Julia Drake: On Trusting Her Gut When Things Aren’t Working
In this interview, author Julia Drake discusses reimagining Shakespeare’s As You Like It with her new young adult novel, Lovesick Falls.
Julia Drake’s debut novel The Last True Poets of the Sea received the 2020 New England Book Award, six starred reviews, and was named a 2019 Best Book of the Year by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, among other publications. She received her BA in Spanish from Williams College, and her MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, where she also taught writing to first-year students. She currently works teaching writing to undergraduates. She lives in Philadelphia with her partner and their rescue rabbit, Ned. Follow her on Instagram.
In this interview, Julia discusses reimagining Shakespeare’s As You Like It with her new young adult novel, Lovesick Falls, how the ending was a surprise to her, and more.
Name: Julia Drake
Literary agent: Peter Knapp
Book title: Lovesick Falls
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Release date: June 2, 2025
Genre/category: Young adult
Previous titles: The Last True Poets of the Sea
Elevator pitch: Lovesick Falls is a queer adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous comedy As You Like It, narrated by best friends Celia Gilbert and Ros Brinkman during the summer they spend working at a theater festival.
What prompted you to write this book?
I’ve always felt a little sorry for Celia in As You Like It—she loves her best friend Rosalind so much that she goes into exile for her, whereupon Rosalind immediately starts wooing Orlando. I wanted to reimagine their friendship in a more modern context, and give Celia the space to tell her side of the story.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It took about two years to go from idea to publication (though it took about three years and another failed project to come up with the idea). The fundamental idea stayed the same throughout the process, but I played around with book’s structure and Ros’s voice before I found the one that fit the best.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I worked in the wrong direction for a while before I started working on Lovesick Falls, even though my heart wasn’t really in the project. It was a good reminder to trust my gut and listen to myself when it feels like things aren’t—or are—working out.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
The ending of this book was a surprise for me! I had no idea where the story was going, but I’m pleased with where the characters end up—the ending feels true to them and a good conclusion to the story.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers will have a lot of fun reading Lovesick Falls—it’s meant to be lighthearted and funny, even as it touches on more serious themes. My hope is readers will laugh and turn the pages quickly, but that the book will stay with them long after they’ve finished.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Write the book that needs to be written—not the book that you think you should write.
