10 Year Anniversary Interview: Publicist & Author Lizzy Mason

Lizzy Mason is one of our longest known contacts in the publishing industry and she is now almost 3xs over published author. We asked her to talk to us a little bit about the last 10 years working in publishing and what from her vantage point looks different! Check out the details below on her upcoming YA contemporary release, Remind Me to Hate You Later.

If you missed it, our kick off 10 yr celebration post can be found here with it’s own giveaway.

Interview:

1. Can you believe it’s been 10 years since the YA heavy hitters Cinder, TFIOS, The Selection, and Throne of Glass came out? How have you seen YA change since then?

It’s been a wild 10 years. The YA community has grown so much. In some ways, it’s the same place–epic fantasy is still hugely popular and sad, issue-driven contemporary is a staple–but the stories that are coming out today better reflect the way our world really looks. The diversity of characters and settings is encouraging; I love that teens are able to see themselves in stories more than ever before. 

2. What are some of your favorite memories over the last 10 years?

My favorite memories have been with the authors that I’ve traveled with over the years. I was there from the beginning, literally, with authors like Leigh Bardugo, Marissa Meyer, Alexandra Bracken, and Sarah J. Maas. I’ve absolutely loved watching readers find these incredible novels and seeing the fandoms grow into amazing communities. I’ve seen friendships formed in lines at signings and conferences, watched romances bloom over a shared love of reading, and heard stories of lives saved by just one book. It’s a magical thing to experience. 

3. As a publicist and author, what advice would you give debut authors who want to connect with their audience?

My advice is to be authentic. People know when you’re trying to sell them something or when you’re trying too hard. And while there will always be some salesmanship involved in being an author, people mostly want to be able to connect with you as a person. But if social media isn’t your thing or is uncomfortable for you, that’s okay!! That, too, is authentic. 

Remind Me to Hate You Later

by Lizzy Mason
Published by: Bloomsbury YA
on February 28, 2023
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Bookshop
Goodreads

A story about the pressures of social media, the lengths influencers will go to for fame, and the grief of losing a loved one to suicide, perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Gayle Forman.

Seventeen-year-old Jules grew up in her mother's spotlight. A “parenting influencer,” Britt shares details of her daughter's life-pictures, intimate stories, insecurities, all-to a point that becomes unbearable to Jules.
And suddenly she's gone.

Natalie has only barely begun to grieve her best friend Jules's death when Britt announces her plans to publish a memoir that will dissect Jules's life and death. But Nat knows the truth behind Britt's "perfect" Instagram feed-Jules hated the pressure, the inauthenticity, the persona. There's so much more to Jules than Britt and her followers could ever know. As Nat connects with Jules's boyfriend, Carter, and their shared grief and guilt bonds them, she becomes determined to expose Britt, to understand what really happened, and who is to blame.

In a world that feels distorted by celebrity and the manipulations of social media and public opinion, Natalie and Carter need something real to hold onto. Remind Me to Hate You Later is a moving account of grief, depression, complex relationships, love, and the search for truth.

Giveaway

Enter to win a stack of books from the last 10 years!

Just leave a comment here about a book or series that you think has decade long staying power!

(2nd chance to enter on instagram)

US/PR Only – Physical books in hand, and shipping is more money than this blog earns in a year!