Welcome back to Young Adulting, folks! For some of you, September might have dragged on, and for others, it flew by at the speed of light. No matter how fast or slow it’s been for you, take a moment to catch your breath and relax. At the very least, revel in the fact that we’re in the home stretch of the month and with every month’s end comes a First Page Feature!
If you have no idea what I’m writing about, the First Page Feature is a chance for emerging writers to feature the first few pages of their works-in-progress (ranging from Middle Grade to New Adult) in our monthly newsletter. Interested in featuring your first pages? Read our First Page Feature guidelines here, and submit here!
We’re capping off this month with Valentina Sierra as September’s First Page Feature.
Valentina Sierra is a Vancouver-based novelist and screenwriter. She holds her MFA in Creative Writing from The University of British Columbia. With a passion for crafting stories that challenge conventions and push the boundaries of genre, she writes character-driven narratives that are both emotionally raw and unapologetically human. Her work explores the complexities of identity, family, and resilience, often centering on the experiences of women – primarily queer women – whose stories are too often left untold. She strives to tell stories with nuance, honesty, and a sharp awareness of the worlds her characters inhabit.
Please take the time to enjoy her FPF:
Everything Turns to Gold
Prologue
An Unfamiliar Prayer
There was a before.
And an After.
Joni once knew of a life when her parents were together. When they were happy and in love and she
was the center of their little universe.
And then her mama left – claiming heartache. Claiming a desperate need for space and a chance to start again. Claiming that loving her wife wasn’t what it used to be and that sometimes people fell apart. She would insist that Joni was still the center of their universe. That she was still her whole world.
But her mama broke that universe apart – and Joni felt it impossible to believe or forgive her for that.
There was a before.
And an after.
Joni started to learn her new life. The one with just her and her mom. The one where they learned to
function as two instead of three. She was only twelve, but she knew her mom needed her more than
anything to get through, so Joni picked a side and stuck to it. She saw her mama as needed, when
her mom practically begged her to do it for her, but she found it hard to heal the broken lines of her
heart. She found it hard to forgive her mama and give her that split custody she was so desperate
for.
In this new life, in her after, she just wanted her mom. She wanted that consistent presence.
And Joni was starting to find that it was easy to just be again. Maybe her after wasn’t so bad after all.
There was a before.
And an after.
She didn’t know that life could keep unwinding itself. She didn’t know that her new would become
her old and it would make place for something even more different to take its turn.
Before.
After.
First, she had two moms.
Then she had one.
And now…
They were driving late one night late after Joni’s cross-country practice. Her mom had just wrapped a twelve-hour shift at the hospital, but when she should’ve been sleeping, she was out picking her kid up instead. Joni had tried to insist on walking home.
It was twenty minutes by foot – ten if she ran it.
“Five minutes by car,” her mom tried to argue. And she won, purely on the basis that she didn’t want her kid out in the dark by herself.
So, they made the five-minute drive home.
It was a clear night. The beginning of May was proving to be warm, and the bout of rain they went through the week before had given way to a forecast of sun.
They were talking. About anything and everything they could in their five-minute catch-up.
Joni said something funny. Her mom laughed and smiled at her like she was everything.
Like she really was the center of the universe.
Joni looked back at the road first. All she saw were headlights.
She went to say something. To tell her mom but–
Before.
After.
Upright.
Upside down.
What drew you to writing for younger audiences?
My biggest goal as a writer is to create spaces—worlds—for young readers to see themselves reflected and feel heard. Growing up, I rarely encountered YA books that centered lesbian or queer experiences, and when they did exist, the narratives often focused solely on coming out. It felt like queer teens weren’t allowed full stories unless those stories were defined by their identity.
When I found my voice as a writer, I knew I wanted to be part of the change that is slowly beginning to occur. I aim to tell meaningful stories that center queer teens, not just as symbols or statements, but as full, complicated characters navigating all the joys and messiness of growing up. Their queerness informs their lives, yes—but it’s not the sole conflict or resolution.
I write for young people because I want them to feel seen, validated, and proud. I want to offer them both an escape and a mirror, and hopefully inspire them to keep reading—and maybe even writing—themselves.
What’s your favourite part of the writing process?
I love the planning stage—the moment an idea sparks and I get to sit down and map out the world, the characters, and how the story might unfold chapter by chapter. That big-picture outlining helps me make sure the narrative structure holds, and once I have that foundation, writing each scene becomes something I can ride like a wave. I know where I’m going, and I get to enjoy the journey without the anxiety of writing into the void without a clear sense of how I want things to end.
Beyond that, I love watching my characters come to life. Once I know how they move through the world—how they speak, think, and react—it’s a thrill to write them in scene. There’s nothing more satisfying than hitting a stride with character banter and watching relationships evolve on the page.
