Today on the site I’m delighted to welcome back Marieke Nijkamp, Dutch author of so many books but most notably, today, of This is Where it Ends, an uber-bestselling YA thriller whose 10th anniversary edition just released yesterday. As it happens, Marieke is one of my best friends dating back to before either of us were published, so it’s been a particular joy to be on board for this journey! Before we get to our chat, here’s the gist of This is Where it Ends: 10th Anniversary Edition:
The tenth anniversary edition of the #1 New York Times bestseller about a high school held hostage, and four teens―each with their own reason to fear the boy with the gun. Featuring printed edges, updated author’s note, and exclusive material.
10:00am: The principal of Opportunity, Alabama’s High School finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.
10:02am: The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.
10:03am: The auditorium doors won’t open.
10:05am: Someone starts shooting.
Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.
Now read on for my chat with the author, Marieke Nijkamp!
DA: Happy 10th bookiversary! This is such a huge achievement, and as someone who’s followed your career since before publication, it’s really thrilling to see, though sad that it’s only become increasingly relevant. What are some of your reflections on the first decade of This is Where it Ends?
MN: Nearly a decade already. What an impossible thought. I still very vividly remember when and where the idea for this story came to me, and I never could have imagined what a life changing book it would turn out to be. It kickstarted my career. It allowed me to travel and meet readers across so many different countries. It’s touched the hearts of so many readers, and that’s a tremendous gift. Certainly not something I’ll ever take for granted!
Way back when I first drafted This Is Where It Ends, before it even had a title, I simply set out to write it as honestly and respectfully as possible. With respect to the story and with respect to the readers for whom it might feel personal. That approach has since become essential to me with all of my stories. I’m so proud of this book and grateful for all it brought me. And a decade in, the one thing I want most for TIWIE is for it to read like historical fiction one day. I want for it to be less relevant instead of more. One day, I still hope it will be.
DA: Let’s talk about this special edition — what new material can be found in it, and can you tell us about the process of creating it?
MN: There’s a brand new epilogue! It’s one of the questions I get asked most often: what happens to the survivors at the end of the book? When we started to talk about the tenth anniversary edition and options for extra material, that question nagged at me. Because I’d never really planned to revisit those stories—I love that everything that happens after the end is up to the reader!—but this felt like such a perfect opportunity.
So there’s an epilogue that takes place ten years after the book too. A high school reunion, featuring quite a few familiar characters. You’ll find out what everyone’s been up to, but there’s still plenty of room for your own ideas and interpretations too.
DA: You must’ve heard from a lot of readers in the past ten years. What’s some of the most memorable feedback you’ve received on the book?
MN: There’s nothing quite as special as hearing from readers that my books make them feel seen, or that my books help them figure out a little part of themselves.
But when it comes to This Is Where It Ends in particular, what’s most special to me is how many schools and libraries have used to this book to talk about active shooting incidents in their communities or ways to keep their communities safe. So that means that even if the book still is relevant—it’s also helpful, and that means a lot to me.
DA: I happen to have been with you in Amsterdam the first time you saw “New York Times Bestseller” on the cover, which is a favorite memory of mine. What have been some of the most notable milestones for you in the ten years since publication?
MN: That was such a good moment, and all the better for sharing it with you! There’s been a lot of milestones since too. Lists, awards, foreign editions. But the one that actually sticks with me most is from before publication—when I got to sign advance reading copies of This Is Where It Ends at BEA in 2015. I knew the book had some buzz and people were excited to read it, but I didn’t have a clue what to expect. And then there was a signing line, with people who’d waited for a while to get there. It felt so, so special to see and feel how readers showed up for the book, and they’ve kept showing up for it ever since.
DA: You were actually the very first interviewee on LGBTQReads, almost ten years ago. What answers of yours have changed between then and now?
MN: Uhhhh. I’m significantly less fond of Twitter these days.
I also queered my gender identity quite a bit more in the years since.
