both avoid the Spanish Inquisition. It’s a gorgeous tale of enchantments both supernatural and earthly.

The Sleepwalkers: A Novel By Scarlett Thomas Simon & Schuster: 304 pages, $28 (April 9)

A couple honeymoons at a Greek resort. What could go wrong? In Thomas’ hands, plenty – especially as the author has never written a comfortable story; her books, from “PopCo ” to “Oligarchy,” crackle with unreliable characters, as well as big philosophical ideas. In this case, the new marriage’s breakdown is chronicled through letters between the spouses, and sometimes bits of ephemera, that ultimately untangle a dark mystery relating to the title.

The Garden: A Novel By Clare Beams Doubleday: 304 pages, $28 (April 10)

Few novels of literary fiction are written as well as “The Garden,” let alone given its sadly relevant retro setting, a 1940s country-estate obstetrical program. Irene Willard walks through its gates having endured five miscarriages; pregnant again, she and her war-veteran husband George desperately hope for a live birth. But as Irene discovers more about the woman who controls all here, Dr. Bishop, she fears carrying to term as much as she once feared pregnancy loss.

Reboot: A Novel By Justin Taylor Pantheon: 304 pages, $28 (April 23)

David Crader, former teen TV heartthrob, just wants to reboot his career when his old show “Rev Beach” has a moment. His life has devolved through substance abuse, divorce and underemployment. But when he and colleagues launch a remake, devolution continues: The protagonist’s struggles are mirrored by climate-change issues, from flooding to wildfires. Despite that darkness, Taylor’s gift for satire might make this a must-read for 2024 beach bags.

You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World By Ada Limón (Editor) Milkweed Editions: 176 pages, $25 (April 2)

A wondrous artist herself, Limón is currently poet laureate of the United States, and this anthology is part of her signature project, “You Are Here,” which will also feature poetry as public art in seven national parks. Released in conjunction with the Library of Congress, the collection features 50 previously unpublished poems by luminaries including Jericho Brown, Joy Harjo, Carl Phillips and Diane Seuss, each focusing on a piece of regional landscape.

Like Love: Essays and Conversations By Maggie Nelson Graywolf Press: 336 pages, $32 (April 2)

While all of the pieces in Nelson’s new book have previously been published elsewhere, they’re made fresh here both through being collected and through their chronological placement. Readers can practically watch Nelson’s incisive mind growing and changing as she speaks with colleagues such as Hilton Als and Judith Butler, or as she writes about queerness, motherhood, violence, the lyrics of Prince and the devastating loss of a friend.

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder By Salman Rushdie Random House: 204 pages, $28 (April 16)

On Aug. 12, 2022, the author Salman Rushdie was speaking at upstate New York’s Chautauqua festival when a man rushed the stage and attempted to murder him. Rushdie, a target of Iranian religious leaders since 1989, was permanently injured. In this book, he shares his experience for the first time, having said that this was essential for him to write. In this way, he answers violence with art, once again reminding us all that freedom of expression must be protected.

Lotus Girl: My Life at the Crossroads of Buddhism and America By Helen Tworkov St. Martin’s Essentials: 336 pages, $29 (April 16)

Tworkov, founder of the magazine Tricycle, chronicles her move from a 1960s young-adult interest in Buddhism to travels through Asia and deep study in the United States of the different strands that follow the Buddha’s teachings. Tworkov mentions luminaries such as the artist Richard Serra, the composer Charles Mingus and the Dalai Lama, but she’s not name-dropping. Instead, she’s strewing fragrant petals from her singular path to mindfulness that may help us find ours.

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War By Erik Larson Crown: 592 pages, $35 (April 30)

Even diehard Civil War aficionados will learn from Larson’s look at the six months between Lincoln’s 1860 election and the surrender of Union troops under Maj. Robert Anderson at Charleston’s Ft. Sumter. Larson details Anderson’s secret Christmas redeployment and explores this individual’s contradictions as a former slave owner who loyally follows Lincoln’s orders. The author also shares first-person perspective from the famous diaries of the upper-class Southerner Mary Chesnut. All together, the book provides a riveting reexamination of a nation in tumult.

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