Books

24 YA Authors Share Their Tales Of Inspiration & Perseverance In 'Hope Nation'

by Kerri Jarema

It appears that YA anthologies are having their moment in the sun, and I couldn't be more excited. I love the idea of being able to read a ton of different authors all in one place, getting short stories from some of my favorites to hold me over until their next full-length novel, while also being introduced to writers I haven't had a chance to read yet. And luckily for me (and every other YA fan) there is now another great collection to add to the ol' TBR stack, and its nothing if not timely. Hope Nation, edited by Rose Brock, brings together 24 fan-favorite young adult writers to tell their own personal stories of maintaining hope and finding inspiration.

Of course, we all know that those in the creative industries have been working overtime to maintain positivity in our current social and political climates; and YA authors have proven to be at the forefront of calls for diversity and trying to dismantle white supremacy within the publishing industry. So it's perhaps not suprising that a group of authors including Angie Thomas, Nicola Yoon, Jason Reynolds, Marie Lu and Jeff Zentner would be tapped to share advice and inspiration with their audiences. But it is a welcome addition to the conversation about finding the place where creativity meets resistance, and learning to thrive there.

Bustle is thrilled to reveal the cover for Hope Nation, which will hit shelves February 2018.

Hope Nation edited by Rose Brock, $19, Amazon

It's a wonderfully diverse collection of authors, from mainstays including David Levithan and Gayle Forman, to debut writers like Nic Stone (whose highly anticipated book, Dear Martin, is out on October 17). The collection is edited by Dr. Rose Brock, a professor at Sam Houston State University.

“I was inspired to gather the voices of Hope Nation by the teens I’ve encountered," Brock says in a statement. "I wanted them to recognize that despite their present-day obstacles, holding on to hope and allowing it to drive them forward is essential, even if baby steps are required. In simplest terms, hope is a decision. It requires a commitment. And it’s my hope that, by being shown a window into a beloved author’s own experiences, teens will choose to fight for hope in their own lives.”

And it sounds like teens won't be the only ones to benefit from this beautifully powerful collection of perspective and perseverance. If you're in a creative field or are just looking for some much-needed inspiration, you're definitely going to want to get your hands on this one next year.