DA: Though YA is where you got your start, you’ve also done a lot in other spaces at this point. How does writing for different categories change decision-making and crafting for you?
MN: I love it so much. YA will always be a big part of me, and I love writing for teens. But it’s been such a joy these past few years to explore other categories and other formats too. I’ve written quite a few middle grade books, comics, an adult fantasy, IP work… and I genuinely think maneuvering all those different spaces makes me a better writer.
For one, I love the variety. I love being able to explore stories in all their different shapes and forms. But I also love that every story, every category, every format has its own challenges. So working on graphic novel scripts, for example, made me reconsider how I approach descriptions and how I set a scene. At the same time, far fewer words actually make it onto the (final) page, so that challenged me to be discernable when it comes to writing dialogue. Short stories are a great way to learn how to condense a story to its bare bones and still feel vibrant and alive. Exploring fantasy helps you think about worldbuilding in contemporary settings too—and vice versa. And I just love being able to do it all.
DA: You’re not American, but you do publish here, and obviously we’ve seen the political climate take a significant turn. How does this affect both your work and your experience as an author?
MN: Purely on a craft level, I find it more difficult to write realistic stories now than a decade ago, simply because reality is harsh and complicated and feels almost impossible to digest and comprehend.
On a practical level, my books are challenged and banned on occasion. It’s a heavy weight every time, and at the same time, I’m aware that I’m luckier than friends who deal with far more regular bans.
But above all, I don’t think I can separate the author part of me from the whole of me. As a human being, as a mostly functional member of society, this shift to blatant authoritarianism and cruelty utterly enrages me. It breaks me heart. It concerns me deeply, and not a day goes by that I don’t worry for my friends, my readers, for us—whatever that us looks like. It also isn’t a shift that’s contained by borders or oceans. The political climate has grown harsher and more polarized here too. So as I’m able, I try to do what I can to support local initiatives and global charities, to make my voice count, to be politically aware and purposefully active. And then as a part of that, as an author, I’m drawn to writing stories that, at their core, are about hope, resilience, community, and humanity. Now, more so than ever.
DA: You’ve had an incredibly busy decade since debuting with TIWIE, but perhaps no year more so than this one. Could you give us a rundown on what you’ve currently got going on, and what’s up next?
MN: Oh gosh, so many things. My latest YA novel, After We Burned, just came out earlier this year. Out of all of my young adult books so far, I think this one may be closest to my TIWIE roots, and it’s been really great to see the response to it. It’s another hard-hitting thriller, but the story is also meaningful and hopeful. (I think—and hope.)
Beyond that, I’m in the midst of my Splinter & Ash series—a middle grade series about a nonbinary squire (think: homage to Tamora Pierce’s Tortall series but with explicit gender feels) and a disabled princess trying to save their war-torn, complicated world together. Book two, City of Secrets, came out a couple of weeks ago and we just sent the third book off to copy edits.
I’m also working on a Critical Role graphic novel series: The Whitestone Chronicles. The first book is out and book two will hit shelves next year, as will Clock Hands, the companion book to Sylvia Bi’s and my Ink Girls, and Boundless: 17 Stories Starring Disabled Kids, the companion anthology to my Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens. And as I’m answering these questions… I’m writing my next YA. More on that soon-ish…
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Marieke Nijkamp is a #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of novels, graphic novels, and comics. Her work includes This Is Where It Ends, After We Burned, Critical Role: Vox Machina – Kith & Kin, the Ink Girls series, the Splinter & Ash series, and many other critically acclaimed titles for young readers, young adults, and geeky older adults. She edited the much lauded anthology Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens.
Marieke is a storyteller, dreamer, globe-trotter, and geek. Before pursuing her lifelong passion for writing, she majored in philosophy and medieval history. She loves to go on adventures, garden, roll dice, and daydream. Marieke Nijkamp lives and writes in Small Town, The Netherlands.
Marieke was the founder of DiversifYA and was a founding sr. VP of We Need Diverse Books. Find Marieke on Instagram and Bluesky.
