E.K. Johnston is such a prolific writer, it’s impossible for us to choose a favourite book by her…but The Afterward has been out since February and we’re still gushing about it! Please enjoy this Q&A from E.K. Johnston as well as some random facts about her.
Describe your book in 5 words
Sword, Sorcery, and Student Loans
Which of the characters in The Afterward do you relate to the most?
Kalanthe.
Recommend a book for Kalanthe and Olsa.
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
What advice would you give your 16-year-old self?
Don’t rebel by choosing the school musical over track and field. The musical will never make it to stage, and only, like, five of you will take it seriously.
What is the best piece of writing advice you have ever received?
Shannon Hale says that writing a first draft is like piling all the sand into the sandbox so that you can make a castle later, and I love that.
What are you reading now?
Catching up on comics! Ms. Marvel and the last Poe Dameron volume.
What books do you recommend to fans of The Afterward?
How to Love by Katie Cotugno
The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow
5 Things You Need to Know About E.K. Johnston:
- Her archaeological specialties are iron age fortifications in southern Moab and the recovery of human remains
- One time she made a cake in the shape of BB-8 that made her famous on Tumblr
- She grew up in a small town and only recently has been addressed by her own name on the first try (instead of her sister’s)
- She misses L&P (New Zealand), Monte Carlos (Australia), chocolate cake in a can (England), and one particular street food vendor in Busan, South Korea who made these deep fried shrimp with eggs TO DIE FOR
- She recently played Mass Effect all the way through and is still in recovery
Add The Afterward on Goodreads here!
