Lauren Thoman | Updates

INDIGENT: Briana N. Cox in conversation with Lauren Thoman

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 7 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

LOCATION: Plenty Bookshop, Cookeville, TN

TIME: 5:00 PM

Briana N. Cox will discuss her debut horror novel Indigent with Lauren Thoman. Signing to follow.

About Indigent:

Leigh Pierce Estates is home to a diverse array of tenants: working mothers, immigrants, the forgotten elderly. All working poor—and all in danger.

Because the tenants of Leigh Pierce are disappearing.

Live-in handyman Xavier seems to be the only one who notices. Or cares. After a chance encounter with the culprit, he is left infected with something terrifying, thrust into a surreal nightmare of starvation and consumption that is all too familiar.

Succumbing to his infection, Xavier is drawn into the cobbled-together family squatting in Leigh Pierce’s basement. People who, through a myriad of roads, fell into the same self-destructive cycle of indigency, harboring dark secrets and darker appetites.

Now, Xavier is forced to confront the cost of survival in a world that has disregarded him, lost in a messy family dynamic of codependency and complicity—a dynamic he’s desperate to break.

Briana N Cox (she/they) is the oldest of seven children and a first-generation academic. She holds a BA in cognitive science from Swarthmore College and an MS in speech-language pathology from Purdue University. Briana has been a writing Fellow through The TN Playwright’s Studio, Stowe Story Labs, Bend Base Camp Feature Lab, Stage 32 Feature Competition, and the Moonshot Initiative Feature Accelerator. She has won Best Script at the San Francisco Independent Film Festival and Best Tennessee Writer at the Nashville Film Festival. They have additionally been featured in Variety magazine, the 2024 Next List of screenwriters to watch for, and FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction. Briana writes genre stories from the margins, illuminating the experiences of overlooked demographics with authenticity, dignity, and dark humor.

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THE TRAVELERS: Greg Howard in conversation with Lauren Thoman

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 7 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Location: Bound Booksellers, Franklin, TN

Time: 1:00 PM

Greg Howard and Lauren Thoman will discuss Greg's newest middle grade novel The Travelers. This event is free and open to the public, with a signing to follow.

About The Travelers:

Beloved by readers for his sensitivity and focus on iconic LGBTQ characters and serious issues, Edgar-nominee and author of critically acclaimed The Whispers and The Visitors, Greg Howard, makes his highly anticipated return with a twisty mystery wrapped in a heartwarming tale of friendship, found family, and the reassurance that even in death, those we love never truly leave us.

When twelve-year-old Ben Turner’s mom unexpectedly passes away, he's forced into the care of the only living relative he has left—a grandmother he’s never met who lives in a place he’s never been. Rutledge, South Carolina, is worlds from bustling Nashville.

Upon arriving at his grandmother's house, Ben is dumbfounded by the large stone-and-brick building that greets him. Clifton House appears far more like a haunted mansion than a house, and Ben can’t get over the fact that this is where his mom grew up. Inside, Ben is surprised to see clocks—clocks of all shapes and sizes on the walls, mantels, and tables. What’s even more surprising is that none of the clocks tell the correct time, and some even seem to be moving backwards.

Before Ben can ask too many questions, his stern grandmother tells him there are two rules that must be followed at Clifton House: never touch the clocks and never go up to the third floor. But on his very first night, Ben hears footsteps and hushed whispers—all seeming to come from the third floor.

Soon Ben begins to suspect there’s something more to Clifton House than broken clocks and dusty old furniture. Is it poltergeists? Hidden passageways? Or something to do with the very fabric of time itself? With the help of two new friends, Ollie and Ash, Ben embarks on a quest to solve the mystery of Clifton House and quickly finds himself in a race against time to save his family and possibly even himself.

Greg Howard was born and raised in the South Carolina Lowcountry where his love of stories blossomed at a young age. Originally set on becoming a songwriter, Greg followed that dream to Nashville, Tennessee, where he spent years producing the music of others before eventually returning to his childhood passion for writing stories.

Greg’s critically acclaimed, debut middle-grade novel, The Whispers was nominated for an Edgar Award and was named a Best Book of 2019 by Advocate Magazine. His second middle-grade novel, Middle School’s a Drag, You Better Werk! is an Amazon Teacher’s Pick. The Visitors, his third middle-grade offering, was a 2022 New York Public Library Best Book. Also, the author of the young adult novel Social Intercourse, Greg’s next middle-grade book, The Travelers, will be available on August 25, 2026.

Greg writes for and about LGBTQ youth, creating the kind of books he wishes he’d had access to as a young reader growing up gay in the American South. When he’s not writing books, Greg enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, and spending time with friends. He lives in Nashville with his ridiculously adorable Mini Aussiedoodle, Sadie.

