Emery Lord. Cincinnatian. Art museum adventurer, bookstore wanderer, enthusiastic diner no matter the cuisine. Author of six contemporary YA novels, including The Start of Me & You and When We Collided.
All That's Left to Say opens with Hannah MacLaren awaiting her fate in the Head of School's office, after pulling the fire alarm at senior prom. In the wake of her beloved cousin's overdose, Hannah has dyed her hair blond and transferred to Sophie's ritzy private school, determined to figure out where those pills came from. She'll go right to the edge – collaborating first with Sophie's other best friend, then with her own longtime rival – but will she find the truth before upending her whole future?
Most of this book was written in 2020-2021 at a desk in my bedroom, which doubled as an office for both my husband and me. A few parts were written on the floor, when plot tangles required sprawling.
I knew I wanted to write about a friend breakup and about art and wealth disparity—all of which feel like rich soil for story-planting. For a while, I fought writing opioids into a book—the effects are so complex, ever-changing, and painful. But, in the end, I care too much about substance use disorder for it to not enter my fictional world. There are so many proven-effective harm reduction measures that aren't widely implemented due to hurdles that can be overcome with better information and louder voices. (... And lots of money, frankly. But that money can be acquired/spent ethically and effectively through better information and louder voices!) I hoped that Hannah's questions about her place in the epidemic might spark readers to ask their own; I hoped that any facts they acquire might feel empowering, as they do to me.
Because this story does have some weighty moments, I wrote in bits of levity, both for balance in the narrative and to keep myself company. I delighted in writing spiky banter, the magic of live music (as I missed it badly in 2020-2021), and a particular party scene I relished writing. The four core characters' zodiac signs are fire, water, earth, and air respectively, so I let myself have a little fun using those elements in allusions Hannah makes. I also enjoyed using a color association for each major character. I hope these details can be a treasure hunt for any reader who picks up on them.
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