Khadijah VanBrakle: Great Books Take Time
KidLit Craft is back with another Snack-Sized Author Interview. In this series, we ask authors five quick questions that give us insight into their craft and process. Today we’re talking with author Khadijah VanBrakle.
If you love contemporary young adult fiction about embracing your flaws, celebrating your wins, and welcoming love into your life, you need to fast-track Khadijah’s novels My Perfect Family and Fatima Tate Takes the Cake to the top of your TBR. Like all the best YA books, Khadijah’s novels tap into the big emotions and hit you in the feels. –Sarah
Welcome, Khadijah!!
Question 1: What's your writing superpower?
It took me a minute to figure out an answer to this question. Most of the time, imposter syndrome never lets me forget that drafting is the most challenging part of my writing process. Some authors think it’s crazy that I LOVE to revise. That’s the closest thing I can think of as my writing superpower. Once there are words on the page, I can’t wait to dive in and make my novel better. My revision process is detailed, but that’s exactly what I need to polish my stories—to get them ready for readers.
Question 2: What’s an element of craft you explored in your latest project and what tips can you share with other authors for growing in their use of that particular element?
In my young adult novel My Perfect Family, I really embraced character development. Not only did I do a ton of pre-drafting work on the sixteen-year-old protagonist, Leena, but I also made sure to come up with the necessary backstories for each secondary character within the novel. My tips for other authors include writing down basic information about each of your characters and then taking it further. For example, what’s your protagonist’s favorite time of the year? Are they quick to anger? Are they a spender or a saver? The more information and insight you discover about your character, the better.
Question 3: If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give yourself as a new author?
If I could tell my past self something about writing, I’d say to take as much time as you need to learn the craft of telling stories. Growing up an avid reader, the thought of becoming an author never occurred to me. Often, new authors are in a rush but great books take time to write and revise, especially when you’re starting out.
Question 4: What inspires you as a writer?
Each book I write comes from a different type of inspiration. The idea behind My Perfect Family was inspired by the fraught mother/daughter relationships in the Gilmore Girls, but within a fractured Black American Muslim family. I write coming-of-age stories about teenagers that share my dual marginalization because for too long, they’ve been missing from traditionally published, contemporary young adult fiction.
Question 5: What’s one book you think every kidlit author should read?
To narrow down my recommendation to one young adult novel is super difficult—I love so many. So, I’m sharing one of my favorite craft books. Every author should have a copy of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression. This resource helps those who want to show thoughts and emotions rather than flatly telling these things on the page. The first time you look through it, you realize how much you need it to level up your writing.
Bonus Question: What can fans look forward to next?
I plan to continue writing more contemporary YA stories that give my teen protagonists impossible choices when faced with difficult situations. In addition, I’m actively writing in a few new genres and really enjoying it.
Khadijah VanBrakle is a proud New Mexican, mother of five, and Black Muslim woman. Her debut novel, Fatima Tate Takes The Cake, was a 2024 NAACP Image Award finalist for Outstanding Youth/Teens literature, a School Library Journal’s Teen Librarian Toolbox Favorite Young Adult read of 2023, and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
Born and raised in Canada to American parents, Khadijah now lives in Albuquerque with her family. Visit her online at www.khadijahvanbrakle.com, on X @LVanBrakle, and on Instagram @khadijahvanbrakle.
Related Articles:
