Panel Discussion: Writers on Writing: Middles

A Labyrinth and Library Collaboration

Acclaimed authors Amy Jo Burns, Anica Mrose Rissi, John Vercher and Alexandra Villasante discuss the craft of writing.

In this second installment of the Writers on Writing series, the authors will discuss approaches to finding one’s way through the middle of a manuscript: the murky, the magical, and everything in between. 

About the Panelists:

Amy Jo Burns’s latest novel, "Wait for Me," was the Today Show Read With Jenna pick for March, 2026. She is the author of three other books, including "Cinderland," "Shiner" and "Mercury," which was a Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick, a People Magazine Book of the Week, and an Editor’s Choice selection in The New York Times. A western Pennsylvania native, she lives in New Jersey with her family.

Anica Mrose Rissi is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for kids and teens, including picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA. Her essays have been published by The Writer and The New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. Anica grew up in Maine and spent many years in New York City, where she worked as an executive editor in children’s book publishing. She lives in central New Jersey with her very good dog, Sweet Potato.

John Vercher is the author of three novels. His most recent, Devil Is Fine, was named one of TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Books of 2024 and was longlisted for the Aspen Literary Award, The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, The Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award, and named a Finalist for the Library of Virginia’s Virginia Literary Award. John serves as returning faculty at Randolph College’s low-residency MFA program and is an Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing in the graduate and undergraduate programs at Monmouth University, where he also served as the ’24-’25 artist-in-residence.

Alexandra Villasante is an author, advocate and painter. Her debut YA novel, The Grief Keeper, was the winner of the 2020 Lambda Award. Alex’s most recent novel, Fireblooms, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and was selected as one of NPR’s Books We Love 2025. She’s also contributed to several YA short story anthologies, including Our Shadows Have Claws and We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters Angels and Other Creatures. Alex is a co-founder of the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival and the LKBF Latinx Storytellers Conference.

Presented in partnership with Labyrinth Books.

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