Alyssa Sheinmel: Writing a Book Is an Endless Series of Surprises
In this interview, author Alyssa Sheinmel discusses writing her debut adult novel, Such Sheltered Lives.
Alyssa Sheinmel is the New York Times-bestselling author of several novels for young adults, including A Danger to Herself and Others, The Castle School for Troubled Girls, and Faceless. Alyssa grew up in Northern California and New York and currently lives and writes in New York. Visit her online at AlyssaSheinmel.com and follow her on Instagram.
In this interview, author Alyssa discusses writing her debut adult novel, Such Sheltered Lives, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Alyssa Sheinmel
Literary agent: Peter Knapp at Park, Fine & Brower
Book title: Such Sheltered Lives
Publisher: Emily Bestler Books, Simon & Schuster
Release date: January 20, 2026
Genre/category: Upmarket thriller
Previous titles: This is my adult debut, but my previously published young adult titles include The Castle School for Troubled Girls, What Kind of Girl, A Danger to Herself and Others, Faceless, and R.I.P. Eliza Hart
Elevator pitch: Tucked among the pristine beaches and lavish manors of the Hamptons sits Rush’s Recovery, a rehabilitation center where ultra-high net worth clients can seek treatment away from prying eyes and paparazzi. The center’s latest guests have just arrived: Lord Edward of Essex, a British aristocrat fighting his black-sheep status and a painful addiction; Amelia Blue Harris, the daughter of a 90s rock legend struggling with an eating disorder; and Florence Bloom, a pop star trying to lay low after her latest tabloid scandal. Rush’s Recovery promises its wealthy guests the utmost discretion. But when a body is discovered, how long can the center’s secrets stay buried?
What prompted you to write this book?
A few years ago, I read an article about a luxurious rehabilitation clinic in Zurich. I couldn’t stop thinking about the path that might lead someone to a place most of us don’t even know exists. Before long, three characters were taking shape in my mind’s eye: Amelia Blue Harris, the grief-stricken daughter of a Gen-X rockstar; Lord Edward of Essex, misunderstood son of a British earl; and Florence Bloom, an under-appreciated popstar determined to prove her worth. My imagination brought all three to a secluded rehabilitation center on Shelter Island, far from the prying eyes of fans, paparazzi, and their own families.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Well, the article was published in February of 2023, and Such Sheltered Lives is publishing in January of 2026—so technically three years? But of course, there were a lot of fits and starts along the way.
As far as changing during the process—when I first had the idea for the novel, I imagined two different versions of it, one for teens and one for adults. I could see a way into the story for both genres, and young adult fiction has been my home for a long time. But as the three main characters developed in my imagination, I knew I wanted this to be my adult debut.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
After writing about a dozen young adult titles, this was my first adult book. Going on submission with this idea, I felt like I had at 26, cold-querying agents for my first young adult novel. (Then again, going on submission with a new YA idea still feels that way, so maybe this isn’t so surprising!)
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
There’s a quote from Alice Hoffman that I love, “No one knows how to write a novel until it’s been written.” With each book, I have to learn how to write a book all over again—because I’ve never written this book before, and until I write it, it doesn’t exist, so how can I possibly know how to do it? For me, writing a book is an endless series of surprises. I may try to outsmart the surprises with outlines and planning, but I’m glad they keep showing up—otherwise, writing would be very boring.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Such Sheltered Lives is a psychological thriller—complete with a secluded setting, untrustworthy caretakers, icy grounds, and one dead body. But it’s also a story about addiction, loss, and recovery. It’s a story about how deeply we long to understand and be understood by the people we love. It’s a story about the value we put on our own words and on the words of our parents and siblings. It’s a book that I hope readers won’t want to put down—not only because of the plot’s twists and turns, but because of the characters’ urgent need for someone, at last, to hear their voices and connect with their stories.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
The best piece of writing advice I ever got was from one of my college professors: Read authors who are doing the sort of writing you want to do better than you’re doing it. I live by that, but I also take it one step further: Read authors who are doing the sort of writing you haven’t yet dreamed of doing better than you can imagine doing it. Every single thing I read teaches me something about how to write. Look at Such Sheltered Lives—the idea was sparked by a newspaper article a friend shared with me. I wasn’t looking for inspiration, but there it was.
So, I know it’s a cliché, but read. Read everything you can get your hands on. Everything—even things you don’t like!—has something to teach you.
