1--What is the title of your latest release?
STREETLIGHT PEOPLE
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
STREETLIGHT PEOPLE is the story of an eerie little town named Streetlight that has a firm socioeconomic divide. But when Kady—part of Streetlight’s working class—attends the annual Halloween carnival and walks away with a prize that enables her to change time, she’s convinced she can finally make things look the way she’s always wanted them to—starting with convincing her wealthy boyfriend Nik to finally take her to the coveted and highly secretive ball that’s hosted every year by his exclusive social club, The IV Boys. The only problem is that the more Kady changes the clock, the more dizzying reality becomes, until the moment that she discovers that Streetlight is filled with monsters, and maybe she’s always been one, too.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I love settings that act as characters, so I knew I wanted to create a town for this story that felt like it had a personality all its own. I always intended for this book to feel a little bit magical and a little bit eerie, so I set out to write a town that could do both.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Yes! Streetlight People is told from the POVs of Kady and Aaron, and I’d happily hang out with either one of them.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
For Kady, I’d say: determined, loyal, and naïve. For Aaron, I’d say: Genuine, loyal, and conflicted.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Magic rules are HARD. Streetlight People, aside from the time travel, is very grounded, and I still struggled at times establishing the time travel element. So, hats off to all the fantasy writers out there creating whole new worlds! You all are amazing.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I edit as I draft, so it takes me a bit longer to put out a first draft than it does some other people, but I do tend to have a pretty clean first draft once I finish.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Ooh. I love a lot of things. Truffle fries are always a must-order.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
Yes, I refer to that sanctuary as “My Couch.” I don’t even sit at a desk when I write!
10--Who is an author you admire?
I think Maya Angelou is one of the most beautiful writers who’s ever existed.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
I love Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Beloved by Toni Morrison also has left a permanent mark on my mind and soul.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
My debut Seton Girls came out in 2022. We received a couple offers from editors, but the first one actually happened while I was napping, and I woke up to a text from my agent that it had come through. I really didn’t know much about publishing until after I got my first book deal, so I was adorably clueless about how miserable being “on sub” could be (and, honestly, I’m grateful for that because I know it saved me a TON of stress!). We got our first offer after about three months on submission, so I was really fortunate.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
I dabble in a lot of genres. It’s more so a style that attracts me—strong characters, powerful prose, books that make me want to immediately discuss them once I reach the final page.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
Forrest Gump
15--What is your favorite season?
Fall or Spring
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Vacation!
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Behind Her Eyes (Netflix limited series) changed my world forever. I also really love Anderson Cooper’s podcast All There Is. It focuses on grief, and I don’t think we talk about that enough.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
There are too many to name!
19--What do you do when you have free time?
Read, try new restaurants, play with my pup, do a workout, travel.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
My next book is coming out summer 2025 and is titled It’s You Every Time! It’s a YA love story featuring a teenage girl in NYC stuck in a time loop, and is a conversation about grief and healing. It’s my first time writing a love story, and I’m very, very excited for it to be in the world.
A little bit Twin Peaks, a little bit Black Mirror, Streetlight People is a story of growing up in—and out of—a small town with a huge secret.
For most, Streetlight is a dot on the map you pass on your way to somewhere else. But if you live there, you’re either a Have-Not, like Kady, or a Have-Lot like her boyfriend, Nik, who also happens to be a member of the exclusive social club, The IV Boys.
Known for their powerful families and the coveted ball they host for a selective guest list, The IV Boys have always refused to accept Kady regardless of how much Nik loves her. All the Boys except for Aaron, who didn’t grow up in Streetlight and is one of the few who knows that life—real life—exists outside of it. But his stepmom has the kind of wealth and power even IV Boys can’t resist.
With Nik at college, Aaron stands by Kady’s side.But all Kady really wants is Nik, and when a chance encounter on Halloween hands her the power to twist and hold time, she doesn’t hesitate. Now she can keep Nik close for as long as she wants.
While Kady tries to relive her best moments with Nik, the IV Boys have her in their sights. A rumor’s spreading that Kady and Aaron are much more than friends—and not even twisting time is enough to defend against the power that the Boys were born with.
The more Kady changes the clock, the more dizzying reality becomes, until she stumbles upon a truth darker than anything she could have imagined. Streetlight is filled with monsters—and maybe she’s always been one, too.
Young Adult | Fantasy Urban | Science Fiction Alternate History [Dutton Books for Young Readers, On Sale: November 5, 2024, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593618868 / eISBN: 9780593618875]
A Unique YA Time-Travel Story That Combines Magic, Darkness, and Social Conflict
Charlene Thomas started writing when she was a little girl because she has a tendency to love telling stories just as much as she loves living them. She was sixteen when she wrote a manuscript that won the National Novel Silver Award from Scholastic Books, and went on to minor in creative writing at North Carolina State University. She writes books about the world we live in, inspired by her experiences growing up in Montgomery County, MD. She believes a lot in people and what all of us are capable of, and maybe that’s why she loves creating big characters who are steadfastly determined to change their own little parts of the world.
Charlene's debut novel, Seton Girls, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and was deemed "a timely examination of consent, power, and who owns the rights to the truth" by Kirkus. Her sophomore novel, Streetlight People, releases November 5, 2024, and her third novel, It's You Every Time (previously titled Should Tomorrow Come), will be releasing in Summer 2025.
When Charlene isn't writing, she's also a marketer - having worked on brands at PepsiCo, Diageo, and Danone. She earned her MBA from Emory University, a Certificate in Digital Marketing from Cornell University, and a Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing from The University of Cambridge.
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