Albertalli Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Debut Bestseller in Roswell

Becky Albertalli, author of “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” and 10 other works, is one of Roswell’s busiest literary stars, as evidenced by a short list of accomplishments in just the last 13 years.

In 2012, Albertalli was a psychologist specializing in working with LGBTQ teens and gender-nonconforming children. Then her first son was born and she decided to try writing a novel. A year later, she connected with her first agent at the fall 2013 Atlanta Writers Conference. Two years later, “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” debuted. Three years after that, “Love, Simon,” the film based on the book, was released. Then “Love, Victor,” the spin-off TV series inspired by the novel and movie, aired in 2020.

The accolades she accumulated in the process have been equally impressive. "Simon," which was longlisted for the National Book Award and the Lambda Literary Award, won a host of other honors, including the William C. Morris Award. The movie scored a variety of commendations, as did the Hulu series. And all the while Albertalli continued publishing acclaimed work, including the New York Times bestseller “Imogen, Obviously,” as well as “What If It’s Us” and “Here’s to Us,” co-authored with Adam Silvera, and “Yes No Maybe So,” co-authored with Aisha Saeed.

Describing her work, Albertalli said, “I write realistic contemporary young adult books, and I’d consider all of them coming-of-age stories and/or romantic comedies. Most of them center or prominently feature queer characters, which means they’re widely banned and challenged across the country.

“But I’ll never stop writing queer characters and supporting the work of fellow queer authors," she said. "All teens deserve to see themselves in stories.”

Now, for the 10th anniversary of her first book, a deluxe limited paperback edition is being released and celebrated at a free event at Albertalli’s longtime library. Hosted by Bookmiser and the Roswell Library, she will be in conversation with author Matthew Hubbard Saturday, May 31, at 2 p.m.

“It’s been a very surreal 10 years,” Albertalli said. “I can’t believe how quickly time has flown. More than anything, I’m grateful for the incredible readers, authors and industry professionals I’ve met along the way.

“The Bookmiser event on May 31st feels like the perfect way to celebrate my favorite things about this entire journey,” she continued. “It’s a true hometown event – held at my community’s public library, hosted by a bookstore I’ve loved for years, and in conversation with a brilliant author I’m lucky to call a friend.”

In true Albertalli style, fans won’t have to wait long for her next release. “Right now, I’m preparing to launch my 10th book, ‘Amelia, If Only,’ which comes out on June 10,” she said. “It’s a companion book to my most recent novel, ‘Imogen, Obviously.’ I’m also in the early stages of drafting a new novel, and I have a few secret things in the works behind the scenes.”

Find out more Saturday, May 31, during the 10th anniversary celebration of “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” at Roswell Library, 115 Norcross St., Roswell. For more information, call 770-509-5611, and reserve seats for the free 2 p.m. by registering here.