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Backstage

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:11:19 -0400

Full text can be found at https://www.backstage.com/magazine/author/lauren-thoman/

Collider

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:13:11 -0400

Full text can be found at https://collider.com/author/lauren-thoman/

Digital Spy

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:14:32 -0400

Full text can be found at https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a27429578/mcu-villains-endgame/

Looper

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:16:35 -0400

Full text can be found at https://www.looper.com/author/laurenthoman/

Mic

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:18:07 -0400

Full text can be found at https://www.mic.com/profile/lauren-thoman-17869399

Parade

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:19:37 -0400

Full text can be found at https://parade.com/author/lauren-thoman

Paste

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:20:25 -0400

Full text can be found at https://www.pastemagazine.com/author/laurenthoman

Popsugar

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:21:30 -0400

Full text can be found at https://www.popsugar.com/author/lauren-thoman

Star Trek

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:42:32 -0400

Full text can be found at https://www.startrek.com/news/the-biggest-lesson-from-star-trek-iv-the-voyage-home-isnt-talked-about-enough

Vulture

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:45:50 -0400

Full text can be found at https://www.vulture.com/author/lauren-thoman/

TheWrap

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:53:48 -0400

Full text can be found at https://www.thewrap.com/author/lauren-thoman/

DragonCon

Lauren Thoman — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Dragon Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction & fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe.

Lauren's Panel Schedule:

Title: No Way Out: A From Fan Panel

Description: A fan-driven discussion about the enigmatic horror series, ranging from its mysteries to its mythology. What do we think is really going on?

Panelists: Rocky Shields, Robyn McGlotten, Tony Sarrecchia, C. Damian Allen(M), Lauren Thoman, Courtenay Cody

Time: Thu 07:00 pm

Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Remarkably Bright Creatures Discussion: Book & Movie

Description: A moderated panel discussion over the book and its movie adaptation on Netflix, with audience involvement.

Panelists: Anna Puerta(M), Darrell Z. Grizzle, Lauren Thoman, Margaret Robbins, William Brown

Time: Fri 10:00 am

Location: Chastain F Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Pluribus: A Perfect World?

Description: A world where becoming part of something greater may be the ultimate rewardâ€”or the ultimate sacrifice. With mystery, unforgettable characters, and plenty of moral gray areas, the first season challenges what it means to belong, to choose, and ultimately, to remain yourself.

Panelists: Kevin Bachelder(M), Lauren Thoman, Felicity Kusinitz, Jason Rhode, Wendy Hembrock

Time: Fri 11:30 am

Location: M302-M303 Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: How to Get Away with Murder: Thriller in YA

Description: Mystery, Murder, and Mayhem..oh my! Crafting a murder (in a book of course) that thrills, chills, and keeps readers on the edge of their seat takes an incredible amount of talent. Let's talk about what it takes to write the perfect murder.

Panelists: Diana Peterfreund, Lauren Thoman, Clay McLeod Chapman, Sarah Brown(M), Madeleine Roux

Time: Fri 07:00 pm

Location: A707 Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Is the End Near? A Good Omens Fan Panel

Description: A moderated fan panel discussion over the final season of the show.

Panelists: JM Paquette, Ben Meeks, Lauren Thoman, Wayland Smith, Elliot DuPree, Carol Malcolm

Time: Fri 08:30 pm

Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: End of the World As We Know It: Dystopian YA

Description: Dystopian YA Lit captivates us by asking one timeless question: What happens when the world goes wrong? Join us as we discuss crafting unforgettable worlds, creating resilient protagonists, and using speculative fiction to explore real-world issues such as power, inequality, survival, and hope.

Panelists: Sarah Brown(M), Lauren Thoman, Megan O'Russell, A. J. Hartley, Jessi Ann York, Andrew Najberg

Time: Sat 01:00 pm

Location: A707 Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: The Silo Symposium

Description: Descend into the mysteries of Silo as fans uncover its secrets, power structures, and claustrophobic tensions. Explore rebellion, truth, and survival beneath the surface in a lively discussion of life inside a post-apocalyptic world built on control, fear, and buried truths.

Panelists: Lauren Thoman, Michael Frost, Aaron Dunne(M), Tara Lynne Walker

Time: Sat 04:00 pm

Location: Chastain G Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: YA Book Club: I'll Stop the World - Lauren Thoman

Description:

Panelists: Lauren Thoman, Sarah Brown(M)

Time: Sat 07:00 pm

Location: A707 Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: The Plot Thickens: Mystery & Suspense in UF

Description: Key components of Urban Fantasy, mystery and suspense add an extra layer to the narrative, and often are the main focus of a story. Our group of authors will discuss how they use these elements in their work.

Panelists: Ernest Dempsey, Beth Dolgner, Lauren Thoman, Shannon Clute(M), R.R. Virdi, Diana Peterfreund

Time: Sun 10:00 am

Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Mental Health in YA

Description: Stories have the power to help us know ourselves and our world more clearly. Join us as we discuss stories that explore mental health, resilience, identity, and more. We'll discuss the responsibility of portraying sensitive topics and the impact these stories can have on young readers.

Panelists: Becky Albertalli, Megan Linski, Lauren Thoman, Jess Lyles(M), Sean Fletcher, A. J. Hartley

Time: Sun 01:00 pm

Location: A707 Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Welcome to Widow's Bay: A Fan Panel

Description: A fan-powered discussion about Apple's surprise hit. We'll discuss our favorite characters, how the show balances horror and comedy, and it's offbeat, cozy charm.