I also love the moments where my characters unravel and fall apart—when their vulnerabilities are laid bare and they’re forced to confront the parts of themselves they’d rather keep hidden. Writing those scenes feels raw and intimate, and I think they’re often where the real heart of the story lives.
What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
“Write to the end.” I first heard it during my undergrad, and it’s stuck with me ever since. Of course, not every project is meant to be written right away—I have a couple of fully plotted novels that I’ve shelved for now because I know I’m not yet at the right place in my writing journey to take them on. But once I’ve committed to a project, I do everything I can to see it through.
It’s easy to fall into the habit of jumping from one shiny idea to the next, but completing a draft—no matter how messy—is what teaches you the most. The more times you finish something, the harder it becomes to abandon anything halfway through. That muscle gets stronger.
I like to think our characters and worlds deserve to be completed. They deserve a full arc—beginnings, middles, complications, and endings that offer closure or peace. Their stories take up space in us, and we become the vessels they move through to reach the page.
Write to the end—for yourself, for your characters, and for the readers who are waiting to discover your words.
YAing Updates
A few reviews have gone up since our last post as well. Here’s a recap:
- Elita Menezes reviewed Alexa Donne’s thrilling YA novel, “The Bitter End.” You can get a jump start on winter by diving into this exciting murder mystery atop a ski mountain. In addition to the slopes, Elita notes that “the story is perfect for those who enjoy teen drama with deadly twists at every corner.” Read the full review here!
- If you’re looking for your next poetic picture book, consider picking up Words with Wings and Magic Things by Matthew Burgess, and illustrated by Doug Salati. “With Burgess’ whimsical, heartfelt verses combined with stunning illustrations by award-winning author and illustrator Doug Salati, this collection reminds readers to pause, look up, and to see the best our world has to offer.” While this might be for kids, I think anyone can find meaning and joy in this whimsical work of art. Read the full review here.
- Last but certainly not least, Young Adulting had the pleasure of returning to Léa Taranto’s debut YA novel, A Drop in the Ocean. Léa joined us in June for an interview discussing her novel, a wonderful conversation carried out by Cid V Brunet. Now, Cid is back with a review for ADITO! You can read the full review here. When you’re done, click over to the interview to read more from Léa.
Industry News
The winner for this year’s Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook of the Year Award was announced earlier this month by the Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable (VCLR). We’d like to extend a huge congratulations to Julie Flett for her picture book, Let’s Go! / haw êkwa!, published by Greystone Kids. In addition to Flett’s win, two fantastic honour books were also named: This Land is a Lullaby, written by Tonya Simpson, illustrated by Delrée Dumont (Orca Book Publishers); and The Weedflower, written by Elizabeth Davaze, illustrated by Marianne Ferrer (Owlkids Books).
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre shared that these books will be celebrated by the VCLR at the annual Fall Tea. While registration has yet to open, rumour has it this will take place November 15th, so keep your schedule open and your eyes peeled for when tickets go live!
While Word Vanocuver has come to a close, fret not! There’s still a number of exciting events to look forward to. Vancouver Writers Fest is upon us and will continue well into October. Check out all the upcoming events that are on sale now! I know I have my eyes on October 21st’s event, Paranormal Activity: Ghost Stories for YA.
Submissions
- Annick Press is currently accepting submissions of picture books, early chapter books, middle grade fiction, YA fiction, graphic novels, and non-fiction for kids of all ages. You can read more about the submission guidelines here!
- StoneSoup has a number of submissions open! Whether you’re a student, educator, or reviewer looking to get involved, browse the myriad of engaging opportunities on their webpage!
- Magic Dragon is open to all writers aged 12 and under! This is a fantastic opportunity for any emerging writers looking to share with peers their same age! You can read the full specs here!
As always, submit your work to us and have the chance to show off your writing with Young Adulting’s First Page Feature!
Volunteer and Job Opportunities:
We shared it in our last newsletter but why not share it again?! Consider volunteering for the 2025 Vancouver Writer’s Fest. This runs October 20–26 and they’re looking for volunteers. Anyone age 16+ is welcome to apply. See the different things volunteers can do and, if you’re still on the fence, take a peek at the perks listed on the specs page here!
For anyone living in Toronto or thinking about moving there, Penguin Random House is hiring a Publishing Assistant. If you’re looking to get your foot in the door of all things publishing, let this be the sign you’ve been looking for. Applications close October 1st, so act fast!
As always, please do send us your news related to children’s and young adult literature at young.adulting@ubc.ca so we can feature them in future newsletters. Our newsletter is (usually) published on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. And remember to keep up with us on on Instagram!
Take care, and happy reading,
The Young Adulting Editors
YOUNG ADULTING 