Panel of authors (Sarah Collins/Neon Tommy)

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books hosted a discussion, “Young Adult Fiction: Somewhere in Time” with authors Ann Brashares, Eoin Colfer, Melissa de la Cruz and Tomara Ireland Stone led by moderator and also author, Sonya Sones. 

The theme of the discussion was time travel, in light of the authors’ recent novels—Stone’s "Time Between Us: Time After Time," de la Cruz’s "The Ring and The Crown," Brashares’s "The Here and Now" and Colfer’s "Warp: The Reluctant Assassin." 

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Stone said her new novel follows a time traveling teen from the present day, separated 17 years from her lover who lives in 1995.

De la Cruz’s book is an “alternate historical fantasy,” as she described it, centered around the 100 Years' War and a parallel reality in which the French and British empires combine to rule the world.

Brashares’s "The Here and Now" tells the story of an immigrant who comes from the future to the present, internally damaged from the horrors of a deteriorated global environment.

Colfer’s book, "The Reluctant Assassin," focuses on a boy who lives in Victorian times and escapes through an FBI wormhole into present times. 

The authors spoke about the inspirations for their novels, the research they conducted, and what they would do if they had the opportunity to time travel. Stone said that she would “go back and see music.” De la Cruz mentioned that her time traveling novel was written after her father died, so she would “like to go back to when he was alive.” Brashares admitted that she loves “periods of kind of relative innocence,” and would want to “go back to the football field in 1957 and see my parents in their glory.” Colfer agreed with Brashares, adding that "if any of us could go back, we would go back and see our families in their prime.” 

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As an event for book lovers and aspiring writers, the authors offered up their two cents for those looking to make their living with a pen and paper (or their laptop). 

“Read, read, read. Write, write, write," chuckled Colfer. "And just observe in a non-creepy way; if any of your friends are boring, just get rid of them,” 

Addressing the issue that plagues many young writers, Brashares advised, “pick something and give yourself some structure and finish it. I’m not proud of all the things I’ve started; I’m proud of the few things I’ve finished.”

Looking out for the personal well-being of future authors, de la Cruz shared her wisdom. “Don’t get bitter; don’t get jealous," she warned. "Find the joy in the writing, and always think of that.”

“My big advice is to share your work,” Stone answered. And to “get that thick skin to let people tell you what they think. [Writing] is the scariest thing of my life, but I want to do it over and over again.” 

After the discussion, the authors headed out to booths outside for book signings, happily engaging in brief, friendly discussions with their fans.

I was definitely inspired to go the extra mile with my creative pen after hearing the authors speak, and I’m sure other budding writers felt a similar swell of inspiration. As a longtime fan of Brashares’s "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" books, I was overjoyed when she signed my journal, “Nice to meet you and good luck with your writing!” 

Brashares’s "The Here and Now" was released on April 8, Colfer released "The Reluctant Assassin" on April 11, 2013, de La Cruz’s "The Ring and The Crown" debuted on April 1, and "Time Between Us: Time After Time" was published Oct. 8, 2013. 

Contact reporter Sarah Collins here. Follow her on Twitter here.