Quinn Diacon-Furtado wanted to cover the themes of exclusion and generational patterns from the perspective of queer and nonbinary teens, so they wrote "The Lilies."

What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?

I wanted to write "The Lilies" because I was interested in how the public conversation about "safe spaces" for women hinges on this notion of "who belongs." For generations, notions of belonging and womanhood have been weaponized to exclude gender-nonconforming people and women of color from safe spaces. This is patriarchal violence in action, and it is often the norm at single-gender institutions such as girls’ boarding schools and universities. With "The Lilies," I wanted to write about young people who found creative ways to reject this precedent, even when it seems like it's inescapable.

What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?

To me, Reading Rainbow means embracing what you love and ignoring the haters. Moving towards joy and authenticity is what queerness is all about. There’s nothing better than reading something that brings you joy and helps you deepen your understanding of yourself and others.

Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?

Authentic, accurate representation is so important — particularly in young people’s literature — because reading is a means of learning about the world and learning about yourself within it. Without characters and backstories that accurately reflect people’s lived experiences, we as writers are not doing our jobs.

Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.

"The Lilies" is a time-travel thriller set in an elite boarding school. Four students enter a time loop which is tied to a shared traumatic memory. As they are trapped reliving this memory, they try to find a way out together before the fabric of time can fully disintegrate. The book grapples with themes like exclusion and generational patterns. I wanted to write about this from the perspective of queer and nonbinary teens, whose voices are often lost in this conversation.

What can fans expect from your book?

If you’re a fan of unreliable narrators, twisty plots, and surrealist elements, then you’ll love "The Lilies!"

What's up next for you in the bookish world?

There are several irons in the fire at the moment. Currently, I’m working on a novel for young readers about psychics who talk to objects. Next, I plan to revise another multi-POV manuscript that partially takes place in a dream world.