Panelists: Christopher G Moore, Jotham R Austin, II, Aaron Michael Ritchey, Jen "Lil' Bit" Schleusner(M), Lauren Thoman, Whiskey Vixen

Time: Sun 04:00 pm

Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

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DREAD CHASER cover reveal

Lauren Thoman — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Last of Us meets The Mandalorian in this post-apocalyptic speculative young adult novel about a teenage bounty hunter whose mission to catch the target of a lifetime begins to unravel everything he thought he knew about his world.

Over a century after a series of cataclysmic disasters wiped out most life on Earth, survival in the Expanse is a daily battle. No one knows that better than eighteen-year-old Diesel, who lost his family years ago and now earns his keep as a dust chaser—tracking down the people no one else can find, even when they’d rather stay hidden.

But when Diesel’s assigned a mysterious and dangerous new target that comes with the largest bounty he’s ever seen, he worries that this time he may be in over his head. Accompanied by his hulking dog, Gloom, Diesel sets out across the climate-ravaged Stormlands, determined to claim the bounty before anyone else can. But nothing about this job is business as usual: leads are few, competition is fierce, and every clue that he uncovers only raises more questions.

Worse, the monstrous Dreads that roam the Expanse are increasing in number, making each day more dangerous than the last. Pursued by old rivals and unsettled by whispers of secret organizations that challenge his understanding of the world, Diesel will have to decide which he’d rather chase: his mark or the truth.

You can pre-order your copy here or add it to your Goodreads shelf!

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DREAD CHASER announcement

Lauren Thoman — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Kate Prosswimmer and Nicole Fiorica at McElderry Books have bought Dread Chaser, the start of a post-apocalyptic speculative series by Lauren Thoman, in her YA debut, pitched as The Last of Us meets The Mandalorian. A teenage bounty hunter must team up with his rival as they pursue the target of a lifetime in a chase that unravels everything they thought they understood about the world they live in. Publication is planned for spring 2027; Holly Root at Root Literary sold world rights in the two-book deal.

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“I’ll Stop the World” Criminal Element Review

Lauren Thoman — Mon, 8 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Excerpt:

I’ll Stop the World is a refreshingly original and whimsically nostalgic story of time travel. In an age where “the same but different” often reigns supreme, Lauren Thoman unapologetically inhabits her own unconventional (and undeniably pop culture savvy) space. The result is a clever mash-up that’s part coming-of-age story, part whodunit, and whole-hearted love letter to humanity’s capacity for betterment. While mysteries of the universe abound, it’s the internal crises of faith that most resonate. Sometimes being yourself feels like the greatest crime of all. But if you’re lucky, you’ll make a few good friends who will see your potential and help you live up to it."

Read the full review here

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Book Riot: 13 New April Mysteries, Thrillers, and True Crime For Criminal Spring Reading

Lauren Thoman — Thu, 6 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

"Welcome to a new month – and spring! – with plenty of mysteries, thrillers, and true crime to read. Once again there is something for every reading taste – and a ton for readers who read it all!

In the true crime department, there’s a focus on violence against Native American women in America and the rise and fall of D.C. Stephenson, who controlled Indiana through the Ku Klux Klan.

There’s a mystery/horror novel with tribal folklore, the final-for-now book in the Ruth Galloway series (do not shoot the messenger), and fan favorite Megan Miranda has a new tale with the trope of “something bad happened in high school and now those students are reunited for something bad to happen again.”

Domestic suspense fans have a full dish: a “perfect life” woman is found dead at the bottom of her stairs, and now secrets will come out; a British Pakistani actress is definitely hiding something, but is it murdering her husband?; and a couple spends a week at a marriage retreat with all their secrets mounting.

There’s also a coming-of-age tale with a dash of time travel and murder mystery, a middle grade mystery exploring grief, a firefighter mystery (if you can handle the heat!), a fictional sleuth best friend’s with Julia Child, and a James Bond start to a trilogy. Have fun choosing your next read!"

Read the full article here.

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Oprah Daily: Mindy Kaling Reveals 5 Books That Made a Difference

Lauren Thoman — Mon, 3 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Excerpt:

“Growing up, I was that kid who couldn’t put their book down. I see so clearly the thread connecting my love of reading novels to my becoming a writer and producer for television. I look for the same things in my shows as a producer that I did and continue to do as a reader: gripping characters and cinematic narratives that are real and grounded but, above all, entertain. That is why having my own book studio with Amazon Publishing has been such a full-circle moment and why I am so excited to give a platform to a page-turner in the true sense of the word, I’ll Stop the World. The best stories are the ones that move us but also give us no option but to press ‘next episode’ or turn another page, even when it’s 1 a.m. and you know you should just go to bed.”

Published on Oprah Daily. Read the full article here.

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BookBub: The Best Books of Spring

Lauren Thoman — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

"If you’re looking for your next favorite read, we have the perfect list for you! Spring is blooming with exciting debut novels and new releases from our favorite authors. From page-turning family sagas to heartwarming women’s fiction, these are the best books of spring 2023 — happy reading!"

Read the full article here.

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